Page 32 of Devious Truth (Vicious Sinners #3)

“ V ee. I’m so glad you’re here. Thank you for coming in a little early.” Meredith greets me as soon as I step inside the employee entrance.

“Sure, of course.” I slip out of my jacket.

“Caroline was supposed to start at six, but she hasn’t shown up yet, and she’s not answering her phone.

” Meredith follows me to the locker room entrance.

“It’s crazy tonight. One of the gaming board members showed up with five guests, and they’ve taken over two of the gaming rooms. The deputy mayor demanded to use one of the playrooms, even though they were all being used, so I had to shuffle things… it’s just been a mess.”

“It’s okay, Meredith. I’m here. Where do you want me?” I pull my uniform out of my locker.

“Section four and five. I’ve moved Lulu from the lounge to the gaming rooms.”

“Not a problem.” I force a smile and start changing.

“Good. Thank you so much!” She yanks the door open and disappears through it in a rush.

After a quick change, I grab my phone to tuck it into the small pocket of my uniform when a call comes through.

My stomach drops.

I should ignore it.

It would be smart to block the number. Why haven’t I done that already?

“Kieran. You can’t call me anymore,” I answer.

“Soon, love, I’ll be done with you soon. I’m having trouble getting inside tonight, need you to come tell this overgrown maggot to let me in. I’m a special guest.”

“No. No way, we’re done. You’ve been banned from the club.”

“Yeah, I know, that’s what this prick told me, but you don’t understand, love. I go home tomorrow. I’ll be meeting with Declan for dinner.”

I grit my teeth. “Kieran, you can’t come in.”

“One night. The Santuccis are expecting me. I’ll play a few hands, then be on my way. Out of your hair. But you need to help me in.”

I close my eyes and think. Ivan is probably already here, upstairs in his office. He mentioned having a meeting with Kaz and Rurik tonight.

He’ll make more out of this than it is. Still, I pause.

“Give me a few minutes, I’ll be there.” I hang up on him and text Ivan.

Just got in. Meredith needed more staff, so I came in early.

Immediately the dots dance.

Just about to sit down in a meeting. I’ll be down in a few hours.

The dancing spots start again, then stop, then start again before his next messages appears.

Missed you last night

A current of warmth runs through me. Last night was the first night this week we didn’t sleep in the same bed.

I missed you too. Shift’s starting, I’m leaving my phone in my locker.

Good girl shows up right away, and I have to put my phone away before I let myself spend the next ten minutes staring at the only two words in the English language that can make my blood pressure rise and my panties dampen at the same time.

Kieran stands off to the side in the entrance hallway when I arrive upstairs. Igor steps around the desk toward me when he sees me approaching.

“He’s been blocked,” he tells me, keeping his voice down.

“I know, but it’s okay; let him in.”

“Ivan was very clear?—”

“I already talked to him.” I cut him off. “He’s just about to sit down in an important meeting, but if you want to interrupt him for this, go ahead.”

“Listen to the girl.” Kieran says from his position several feet away, leaning against the wall.

“He’s playing with the Santucci brothers tonight. They’re looking for him.” I make a face like we don’t want to keep the Santuccis waiting.

Igor’s jaw clenches, and he looks to Kieran then back to me. “Ivan blocked him. I’m not letting him through.”

He flexes his hand at his side, and I take note of the pinky finger on his left hand. The tip has been cut off.

If he disobeys Ivan, he’ll get more than a tongue lashing.

“Fine.” I move around him and go over to Kieran.

Grabbing Kieran’s sleeve, I drag him closer to the door, out of Igor’s earshot.

“I tried. It’s not going to work.”

He frowns and shakes his head. “I was afraid this would happen.”

My stomach clenches when he reaches into his suit jacket, thinking he’s going to pull gun or a knife on me. It’s only a slight relief when he pulls out his phone and starts swiping.

“You have a friend––Caroline, I think her name is? Dark hair, killer body, a bit of a free spirit?”

Oh no. “What did you do?”

“Me? Nothing. Devon, on the other hand…well, he’s in control now.”

I can’t breathe. “No.”

He turns the phone to reveal a photograph of Caroline bound to a concrete wall with thick iron chains.

She’s sitting on a cot, not exactly sitting, but leaning to the side against the wall.

Her eye is black and blue, swollen shut.

Her bottom lip is split. She’s naked. Dried blood stains her inner thighs.

“What did you do?” I almost yell, but at the last second swallow the panic.

“Like I said, nothing. Devon’s an old friend from when we were kids. He works for a different crew now.”

Bile rises in my throat.

“Who? Who does he work for?” Please let me be wrong. I want to be so wrong right now.

“A small family– the DeAngelos? Maybe you heard of them?” He swipes the photograph to a new one.

In this picture, Caroline’s head is being held up by a hand in her hair. There’s a red line around her neck, like a rope burn.

“He’s going to hold her until the end of the night.

If everything goes well, he’ll let me give you a pickup spot.

If things go bad––” He shrugs, putting his phone away.

“Well, then she stays put in the pleasure house, and from the look of her, she’s not going to last another round with the heavy hitters they have playing there this week. ”

“All this so you can win a poker game?”

He narrows his eyes. “Those pricks laughed at me. Acted like I’m so beneath them. Declan does that shit all the time, acts like I’m nothing more than the dirt on his boot. Well, fuck him, and fuck you and your little Russian boyfriend, too.”

“Kieran, don’t do this. She has nothing to do with anything.”

“Right now, she has everything to do with everything.” He shrugs with both shoulders. “So, here’s your problem. How are you going to solve it? You willing to let your friend spend another night in that dirty place? Tied to that wall, to be used and abused by the highest bidder?”

I’m going to vomit.

“The employee entrance is around the back, don’t bring your car, just walk. I’ll meet you at the entrance. It should be dark enough now that you won’t be seen, but if you’re caught on the camera’s they’ll send security down, so do whatever you have to do to slither around.”

He grins. “Don’t be leaving me out in the cold.”

“You swear, I get you in and in that game, and you’re going to get Caroline out of there for me?”

“Of course, love. Just don’t be getting your boyfriend involved until I’m clear out of this place, yeah?”

I nod. Keep Ivan out of it and get Caroline back.

“You heard the guard. Just go. And don’t bother trying to get back in.” I shove his shoulder for good measure, though he’s a big guy so I barely move him.

I flash Igor a smile as I pass him then head to the staircase that will bring me to the employee rooms of Obsidian.

“Vee!” Lulu calls my name as I make my way through the back halls to the door Kieran should be waiting at. “Are you coming out here?”

“I’ll be right there!” I wave her off. “Two seconds!”

She flashes a thumbs up, then heads off toward the lounge.

“Nearly poked my eye out climbing behind those bushes.” Kieran grouses as he passes me. I brush off a dead leaf stuck to his back.

“Whatever. You play two rounds, then you get out of here. Ivan is going to be down here in an hour. You need to be gone by then.”

“Sure, sure.” He nods. “Just need one last thing. I need to win those two rounds, so you’re going to have to help me.”

“What?” I freeze. “I’m not even in those rooms tonight. I can’t help you.”

“You can.” He nods. “You’re going to be my eyes. While you’re pouring drinks, you can get a look at their fucking cards.”

“Oh my god! I can’t do that. Are you insane?”

“Look. I’m telling you want you need to do to get rid of me and to get your friend back. It’s up to you what happens.” He tilts his head.

This isn’t happening. It can’t be.

“I will help you for two rounds. That’s it, then you leave. You win, then you go. Caroline gets released right away.”

“Of course.” He nods with a smile. “I’ll just meet you in there, that way it won’t look suspicious.”

I’m still trying to conjure up a reason I need to switch places with Lulu in the room with the Santuccis when Frank comes to my rescue.

“Ah, there you are.” He saddles up next to me. “I was hoping you’d be our waitress tonight. You brought lots of luck last time you helped us out.”

Meredith stops when she sees us talking. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Frank nods. “Was just saying I’d like to have...uh…Vee here help us tonight.” He taps my name tag. “She’s been good luck for us in the past.”

“I was just going to tell him that I’m not in the game rooms tonight.” If I stay out of the room, maybe I can get upstairs to Ivan. He’ll know where this pleasure house is that Caroline’s being kept, or at least he can find it. I just need to get up there.

“I can move things around if you really need her in there,” Meredith smiles at Frank, already taking out her little iPad and tapping away. “Yes, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Oh, I don’t think you need to do that.” I argue, needing this to work. If it’s out of my control, maybe I have a way out of this.

“No, it’s no problem. Lulu was going to be splitting her time between two rooms; I have her stick to one room and make a sweep through the lounge when it gets out of hand out here.” She clicks a few things on her screen and disappears.

“Great.” Frank claps his hands together. “The bar is stocked, and we’re just about to start.”

“Yeah, great.” I mutter as I follow him to the gaming room.

“Everything okay, Vee?” Serenity asks as I march past her, probably looking as though I’m making my way to my execution.

“Yeah. Fine,” I say, unable to keep my voice from shaking.