Page 6 of Savage Vows

The crawl space is tighter than I remember. Warm, cramped, stifling. My jacket snags against a pipe, but I keep going, elbows scraping along the insulation as I inch forward. The club’s bass is quieter here, just a dull pulse beneath my ribs. My breathing is too loud. Every sound feels amplified.

When I reach the slotted grate, I pause. It opens directly into the upper corner of the lounge, angled just enough to give me a view of the far end of the room.

The couch is empty.

Julie isn’t there.

The glasses on the table haven’t been touched. One is tipped over, dark liquid seeping slowly into the velvet cushion.

My body goes still.

I scan quickly, eyes adjusting to the dim light, but there’s no sign of her. No sign of Serrano. Just the quiet hum of a room that looks like someone left in a hurry.

Or was taken.

I press my face closer to the grate, searching for any trace of movement, any flicker of shadow in the corners. Still nothing.

Then a door opens on the other side of the room. Not the one I was at earlier. This door leads somewhere deeper. Private. Hidden.

I catch a flash of someone’s back. A man. Dark suit. Taller than Serrano. He moves fast, shutting the door behind him without looking back.

My skin prickles. It’s the man from the hallway. The one who looked at me without really seeing me.

And now Julie is gone.

I stare at the door he disappeared through, my breath held tight in my chest. I don’t know who he is. I don’t know what just happened. But I know I’ve lost control of this story.

If I want to find Julie, I’m going to have to go deeper than I planned.

2

DANTE

The club smells like sweat,perfume, and overpriced desperation.

I hate places like this. Too loud. Too many eyes, even if none of them are watching for the right things. The noise makes people stupid. They drink too much, talk too freely, forget the parts of themselves they should keep buried. Serrano thrives in it. I don’t.

I lean against the wall near the stairs and check the time again.

Seventeen minutes late.

I told him not to bring anyone else. Just a quick exchange, two names, one folder, and I’m out. He agreed. But Serrano’s never been able to resist showing off. So now I’m standing here, burning time, watching him play whatever game he’s playing with the girl in the black dress.

Pretty. Young. Too poised to be here by accident.

I don’t like it. I catch the bouncer’s eye and tilt my head. “Is he in the lounge?”

“Yeah. Been in there a while. Took someone with him.”

Of course he did.

I nod and head down the hallway. There’s a woman, a server probably, judging by her dress. Hair half in her face, leaning against the wall like she’s bored out of her mind. I glance at her once. Nothing suspicious. Nothing memorable. I’ve already forgotten her face by the time I reach the second door and let myself in.

The lounge is empty.

My steps slow. Glasses on the table. One tipped over. Couch cushions damp. No one in sight.

I scan the room once, fast. No signs of struggle. No blood. But something feels off. I don’t like being surprised. I like being lied to even less.