Page 23

23

ALISSA

I drop my jaw. “It’s a cry for help?”

Dinah purses her lips. “I don’t know if it’s a cry per se. You said you weren’t even sure if this message was meant for you.”

I rub at my forehead. “Yeah, it was just stuck to the bottom of my glass. I suppose it could have just ended up there by mistake.”

“Then it could be anything. It could be as simple as a message to one of the other waiters to help her with a drink order for a large party or something.”

“Or even if it was meant for me, it could mean anything.” I scratch my chin. “She doesn’t speak any English. Maybe she’s asking for help with that. Or maybe she heard me talk about how I work in the hospital. Maybe she wants medical advice.”

But I think back to the very first time I saw Seven. The flash of fear I saw in her eyes. I know that look, and I recognized it in the instant that she let her mask slip.

I didn’t think much of it at the time. I ended up getting distracted by my intense attraction to Maddox, and after that first kiss outside my apartment, my mind was completely clouded over.

And of course, the sex last night…

I shake it out of my head. Bigger fish to fry right now.

Maybe I can go back to the club…

The club!

My credit card is still there.

Perfect cover to go in and check things out.

Will they let me in without Maddox?

They have to, right? My personal property is in there.

What would happen if I left my card there and Maddox dropped dead—God forbid—and couldn’t let me back in?

I suppose I could always just get a new credit card.

But whatever. They have to let me settle my debt if they want to make money.

I turn to Dinah. “Can you cover for me for an hour or so?”

Dinah widens her eyes. “Alissa, you’re not going to do something stupid, are you?”

I grab my purse off the counter. “I’ll let you know. Please, Dinah, will you?”

She narrows her eyes. “Are you sure you’ll be safe?”

“Of course. I just remembered I left my credit card at the club last night. It’s around the corner. I’ll pop in and grab it. If I happen to see the girl who left me the note, maybe I can clarify if she meant for me to receive it.”

“All right.” Dinah glances at the clock behind the nurses’ station. “One hour?”

“One hour. Text me if there’s any news on Lou.”

“Sure thing, Liss.” She grabs my arm. “Just promise me you’ll be careful.”

I laugh, though it comes out as more of a nervous chuckle. “It’s an underground bar. How bad could it be?”

A few minutes later, I’ve grabbed my coat, scarf, and hat and am walking to the alleyway off Randolph and State. I locate the black door with the four card suits on it and walk inside.

Chet is sitting on the fur-lined couch in the foyer, reading a copy of the Chicago Tribune . He peers over the newspaper, widening his eyes.

“Miss Wonder, what are you doing here?”

“Hi, Chet.” I smile. “I left my credit card here last night.”

Chet cocks his head. “I noticed you left in a hurry. I hope you didn’t run into…”—his eyebrows twitch—“ trouble .”

From the way Chet said “trouble,” I wonder if he knows about my run-in with those three goons in leather jackets last night. I have a feeling he knows a lot more than he lets on.

I dust off my jacket. “I’m fine now, that’s what matters. And I need to go downstairs and get my credit card. I won’t be a minute.”

Chet presses his lips together. “I’m afraid the rules of the club still stand. Because you are not a member, I cannot allow you inside unless you are a guest of someone on the list.”

“Yes, but I’m not actually going to go to the club. I’m going to settle my tab, turn right back around, and leave. It’ll take thirty seconds.”

Chet grins. “Even thirty-second visits are against club policy, Miss Wonder.” He shrugs. “If you want to come back with Mr. Hathaway or another member, I’ll gladly let you inside.”

“That’s ridiculous.” I point at the door. “I’ve already been down there. Twice now. It’s not like I don’t know what it looks like. Plus, if I never settle my tab, you’ll never get the money for my drinks.”

“One gin and tonic and one dirty vodka martini are hardly enough to put our ledgers in the red.”

“That’s hardly any way to run a—” I stop, narrowing my eyes at him. “Wait, how do you know what our drink orders were?”

Chet raises his eyebrows, his eyes shining playfully. “It’s my job to know, Miss Wonder.”

“It’s hardly the job of a bouncer to memorize the drinks of his club’s patrons.”

His nostrils flare slightly. Only slightly, but I notice. “I’m sure you understand by this point that Aces Underground is no normal club.”

“What if I don’t come back with Maddox? You have my credit card—my personal property—and I demand that you allow me to go down and retrieve it.”

“If you don’t want to call Mr. Hathaway or another member to escort you, you’re welcome to call your bank to get a new credit card.”

I slam my hands down on the desk. “This is ridiculous. Just let me go down there, Chet.”

Chet’s lips twitch around his toothy grin. He strokes his chin with his long, bony fingers. I feel like his gaze is penetrating through my jacket and scrubs, that he somehow has X-ray vision and can see my naked flesh underneath my many layers. I instinctively cross my arms over my chest.

“Tell you what,” he says. “Go on down.”

I narrow my eyes. “What made you change your mind?”

Chet keeps staring at me, inhaling slowly. “Like you said, it’s your personal property. I don’t want to stand in the way of you and something… personal .” He rises and unlocks the door leading to the mirrored staircase. “Go ahead.”

I look down the mirrored staircase and my pulse quickens. I’ve been down here twice now, and I know what awaits me. So why do I feel like this staircase is now leading into the depths of hell?

I swallow. “You sure?”

Chet nods slowly. “Sure as sugar, Miss Wonder.” He pulls a pocket watch out of his pinstriped jacket and squints at it. “I should warn you, though. The club isn’t open yet. The staff are still preparing for tonight. You know what they say about seeing the sausage get made.”

My stomach twists. “What do you mean?”

Chet wrings his hands together. “You’ll see what I mean. Now go, hurry, before I change my mind.”

I take a deep breath. Why am I so freaked right now?

Chet is just a weirdo. That’s what’s got me on edge.

I nod to Chet and walk down the stairs. The door creaks as Chet closes it behind me.

I open the emerald door that leads to the club, peering inside.

Fluorescent lights wash over me. They light up the club harshly, showing every scratch on the floor, every stain on the tables. I recognize some of the waitstaff walking around wearing simple T-shirts and athletic shorts, vacuuming and mopping the floors.

So this is what Chet meant about the sausage being made. Without the specialized lighting that bathes each of the club’s sections in its respective color, this place just looks like a weirdly furnished basement.

I sigh in relief. For a moment I was worried that my life might be in danger.

I amble over to the bar, where DeeDee—dressed also in a plain T-shirt and shorts—is stacking up glasses and organizing bottles. She raises her eyebrows and widens her eyes when she sees me approaching.

“Hi, DeeDee,” I say. “I forgot to close my tab last night. Chet let me down to take care of it. Sorry for the trouble.”

DeeDee looks at me for a moment, her eyes narrowed and focused, but she finally turns to the point-of-sale system and prints out a receipt for me, silently handing it to me along with a pen attached to a peacock feather.

“Thanks.” I smile at DeeDee. “I promise I’ll give you a good tip to make up for it.”

DeeDee blinks a few times and then turns back to stacking glasses.

I quickly sign the receipt and push it across the bar toward DeeDee. I slowly turn toward the door to exit when?—

Seven.

She’s here, dusting the large velvet curtains that separate the club proper from the private rooms.

I look around. All the other servers are occupied with their other jobs, and no one is looking my way. I quickly make a beeline to Seven, placing a hand on her shoulder as delicately as I can.

She gasps softly at my touch, but then her eyes soften when she looks at me.

“Dirty martini,” she whispers.

I smile. “Yes, that was my order last night.” I draw back the curtain and point inside the private area. “Can we talk real quick?”

She looks around, her eyes wide, but then she nods.

I walk inside the private area. It’s furnished with a plush red couch, loveseat, and a glass-topped coffee table. Candles—extinguished at the moment—line the space, leading to a king-size bed with a duvet in a rich red and throw pillows that look like white and pink roses.

I reach into my pocket and pull out the sticky note. “Did you mean to give this to me last night?”

Seven presses her lips together, looking uneasily around the room. She then nods timidly.

“Do you need help?”

Seven swallows and points at herself. “Name…May.”

“That’s a pretty name.” I point at myself. “Alissa.”

“Alissa… Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

She cocks her head. Her English must be very limited.

“Nice to meet you, May.” I point to the note. “Why did you”—I point to her—“give this to me?”

May bites her lip, looking back at the curtains that separate us. She leans in and whispers in my ear.

“Friend…at club. Svetlana. Ukraine.”

I point outside. “One of the servers here?”

She nods. “Not anymore. Five years…and gone.” She snaps her fingers. “But… No news. No phone. No nothing.”

I wrinkle my forehead. “So you had a friend who used to work here. And she worked for five years?”

She nods. “Term of service. To Rouge.”

“And she finished up her time here, and…”

May spreads her fingers in an explosive gesture. “Gone.”

“And you haven’t heard from her?”

“We friends. Svetlana and I… Plans to see city… Day off.” Her eyes widen. “No news. No phone.”

“So she’s disappeared?” I mimic the same gesture Alissa made. “Gone?”

“Gone.” Her eyes widen. “Scary.”

“I’d think so.” I point at first myself and then the sticky note. “But why did you ask me for help?”

May smiles at me. “New member. Old members… They don’t care. New servers often.”

“But what can I?—”

“Seven! What are you doing back here?”

A chill runs down my spine at a haughty female voice behind me. I turn around and see a woman dressed in what I can only describe as a modern take on Elizabethan royal attire.

She’s in a gown featuring a sleek, body-hugging bodice of crimson satin adorned with intricate ruby-beaded embroidery surrounded by a poofy skirt with layers of structured tulle and organza, cascading in bold, asymmetrical tiers. Around her neck she wears a high ruffled collar that fans out like a fiery halo, crafted from sheer cherry fabric. Her sleeves are fitted to the elbows with lace and flare out into billowing cuffs. Her hair is a shocking shade of red coiled and braided into an intricate updo, and her makeup is bold and theatrical, with winged eyeliner, shimmering red eyeshadow, and deep rosy lips.

But as dazzling as her ensemble is, it pales in comparison to the red jewels—I assume they’re rubies—that she wears from head to toe, from a studded crown resting atop her hair, to delicate chandelier earrings, to a statement choker necklace. Her fingers are adorned with ruby rings of various sizes, and even her corset features ruby embellishments carved into the shapes of the four card suits. The private area is not well lit, but every single ray of light bounces off this woman’s jewelry. She’s like a walking disco ball.

I squint against her dazzling display and take a step back.

She opens her mouth again, glaring at May. “Seven, I asked you a question.”

May bows her head to the woman, and I realize who this must be. This is Rouge Montrose, the woman who owns the club.

Rouge whips her gaze back to me. “Did she talk to you?”

I swallow. They’re not allowed to talk, and I don’t want May to get into trouble.

I shake my head. “No. I’m so sorry.” I extend my hand. “I’m Alissa Maravilla. I was here in the club last night as a guest of Maddox Hathaway. I left my credit card here by mistake and wanted to close out my tab, so Chet let me come down.”

Rouge widens her eyes. “He did?”

I blink several times. “Yes. And I guess my curiosity got the better of me, because I sneaked back just to get a look at the private room.” I paste a smile on. “I’m sorry. I just love what you’ve done with the décor here, and I wanted to see how you had furnished this area as well. It’s gorgeous.”

Rouge smiles at me, but her eyes remain wide open. “Thank you, pet.” She looks over at May. “You may leave us. I’ll have a word with you later.”

I raise a hand. “She didn’t do anything wrong. Ma— I mean, Seven—she came back here to tell me I shouldn’t be snooping.”

Shit. I almost let slip that she told me her real name. Did Rouge notice?

I don’t see any change in her facial expression, though it’s hard to tell what she’s really thinking with that inch of makeup on her face.

Rouge turns her gaze back to me. “Well, at any rate, Chet should not have let you come down here.” She grabs a phone out of her cleavage and sends a text. “He’ll be down in a moment to see you out.” She narrows her eyes back at May. “In the meantime, Seven, back to work.”

May walks out of the room, her head hanging.

“There’s no need to have me escorted,” I say. “I can walk out myself.”

Rouge chuckles. “A curious little kitty like yourself might wander a bit, as you already have.” She gives me another sweet smile, but again it doesn’t reach her eyes. “You are welcome back anytime you’d like, Miss Maravilla, as long as you are the guest of a dues-paying member of Aces Underground.”

Chet’s tall figure looms near the entrance of the private room. “Yes, Rouge?”

Rouge turns to him. “Please escort Miss Maravilla out. And then please see me in my office.”

Chet grabs my arm gently, grinning. “Please come with me, Miss Wonder.”

I turn back to Rouge. “Sorry. It won’t happen again.”

Rouge frowns. “I’ll see to that.”

Chet escorts me back up the mirrored staircase, pulling out his set of keys to unlock the door. Before I exit through the black door that leads to the alleyway, I stop and turn back to him, studying his mustachioed face.

“Chet, what the hell is going on here?”

He raises an eyebrow. “Where?”

“Here. At Aces Underground.” I lean in, lowering my voice. “May—I mean Seven , damn it—she told me that she had a friend who disappeared after her contract here was up.”

“People who work here often go on to greener pastures,” Chet says.

I scratch my arm. “But I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something unsettling about this place.”

Chet’s grin widens. “Of course there’s something unsettling here. Everyone here at Aces Underground is a little bit outrageous, a little unhinged, Miss Wonder. I am, Rouge is. Your friend Mr. Hathaway is.” He narrows his gaze. “ You are.”

I scoff. “I’m not.”

He chuckles. “Of course you are, Miss Wonder. Why else did you come here?”

I bite my lip. “Because Maddox brought me here.”

“That was why you came the first time. Why did you return?”

“Because he wanted to bring me back.”

“And why did he bring you back?”

I press my hands on either side of my head. “Oh, my God. Are you capable of giving a straight answer to a question?”

Chet cocks his head. “Are you ?”

“You know what? I’m done here.” I put my hand on the doorknob.

“Miss Wonder…”

Chet’s voice slithers into my ear, making me twitch. It feels like he’s right behind me, whispering seductively, but when I look back, he’s still seated at his desk.

“Christ. What now?”

He tents his hands together. “You ask a lot of questions. But I wonder, Miss Wonder”—his lips twitch—“what you intend to do if you actually find what you’re looking for.”

I squint at him, unable to make head or tail of what he’s talking about.

“I came here for my credit card, Chet. That’s it.”

I open the door and walk into the alleyway, slamming it shut before he can say anything else.