Drug Lord Read online

  “We have nothing to offer. I don’t want to be stuck with him forever. I mean, what sort of mother would that make me anyway.”

  If an answer was what she was expecting, Bryn failed to come up with one, and as if cast in stone, her hand stopped mid stroke on Jodie’s back.

  Jodie must have sensed her hesitation, or else realized her own admission and wasn’t sure what to say next. How the hell could she let this happen? Josh wasn’t fit to date her let alone be the father of her child. Even Jodie admitted it. Although, for her to say it was one thing, and Bryn knew she’d have to choose her words carefully. There was no telling what affect the mix of hormones and grief would have, especially when her usual defense was to protect him. Loyalty was wasted on him, as far as Bryn was concerned. She’d bet her last dollar he’d ditch Jodie in an instant if he thought he’d find better elsewhere.

  “Well, not what I was expecting, that’s for sure.” Honesty was always the best policy, right?

  Jodie took a step back and tilted her head to the side, fixing her stare on her. “That’s it?”

  Talk about being put on the spot. “I mean—circumstances aren’t great.” She shrugged, searching for a suitable response. “But, babies are cute, right?”

  Through her tears, Jodie laughed. “And here I was thinking you’d yell at me.”

  Bryn faked shock. “Me, yell? Now whatever gave you that idea?” Making light of the situation seemed the only way to tackle Jodie’s news. She was in for a long ride, no lengthy lecture needed. “Come here.” She closed the distance and wrapped her arms around her, again. “No matter what happens, I’m here for you.” Reassurance was all she could offer. Hell, she knew nothing about being a mother, and was glad she wasn’t in Jodie’s position. What a disaster.

  “Do you think I should tell Josh?” There was no missing the worry in her tone.

  Bryn released her and took a step back to gauge her expression. “He is the father, right?”

  “Of course.” Jodie laughed, obviously Bryn’s response had been enough to eased her initial stress.

  As much as she didn’t like Josh or all that he stood for, he had a right to know he was going to be a father. Bryn shrugged. “It is his baby too, so yeah.” Let’s hope he’s a better father than he is a boyfriend. Some things were better left unsaid. If Jodie had half a brain, which she knew she did, she’d be thinking much the same.

  “Want to come for moral support?” Fear crept into her tone.

  Bryn reached out and took hold of her hand. “I don’t think it is my place to be there.” Not to mention, him knowing she was back in town would be enough to see her on the run again. Josh was unpredictable, but even she didn’t think he’d be such a monster to hurt Jodie for falling pregnant. He was possessive, and the news of a child was the perfect reason for him to make claim over Jodie.

  “I don’t think he’ll do anything to me, I mean, he’s not completely evil.”

  Bryn shrugged, no words convincing enough to support Jodie’s comment came to mind. “Keep your phone handy, call me if you need to.” She dropped Jodie’s hand and, with waxing completed, turned to get dressed. “I’m working the late shift, so make sure you do it early.”

  “Will do.” Jodie picked up Bryn’s top and turned it in the right way before handing it to her. “Good thing we don’t live together or else I may have been moving in with you.” She attempted a laugh, but amusement didn’t enter her tone.

  “He’s not going to throw you out, Jode’s. If anything, he’s never going to let you go.” Which was even more of a concern. Never being rid of someone caught up in his line of dealings would offer her friend a lifestyle she wouldn’t wish upon an enemy.

  It was her fault they’d met in the first place, a weight Bryn let drag down on her conscience every time she allowed her mind to wander back to her darkest days. Now she had the life of a child to add to her list of wrongs. She was bound for hell; there was no doubt about it.

  “We’ll catch up for dinner later this week, if you’re not tied to the club every night.”

  “Sounds good to me.” Taking extra shifts was tempting, she needed the money, that’s for sure, but the job was new, and grounds were still in need of testing before she became such a prominent figure in a crowd with too many shadows.

  It wasn’t until Bryn was outside and a street away from Jodie’s door could she breathe properly. Babies were supposed to bring joy, excitement, but the news of this one was more of a disaster than if she were to find out she was pregnant herself, even if via immaculate conception.

  She didn’t bother to flag a cab, fresh air and a long walk was exactly what she needed to clear her head before her shift that night. If she wasn’t flustered enough by news of the baby, Reeves would manage to take care of any corners left untouched. One flash of his toothpaste ad smile, even if not intended for her, and she risked upending her drinks tray in the lap of an unsuspecting innocent.

  Even thinking about him made her clench to her core. Her womanly instincts couldn’t deny his appeal despite never wanting to get caught up in his web of nasty dealings.

  There was no room for fine china on the sideboard in his kitchen. Reeves was the disposable crockery type, paper over plastic, screwed, balled up, and thrown out in yesterdays trash.

  Bryn had more respect for herself than to allow his type to distract her. Thoughts of him, as more than a boss who paid well, were enough to make her want to scrub herself clean with steel wool. Not unlike the drugs he supplied, he possessed the ability to get under female skin and drive her wild with desire.

  Bryn berated herself, whilst trying to squash out vivid thoughts she shouldn’t be having, as she rounded the corner. Wolf whistles and suggestive banter from a group across the street saw her slow her pace and glance around to get her bearings. Distracted she’d walked right into enemy territory—a street she knew too well, and never wanted to be reminded of.

  Her initial instinct to turn and run would only give the attentive youths reason to chase her. Too young to recognise her, she wrapped her arms around her body and picked up her pace.

  The working age seemed to be getting younger. Spotted with blemishes and limbs yet to fill out, the group of boys didn’t look a day over fourteen.

  Damn that bastard for condemning them to a life of misery.

  In direct line with them, but on the opposite side of the street, Bryn sucked in a breath, keeping her eyes set forward. Young they maybe, but there were still too many for her to handle should they be pumped high on drugs and wanting. Adrenalin spiked, her pulse quickened, and the thrum of blood pumping drummed in her ears.

  Crass comments spewed from their mouths and got increasingly worse as one tried to out do the next.

  She spotted it at the same time as they must have. A black vehicle, heavily tinted windows, sleek and silent as a panther on the hunt, deadened the banter as it approached. It slowed to a stop in front of the group of boys. Keeping her face as concealed as possible, Bryn strained to see out the corner of her eye. The mob always moved in pairs, but through the dark window, it appeared the passenger seat was empty.

  It was obvious she wasn’t the focus of the driver’s attention, and although she doubted her luck of going unnoticed, she wasn’t the reason he was there.

  The temptation to hide got the better of her. Bryn slipped through the gate of the closest house, and took cover behind an overgrown hedge. Not the most inconspicuous move, but the only one she could think of in her panic.

  Chapter 3

  Reeves unlocked the door of his office with one hand, whilst keeping a firm grip around the top of Luke’s arm with the other.

  “What the hell’s your problem, man?”

  It wasn’t the first time Luke tried for answers, but like before, Reeves ignored him. Pushing on the door he shoved Luke through the opening first. “I suggest you get comfortable, you’re in for a bit of a wait.” Reeves pulled the door shut behind him and strode over to his desk on the far side of the room.r />
  “I’ll sit after you tell me why you brought me here.”

  Reeves didn’t bother to look at him. Thick carpet masked the sound of his footsteps, as Luke watched him, no doubt, waiting for him to respond.

  The boy was young; he’d cave soon enough. “Suit yourself.”

  Not used for more than the odd interview, the room was designed with the intention of private entertainment. No expense spared, luxury was the key. Besides the black glass desk and large leather chair nestled behind it, the room didn’t much resemble an office, mimicking the sleek sophisticated style of the VIP section of the club. Reeves insisted the designer continue the mood, allowing it to flow through to his private quarters.

  Few people were privileged to enter, and, although his intention had been to use the room to indulge in wild sex, should he not want to wait until after close to leave, he’d never found the right woman to share it with.

  Reeves dragged the chair free from his desk and sat. He hadn’t intended to spend his afternoon in the company of a teen, but had little choice.

  “I told you, man, I have work to do. My boss is gonna storm this place when he hears you’ve taken me.” Luke stalked over to the sofa and slumped onto the soft leather.

  Reeves didn’t bother to hide his smirk. All of two minutes. The kid was so predictable. “Baxter doesn’t even know your name, Luke, so what makes you think he gives a shit where you are.” There was nothing satisfying about making a kid squirm. It didn’t give him the same pleasure as that bastard got out of it, exploiting kids for his own gain. Baxter had been doing it for too long, and in the not too distant future he’d get what was coming for him. Reeves couldn’t deny he was looking forward to the day.

  “He warned us about you. Hollywood hotshot thinking he’s worthy of playing with the big boys.”

  Luke’s words parroted those he too had heard Baxter speak, only, in his day, they’d been drummed into him about some other dealer in town. “Funny that, I’ve never been to Hollywood.” There was nothing joyous about the grin spread across his face, but there was no way Luke needed to see the steam that was mounting as his blood threatened to reach boiling point.

  From his pocket he retrieved his cell and sent the text message he’d been dreading since his drive-by confirmed his suspicions an hour earlier. Sally was not going to be happy having to come in early, and nor was that hot new waitress going to want to cover on such short notice, but it was his club to call the shots and some things were more important than dazzling women with his charm. What’d she been doing walking that street, anyway. She didn’t strike him as the naive sort. Her disappearing act hadn’t gone unnoticed. Fast, stealth like moves were only made by one calculating enough to take notice of their surroundings. She knew what she was looking for, and his car, no doubt, alerted her to trouble.

  The ping back of messages came with responses he’d expected. Now all he had to do was kill time until they arrived.

  Sally had her instructions. The new girl, Bryn, would do as she was told if she valued her job, and all would be sorted and back to business before the rest of the staff walked through the door.

  He glanced up at Luke, who sat statute like on the sofa. “Feel free to flick the television on. Sodas are in the fridge.” He nodded in the direction of the bar.

  “Can I have my phone back?”

  Reeves wasn’t taking any chances with the kid just yet. “Before you leave, sure.”

  Luke didn’t argue, instead grabbed the remote and proceeded to flick from station to station, eventually settling on sport.

  Pressing business matters were going to have to wait until later that evening. The usual crowd was beginning to bore him, so a night off wouldn’t be too much of a hardship. He didn’t think it a false boost to his ego to believe he’d be missed, especially amongst the ladies.

  What was it about those who frequented his establishments, offering themselves up for the taking and never playing hard to get. The chase was half the fun, and the part he missed the most. Bedding women had become too easy. He wanted the chase, because nothing aroused him more than a challenge.

  * * *

  Bryn frowned. She rarely received messages from unidentified numbers, and her defenses were up after her close encounter on the street. Her most prominent lesson as a child had been to remain conscious of her surroundings and always proceed with caution. Like the rhythm of a percussion band, it’d been drummed into her every day of her life. All it’d taken was news of a baby for her instincts to fly out the window, leaving her as vulnerable and unprepared as the gang’s next victim.

  Short and to the point—at least he had the good sense to sign off with a name.

  Bryn dropped her phone on her bed then yanked her tank top over her head and dropped it in the hamper as she walked through to the bathroom. The drag of being the new girl. There should be a rule about calling in favors of new staff members. Surely there would’ve been a line up of waitresses only too willing to help out the dangerously charming, Reeves Walker.

  Four hours overtime—he better make it worthwhile. She couldn’t deny that work would be a welcomed distraction. Every time she heard a car pass or pull up in a neighboring driveway, she expected the pounding on her door to follow.

  The past had a way of catching up, and it didn’t matter how long or fast she ran, she’d always be looking over her shoulder. Perhaps it was a mistake moving back to town, but, after seven years, she was tired. She’d learnt her lesson that afternoon, there was no excuse for getting complacent, and she wouldn’t let it happen again.

  Hot water soothed her tense shoulders, as she lathered her body with amber and sandalwood fragrant body wash. The heady scent soothed her where the water didn’t touch. She breathed in, deep, willing herself to relax. The last thing she needed before balancing a tray of glasses was to be so jumpy. Jodie’s news had been enough to set her on edge, then topped with a gang of dealers and a car that could only belong to their lord, it wasn’t any surprise she was stressed.

  To seek refuge in the club of a dealer wasn’t ideal, but she couldn’t deny feeling safe there. Highfliers was by far too racy for the likes of Baxter and his mob. Not to mention Reeves’ reputation amongst the city’s most elite crowd was enough to keep them at bay.

  Bryn sucked in a breath at the thought of him and glided the soapy washcloth across her breasts. Her nipples pert and erect, no doubt a reaction to thoughts of Reeves entering the confined space of her shower. Interested in him or not, there was no denying the man was ridiculously sexy. With his experience, he’d know exactly how to stimulate a woman’s every desire.

  She gasped. For Christ sakes. She had stooped to fantasizing about him.

  She shook her head, disgusted by how quick she was to join the packs. Indulging in thoughts of the exact same man every woman visiting the establishment that night hoped to be noticed by and summoned to his lair. One place she never intended to visit was the pad where he entertained his women.

  She shuddered, not for being cold, but disgust by his rakish persona.

  What was Reeves story anyway? He appeared too sophisticated, too smooth, to have chosen the path of a drug lord. There was more to him than the scratch on the surface he shared, and although she could fool Jodie with her offhanded attitude, she couldn’t deny she was intrigued. Yet, he was as forbidden as the fruit of Eden.

  Too much time laboring over what she looked like seemed a waste. Half an hour or two hours, she came out looking pretty much the same anyway, so she didn’t bother to draw out the process. Besides, the short notice she’d been given didn’t allow for time to linger.

  Not keen to be walking anywhere since her earlier stroll, Bryn hailed a cab to take her the few blocks to the club, a luxury she usually saved for her return trip late at night.

  The wage of a waitress didn’t compare to that of street sales, but no amount of money was enough to lure her back to the game. Some sacrifices were easier to make than others, and relying on her two legs was one of t
hem. But, even she knew when to draw the line and lay low. Something she planned to do for the next week or two.

  Truth be known, Baxter probably hadn’t thought of her since the day she left. Even if she appeared on his radar, she was a hassle he no longer had to deal with. He hadn’t hesitated to warn her that she’d be as good as dead to him the moment she turned her back on business, yet for years she expected a bullet between her eyes more than to witness the dawn of another day.

  The tension she’d washed away during her shower returned and brought with it a dull ache in her temple. There was no doubt about it, she was in for a long night. As the club came into sight, she wished the cabbie would put his foot down and whisk her off to some exotic city far away, despite the fact he was old enough to be her father. No such luck. He pulled up alongside the curb, turned to her and smiled a toothless grin. At least he seemed to be having a good day.

  Empty and dark was not the way she was used to seeing the club. The pizazz and glamour sucked out of the place by the mere exclusion of lights, like an abandoned theme park on Halloween. Even the temperature felt off. Body heat was obviously responsible for warming the chill from the large airy space.

  Bryn glanced around; the security she sought from the crowds was no longer. The room as threatening as the street she’d walked by mistake. Muffled voices in the distance indicated she wasn’t alone. With caution, she followed the rich masculine tone she knew to be Reeves despite only having exchanged a few words with him.

  Soft sobs—a woman crying—like shards of ice, pricked her skin and she shuddered. What the hell was going on in there?

  No one dared enter the room known to be Reeves’ office, and that moment was no exception. Pressed hard up against the wall, Bryn held her breath in hope of keeping her presence concealed for as long as possible. With a bit of luck the security cameras were off, along with most everything else, or he already knew she was within earshot. Regardless of what he knew, she wasn’t going to make the first move.