22. 22 Tori

Having a plan is easy. It's sticking to it that proves to be difficult. Despite my worries and protests, Ryder will be the one to put himself in the crossfire, again. At least, not literally this time.

He'll be raising hell outside the casino, while his associates—he calls them that, not me—raise hell inside the casino by slyly cheating. The point is to cause suspicion all throughout the floor, but not get caught. Nico should have his hands so full, he won't be able to think of anything else.

Thorne refused to let Ryder do this alone, thus leaving us split. What I thought would be a mission with my guys and myself has now become a duo. Blaze and I will infiltrate the casino once Nico has been notified of what's happening on the floor.

While Nico is too preoccupied, freaking out about losing all his money, Blaze and I will use a side entrance he noticed the last time we were there. The hope is to sneak around, find where Alicia is, nab her, and get the heck out of Dodge.

But again… the thing about plans is—they don't always go the way you want them to .

“Be careful,” I hold Ryder close, inhaling his cologne once more, as if trying to memorize the scent that once traumatized me. This is not the last time you'll see them. It's not! Or so, I keep telling myself. But the pit in my stomach likes to argue. “Neither of you are allowed to get shot.”

“Guess I'm bulletproof now,” Ryder jokes, throwing me one of those signature, cheeky grins of his, but I can see it. There, in his baby blue eyes, lies the uncertainty, the fear. It'll be okay. It'll be okay. It. Will. Be. Okay!

Reluctantly, I pry my arms off Ryder and replace his warmth with Thorne's, embracing him next. He squeezes me tighter than usual, probably having the same gut feeling as me. We foster kids know… things, more often than not, don't work out.

“We better get going. We don't want to miss our chance.” Blaze grabs my arm, pulling me away from Thorne as he gives quick hugs of his own, a pull to the chest and a pat to the back. It seems almost too casual, but I think that's the point. He wants them to know that he isn't worried. It's Blaze's way of saying, “ I know you'll be back,” and it oddly gives me a sense of peace.

“Keep her safe!” Thorne eyes me as he backs away, his anxiety placed on my safety over his own.

“Like I would ever let her get hurt,” Blaze retorts, grabbing my hand in his and pulling me away.

Lucky Luce is our vehicle of choice, not wanting to stand out as much today. See, Baby—you're precious. Fuck Thorne for ever calling you scrap metal.

I take my place behind the wheel of my car, remembering how simple life was just a couple of months ago. With my lover to the right, I start her up, trudging us to the casino, all the while—my stomach in my ass, my heart in my throat, and my lungs have forgotten how to inhale properly. Can your body shut down from fear alone? ‘Cause I think mine is.

The full moon hanging in the sky, although beautiful, amplifies my fears. I may not be religious, but I'm certainly superstitious enough to know a moon this round never bodes well on a night like this.

We park a few blocks away with our disguises in place. Crazy what a wig, some contacts, and a good knowledge of contouring can do. I'm not sure I'd be able to pick Blaze out of line up with his long, blond wig, dark green contacts, and eyelid tape.

With him having chosen the long blond, I was stuck with the short, red wig. The red tips hang just above my collar bone, grazing against my skin with every swing of my arms. My eyes now match Ryder's baby blues, and my cheekbones look as impeccable as Blaze's, while my nose is almost non-existent.

There's no way Nico picks us out of a crowd. See—we got this.

I try to be self assured, but it doesn't stick… it never sticks. With my heart ready to leap out of my mouth and my hand clutching Blaze's for dear life, we approach the side entrance to the casino.

Not unexpectedly, we're greeted by one of the Niners’ goons who looks at us as if he's unsure what language to even speak to us in. He keeps his arms crossed, trying to be intimidating as he asks for names.

We give him the names of some of Nico's regular customers who are known for giving out invitations to his establishment. The goon looks us over, amping my anxiety under his scrutiny, but eventually, he comes to some conclusion about us, letting us enter without another word.

Determined not to give ourselves away, we take slow, casual steps, even though all I want to do is run—run toward Alicia and run right back out. This place is suffocating, and it’s not because of the cigar smoke hanging heavy in the air .

Everything this casino stands for could probably be found in the pits of hell. It's where the darkest corners of the Earth convene in merriment with no remorse. I don't ever want to be here again.

It's for Alicia. We're saving Alicia.

There are so many thoughts, so many mantras floating around in my head, and I doubt any of them are doing me any good. I swear I'm going to have a heart attack.

“Nice and easy, Doll. We're doing great,” Blaze assures me, squeezing my hand for added comfort.

His presence alone is doing wonders for my mental and emotional state. There's no way in hell I could ever do this solo. The boys are everything.

With a small nod of my head, we enter the casino floor, scanning the area for any flicker of Alicia. From the outfit she was wearing when I spotted her a couple of weeks ago, I assumed she would be here on the floor. But what if she's not?

No. Bad Tori! She's here. She's gotta be.

For once, the universe seems to be on my side. From the corner of my eye, I spot the blue hair I helped dye. Dressed in a matching set of black-laced underwear and bra, sporting blue bunny ears and a fluffy white tail, I see her lowering to place a drink on the table. It doesn't elude me that all the while, her ass is being groped by the man who's grinning from ear to ear at her, as if she should be enjoying it.

Anger boils in me like no other, taking a step forward, ready to save her. The only thing keeping me back is Blaze’s hand in mine, pulling me close to his side.

“I know, Doll. I know,” he whispers in my ear, feeling the tension coiling in my body. “We're so close. Don't let your anger get the better of you.”

Slowly, casually, we walk in the direction she's heading toward, ready to meet her without her even noticing. Before she can make it three tables down, she's dragged into an old fart’s lap, his grubby hands squeezing roughly at her breast. Her once brilliant eyes are void of emotion, piercing my heart with a hole as empty as her gaze.

A huge part of me wants to march over there, pull her out of his lap, and punch his dick, but I can't. I can't ruin this plan and risk not being able to rescue her at all. My free hand fists so tightly, my nails break my skin and bleed into my palm. The screech of my teeth can be heard as I grind them together, jaw so tight, I might crack a tooth.

“Breathe,” Blaze whispers, gently turning my face by my chin to focus on him. “Breathe.”

It takes a moment, but eventually, I remember how to function, how not to see red. With deep breaths, I expel the anger—for now—looking back out to the floor to find I've lost Alicia. My eyes scan the area in a panic so visible, I'm sure I'd attract attention if anyone was watching me.

“There,” Blaze gestures with his head in the direction we need to go, catching sight of her blue hair disappearing behind red swinging doors, probably the kitchen or work area. “Let's go. He's watching.”

Just as Blaze said, Nico is watching—making his way around the tables, watching carefully for any signs of cheating. Despite what should be a stressful situation for him, Nico keeps his cool, calm demeanor, not a shred of concern shown in his expression, let alone his eyes.

If I ever thought the Iron Triads were demons, Nico would be the Devil.

I follow Blaze, hand still clutched to his like a lifeline, as we make our way to the doors Alicia just vanished through. The feel of Nico's eyes are burning the back of my neck with his searing gaze. Does he recognize us?

Thankfully, something catches his attention from across the room in the opposite direction, and I catch a quick glimpse of him reluctantly making his way. There's a look in his eyes as he meets my gaze for a brief moment, a hint of recognition almost detectable.

Despite my reservations, we make it to the door unbothered, slowly pushing it open to reveal a narrow hallway. Two doors line the wall to the right, and one to the left, leaving us with a guessing game no one wants to participate in.

Quietly and carefully, we make our way down the corridor, deciding to stop by the first door on the right. The sounds of cutting, rushed chatter, and clinking glasses reveals the room to be a kitchen long before my eyes peer through to confirm it. No Alicia here.

Not being stopped, still unnoticed, we continue down to the next door, the one on the left. It's not a swinging door like the others; a round silver knob is calling to be turned. With shaky hands, not knowing what I'll find on the other side, I turn the knob, cracking the door just enough to peer through.

There, in the corner, tucked beneath the dim light of a lamp, sits Alicia, knees clutched to her chest as she sobs. Her cries are heavy—each tear slicing at my heart thinking of all the evil she's had to endure. And for how long?

Unable to hold myself back any longer, I burst through the door, not realizing she wasn't the only one here. Three other women turn, their eyes wide and suspicious as they flicker between Blaze and I. Stupidly, because I never think anything through, I freeze in place, trying to think of how best to salvage the dilemma I've caused.

“Do you want to end up like them?!” Blaze suddenly shouts at me, snaking his arm around my torso and grabbing hold of my neck with his hand. His fingers grip, but don't squeeze my skin, an act of dominance for our audience. “Keep acting like a brat and I'll let Nico have you.”

The other women quickly avert their gazes, broken too deeply to want unearned attention. There's no guard in this room, no one to hold them back from pushing us out of the way and making a run for it. But they don't. No. Instead, they lower their heads and pretend as if we don't exist. It's only Alicia who maintains eye contact with me, furrowing her brows as she tries to place my face.

It isn't as if without much thought people couldn't tell who I am, you just really have to look. Makeup, contacts, and a wig can only hide you for so long, but under the scrutinizing eyes of my roommate, my best friend, I'm easily spotted. Her eyes flash hot as she recognizes me, searing her gaze on Blaze's hand around my throat.

Despite having said she was done with me, despite being so broken in this place, she shoots out of her chair, ready to come to my rescue. Her small feet stomp their way toward him, finger raised as if she's ready to scold him. My heart seizes when her face suddenly blanches, and her hand falls back to her side, as if she remembers where she is and how little power she really has here.

Her eyes hold my own, a sorrow so deeply embedded in her retinas, I fear it'll plague her all her life. It's the way they mist and shine under the soft glow of the lamp that conveys how sorry she is for not being able to help me right now. Alicia, I'm here to save you.

My only hope is that she can read the message in my eyes, see the fire that burns behind them. There's a determination bleeding through me, embedding itself in every cell of my body as I hold her gaze.

“You!” Blaze calls to her, his voice so commanding that, unlike her normal self, she flinches away. “Come with me. I think you need a little more breaking in. Don't think I didn't see the way you were coming at me. ”

Blaze is playing the part a little too well. It's hard not to when he fits the role perfectly. But I know deep down, he's nothing like how he portrays himself. Inside, Blaze burns hotter than the sun, loves deeper than the ocean, and cares as vastly as space.

Alicia freezes in fear, but with her metaphorical tail tucked between her legs and her head bowed, she drags her feet toward him. Blaze grabs her wrist, pulling us both out as the other women continue to busy themselves with nothing, practically petting the wall as they try to appear occupied.

More than likely, when Nico notices Alicia missing, he'll ask these women what happened, and they'll tell him, I have no doubt about it. They'll say some strange woman busted into the room, followed by a man trying to teach her a lesson. The women will tell him that Alicia went to save me and got dragged away with me instead.

Would any of that give away who we are? Probably not. So, what does it matter?

“Close the door,” Blaze commands, keeping up appearances until the latches click.

The moment we are no longer being watched, Blaze lets go of Alicia and drops his hand from my neck, kissing my temple apologetically. But in all honesty, I love having his hand there. Not to mention, he did it to save our hides because of my lack of thinking before acting.

“Let's go,” I urge, reaching forward and grabbing Alicia's hand next, pulling her along as Blaze leads the way.

It takes Alicia a moment to finally speak, more than likely working her way through it all. “Tori?” She's still not a hundred percent sure it's me, so she questions my name, staying silent until I confirm it.

“Can't fool you, huh?” I flicker my gaze toward her over my shoulder for a brief second before looking back at Blaze’s back. “I've come to save you. ”

“Tori, you can't… I—”

“Shut up, I'm saving you. And unless you want us all getting caught, you need to trust us both .” I know asking her to put her faith in Blaze is like asking someone to put their hand over a flame and telling them it won't burn.

She doesn't say anything. So, I take her silence as acceptance, following along as Blaze opens the red swinging doors, leading us back out toward the floor. It's eerily silent when I crash into Blaze's back, not realizing he stopped in his tracks. The only sound I pick up is Alicia's shaking gasp behind me as she spots Nico sitting at the center of the room, his feet kicked up on the Blackjack table as he balances himself on the back legs of his chair.

My heart refuses to beat at an even rhythm knowing we're doomed already. So, why bother being okay? I swallow too loudly, comprehension how royally fucked everything is, screaming at myself for even believing there was a sliver of hope of this plan working.

“If it isn't my favorite gal. See, I knew when that girl showed up, snooping around and asking about Bren, that she was somehow connected to you. I thought it would be smart to keep her around.” He blows a kiss to Alicia, making her shake with fear. She looks ready to piss herself with the amount of fear radiating off her body. “I never thought you'd be stupid enough to try to take her. Honestly, I thought you'd come ask and we'd do a little trade. Silly me for believing you had some integrity.”

I tense, ready to bite his head off, to grab the gun Blaze has hidden in his waistband and point it right at Nico's ego-inflamed head.

“Don't do it, Doll,” Blaze whispers, noting my coiled muscles and narrowed eyes.

“So, tell me. What am I supposed to do now, Tori? I can't exactly let you go after you break into my casino and try to steal my property.” Nico drops the front legs back down as he leans forward with eyes so serious, they could light a fire.

Blaze curses, knowing all too well that I can't bite my tongue to save my life, and although I'm screaming at myself to stay quiet, my mouth opens, and out come the words like lava bursting from a volcano.

“Property?!” I fume, hating the way he believes people to be his things—not human at all, but possessions to be owned. “She's not your property!” I step out from behind Blaze, fully facing Nico without a shred of fear as my anger conquers even that.

He smiles—actually smiles at me—as he gets up. In silence, he casually strolls over, waiting until he's just a few inches away before speaking again. “Everyone is property, my dear. At every point in your life, you belonged to someone, whether you realized it or not. Whether it was your friends, your boyfriends,” he stares at Blaze for a split second as he says it, the smile never fading from his lips, “Or even your teachers. Someone has always owned you, told you what to do, how to dress, how to act. The only difference is—I let it be known.”

“She's. Not. Your. Property.” I pause after each word, annunciating every syllable with care as I lean into him, stupidly showing him I'm not afraid, even though I really, really am.

“Wrong. She is, and now… so are you.”

The last three words catch us all off guard, but we're all too slow to react as Nico slides something out of his sleeve, blinding me for a moment with a flash of silver that reflects the light and disappears as it enters Blaze. An exhale I never want to hear leaves his mouth as he falls to the floor, clutching his bleeding stomach, sliced open. Any deeper, and his guts would be sprawled on the floor with him.

There's screaming, but I don't notice it's my own until Nico places his hand over my mouth, muffling my panicked yells. “Take care of him. I'm taking this one with me,” Nico orders the goons behind him as he throws me over his shoulder. There's a sharp sting to my thigh before the world fades to black around me. The last thing I see before I lose consciousness are Blaze's eyes. They're screaming, “I'm going to save you,” but all I want is for him to survive.

Please survive, Blaze.