Chapter 26

I’d never been a fan of long car rides, which meant I’d passed out for most of the drive. Soft lips coaxed me from sleep, and I blinked into green eyes. Elliot’s hair kissed my cheek, and I sifted my fingers through the strands.

He leaned close with eyelids lowered. “Ready?”

We’d gone over the plan at length before I’d fallen asleep. I nodded and stifled a yawn as I sat up and stretched. They’d already parked, and Beckett and Enzo were gone.

I climbed out of the car and clutched Elliot’s arm.

“Werewolf bouncer,” Tanner sneered, approaching us in abrupt strides. “The place reeks of them.” The disdain wasn’t lost to me. I raised an eyebrow at him. He cleared his throat and fidgeted with his sleeve. “You go before us, Maya.” He handed me a card.

I peeked at the Arkansas identification. “When did you get this?”

“I’m always prepared for anything, love.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Be careful.”

I nodded and didn’t waste time hanging around. Reaching into my corset, I nudged my boobs higher.

The line moved fast, so it didn’t take me long to get to the bouncer. I handed the license over and hooked my arms behind my back. He passed the card under the machine for verification, but he didn’t tear his attention from my body. I smiled at him and tilted my head to the side.

“Find me later, if you want some fun,” he murmured in my ear. His breath caressed the side of my neck, and I tried to hide the shiver of disgust. He handed me the I.D. without another comment.

Success. I shoved the card in my bra and strutted inside like I belonged. The place looked the same. Rectangular tables surrounded by cushioned seats were scattered everywhere. Lounging chairs encircled the main stage.

Lights flashed with the seductive music. Beckett’s cousin was likely behind the door with the wolf carved into it. Their crest. I itched to barrel through, but . . . that wasn’t the plan.

Waiting felt impossible. I didn’t want to, but the guys and I had agreed to work together. They hadn’t tried to stop me from coming in, so they were trusting me. They deserved at least the same, so I couldn’t break our agreement. Sighing, I plopped onto the seat. My palm slapped the tabletop, and a sticky substance attached to my skin. My lip curled. Ew .

“Sorry, dear, I was on my way to clean it.” The bejeweled bralette hardly covering the female’s breasts caused a rainbow to glint across the table. Red lipstick painted her smiling lips. Everything looked normal except for her eyes. They continued to flick to the side as if watching her surroundings. Also, her pupils were dilated to hell. She was high.

She swiped the table clean with jittery motions. “The bathroom is to the left of the bar if you want to wash your hands.” After that, she retreated.

I rubbed my sticky palm against my jeans. It wasn’t like there wouldn’t be blood all over me later.

How long would they take? I tapped my tennis shoe on the floor, sweeping my gaze around, waiting to catch sight of my mates.

Had I been oblivious to the number of Unnaturals in here the last time? Because damn. There were tons, and most were wolves. By the look of about half of them, they worked here.

The pungent odor of alcohol and cigarette smoke coated the air. I couldn’t take a breath without tasting it on my tongue.

All at once, the lights in the club snuffed out, and the dance floor went pitch black.

My cue.

I calmly stood as voices around me swelled with alarm. Weaving through the crowd moving toward the exit, I kept an eye out for the guys.

Where the hell were they?

The side door with a wolf on it creaked open and yellow light, likely from a generator kicking on, spilled out.

Shit. If he left, he’d escape us. I couldn’t let that happen.

I rushed through the scurrying crowd as burly males shuffled in the opposite direction as the patrons and working women. Lukas Moretti had told me they weren’t here of their free will. Judging by their behavior, that checked out.

Once this guy was handled, it would allow any woman who didn’t want this profession a safe exit.

I peeked into the room.

“Start the car,” Beckett’s cousin roared, crouching behind a desk as he rifled through a drawer. The woman coming out of the office teetered on heels, rushing past me with keys jingling in her hand. Her breasts bounced with each twitch as she dashed toward a side exit.

When I’d first met Bobby and chopped his finger off, I hadn’t known his name. I didn’t want to bother learning it because what I’d done to him fucked with me.

I slipped inside just as he stood and kicked the door shut with a bit more force than I intended. I may have been a little pissed that he’d ruined the plan.

He clutched his chest and staggered back, his ass hitting the chair behind him. “You!”

I smiled. “Me.”