A Dirty Business (Kings of New York #1)(26)

His face slackened, and I swear he paled just a little bit. “What do you know about that name?”

“Just that he grew up not far from here, and he owns Katya.”

He was studying me. “He’s some local hotshot, isn’t he?”

I shrugged. “I guess, but he never crossed paths with me when we were kids. Don’t feel it matters now.”

Or did it?

But Leo shut down. I could tell in the resolved expression on his face. He wasn’t going to say anything anymore, and I did have a shift to get to.

“Okay.” I started for the door. “See you, old man. Get some sleep. Don’t let my mom take advantage of you too much.”

He chuckled. We both got the joke. He took care of her for my dad, and the few times he stayed, like tonight, when I came by the next morning, I found him passed out on the couch.

“Be safe out there, kiddo.”





CHAPTER NINETEEN


TRACE


She looked tired.

I was watching her from one of the private boxes, one that had a view of the nightclub. I first came to work, thinking Katya would help clear out my mind, but eventually found myself migrating to where I could see her and she couldn’t see me.

This wasn’t going away, the pull to have her, to claim her, and my uncle’s favor wouldn’t stop either. There had to be a compromise, but there wasn’t.

Tonight would be the final straw. If she didn’t know who I was, she would, and she’d hate me. But family was family.

I’d do what I’d have to do.

A door opened behind me. The sounds of the club sounded clear and then muted.

I didn’t move, knowing who it was, and a second later, Ashton came to stand beside me. He had a drink in hand. I looked to see him watching her as well. He took a sip of his drink, the ice rattling in the glass. “Are you going to be okay with this?”

No. “I’ll have to be.”

He glanced my way, studying me. I turned my attention back to her. It was her. It had always been her. Ever since I’d first seen her.

“Maybe she won’t find out? Intel said they weren’t close.”

I shook my head. “I doubt it, but we’ll deal with it.”

“You sure?”

I gave him a look, a hard one. He knew the situation. We got an order.

He gave a nod, a wary look coming over him. “Let’s do this then.”

I took one last look at her, one lingering long look because everything was going to change.





CHAPTER TWENTY


JESS


It was another busy night, but I needed the distraction.

Kelly was working again; so was Justin. I’d not been back to the house, having gone straight to Katya from my mother’s house, but I was guessing from the hooded looks each of them was giving the other that they’d spent the day together.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about the two of them together, but I just hoped if and when they ended, that it was amicable and that Kelly wasn’t the one who needed to quit here. But, knowing Kelly, knowing her entire history of relationships, they never ended well, and she would be the one who’d quit or get fired. Thinking on that, I waited until we had a small break between customers before going over to Justin.

He was filling a drink but paused, seeing me.

I stepped in, turning so my back was to the bar. “If you hurt her—” He turned to look at me squarely. I kept going: “—I’ll do something to make you stand before a judge. You hear me? Do not fuck with her.”

I didn’t wait for a response as I returned to my section.

And Anthony was there, giving me a fixed look.

I frowned. “What?”

He had his arms crossed over his chest and slowly shook his head.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know what’s going on between you and West, but I’m stating it here that I do not like it.”

I frowned, my whole body tensing. “What are you talking about?”

A hard look entered his gaze. “I like you. You’re tough. You don’t take shit. Customers back off from you, and you show up every day. So here’s the one time I’m giving you unsolicited advice that does not benefit me at all: Walk. Quit. Leave your shift right now and never come back here. Whatever dance you and West are doing will not end well. He has connections you will not like. Trust me.”

A cold feeling replaced the tension.

He added, a grim look on his face, “Trust me on this one, Montell.”

Justin moved over, eyeing the two of us. “You guys okay?”

Anthony’s jaw clenched, giving him a hard look too. “We’re good. This ain’t none of your business.” One last searing look my way. “When things go off, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” With that, he stomped away. Justin was giving me an assessing look, drying his hands with a towel. “I’m aware I’m new here, new in your roommate’s life, but I’m here. My brother’s a cop—”

“A cop?”

A more guarded look came over his face, hardening it before he gave me a tight nod. “Detective Worthing. He’s at the 116th.”

I didn’t know his brother, but the 116th was a good district. “I’ve known Anthony for a long time, that’s all. History. I can take care of myself.”