Start a War (Saint View Psychos #1)(88)

I navigated the now familiar route from my house in Providence, through the streets toward Saint View, the houses outside getting smaller and more run-down with every mile I covered. “Hey, Siri? Call Nash.”

The ringtone sounded through my car speakers as I pushed the car as fast as I could. It was a fifteen-minute drive to the bar. And then another five or so minutes from the bar to the bluffs. I was going to be cutting it super fine to get there on time, and I didn’t want to know what would happen if I was late with the money. “Come on, Nash,” I muttered. “Answer the phone.”

It went to his voicemail. I changed tack and called Rebel. Voicemail again. “Goddammit!”

There was no point trying any of the other staff because I was only around the corner. I parked my car right by the doors, not bothering to turn the car off before I dived out of it and ran for the bar entrance. I yanked open the heavy doors, and a wall of sound hit me. I balked at Vincent who was standing guard in the doorway, the bar packed behind him. “Jesus Christ. Where the hell did all these people come from?” I hadn’t even noticed vehicles in the parking lot, but I hadn’t exactly been doing a head count. I was more worried about getting in, getting the money from the safe, and then getting back out to the bluffs in time to meet the dealer.

“There’s some sort of gathering at the Slayers compound, it seems. They all descended here when the alcohol there ran out.”

“Shit. Nash and the others must be run off their feet.”

I squeezed through the people, pressing up on my toes, trying to find Nash among the crowd. His trademark flannel shirt open over a white tee jumped out at me from within the sea of black leather, and I pushed my way over to where he was frantically clearing glasses from a table.

“Nash!”

He glanced up. “Thank fuck you’re here. There’s way more people here than we have the staff for. Can you—”

“I can’t stay. I’ll be back as soon as I can. But I can’t stay now.”

“What! Bliss! For fuck’s sake. We’ve never been this busy in the history of the damn bar, and you’re skipping out on work? We need you.”

I silently held up the gold card with the date and place engraved.

Nash snatched it from my hand. “What the hell is this?”

But then he stared up at me as realization dawned. A fierce determination morphed his features. “I’m coming with you.”

I shook my head. “I only came to get the cash. I’ll be fine alone.”

Even as I said it, I wasn’t sure I was.

His blue-eyed gaze went dark. “Like hell you will be. This might be the guy who killed Axel for all we know. I’m getting my keys.”

I gripped his arm. “You can’t leave Rebel here to run the place alone. We don’t know half these men. That’s not safe.”

Nash looked torn. “She can call someone in.”

“I’ve got to be there in ten minutes! I don’t have time to wait for you.”

“I’ll go with her.”

I spun around at the voice behind me. I hadn’t even realized Vincent had followed me.

I opened my mouth to protest, because Vincent was clearly needed here just as much as Nash was, but Nash cut me off with a glare. “He goes with you, or you aren’t going at all.”

I ground my teeth. “The guy said not to bring anyone.”

“I’m really very good at being quiet and staying hidden. We’ll take two cars. I’ll follow you at a distance. I swear, he won’t know I’m there.”

I knew they were right. As much as I wanted to think I could do this alone, I’d be stupid to when I had Vincent offering his protection. The rapid thumping of my heart slowed to a steadier beat, and I nodded. “Fine. I’m getting the money, and then we’ll go. See you in the parking lot.”

I hurried back toward the entrance and the secret door into the sex club section. It was dark inside, but the open door left just enough light to see. I punched the code into the safe and grabbed the money I’d already carefully counted out and put in a bag.

Vincent was in my doorway waiting for me.

By this point, I wasn’t even surprised that he’d disobeyed my orders to wait in the parking lot. I didn’t have time to argue. My watch said I had three minutes to get somewhere that needed at least five, so we’d have to argue about his stalkerish tendencies later.

We stormed back out into the night, Vincent slamming shut the door behind him.

My breaths came a little too fast, and a sudden rush of nerves engulfed me. “You’ll be close, right? You promise?”

His fingers came to the side of my face, and his deep-brown gaze captured mine. “You won’t see me, but I’ll be there. He so much as touches you, and he’s dead.”

There was that Vincent intenseness again. Right now, it was the thing I liked most about him. His complete and utter faith in his ability to protect me was reassuring.

I pressed up onto my toes and brushed my lips over his. It was a peck of a kiss, nothing more, and yet my lips sparked to life like they’d been electrocuted. Everything inside me screamed and shouted demands for me to wrap my arms around his neck and deepen the kiss, even though kissing was the absolute last thing we had time for.

I slid behind the wheel of my car, putting the money in its little bag on the passenger seat. By the time I looked up again, Vincent had disappeared into the darkness.