Page 8 of Property of Rattler

Suddenly, the light goes off. I gasp.

He snarls, “What the ever-loving fuck?” I hear him stand, something being kicked out of the way, a grunt of pain, then the click of the switch, but nothing happens. “I don’t fuckin’ believe this.”

I notice something that he hasn’t yet. There’s always a background hum about the club. The air conditioning units that keep the air circulating are always on, yet now there’s nothing.

“The power’s been switched off.”

“No shit, Sherlock,” he replies, scathingly.

Then there’s a sound in the distance, like a door opening and closing, and male voices.

“Thank fuck,” he says. “My brothers are here. They must have come looking for me when I didn’t go back.”

I hear him take a deep breath as if to shout, and I launch myself at him. It’s pitch black. I can’t tell where he is, so just move toward his voice. I end up with my head in his crotch, earning an oomph from him.

I don’t wait. “Shush,” I rasp. “It might not be the Kings.”

Grabbing my hair, he pulls me up. “What the fuck do you mean?”

“Someone’s looking for me. They were at the club earlier. That’s why I hid.” I swallow, trying to trap the panic rising in my throat. “It could be him coming back to search for me.”

“It would take expertise to break into Royals. We’ve got top-notch security.” While he obviously doubts me, he does keep his voice low.

“And he’s got access to the expertise that could bypass that.”

“Who the fuck’s ‘he’?”

I don’t have a chance to answer. Sounds from outside indicate multiple men are approaching the closet where we’re hidden.

“You sure you didn’t see her leave?” a male voice asks.

“I’m fucking certain.”

Oh my God. It’s him.I flinch, and, unbidden, a small squeak would have escaped my mouth had Rattler not turned my face into his chest and placed his arms around me protectively. Well, I doubt it’s to protect me, more to keep me quiet.

“She must be here somewhere.” Oh fuck, it is Malachi. He’s come back to find me.

“We’ve searched everywhere, Mr. Stone. She’s nowhere to be found.”

“I want this place torn apart.”

“Inadvisable, sir. Royals is owned by the Kings. We don’t want to leave a sign we were here. As it is, cutting the power will make them suspicious. We might not have long before they come to investigate.”

A hand rattles the door to the room we’re in. Rattler presses me tighter to him. I can feel his fast-beating heart under my cheek.

“Open this door.” I shiver as Malachi’s voice sounds again.

“Sir, it’s just a storage closet. It says so.”

“She might be hiding in there.”

There’s a thump against the door, but it doesn’t budge.

“Get it fuckin’ open. Here, come help.”

I can only guess at what’s happening—multiple people trying to shoulder or kick their way in. It seems like the safe room we’ve ended up in is doing the job it was built for.

“Hey, I found another exit, the fire escape from upstairs. Anyone have eyes on that?” another voice queries.