Page 18 of They Will Burn

“Tell me the plan again,” Crew says, turning back from the front seat. We’re parked on the street a block up from Sally’s, and this will be the seventh time we’ve been over this since the four of us piled into the bulletproof SUV we keep for occasions just like this one.

I mean, we’ve never planned on rescuing the woman we’re all at various points of falling in love with before, but it’s definitely not the first dangerous situation we’ve found ourselves in.

Kovu sighs, because the question is more for him than anyone else. Camilla may make me crazy, but I still understand the need to keep up appearances until this shit has blown over. Kovu, on the other hand, will walk into this club and shoot every single person on sight if given the opportunity. “We go in. If Camilla is here, we are not to approach her. We are to drink and mingle, and if there is an opening to get her out that won’t end in a gunfight, we take it. If she’s not here, Kaos and I will slip out and head to the penthouse.”

Crew sighs, and I rub my hand down my face. It’s the closest he’s gotten, so at least we’re getting somewhere.

“I don’t know why you brought these two with us,” Kaos mutters. “You know they’re going to blow it.”

I turn and glare at my cousin, the urge to punch him again eating me alive, but I manage to get control of myself. “Why are you here? This is your fucking fault in the first place.”

“You’re welcome for saving your life, you ungrateful asshole,” Kaos snaps, and when I move to throw a punch, Crew grabs me, holding me in place.

“Fighting is not going to get us anywhere. You two need to get the fuck over this before Camilla comes home because I will not tolerate her getting caught in the middle of it.” He turns his stare on me. “And you know she’s going to have Kaos on his knees groveling for the part he’s played in this. Something to look forward to for us all.”

“I don’t kneel for anyone,” Kaos grumbles.

“We’ll see about that,” I retort.

We each slip from the car and straighten our suits. Kovu looks uncomfortable, as he always does when he’s forced to wear something other than his usual casual attire, and Kaos’s biceps look like he’s about to pop right out of his jacket. If this asshole gets much bigger, our tailor is going to stop agreeing to make clothes for him.

Security looks us up and down as we approach, but I keep my face passive and uncaring, wearing the same mask I’ve worn every day since we took our place at the top of the food chain.

One of them says something into his earpiece, but neither of the guards bothers to step in our path. Smart men.

I’ve never been a fan of strip clubs, despite owning a few ourselves. Not because I can’t appreciate the female body, but because the men that come to them are always bottom-feeders on a power trip, and it’s little wonder Davenport spends so much time here.

The dark carpet at my feet hides the evidence of what happens here, while the black furniture and walls make it seem like an endless abyss.

The music is too fucking loud as we move toward the group of men standing around a group of seats in front of a stage, and I know immediately that we’ll find Davenport there. Always a glutton for attention. If he wasn’t a mob boss, I’m sure he’d choose something that involved being in the limelight.

Crew steps in front of us, the leader of our group in public, and when Davenport spots him, a smug smirk turns up the corners of his lips. It’s a second before I realize he has someone perched on his lap, and my stomach churns at the sight of Camilla in a scrap of fabric masquerading as a dress.

Her eyes meet mine and surprise fills the stormy pools a moment before the hurt creeps in. She can’t think I had anything to do with this, that I would take her virginity and then hand her over to Davenport a few hours later. But if I were the one in her position, wouldn’t I make the same assumption?

“Ah, gentlemen, I’m so glad you could make it,” Davenport beams, his arm around Camilla’s waist tightening as he makes no attempt to get up and greet us.

“We wouldn’t miss a chance to celebrate your upcoming nuptials.” Crew’s cool tone is tried and true, but knowing him as well as I do, I can hear what no one else can. The anger that laces every word.

“This is my bride-to-be, Camilla De Marco.” He gestures to the woman in his lap who holds a polite smile despite the situation she’s found herself in. “But I believe you’ve met. Have you not?” His eyes sparkle with challenge, and I hear Kovu growl under his breath behind me.

“We have had the pleasure.” Crew nods to Camilla as if she’s nothing more than a secondary thought, and I hope to God she doesn’t believe the tale we’re spinning.

“Take a seat!” Davenport urges.

Crew and I perch on the edge of the only two vacant chairs, while Kovu and Kaos remain standing. This is our usual formation, and one that we fall into easily.

“You got here right on time, the show’s just about to begin,” Davenport explains, and I watch as Camilla looks up at him, her brows tugging together in confusion. “Now that our special guests are here, Pet, I hope you’re ready to give the performance of your life.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CAMILLA

My stomach drops as I stare up into his near-black eyes.

Performance? What exactly does he mean by that?

But then his gaze flicks to the empty stage in front of us, and my empty stomach churns. Maybe it’s not such a bad thing that he hasn’t fed me today if I’m about to be forced to dance for all these assholes.

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