Her nails dug into her skin. He knew everything. “What do you want?”
He glanced at her. “I want a lot of things, but right now, I’m focused on information.”
“Information about what?”
“Everything. I want to know everything there is about everyone in this city.”
“That’s impossible.”
He shrugged. “Well, not everyone, just the ones who have ties to the underworld. I didn’t hurt your friend more than necessary. Why do you think I drugged her? Less effort, more forthcoming answers. Easy.”
“You can’t do this!”
He slanted her a glance devoid of amusement. “I can do whatever I want. That’s a crime lord’s right. He doesn’t ask; he takes. You know this. You were married to one.”
“For a week,” she said through clenched teeth.
“No matter. You’ve been on the outskirts of the underworld your whole life. Once you know me better, you’ll understand how I work.”
“I don’t want to get to know you.”
“You do,” he said with such confidence that her hands balled into fists.
“I don’t.”
“If I touched you right now, you wouldn’t be wet?”
Her mouth dropped. “You conceited jackass! Pull over so I can beat your ass.”
He laughed. “As much as I’d like to see you try, we have reservations and can’t be late.”
He was unbelievable.
They left the barren desert behind and entered the city, which was lit up and buzzing. He coasted down The Strip, and her car drew a lot of attention. She glared at Angel who waved at a bunch of teenagers drooling over the Aston. She was trying to strategize an escape plan, but that went out the window he turned off the bustling Strip. He cruised down a deserted street she wouldn’t be caught dead on. The difference one street made off The Strip was unbelievable. Most of the stores had bars on the windows and looked abandoned.
Angel pulled into the deserted parking lot of a nude bar. The sign out front said, “The Pussycat,” but only “The Pussy” was lit.
“This is a joke, right?” she asked as Angel slid out of the car.
He crouched down to look at her. “What do you mean?”
“This is where you had reservations?”
“Yeah.”
“Nude bars don’t have reservations!”
“This one does, and I don’t want to be late.” He shrugged back his sleeve to look at his watch. “I heard the wings here are amazing.”
She looked around the empty parking lot and street. Anyone with an ounce of common sense wouldn’t drive down this lane for fear of being shot or assaulted. Her skin prickled just sitting in the car. She felt as if they were being watched.
“I’m not going in there,” she said.
Angel closed the door and rounded the car. Belatedly, she tried to lock the doors, but she wasn’t fast enough. He opened her door and pulled her out. She stared at the dirty building, which made her skin itch.
“I can smell the STDs from here,” she said.
“You’re probably right. Don’t fuck anyone but me then.”