Page 76 of Undercover Desires

I nod in acknowledgment, not sure what else to do. In the center of the room, with all the light focusing on his face, I can see him better. He’s a regular at the club alright, part of a group of guys who always occupy the same booth and get rowdy by the end of the night. I know him pretty well.

He’s in his mid-thirties, with a solid, well-built physique and dark hair graying at the sides. He runs his blue eyes over me, a knowing look in his gaze. He’s tried to hit on me many times before. Last week, I had to ask Xavier to talk to him about being too touchy, but I hadn’t mentioned that fact to Kobe, not wanting to cause a scene. Now, though, knowing what I do, he gives me the creeps.

His eyes narrow in on me. “You know she’s an undercover cop. Whatever you do to me will go right back to Reader,” Kahil stammers nervously, attempting to assert some leverage in this situation. His sinister eyes linger on me longer than they should. A chill runs through me at the mention of Reader. What does this guy know about him?

Kobe bursts into laughter, as if Kahil’s comment is the funniest thing he’s ever heard. As quickly as it started, his laughter stopsabruptly, and he leans in close to Kahil, his voice turning icy as he asks, “Who did you hear that from?”

I glance at Ben and Rob, who are also taken aback. Rob glares at me, fresh distaste in his eyes, and Ben looks me over like he’s just seeing the real me. I don’t like it. They seem surprised by this revelation about my identity, suggesting they were unaware of my true role. I know Ben is close to Shelby and his sister. By the end of tonight, the girls will know. My heart sinks. I shouldn’t have stayed here tonight. It’s only going to cause more trouble for me. And the truth is, I shouldn’t be worried about what the girls think. They shouldn’t be anyone to me, really, but I know in my heart they are. They have become my friends, and I don’t want them to hate me.

Kobe takes a step back and with no warning thumps the guy right in the face. His head flies to the side and blood gushes out of his nose and over his beard. He cries out.

I instinctively cover my mouth to stifle a gasp of shock as the situation becomes increasingly tense.

“I’ll ask you again, who did you hear that from?” Kobe repeats his question with a steely resolve.

The guy spits blood back at Kobe. “Can’t remember,” he mumbles defiantly.

Kobe punches him again. “Wrong answer.” He laughs like this is fun for him, just another one of his games he likes to play.

I take a hesitant step back and hit the wall behind me. I’ve witnessed plenty of violence in my line of work, but seeing the same man who had been intimate with me just moments ago inflict pain on someone else is tough to watch.

“You’re going to want to talk. I could do this all day until you’re nothing but a bloody corpse. No skin off my nose. Truth is, I’ve been a little distracted this month and haven’t fit my training in.” He glances back at me and winks, his words sending a shiver down my spine. I’m his distraction. “Real flesh and bones are somuch more satisfying to practice on than a punching bag,” he sends a chilling warning to Kahil.

I hold my breath, waiting for the next blow. I’m left stunned, torn between wanting to stop this violence and my fear of what Kobe is capable of.

Realization must dawn on Kahil as he glances at me, and he seems to understand the gravity of his situation. He knows that I’m here with Kobe, and his chances are rapidly dwindling. Throwing me under the bus isn’t going to save him. He fucked himself over the second he muttered a word about me. “The boss,” he stutters out.

“I’m going to need a little more information,” Kobe demands, his voice back to being light and playful.

Kahil is now cornered, his eyes panicked flicking between us. “Detective Reader sent her to watch over you. She’s an undercover cop.” He spits blood toward Kobe.

Kobe circles around him, like this is a dance. “How do you have that kind of information? Come on, say it. I think Bella has a right to know who you are since you already know so much about her.” His words are mischievous but hold a harsh edge.

The room falls completely silent as we wait for him to speak.

“I’m a detective at the same station,” the guy finally confesses, his haunted eyes meeting mine. He’s a detective at my station, and he was willing to out me so easily to save his own ass.

I feel my adrenaline spike. I want to run the fuck away from this place and never look back. Detective Reader has set me up. The revelation stuns me, and I’m left reeling. I understand why Kobe is so livid now. He knew who this guy was all along, a fellow detective. And Kahil knew who I was every Friday night when he slung his arm over my shoulder and asked me to join him for a drink. Was he there laughing at me behind my back? Reader assured me no one would know. He was full of shit.

“That’s right, Detective Martez Kahil, and you were one of the privileged ones allowed to frequent our fine establishment under the proviso that you kept us in the loop when Reader and the other cunts at his station were about to fuck us over. For years you have enjoyed the finer things we provided, all so you could turn on us the first chance you got.”

My stomach churns as I watch Kobe inflict more violence on the man. I get it. Part of me wants to join him, I’m so furious about all of this, but I know it's not the way to resolve anything. He should be charged for his offences and locked up. It’s not for us to punish him, no matter how much we might want to.

A sickening thump follows, and something in Kahil’s jaw cracks. I gag, feeling like I’m going to be sick. Unable to bear witness to the brutality a second longer, I turn my head and meet Ben’s gaze. The horror of the situation must be written on my face. His eyes are kind, and I want to ask him to let me out of this room, but I know I need to stay. I have to find out why. Why this guy thinks he can fuck me over and why he would risk selling drugs in Kobe’s club when he knew what the consequences would be. He must have thought the payoff would be worth it or he wouldn’t have taken the risk.

“You’re the one who’s been leaking information back to him,” Kobe accuses Kahil.

“Would’ve gotten away with it too if I wasn’t fucked over by one of my own, or should I say, if she did her fucking job and didn’t fuck the target instead? Reader said you weren’t up to it, and he was right,” Kahil admits, his venom coming my way. He hates me. He thinks I ratted him out to them. Until tonight I didn’t even know who he was. But he was watching me.

His words hang in the air, a damning revelation that makes me feel anxious. Were the rest of the men at his table also cops from my station? Did they all know who I was? Reader assured me no one would know. I feel like he was playing with me, using me as apawn in his game. Rage builds inside of me. I want to bring him down even more now. How dare he treat me the way he has.

“She didn’t fuck you over. You did this to yourself. There’s just one more thing I want to know.” Kobe crouches to his level and stares him right in the eyes. “What made you think you could sell Euphoria X in my club?” he seethes, his voice low and menacing.

Kahil’s eyes widen in alarm, clearly unaware that Kobe had been onto him. He had assumed this ordeal was solely related to me, but in reality, he’s here because of what he sold to the girl who overdosed.

“I didn’t... I wouldn’t,” Kahil stammers, panicked.

Kobe firmly clutches his shoulder, effortlessly lifting him from the chair as if he were weightless, leaving Kahil suspended with his feet dangling above the ground. I almost can’t believe his strength; this guy would have to weigh nearly as much as him. “I have a statement from the girl you sent to the ICU and video evidence that suggests something different. If you want to save your ass, start talking. I know you weren’t behind this. Who put you up to it?” His voice is a terrorizing growl.

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