Page 51 of Unmasking Mayhem
Before I can respond, Havoc interrupts, crashing through the crowd toward us, a triumphant grin plastered on his face. “Dude, you should’ve seen that last dancer! I swear, I thought they were going to give us a show with how wildly they went at it!”
“Someone’s got to keep the party going,” I say, trying to guide him back to focus.
The man in front of us puts up his hands, a look of mild annoyance crossing his face. “You’re underestimating howdelicate our business is. Show some respect, or you might not like the final act of the night.”
Havoc seems to grasp the tension at once and takes a step back, looking apologetic yet mischievous. “Right, right! Just making sure everyone’s having a good time, you know?”
I seize the opportunity to sharpen my focus again. “So what’s the latest on them? I heard they might be involved in something bigger.” The guy glances at Havoc and then seems to consider his options, weighing them like coins in his palm.
“You’ve got fucking guts, I’ll give you that,” he finally says, lowering his voice. “But this isn’t your fucking game, kid. Stick to the dance-offs. Trust me; you don’t want to get tangled in the web your bosses spin.”
But there’s something about his tone, the way he looks back towards the shadowy corners, that makes the hairs on my neck rise. I take a step closer, lowering my voice further.
“I have an in with Mayhem, and I’m not afraid to play hardball. I know more than you think.”
He studies me for a long beat, and just as I sense the conversation turning in my favor, a deep voice cuts through the night like an ice pick.
“Looks like we’ve got ourselves a little fucking rat.”
I turn to find King standing there, D lurking behind him like some dark omen. The weight of their presence sends a ripple of apprehension through the crowd, the atmosphere shifting from playful chaos to something more tightly wound. My heart races; the game just escalated. With King’s wary eyes drilling into me, the challenges of tonight become visceral; the stakes are higher than I ever anticipated.
"Well," Havoc nudges me to snap me out of my paralysis, "looks like the party's about to get interesting."
My pulse quickens as I try to formulate a plan, knowing that tonight might just be the tipping point. I prepare myself, forcinga casual demeanor as King strides closer. His gaze is sharp and assessing, and I mirror his confidence, attempting to mask my racing heart behind a facade of calm assurance. D stands a few steps behind him, his expression inscrutable.
"What's going on here?" King asks, his tone deceptively light, the underlying threat intimidating. He glances at the man beside me, who shifts uncomfortably in the shadow of King's presence.
“Just talking shop, you know how it is,” I interject, hoping to steer the conversation away from any incriminating hints. “We were just discussing the girls' performance tonight.”
King's narrowed eyes linger on me, and I can practically feel the gears turning in his mind. “You think you’re clever, don’t you?” He replies, his voice now low and dangerous. “But I know you’re not just here to watch the fucking show. You’re always working a fucking angle, Red.”
At that moment, Havoc interjects, attempting to lighten the mood. “Hey, how about the girls give us another dance, huh? The energy’s dying down over here!” He chuckles, clearly trying to break the tension, but the humor falls flat in the face of King’s scrutiny.
“Shut the fuck up,” King snaps, and the room goes quiet.
All eyes are suddenly on us, the air thick with anticipation. I can feel the pressure mounting and know that I must act, and quickly.
“I’m not here to cause problems, King,” I say, raising my hands slightly in a placating gesture. “I just heard some rumors about new players in town. Thought I could get the lowdown.”
His expression flickers but manages to retain its steely edge. “Rumors can get you killed. Information is currency, and you’ve got to be careful who you fucking trade with. You don’t seem to understand the fucking risks, do you?”
I take a deep breath, my resolve hardening. “I do understand the risks. That’s why I’m fucking here—because I want to protect what we’ve built. It’s my life, too.”
“Life? This isn’t a fucking game for you to casually play at,” D finally speaks, his voice low and menacing, sending a chill down my spine. “You get cut in, you better know how to swim with the fucking sharks—no lie with the snakes.”
Before I can muster a clever retort, King smirks, as if he relishes this back-and-forth, the thrill of the chase. “We’ll see if your loyalty is worth something or if you’re just another fish caught in our net.”
With that, King’s attention drifts toward the dance floor again. I nod toward the guy next to me, who looks equally wary now, ready to bolt. I need to de-escalate this situation before King digs deeper.
“What’s your thought on these ‘new players’ anyway?”
King glances back at me, his demeanor shifting slightly. “Stick around. You might just fucking learn something—or you might get a taste of why we don’t take kindly to rats.”
He gives me one last piercing look before backing off, D shadowing him as they slip into the crowd, leaving tension and uncertainty hanging like smoke in the air. Havoc gives me a nudge.
“Nice work, man. That was some slick talk, but I think you’re in even deeper with the boss now.”
I feel the weight of the room shift again as I glance around, heart pounding. “Yeah, and I need to figure out what the hell is going on before they collect any real intel.”
