Page 55 of O'Mega's Revenge
I kissed her forehead. “Go first so I can make sure you get to Nonno okay.”
She nodded and slipped into the hall. I followed, moving slower, and watching that damn drape of silk brush her ass as she moved. Distractions are terrible things. But beautiful. A man would be lucky to have that image burned into their brain. Such things carry you through the hard times.
Chapter Twelve
“Your girl is gone,” Nonno whispered into my ear almost the moment I rejoined the party. His hand clamped onto my elbow.
A short distance away, Felonious was whispering hard into Jackson’s ear. He had his phone to the other ear as he directed his men.
I searched the room for Missile’s splash of blue but came up wanting. “Do you think he has her?” My heart sped up. The very last thing I wanted was for my sister to go through the same trauma I had. The fact that Missile volunteered for the job didn’t make me any less nervous about her odds.
Instead of answering, Nonno reached for his own cell phone. The screen was lit up with an incoming call. He didn’t even get a moment to answer when his gaze went to the ceiling. “Understood.”
He put the phone back into his pocket. His frown at Jackson was all the confirmation I needed to know that my fears were justified. “We’re being summoned.”
As in all of us. I searched the room for signs of Wolf, but either by design or choice, he wisely remained out of sight.
My nemesis having Missile was one thing. Two hostages would be more than I could manage.
Nonno, Jackson, Fell, and I paraded to the guarded elevator. Inside, one of the henchmen joined our party.We could overpower him, I thought, but shoved that urge to the side. Tonight was fact-finding and yes, slightly dangerous, and possibly criminal depending on the next moves. I counted on the Surgeon’s obligations to his leash keepers as my safeguards. He wouldn’t dare commit quadruple homicide at a party in the middle of their power seat. That would be gauche. His words, from a long time ago. There were rules in his world. Ones that he wisely obeyed.
Killing a henchman would gain me nothing and make too many enemies I couldn’t afford. I knew better but the urge for retaliation was strong. I glanced at Fell to see if she was as conflicted as I was. If the way she stared down her nose at him was any indication, maybe conflicted wasn’t the proper term. Murderous was more likely. Luckily the ride was very short.
The doors opened to a slightly smaller, but no less spectacular view like the one a floor below. My enemy and his court were posed in the center of the tableau. Contempt welled in my heart. Along with a surprising note of pity. What was supposed to be a display of power twisted into an arrogant perversion. The boogeyman of my nightmares was a frail man. Or was it staged to only look that way? I shook off the urge to focus solely on the Surgeon.
There were surprisingly few people present. A handful of bodyguards, a couple of lackeys, and three women. One being Missile, who looked ready for murder. She looked far from helpless despite being constrained.
Near the Surgeon was the woman from the other night. His current madam du jour. On her left was her clone, but younger. I remember he preferred classy brunettes. One of the main reasons I dyed my hair as white-blond as I could. I’d go bald rather than any shade of brown, especially the fake deep brown he demanded of his favorites. Unfortunately, that put Missile in his sights.
“Nonno, such a good man, bringing my favorite back to me.” The Surgeon clapped his hands once as if he was enjoying a play.
A farce would be more accurate. We were all playing roles here.
The madam at his side frowned at his word choice. Interesting.
“Tits, swear to God I’m going to kill this bastard.” Missile ranted as she struggled against the hold of the two men flanking her. She made quite a show of it.
“Did he hurt you?”
“He didn’t, but these fucking apes tore the dress, see?”
She flashed me a leg where the slit had extended well up her thigh.
That was a good sign. You had to know her to understand she was making a joke. She couldn’t care less about the dress. Knowing her, she was probably angry because she hadn’t caused the damage herself.
“Enough! It is bad enough you wore the wrong dress, but to add your coarse yowling to the presentation is beneath even you. I hope.” The Surgeon’s guards shook Missile into submission at their master’s outburst.
“And you. Shameful.” He perused my form. “I’d hoped you matured in your absence, but I see a spoiled, soiled child.”
I thrust my tits out as if daring him to call me a child again. The woman at his side rolled her eyes. The other girl nervously watched the action and the exit.
The Surgeon motioned to Nonno to present me. “Maybe I need a closer look.”
Ew.
I stepped forward, shaking off Nonno’s guidance, and stood wide-stance and defiant. The tape on my dress worked overtime to keep things in place because I hadn’t tested this pose. “I’m here. Say your peace.” He obviously orchestrated this night for his own benefit.
“Still a fighter. That is a shame.” His face soured as he studied me for any sign of weakness.
