Page 29 of Taken to the Grave
“I have reason to believe Givens was talking about something he should not have been,” Hugh went on, thinking of the two men Audrey had seen in her vision and what they’d been saying.
The man gave no nod this time. Instead, his eyes swept the gaming floor, then came back to rest upon Hugh.“If you’ve got any brains in that skull of yours, milord, you won’t keep talking.”
Ah.At last, he’d been driven to speak. “I’m afraid I need answers.”
Stokes stepped forward, coming toe to toe with him. “ThenI’mafraid you’ll go the same way as the lad.”
Alarm shuttled up Hugh’s spine. The gaming room disappeared from his peripheral vision. “What lad?”
“Harlan’s boy.”
Sir had beenhere? “Where is he?”
Stokes’s lips split into a grin, revealing crooked teeth. “Got himself in a fair bit of trouble, coming here, whinging about someone knocking off his pop.”
Less than a hand span separated him from Stokes. Hugh closed it despite the other man’s advantage in height and weight. “I’ll ask you once more. Where is the boy?”
Stokes’s dumb grin faded. He backed up a step. “Tossed him out twice myself. Showed up tonight, too, so I brought him to Mr. Vance’s office. He’ll deal with him.”
Lars Vance owned the Seven Sins, and his cutthroat reputation was credited for keeping his members in good form. Hugh’s attention went again to the green velvet curtains shielding the back of the house. He side-stepped Stokes and started toward them.
Thornton fell in step beside him. “That didn’t look like a friendly conversation.”
“Sir is here. With Vance.”
Thornton grabbed Hugh’s arm to slow his charge toward the burly guard at the curtains. “Vance isn’t a man you want to upset.”
“Who says I want to upset him? I’m merely going to take Sir and leave.”
“The thunderous look on your face says differently.”
Only then did Hugh feel the scowl. He attempted to smooth it over with something less threatening as they reached the security guard. Like Stokes, the man’s bland expression held a shade of menace.
Thornton cleared his throat. “My friend here would like to purchase a membership,” he said, clapping Hugh on the shoulder with enough force to send him sideways. Purposefully, to be sure. “Is Mr. Vance in his office?”
The guard gave Hugh the onceover, then with a sniff of indifference, stepped aside.
“This is why I keep you around,” Hugh said as they parted the curtains and found themselves at the base of a stairwell. They started up.
“I thought it was for my scintillating personality,” Thornton replied.
Hugh snorted laughter but cut it short as muffled shouts came from the landing. He took the rest of the steps two at a time and found another security guard posted outside a closed door. A familiar voice, clear as day, reached through the wood: “I don’t know nothin’!”
It was all the impetus Hugh needed. He charged forward. “Stand aside,” he ordered the guard, who of course, did no such thing. The unmistakable sound of a hand smacking skin and the grunt of pain followed from within the room.
“Hugh—” Thornton called from behind him. But all Hugh could see was red.
He cracked his fist against the guard’s jaw, and the man went down flat. The door wasn’t locked, so he threw it open, sending it slamming against the wall. The tall and corpulent Lars Vance had Sir by the scruff of his collar. He swiveled to stare at the intruder. So did Sir. His lip had been split, and his eyes were red with tearful fury.
“Release him.Now,” Hugh growled.
“Who the f—” Vance saw his guard sprawled on the floor. His hand went to the inside of his jacket, and he drew a snub-nosed pistol.
“Christ,” Thornton hissed as he came in behind Hugh, his arms held up in capitulation. “Mr. Vance, this boy belongs to my friend here. We don’t want trouble. Just the boy.”
Sir struggled in Vance’s hard and fast grip. “I don’t belong to no one!” At the catch in Sir’s throat, a murderous rage nearly overtook Hugh.
“Who is this man, Thornton?” Vance asked, still aiming his pistol at them.
