Page 50 of Casper
“We’re not running anyone down. Forget about them. Let’s go check out that nightclub.”
“Fine. We’ll deal with your shit tonight.” Putting the car in gear, Dom hit the gas, peeling out of the parking lot.
It didn’t take long to get downtown. We circled 37thAve. looking for any sign of the nightclub. There was nothing indicating its location. At my suggestion, we parked the car and got out to walk the block. After asking a drunk guy wandering the street, we learned that the entryway to The Pink Palace was around the back. In the alley behind a restaurant closed for the night.
At the back of the restaurant, we found a door that led down beneath the building. This club was literally underground. As we descended the stairs, the sound of electronic music grew louder. Strobe lights in flashing colors greeted us when we reached the bottom.
The guy working the door made us pay a twenty dollar cover to enter. He didn’t check our ID, which explained the barely legal teens inside. Most of the people partying were young adults strung out on narcotics they couldn’t handle. Barely able to stand up. This was not my scene.
We walked the perimeter, doing our best to check faces in the dark with strobe lights in our eyes. I wondered why Jace would frequent a place like this. Probably because it was the type of place one could lay low and not be recognized. Everyone here was far too fucked up to care about someone like him.
We reached the back of the building having had no luck. I contemplated taking a seat and waiting to see if he showed up. That’s when the bastard walked out of the restroom a few feet away.
Almost as if he sensed my presence, he looked straight at me. Both brows shot up, his mouth taking the shape of the word, “fuck.” Jace took off running. He didn’t bother weaving through the crowd. He simply shoved people out of his way, literally leaping over those who tripped and fell down.
“Jesus Christ this guy is a fucking maniac.” Dom said what I was thinking as we both gave chase.
Jace managed to make it up the stairs ahead of us. We weren’t far behind. I needed to get my hands on him. This had to end tonight.
When we emerged from the basement nightclub into the alley, it was empty. He was gone.
“Which direction do you think he went?” Dom glanced up and down the alley.
“I have no idea,” I signed, a storm of fury rising up inside me. “You go left, I’ll go right.”
We split up, each racing in opposite directions. He couldn’t have gone that far. He had to be here somewhere.
I made it to the end of the alley with no sign of Jace. Reaching the side street, I scanned my surroundings. Nothing. When I met back up with Dom, he had the same story. No luck at all.
Overcome with anger, I kicked over a trashcan, sending it flying into the street. Slamming my fist into a street sign did nothing to make me feel better. I wanted to make someone hurt. I needed it to be Jace.
Dom stood quietly while I let my temper out on anything in my path. When I’d finished, he placed a hand on my shoulder and steered me back to the car. Now that Jace knew I was looking for him, he wouldn’t come back to this place. I had no choice but to wait for him to show himself again.
Fuck.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
LUNA
I’d been staring at my laptop for hours when I caught myself yawning, my eyes getting heavy. I still had to do a load of laundry before bed. Giving up on achieving anything else tonight, I closed my laptop and gathered my laundry into a bag.
Casper had Kings business tonight, so I’d busied myself with schoolwork. I didn’t want to fall behind. Last night he’d come by and told me about finding Jace at a shady nightclub. Unfortunately, he’d managed to give Casper and Dom the slip. Nobody knew where he was now.
I wished he would forget about me and leave town. In a perfect world I guess. Since this wasn’t a perfect world, I’d resolved myself to the fact that Jace wasn’t going anywhere.
After stuffing my pillowcase into the laundry bag, I grabbed my card to pay for the machine and opened the door. I screamed when I saw Jace on the other side. Taking advantage of my frozen fear, he shoved inside, closing and locking the door behind him.
“You sent your boyfriend after me,” he accused, smacking the laundry bag out of my hand. “Did you really think that would work?”
“I didn’t do anything,” I protested. “I don’t control Casper.”
“He’s never going to stop me from taking you away. I came back for you, Luna. I told you I would. I don’t know why you’re fighting this.” With a crazed look in his eyes, Jace grabbed me by the upper arms, giving me a rough shake.
Because I knew what he was capable of, I did my best to talk him down. “It doesn’t have to be this way, Jace. You don’t need to act like this to get what you want. Sometimes things are more likely to go your way when you calm down a little. No need to be so excessive.”
His bitter laughter sent chills down my spine. He jerked me hard against him, his breath smelling of cigarettes as it touched my face. “You think this is excessive? You haven’t seen anything yet. I’m just getting started.”
“Jace, please. Let me go. We can sit down and talk rationally.” My gazed darted around as I searched for something to use as a weapon.
