Page 24 of Heathens

I cock the gun and grit my teeth.

“We offer plenty. I don’t give a fuck who you are, Deschamps. Get the hell out of my club and don’t come back.”

Rene reaches out, grasping my arm as he presses my gun to his forehead, his face just inches from mine. He’s daring me to pull the trigger with one silent look. My heart is thundering in my chest. It’s not lost on me that I’m standing face to face with one of the most powerful men in the city.

He studies my face for a moment more, his little smile twitching ever so slightly.

“I’m willing to bet you don’t have the guts.”

“Try me, asshole.”

His voice is dry and emotionless; despite his smile, there’s no joy in it. The only thing I can read is pure boredom.

“I’ll have my crew in this club in seconds, and they’ll rip you and your little friends apart. They’re everywhere.” He turns his head as though he’s daring me to look toward the open door, but I keep my eyes on him, my heart hammering at the base of my throat. Kirby’s blood is still staining his mouth. “So go ahead. Do it. It’s your policy, isn’t it?”

“Get thefuckout of my club,“ I repeat. “Don’t make me tell you again.”

He releases my arm and pushes me backward into Ares, who catches me before struggling to level his gun again. Deschamps doesn’t even move, but I’m sure he could have had us all on the ground in a second.

And he knows I know it.

“Don’t worry, my lovely hosts, I’ll be taking my leave,” he chuckles as he walks toward the open door.

A few vampires glancing inside scatter like mice as he strides out of the room, with Ares in close pursuit to ensure he makes a quick and complete exit. Ruby slides her gun back into her holster as I slump against the wall.

“I’m gonna check on Kirby. We should close the rooms down for the rest of the night.”

“Maybe the rest of the club, too,” I sigh, head in my hands.

“I’ll… let you know what shape she’s in,” she rasps.

I hold myself together as Ruby makes her exit, but the second she’s out the door I can feel myself breaking down. I don’t even know what to do, nervously pulling at my hair for a moment before jamming my hands back into my apron. My mind runs wildly through every possible outcome of the night’s events.

Almost none of them are good.

As I fiddle around nervously, my fingers brush against crumpled paper at the bottom of my apron pocket. Dom’s business card. I shake my head as I flatten it out, giving it a quick glance before sitting up completely straight.

DOMINIC DUNCAN

CEO OF DUNCAN ENTERPRISES

My heart drops into my stomach. Two in one day?

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

DOMINIC

Nox Nightclub

Shemarchedrightbackthere and stuck her gun in Deschamps’ face, bold as brass. The way she moves when she’s angry, the fire in her eyes, and the way her muscles tremble with rage beneath that dress?I’m getting harder just thinking about it.

I linger on the dancefloor, eyes fixed on the feeding rooms while music pounds all around me and Luke tugs at my sleeve.

“Come on, man,” Luke whispers. “He’s gonna come out here. We don’t need to deal with that shit right now.”

Luke’s right. There’s no way Rene’s figured out what’s happened yet, and we don’t want to do anything that’ll draw his attention. He’ll find out soon enough, but I don’t give a shit about that right now. The only thing I’m focused on is that gorgeous fucking redhead with her gun in Rene’s face.

Luke is practically bouncing beside me, silently begging me to give this up and leave. I just want one last look at her. I have to come back here, have her tell me about the whole thing.Fuck her while she describes what she did to him.

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