“What’s that?” Dog frowned toward the white Mustang that just sat there.
Tony lifted his chin at the car. “Hangs around, texting or making calls. I’ve told her repeatedly that’s not safe to do at night. She goes to her car, whether it’s here or anywhere, she needs to get inside, lock the door, start it up and go, not sit around. But does she listen? Hell, no.”
“You had problems here?”
“You never know when a patron is going to hang around, thinking he can hit on the dancers when they finish their shifts, or follow them home.”
“You get many of those?”
“More than I’d like. The worst are the ones that get obsessed with one girl. They practically stalk them.”
It was Dog’s turn to lift his chin toward the Mustang. “She got any of those?”
“One guy lately. That’s him over there in the blue sedan.”
Dog’s brows shot up. “You’re shitting me, right? You let him just hang here?”
“It’s a fine line I’ve got to walk. Can’t be running them off. Those types can be some of these girls’ best customers. The girls themselves would string me up if I came between them and their income.”
“You’re here to protect them. That is your fucking job.”
Tony nodded. “I make sure he doesn’t approach or follow her out of the parking lot.”
“Well, since he’s not getting out of his vehicle, I’m guessing the latter.”
“Yup. Guess I better go have a talk with him.” Tony moved to step out from under the eave and into the rain, when the back door opened and a brunette stuck her head out.
“Tony, Sonny needs you. He thinks Tiffany is OD’ing.
“Jesus Christ. Again?”
The brunette shrugged her shoulders and ducked back inside. Tony grabbed the door to follow, but paused nodding toward the white Mustang. “Can you make sure she gets out of here okay?”
Red Dog nodded. “Yeah, sure, man. Go.”
Tony ducked inside as a flash of lightning cracked across the sky, and the rain became a downpour. Dog watched as the Mustang’s headlights came on, and a plume of exhaust shot out the tailpipe. His gaze swung to the blue sedan. It was backed into a spot, and with the rain pouring down on the windshield Dog couldn’t make out the driver’s face, just a dark shadow. His eyes cut back to the Mustang to see it backing out, then moving toward the street and turning right out of the parking lot. As the sedan pulled from its spot, Dog darted out, moving to step in front of the vehicle. Their eyes connected through the windshield, and this
time Dog could see the man’s features. He was a squirrely looking dude, but it was what Dog saw in his eyes that had his blood running cold. Evil, pure fucking evil, with no emotion in them.
Red Dog banged his palm on the hood and barked, “Get the fuck out of the car.”
A twisted smile formed on the man’s face a split second before he gunned the engine, plowing into Dog. The impact knocked him off his feet and up onto the hood, where he rolled and fell to the ground as the car sped away.
Dog groaned at the pain that shot through his left leg, which had taken the brunt of the impact. But that didn’t stop him from rolling to his knees, drawing his gun and firing as the car turned right, tires squealing as it barreled off the lot.
Boom. Boom. Boom. The sound of his gun echoed off the building. A moment later, the door flew open and banged against the cement block wall as Tony charged out. He skidded to a stop, his eyes taking in Dog’s kneeling position, the 9mm clenched in his hand aimed at the street.
“What the fuck happened?”
“He got away. He’s going after her. Where the hell does she live?” Dog barked as he staggered to his feet, favoring his left leg, then holstered his gun as he moved toward his bike.
Tony pulled his phone out. “Let me call her. Tell her she’s got a tail and to come back to the club.”
Dog stood there a moment, his eyes on Tony, praying she’d pick up the man’s call. Tony shook his head as he barked an order into what must have been her voicemail. “Don’t get out of the car, Sweetie. You got a tail.”
“Where?” Dog demanded, already firing his bike up.
“Royal Hill Apartments on Ocean Blvd. #814.”