“You’re with me. I’m not gonna let anything happen to you, understand?”
She nodded.
“Just stay close.”
“Okay.”
They walked through the door, following the two men that had come to lead them here. The inside of the building was cavernous. Skylar had expected the ceiling to go all the way to the roof, with exposed metal beams and such, but the ceiling was low, indicating there must be a second story above them. There was a large half-circle bar on the right with about a dozen bar stools. Recessed lighting cast the room in a soft amber shade. The floor was polished concrete stained to a rich caramel colored. Some tables sat off to the left. Then there were a couple of pool tables also on the left. Further back in the far right corner, Skylar could see a small workout area set up with weights and punching bags.
The building also appeared to be empty, except for a couple of prospects over behind the bar. That’s where the two men led them.
“Grouch, get them whatever they want,” the bald one ordered one of the prospects. Then he turned to Shades and Ghost and ordered, “Wait here. I’ll tell Undertaker you’re here.”
They both moved off toward a large staircase in the back of the room.
Once they’d disappeared, the prospect came over and asked, “What’ll you have?”
Shades turned to Skylar. She looked at the prospect and said, “I’ll have a cola if you have one.”
“Sure thing.” He nodded and reached below him into a cooler, pulled a can out and set it in front of her.
The men both opted for a beer, and two long necks were set in front of them.
Ghost turned to Shades. “You got about two minutes before they come back, Brother. You might want to give her a heads up.” He nodded in Skylar’s direction, and she frowned wondering what he was referring to.
“Not exactly the way Butcher wanted it.”
“Don’t be an ass. No matter what Butcher said, you can’t let her walk in there blind.”
Shades set his bottle down, and Skylar could see his jaw clench. What on earth was going on? And what did Ghost mean ‘let her go in there blind’? Go in where blind?
Before she could form the words to ask, Shades was off his stool and pulling her across the room, out of earshot of the two prospects, who were trying to look busy wiping down the spotless bar.
Shades came to a stop
on the other side of one of the pool tables and turned to face her. He took her other hand in his, holding both of them, and he looked down at her.
“I’ve got to come clean with you about this trip, sweetheart.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Gotta tell you something. I need you to keep your cool and hear me out.”
“Okay.” He was really starting to scare her.
“There was a reason we came down here. A reason I brought you down here.”
“To lay low from the DKs, right?”
“No.”
“No?”
“Butcher wanted Undertaker to meet you.”
“Who’s Undertaker?”
“New Orleans Chapter President.”