For the Taking

Riley had no problems killing the five men involved in the operation and setting fire to the heroin.

He was already driving away when he saw the fire in the distance and then the sounds of sirens coming toward them.

By the time the fire crew turned up, the drugs would be gone.

He smiled.

David had once told him one of his biggest earners was his drugs. The next one was the sex shops. Girls paid to give pleasure in any form. He’d already exposed one of the brothels. Next, he intended to expose the men who used them, so one by one, David became nothing more than a name without any credit.

Glancing to his passenger, he smiled.

Meghan cleaned up nicely. They had gotten her hair done. He’d waited in the car as Meghan went in the salon. She had advised him to stay outside, but he’d put a listening device on her so he knew if she blabbed to the stylist. The woman had asked her if she was in trouble. Meghan had handled it like a pro.

“No, I’m not in trouble, but believe me, the guy responsible for this, he will be. Don’t you think I’m a victim here, sweetheart. I’m not. I’m going to make sure he pays.”

He would have preferred her to keep her mouth shut, but the last thing he needed was the woman trying to run his plates. The car wasn’t registered to him, but to one of Peace’s dead men. He’d stolen the car and the ammo for himself.

After her hair and makeup, their next stop had been a dress. This time, he did come in with her, and they picked her a nice, deep red, figure-hugging dress. Her neck was exposed, showing off his love bites. Also a few strips were missing at the hips, tantalizing and showing the bruises he’d left there.

To go to any other benefit or social event, it was deeply inappropriate. For what they wanted, it drew the eye, and gave a nice big “fuck you” to the guy they were hoping to hurt.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

He chanced another look at her, to see if he could detect any nerves.

Nothing.

“We don’t have to do this,” he said.

David would be at one of the clubs he didn’t actually own. It was a BDSM club, one that was exclusive and owned by a very powerful man who didn’t like to have his generosity taken advantage of. Buckle was an ex-Marine turned hitman. He’d served his country before taking jobs that involved killing people who posed any kind of threat. Riley had trained with him before, and the man, he was a machine. He didn’t allow anyone in his club to kill.

This would be his only chance of confronting David and coming out alive. The man would only be allowed two guards maximum.

Buckle would have his own security, and he’d be the one to take care of any problems. No one messed with him; Riley didn’t have his membership revoked ten years ago, and well, he was about to let people know he was very much alive.

He wondered if John would be the guard next to David.

Only one way to find out.

This was also where he’d be able to get Meghan in and out without a problem.

He parked the car in the private area, which was also protected. Buckle, when Riley had been David’s main protector, had taken him on a tour. The man believed there should be a place men and women could go and allow themselves to release their darkest, most hidden desires.

The club catered to BDSM and every kind of sin that was legal. Riley had never been tempted by the club. He’d stood by David as he liked to play with the submissives. In Buckle’s club, he couldn’t abuse them or hurt them, only play and give them the pleasure a true master could.

Looking back, he had to wonder why David would even go to such a place, especially knowing how he liked to break them out in the real world.

It didn’t matter anymore.

He climbed out of the car and rounded to Meghan.

“You don’t leave my side while we’re here. You stay with me, and don’t even be tempted to go to the bathroom.”

“Believe me, if I could, I’d find some kind of way to tie myself to you. This will have to do.” She held his hand, locking their fingers together. “Do you have a gun?”

“Not on me.”

“Why the hell not?”

“There is a reason I’m willing to give your plan even a little thought. I know we can get in and out without any threat. That’s all. You will follow my lead. Do you understand me?” he said.

“Fine. You really think you won’t get killed?”

“Not here, but we’ve just put a time limit on how long we can stay in one place.” He held her hand tightly as he knocked on the door.