"Yes, that is it. He suffered an aneurysm. How shocking. He was so young," he added on a small sigh, shaking his head, then turning to walk back toward the body of his brother.
"What..." I started, but Che's arm was tightening around me as he yanked me backward, pulling me out of the door we'd entered.
Back in the restaurant, he led us through the rows of tables and right out the front door, not pausing to look at any of the guys, just making a beeline for where Huck was parked with the SUV, shuffling me into the way back to make room for the others as they joined us.
"What the fuck happened?" Huck asked, tense.
"Just get us out of here," Che demanded, wrapping me tighter.
"Che," Huck demanded a couple minutes later when we were far enough away that everyone was reasonably sure we weren't being followed.
"Jia hadn't hired her," Che supplied. "His little brother Shan must have. Behind his back. To recover a ring from the Yakuza. And Jia didn't give a fuck about the ring. That was probably why Shan tried to kill Saskia, so it never got out what he'd done."
"Well, what happened in that room?" Remy demanded to know.
"Jia shot his brother. Then gave us the ring back."
"Shot as in... in the foot?" Huck asked.
"Shot as in he was making up ways he could claim his brother died if people asked."
"Jesus Christ," McCoy hissed, shooting us wide eyes over the backseat.
"Yeah," Che agreed. "I don't know what the fuck to think."
"Did he seem pissed at you two?" Huck asked.
"No. He barely seemed interested at all, to be honest. It was bizarre."
"We need to get rid of that ring before he changes his mind," Huck declared.
"We can't take her there right now," Che insisted. "I think she's in shock. Hell, I think I'm in fucking shock," he added, letting out a choked laugh.
"I'm okay," I told them, feeling like there was cotton in my mouth.
"Sass, it's okay," Che said, giving me a squeeze. "It can wait. They specified tomorrow night," he added.
"Doubt they're gonna be pissed you got it to them early," Huck reasoned.
"I want it done," I said, wetting my lips. "I just want all of this over finally," I added, looking over at Che.
"You're sure?" he asked, reaching out to touch my cheek.
"I'm sure," I agreed.
"Good. I'm on-board with that too," Huck said, making a turn.
"What is the Altar of Venus?" I asked, getting a smirk from the guys.
"What?" I asked, feeling left out.
"Well, historically, it means 'pussy,'" Remy supplied, smile getting wider when I felt my cheeks heat. "In this context, it means..."
"Yeah, I get it," I said, shaking my head.
Altar of Venus was a strip club.
And twenty minutes later, Che and I were walking into it, being led by one of the guards through the back, past the stage where three petite women were shaking very large breasts and butts in their barely-three undergarments, getting rewarded with a shower of cash.
In a back room past the stage was a meeting area lined in expensive-looking leather sofas where several of the men from the clubhouse were situated.
Including Souta.
"Well, you're prompt," he said, rising casually, buttoning his suit jacket. He was trying for calm, but there was an anxiousness around him as he approached. "Do you have it?"
"Do you promise to leave me alone?" I asked, lifting my chin.
"I never wanted anything to do with you in the first place, princess," he said, tone bored. "I don't see any reason to want to in the future," he added.
I looked over at Che, who gave me a nod, before reaching into my pocket to produce the ring.
I must have had a question in my eye as I passed it to Souta, because he shrugged.
"My mother fell in love with Jia's father," Souta explained. "Late life love. Everyone thought it would be so good for the two families. Well, almost everyone. There was a drive-by on their wedding night. My mother never even made it to the hospital. Jia and Shan's father is still in a vegetative state. This was her ring. He gave it to her. It was the only thing she had on her that I could keep with me. It means a lot. I appreciate your help in returning it. I promise not only to leave you alone, but to owe you in the future should you need it," Souta said, slipping the ring into his pocket.
"I'll keep that in mind," I said, nodding, as I let Che lead me away. "Do you get the same feeling I do about that very convenient drive-by?" I asked as we made it outside.
"That a certain cold and calculating Triad leader would have every reason to oppose that marriage?" Che asked, helping me into the car. "If his father was killed, or in a coma, Jia would be the one to take over the whole organization."