Vanished in Chicago (Vanished)

My men are gagging, their stomachs not hard enough to handle my particular brand of crazy. I watch his blood pool under the chair, and I feel a calmness wash over me. One enemy down. Three more to go.

FOURTEEN

JAKUB

TWO DAYS LATER

It's been two days since the incident that still pisses me off. Every time I think about it, I am incensed. The one good thing that came out of it was her finally admitting what she feels for me. Hearing her tell me she loves me was like opening a door that had been closed to me my whole life.

She was still a little shaken up the day after, but she has been spending more time with my mother and it has been both good and bad. I love how close they are getting, and my mom has been showing her how to make some of my favorite Polish dishes. On the flip side of that, she has also been showing my sassy princess how to get her way with me. Like tears in her eyes when it is something she really wants.

Even now, she is with my mom in our kitchen making Kotlet Schabowy, a pork breaded cutlet dish I have loved since I could eat regular food. This works for me because I have to meet my brother at the strip club on 8th to try to find any of the girls this guy stalking my shit has been with. I need a name like now.

Pulling up, I see Zef is already here. I walk straight to him and pull him into a hug looking him over. I am not used to not having him right beside me, able to look out for him. “Brother.” I say as I lock him in a hug. He chuckles but hugs me back knowing if he doesn’t, I am going to give him shit. I know that mobsters are supposed to be hard asses and without hearts, and for the most part I am, but my brother and my mother have always been the exception and now my woman.

“Geesh. I am fine alright.” He gives me one more second then pulls back. “Are you done being a sappy ass?” he punches me in the shoulder, and I shake my head.

“I am sorry Jozef. I know you are a grown man, but in my eyes, you will always be my little brother and I cannot stand having you so far away from me, where I cannot get to you should I need to. Sue me.” His eyes soften for a second.

“I know big brother. I am one of the lucky ones. I am sorry for being a brat.”

“It is okay. I am used to it. Now come on. We need to figure out who the hell he is.”

Walking into the club, it takes everything in me to maintain an unfazed expression when really, I want to gag. I hate clubs like this. It is for the lowest of the low. The unhonorable filth that taints our streets and plagues families dealing out of the back and trafficking women who should be protected. I abhor this shit, but sometimes you have to crawl through the sewer to get to the top. “Split up?” Zef questions me.

“Yes. Ten minutes is all I can stand in here. I don’t want any of these ladies to have any ideas about why we are really here. Give them a card and tell them to call us with info and or if they need help getting out.”

“No problem.” I watch him walk away from me before I begin to circulate the room. All around me is debauchery of the most disgusting kind. I am looking at women clearly coked out dancing and being touched even though they are not in their right mind to consent. Gross, drunk men exposing themselves. The bile in my stomach threatens to rise and if it weren’t for the women already being defiled, I would let it spray all over the garbage in this room.

“Hey sweetie, you want a dance.” A woman in a barely there thong asks me, swaying her body. Her eyes don’t appear to be dazed, so I take a chance and talk to her. Pulling a hundred from my pocket along with my card I hand it to her.

“I just have a few questions for you.” She licks her lips and looks at the money before nodding her head and walking away. I take it as a sign to follow her.

“What can I do for you sweetheart? Maybe a lap dance or a visit to the private room?”

“No, thank you! I am looking for someone. He might be a recent transplant from Poland. A tough guy. Maybe he is throwing money around surrounded by other guys. Have you seen someone like that around?” her eyes light up when I am done describing what I picture him to be.