Lexie nodded and headed out of the room, closing the door behind her. She had no idea where the dressing room was. She started down the hall, glancing in the different rooms along the way.
"Last on the left," Jackson whispered. "Just head straight there."
She picked up her pace and pa.s.sed the shady looking characters standing in the hall having a hushed conversation. They paused and glared at her as she pa.s.sed. She tried not to look affected as she continued at her pace, averting her eyes. She wanted to pull her coat closer around her but she knew that would make her look nervous.
"Just keep going," Jackson encouraged. "Ignore them." The interior of the building still smelled of fresh paint and Lexie was impressed by the art displayed on the walls. A lot of thought was put into the decor. It was definitely not the typical strip bar from what Lexie could tell. This reminded her of an old world building with ornate moldings and rich colors.
She was relieved when she stepped into the dressing room. It was filled with women all in different outfits, all just as flashy and tiny as the others. Lexie placed her hand against her chest. Her heart was refusing to slow down.
"Be careful of the camera, Lex," Jackson said quietly.
She pulled her hand away and looked down at the flowers that were covering the cup of her bra-like top. She had forgotten for a moment about the little trinket that was so small it could be concealed on her clothes.
Lexie slipped her jacket off and opened the locker that was marked with the same number as her key. Tucking it inside, she turned around and looked down at her outfit, wondering where the h.e.l.l she was going to stick the key.
"There"s a small, concealed pocket inside your bra to put your key," one of the girls mentioned when she noticed Lexie"s dilemma.
Lexie looked up to see the girl sitting on a chair beside her. She had a friendly smile that was painted with magenta lipstick. Her bleached blonde hair was curled and piled on the top of her head. She had a very relaxed demeanour as she sipped a gla.s.s of wine.
"Oh, thank you. I didn"t notice it when I got dressed." Lexie tried to delicately look for it without disrupting the camera.
"You have to take it off to find it. I"ll show you," she offered as she set her wine gla.s.s down. She reached behind her and unsnapped her top, sliding it off her shoulders.
"Yesss..." She could hear Teddy"s voice in the background. "This is f.u.c.king awesome."
Lexie tried to ignore him as she placed her hand over where she knew the camera was. They did not need to spy on the women to do their job.
"Oh come on," Teddy complained. She ignored Teddy"s pleas as she watched the girl show her the small pocket tucked inside the bottom of the cup. This woman was completely unfazed by being nude in public as she stood in front of Lexie without returning her shirt.
"Just don"t throw your bra when you take if off or you might lose it. I"m Sarah," she introduced herself.
"Hi Sarah. I"m Crystal." Lexie smiled warmly.
"Crystal Corr?" Sarah asked with a twist of her mouth.
"Yeah." Lexie"s heartbeat starting thrumming again. Crystal didn"t say she knew any of the girls here.
"I"ve heard about you. I thought you"d be a b.i.t.c.h, no offense," Sarah said.
"None taken," Lexie a.s.sured her. Sarah"s eyes raked Lexie"s entire body. Lexie resisted the urge to narrow her eyes as this woman"s judging eyes sized her up.
Sarah sat back down in her seat and grabbed her gla.s.s of wine. She was in no hurry to put her top back on. "Help yourself to the wine. It"s good s.h.i.t."
"Thanks, I will," Lexie said as she headed toward the serving cart that held rows of wine gla.s.ses and several bottles of wine. She discreetly tucked her key under her bra. She was comfortable taking off her clothes in the comfort of her home and delightfully in front of Jackson, but she had no plans to reveal anything more than she already was in this place.
Lexie hoped she looked confident as she strutted around half-naked, because many eyes followed her around the room. Suddenly Lexie felt like she was in some compet.i.tion. Lexie didn"t have the head s.p.a.ce for the mind games. These were all beautiful women that swallowed a whole lot of ugly. It dripped from their painted lips and she couldn"t stand the energy of the room as they whispered and glared.
The heels were already beginning to hurt her feet. The wine was something she would not pa.s.s on because she needed to forget about her throbbing feet. She poured a gla.s.s and downed the entire contents just as Ronnie walked into the room.
"Okay ladies, let"s get this show started. Some of you have been a.s.signed certain guests for the evening, while others will be on stage. Just line up in front of me and I will direct you. Dancers first please, and then we"ll figure out where the rest of you need to be." Ronnie looked down at his clipboard as the girls all filed in line. Lexie set her gla.s.s down reluctantly and headed toward the back of the line.
The dancers were taken to another room to get ready for their performance, leaving a little more than half to be a.s.signed. Lexie was glad she was in the back of the line because it meant she had more time to mentally prepare herself.
"You"re doing great, Lex." Lexie resisted touching her ear in an effort to feel closer to Jackson. Instead she grasped her hands in front of her. She stepped up to Ronnie as the girl in front of her headed out of the room.
Ronnie looked up from his list and smiled. "Ah, yes, Miss Corr," Ronnie said with a creepy smile. "You, my dear, can come with me." Ronnie smiled as he held out an arm for her and tucked the clipboard under the other.
"May I ask what my a.s.signment is?" Lexie asked curiously. All the other women were told before they were whisked away, while she was left to look at Ronnie"s big smile that was hiding the information she wanted. Lexie slid her arm through his.
"There"s a reason why John is paying you the big money. You"re the star of the show tonight," Ronnie announced.
"What the f.u.c.k does that mean, Dane?" she heard Jackson ask.
"She didn"t say anything about it. They didn"t tell her anything about what she was doing," Dane responded in a m.u.f.fled voice.
Lexie"s throat squeezed tight like a rope was just pulled taut around it. She had no idea what that meant and she was terrified to find out. His arm tightened his hold on her like he had read her thoughts.
"Any sign of trouble and I"m heading in," Jackson said. She wasn"t sure if he was talking to her or the guys, but it sounded good to her.
Lexie allowed Ronnie to lead her down the hallway. She hoped Jackson was getting all the information he needed. From what she could tell, there was an alarming number of security guards. Ronnie led her down another hallway and through a set of double doors that led into very dramatic lighting.
The music playing was very enchanting and set a very seductive pace that played into the atmosphere. Many wine colored booths where cl.u.s.tered throughout the area, most angled toward the various stages. The seating was designed for comfort as she noticed the customers looking relaxed and already sipping on their drinks and taking advantage of the cocaine that was presented in the middle of the tables.
The dress code of formal attire and masks added to the grandness of the event. These men could have been anything at all in the public eye but here they were free to submit to their desires without prosecution. Stodden was going out of his way to win over these powerful men and it was scary how easy it seemed to be.
The men were already growing comfortable with the women. She spotted Sarah sitting on a man"s lap as he fondled her and she laughed playfully. Lexie didn"t want to think about what the girls would endure this evening. She only hoped they knew what they signed up for. Lexie had witnessed Stodden"s parties before and she knew where this was leading. Her only shred of hope was that these were not the criminals that normally attended Stodden"s functions, these were men of stature. Surely they had the decency to be respectful.
She stayed close to Ronnie"s side as he led her toward a winding staircase that led up to a balcony. The area was dressed to entertain a small group. Two small dance areas with bra.s.s poles flanked three large booths that were positioned in a large half circle set to overlook the entire bar below. Two women were dancing against the poles, trying to seduce the men with their playful smiles and alluring flesh. Six men sat in the oversized seats, all wearing masks, but she knew immediately who Stodden was. Not only was his mask more ornate than the others, but she could tell strictly by his mannerisms, the way he tapped his gla.s.s with his finger and observed the room. Anger boiled hot in her stomach but she refused to let it show. She would not give him a reason to suspect her.
"Got him," Jackson said in her ear. "We"re coming."
CHAPTER.
THIRTY-six.
Jackson "How"d you get the masks so fast?" Dane asked, adjusting his on his face.
"Sent an email from Crothers" computer saying they needed a rush order for a few defective masks. They were very accommodating and seemed terrified. I also gave his computer a little virus. I"d love to see his face next time he turns on his computer."
"The camera"s taken care of?" Jackson asked impatiently as he tapped his fingers on the door.
"Just a second...now," Teddy announced. "Let"s go."
Jackson swung the back of the van open and jumped out onto the pavement. He headed for the rear door. He knew there were three men standing on the other side of the door that would need to be taken care of discreetly. He knocked and leaned casually against the wall.
The door swung open and the security guard looked at all three of them dressed in suits and masks. "Why the f.u.c.k are you out here?"
"We...ah...we started the party a bit early and missed our car service." Jackson stumbled backwards down the steps and b.u.mped into Teddy.
"Hey, what the f.u.c.k, man?" Teddy shoved him into Dane.
"f.u.c.k you," Dane hollered as they began to throw punches. The security officer waved the others to join him outside and they pulled out their guns.
"That"s enough," the one who opened the door hollered with his gun drawn. "There will be no trouble here."
"Good to know," Jackson said as he grabbed the gun and twisted the man"s arms, causing him to lose grip on his weapon. He brought his elbow up into the man"s neck, knocking him back into the wall. Dane and Teddy addressed the other two that threw themselves into the fight. Jackson pulled out his gun and aimed for the man"s head just as he pushed off the wall and dove for his own gun. Jackson pulled the trigger and the man dropped instantly, landing at his feet.
Teddy kicked a body of one of the men aside and pulled out his phone. Jackson grabbed hold of the door handle and waited for Teddy"s nod. He could hear the click as the lock released. He pulled the door open and walked inside with Teddy and Dane behind him, guns drawn.
CHAPTER.
THIRTY-seven.
Lexie "What a magnificent creature," the man sitting close to Stodden said as he observed Lexie like she was a bottle of wine being served.
"Tonight is about pleasure, Roman. This is my gift to you." Stodden waved toward Lexie.
"Go sit next to our guest," Ronnie whispered in her ear. "Make sure he"s happy." Lexie walked slowly toward him. She could feel Stodden"s eyes on her as she approached but she didn"t once glance his way. She neared the man as he patted the seat beside him. Her tiny outfit seemed even smaller now that she was on display. She wanted to keep her distance but she had no choice. She knew she was surrounded by ruthless men.
Lexie sat down on the edge of the seat and smiled at the man named Roman. She could tell by his mouth he was a younger man, but his features were obscured by his mask. His name wasn"t familiar, nor was the slight accent that he still carried with his words.
"You"re a shy one," Roman said slyly. Lexie let out a surprised gasp when he grabbed her and pulled her closer. "I like it."
He ran his fingers along the swell of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and Lexie had to consciously work at not squirming in discomfort. It took everything she had to keep the smile upon her lips.
"Take off your mask so I can get a better look at you," he said as he tilted her chin up.
Lexie leaned in closer so John wouldn"t be able to recognize her voice. "I thought tonight was all about secrets," she whispered against his ear.
"Yes, but I want to know your secrets," Roman said as he placed his finger upon her lip and pressed it into her mouth. Lexie had no choice but to play along with his lead. She gently sucked as he slowly pulled his finger out. He grabbed her hand and placed it on his erection straining against his pants. His pulled on the strap holding her top and she panicked. Lexie immediately pulled away. She knew she blew her cover but there was no way she was going that far.
Roman grabbed her by the neck and pulled her closer. "Who the f.u.c.k do you think you are?" he growled. She didn"t have time to stop him before he ripped the mask from her face.
Her eyes flashed toward Stodden, who was looking at her with a dark expression. There was no way she was getting out of this situation. She grabbed for Roman"s gun, tucked inside his jacket, and she managed to pull it free.
She aimed it in Stodden"s direction and pulled the trigger without hesitation. She didn"t know if she would ever have a chance again. Stodden jolted from the impact of the bullet. Lexie was in shock that she actually pulled the trigger as she stared down at the weapon in her hands.
Three men reached the top of the stairs with their guns drawn. It took her a moment to realize it was Jackson, Teddy, and Dane in disguise. The dancers were screaming and trying to find a place to hide.
Roman knocked into Lexie, shoving her into the railing. A sharp pain radiated through her hip from the impact.
"Don"t move," Jackson shouted at Roman in warning but Roman threw himself over the railing. Lexie watched him land on a table below. Gunfire was going off around her as she spun back to look at John, who was no longer in his seat. He hauled one of the women off the floor and held his gun to her head. The woman had mascara mixed tears streaming down her face as she shook in his hold.
"Please let me go," she begged.
"Drop the gun, Stodden, and let the girl go," Jackson demanded.
"And why would I do that?" Stodden asked, pulling the girl tighter against him.
Teddy and Dane were holding off the men on the stairs. Bodies littered the ground around them, shot down just as quickly as they came to Stodden"s rescue, but no one was managing to get through their defenses.
Lexie noticed John shirt under his jacket was stained red. She looked down and noticed that it was beginning to drip on the floor by his feet. She just needed to stall him long enough for him to weaken. The amount of blood she was seeing had to mean the injury was grave.
"Why did you kill my mother?" Lexie demanded, still holding the gun.
"It was an accident," John insisted. He pulled the mask off his face.
"Was it an accident when you sent Rosh to finish her off?" Lexie asked angrily.
"I a.s.sure you I didn"t send anyone to finish her off." Stodden looked surprised by her accusation. It was not the reaction she was expecting. She could see beads of sweat form on his forehead and his normally hard edge was blurred with a look of exhaustion.
"Then maybe you should ask Mark Rosh why he did...oh right, you can"t because he"s dead," Lexie confessed.
"Then I should thank you," Stodden replied. "I a.s.sure you I would"ve made him suffer, had I known."
"The person who deserves to suffer is you," Lexie demanded. She could feel herself fraying at the edges.
"So much anger, dear Lexie. Are you sure you"re directing it at the right person? Did you know Jackson set fire to a home and killed three innocent young children?" Stodden held tight to the distraught woman, whose eyes pleaded with someone to save her. The gun pressed into the side of her head. "At least I have never hurt a child."
"Shut the f.u.c.k up, Stodden," Jackson screamed. Lexie looked over at Jackson, who looked visibly shaken.
"And you think I"m the monster." Stodden smiled sinisterly as he watched Jackson. He turned his attention back toward Lexie. "I"m your own flesh and blood, Lexie. Do you really want to kill me?"
"No." Lexie lowered her gun. "I can"t deny that I"m alive because of you and now I"ll spare yours to make us even," Lexie said.