Page 2 of Tainted Essence
Much like me, London isn’t a girly girl type. She and I are similar in that aspect but I don’t harbor a sour attitude like she does. The Lift drops us off out front of the new club that opened a few weeks back. I found out from Nytress that this is the it place in the city to be, she and Unique have been here almost every weekend since it opened. Unique’s boyfriend and his cousin own it so I know London will have no issue getting in, plus her last name alone will grant her entry into any place she likes.
We walk by patrons who are lined up waiting to be granted access to the inside. Some of the girls send us snotty looks, clearly not impressed by our appearance. London is wearing a simple tube top paired with skin tight skinny jeans while I’m wearing jeans, Converse and a white crop tee that falls off one shoulder. I don’t spend a lot of time worrying over how I look, I don’t even wear makeup. The most effort I put into myself tonight was washing my hair and wearing it down. London has her brown hair tied in a high ponytail, it’s getting longer now since those fuckers cut it when they kidnapped her.
I shudder at the thought of what she went through. I may be training to fight in the octagon and be able to beat the shit out of men twice my size, but that is my choice. Being taken and forced to submit to the will of someone else is my worst nightmare. My phone vibrating in my pocket pulls me from those dark thoughts. I tap London on the shoulder, halting her. She rolls her eyes and waits as I retrieve my phone and groan at the sight of my father’s name on the screen. I show London who it is before I answer.
“You said to take the night off and now you’re bugging me, why?” I say with an irritated edge to my voice.
“Where are you?” I note the hint of worry in his tone but choose to ignore it.
“Out.” I dart my gaze to the line of people when some guys start catcalling us. I shake my head at London, hoping she heeds my warning and doesn’t kill them.
“It’s not safe—” Before he can finish, London snatches the phone out of my grasp and ends the call, pocketing my phone while I glare at her.
“I did you a favor, now let’s go before I break their noses.” I don’t argue as I follow after her, knowing that threat wasn’t idle and she really would break those assholes noses. Unlike her, I can’t be caught fighting out of the ring or else I will be barred from entering the octagon and that is not something I will ever risk. The bouncer takes one look at us before nodding his head and waving us through. I shudder in disgust at the hungry looks he shoots our way.
Men are pigs!
The bass from the music reverberates through my body. London grabs my hand and shoulders her way through the crowd of people. I have no idea how the hell she knows where to go but I don’t protest. A guy tries to reach for me but I shove him back with my free hand. I had assumed she would lead us to a VIP area or something, where I know Unique and Nytress hangout when they come here, but nope, she shocks the shit out of me when we stop in the middle of the packed dance floor.
Frowning I lean forward and shout. “What are we doing?”
I pull and see the devilish glint in her eyes and fight not to groan, she’s up to something. “My man is up there watching.” She flicks her gaze behind me discreetly. I play along and pretend to feel the beat as I dance around her with my arms above my head and swaying my hips as I look up and see Artemis, Cronos, Unique’s boyfriend Kelly and the two girls themselves who wiggle their fingers in a wave. “Is Artemis about to lose his shit?” London shouts. I turn my gaze back to her and smile.
“He’s shouldering people out of his way to get to you.” She throws her head back and laughs. I marvel at her for a moment loving the way she is so confident within herself. Artemis is head over heels in love with her and anyone with eyes can see that man would die for her without thought. I think that’s the only reason Royal hasn’t killed him. It takes him two minutes tops before he is barging his way through partygoers and wrapping his arms around London from behind, then burying his face in the crook of her neck.
I turn away from them the moment her eyes turn hazy, that shit is gross and I don’t need to hear what he is saying in order to know it’s going to end with them fucking in a public restroom. I come to a halt at the sight of the guy standing in front of me. I cock my head to the side at the familiarity of him, then it dawns on me.
He’s the guy from Wave’s party that hit on me. I narrow my eyes at the cocky bastard as he runs his gaze down the length of my body like he has a right. The moment he sinks his teeth into his bottom lip, I give up on fighting the eye roll and allow it to break free.
“You don’t seem happy to see me, Slayer.” I inhale a sharp intake of air at the sound of him calling me by my fighting name. Every fighter has a nickname or a name they go by in the ring. Mine is Havoc Slayer. I chose to incorporate Havoc’s name as a tribute to my cousin. The fact he tried to turn my fighting name into a pet name is cheesy as fuck. I attempt to brush past him and head upstairs, but the bastard wraps an arm around my waist and spins me so my back is flush against his chest. I draw my arm forward, ready to elbow him in the ribs but the moment his lips graze the shell of my ear I hesitate. It’s his words that have me turning to stone.
“Russian hitmen are in this club right now and they are coming for you.”
Taylan
I feel her stiffen in my hold. I sway my hips, trying to act casual as I let the beat lead me in my moves. To everyone else we look like two people sharing an intimate moment but the truth is, we are strangers. Knox sent me here to deal with the Murdochs, Memento Mori and Godfather’s. Wave, Xan and Trey are here too. Knox won’t leave Lake while she is pregnant and I can’t blame him, but the fact we have a huge Russian problem right now makes it inconvenient for him to not be traveling and Bishop Murdoch isn’t the type of man you ask to come to you because your wife is carrying your sister’s kid. Bishop’s a good guy and we’ve been working with him for years now, but we aren’t friendly enough to ask him for shit like that.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” she grits out as she sways her hips going along with my charade. I fight back a groan when she grinds her ass into my dick. I flick my gaze to Artemis and give him a nod. At my confirmation, he begins to pull London away and signals to his brother upstairs to follow him.
“We need to move, Destiny, I’m not fucking with you right now.” She lifts her head to watch Cronos and her two cousins descend the stairs.
“Not until you tell me what the fuck is going on! I don’t even know you.” She tries to free herself of my hold but I refuse to allow her to move an inch.
“Andreas has lost control of Russia. The Crows are trying to get it under control but it’s proving difficult because the Russians want the formula your mother uses for themselves. Since they can’t get to her, they are coming for you, hoping your mom will hand it over in exchange for you.” I feel her breathing accelerate. I tighten my hold, trying to reassure her without words that I won’t let them touch her.
“I need to get to my dad,” she says as she pushes away from me. This time I let her but before she can get too far I snag her hand in mine and drag her behind me as I try to catch up with Artemis and Cronos. I was heading back to my hotel when Xan called and told me that Andreas had given them all a heads up that hitmen were coming for Destiny. Gage had a lock on her location and said they would handle it but they are over twenty minutes away, so I made a call to Artemis who said he was waiting for the girls to show up and decided to lend a hand.
As we near the exit, I spot Art and Nos but they freeze in the doorway at the sound of screeching tires. Nos turns to me and shakes his head.
Fuck!
I dart my gaze around the club and spot a neon exit sign. “This way!” I order as I drag Destiny after me, rushing toward the exit. If it was just me and the two guys I would have stayed and fought but with four women, three of which I have no idea if they can shoot a gun—London I know for a fact can throw knives and shoot. I shove the door open and we all stumble into an alley out the back.
“My car’s around the other side,” Artemis says drawing my attention to him. He pulls two guns from his waistband and hands one to London just as Nos grabs his own guns.
“Give me one of those,” Destiny demands. Nos doesn’t hesitate as he hands one over to her. She yanks her hand free and pops the clip checking how many rounds she has, then draws the barrel and checks the safety before turning to me with a pointed look.
“What?” I ask.