Page 14 of Himbo Hitman
And there’s only one answer to who would force my brother to disappear.
A small part of me wants to be offended that they only went after him, but I can’t blame them. It’s barely been two weeks, and I’m already in way over my head—they don’t need to get rid of me when I can’t even run this place properly. They just have to wait out my complete incompetence.
While I wait to discover what the hell happened to my brother.
I’m not good with waiting. Or curiosity.
I chew my thumbnail, staring at the screen, trying to figure out what the hell I can do to stop being so gut-wrenchingly helpless, and all I can think of is that if the police won’t do their jobs, I’ll fucking do it for them.
I’m clearly not also a target, or I would have gone missing by now too. I’m not smart or sneaky and don’t know how to cover my tracks. So if they’re not after me, there’s no reason why I can’t pay them a little visit and start getting some of the answers I need.
Lars is still doing whatever the fuck he’s doing, so I grab my jacket and make for the door. I’m not going to be gone long, in a place as public as Rev, I’m not worried about anything happening there. Afterward, well, who the fuck knows what they’ll do. I’m not even sure I care at this point.
The not knowing is causing a brain itch, and if this is what I need to do, fuck it.
I take the stairs down from my office into the employees-only section of the club. There’s a door at the end of the hallway that leads to our back courtyard and parking spaces, which has a gate into the small through street behind us.
Almost as soon as I step outside, that creepy crawling feeling hits me again. It’s been hanging around all week, setting in randomly and suddenly, and I can’t help but do my usual look around at what the fuck could be making my skin prickle like this.
As usual, there’s no one here.
Colin going missing has me paranoid.
Ignoring my car, I cross the courtyard, where two of our bar staff are sharing a vape, and let myself out into the street behind our building.
Rev is only a few blocks away, and where they have specifically targeted a demographic who listen to rage music, doesn’t mind fighting, and the drug trade in there is high, we went in the complete other direction. Latest hits, drug checks at the door, and a zero tolerance for violence. We’ve started out strong on both the drugs and the fighting and already given out bans so people know we’re serious.
Saint Clare’s and Rev couldn’t be any more different, and there are more than enough customers to go around.
Their issues with us can’t be that we’re competition.
I leave the through road and walk along the busy street, that feeling of being watched even heavier out here. Every few steps, I can’t stop from looking around, but the restaurants and theaters in this part of town make it hard to spot anything out of the usual, aseverythingis wild and strange and fun.
It’s one of the reasons we were so set on opening in this part of town. The lease wasn’t cheap, but Colin knew it was worth it.
A passing woman shrieks, making me jump, but the friends with her break into answering laughter. Fuck me, I’m on edge. This isn’t normal.
When I get to Rev, as usual, the line is stretched out down the street, and the surly bouncer at the door is giving people the stink eye. We have Onyx on door duty, and they’re the most bubbly, flamboyant ex-MMA fighter I’ve ever met. Colin and I loved them instantly.
Our brand is welcoming. Rev’s is intimidation.
So. Fucking. Different.
Would they really take my brother over a little territory dispute when they’re not suffering?
Really?
Instead of heading to the front door to make a scene, I duck down the alley to the left. Like our place, this one leads around theback to the employee entrance. I can ask one of their staff to let Yanni know that I’m looking for him then we can have this out without strangers witnessing our business.
But before I can get there, I slow my footsteps, and the doubt comes back to me. What if it wasn’t them?
Big bad nightclub bosses making people go missing feels like a reach. Sure, I don’t have any other suspects in mind, but this isn’t a littleclose or elseempty threat. This is a big fucking deal. A big fucking deal where I’m very possibly going to piss them off more or hand them the knowledge that I’m splashing around solo right now with no clue which way is up.
And I have no interest in making them feel that happy tonight.
I turn and sink back against the wall. It’s filthy down here. Graffiti and litter everywhere. Food and who knows what bodily fluids trampled into the dirty concrete. A dumpster that smells like rotten fruit down the other end, the smell so strong it’s making my eyes water.
All that just goes to show how completely fucking mindless I’m being here. The least I could have done was bring Lars. Maybe reached out to the police asking for more information. Hell, maybe they already questioned Yanni and didn’t think to let me know.
