Lib Novel Page 84
Brilliant lights flickered outside, casting the street in a headache-inducing glow. I couldn’t shake the image of Lily’s tear-stained face as Abby and I walked into the club. The pounding bass from inside hit me like a physical force, but it was nothing compared to the turmoil churning within me.
“I didn’t want her to see that,” I blurted out once we were past the threshold, the music drowning out everything else. “Lily…she shouldn’t have been part of this.”
Abby’s eyes locked onto mine, searching. “And you? How are you doing?”
“Doesn’t matter,” I muttered, feeling a surge of anger at the helplessness of it all. “I can handle it. I just never wanted that for her.”
We found a quieter corner, the relentless throb of the dance music receding just enough to talk without shouting. Abby leaned against the wall, arms folded, her expression hardening with every question she fired off.
“What the hell was tonight about, Nathan?” Her voice cut through the muffled beats. “Accusing that woman of being a traitor, then killing her right there in front of everyone…what was your father thinking?”
I shook my head, pressing my palms against the cool surface behind her. “I had no idea. He said nothing to me about it.” Frustration edged my voice. “It felt like a test. Or a message.”
“A message?” Abby’s brow furrowed.
“Power plays. Fear tactics. Usual Triad games.” My voice wavered, betraying the simmering rage beneath the surface. “But using Lily…using us…it’s a new low.”
Abby reached out, her fingers brushing mine, and I fought the urge to pull her close. “Your father is losing control, isn’t he?”
“Maybe,” I admitted, hating the uncertainty that laced my words. “Or maybe this is all part of some twisted strategy.”
“Either way,” she said, her touch gentle yet firm, “we need to be careful.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, taking a deep breath. “Unfortunately that’s easier said than done.”
“Do you think he’s going to try something?”
“I have no idea anymore,” I shrugged, helpless. “He’s in uncharted territory. Always been violent…but never like this.”
“Let’s hope we get some answers soon,” Abby said, the worry in her eyes mirroring my own.
“I hope so too.” I tried to sound reassuring, but the tension knotted inside of me. “We’re meeting someone who might be able to help us figure things out.”
“Who?” she asked, her grip on my arm tightening.
“An old friend,” I replied briefly. “Speaking of which…he should be getting here right about now.”
“Where to?” Abby asked.
“Private booth,” I tilted my head. “This way.”
I took her hand and we wove through the crowd, Abby clinging to me. Beats throbbed against my chest, a stark reminder of the last time we stood here together, under very different circumstances.
Abby glanced at me, a half-smile playing on her lips as the memory seemed to strike her too. “I haven’t been back here since…you know, that night you seduced me and then kidnapped me.”
I winced, feeling a pang of guilt for how I had entangled her in this mess. “Abby, I—“
“Best night of my life,” she interrupted, her laughter ringing out amidst the cacophony of music and chatter, bizarrely lightening the mood.
“Are you serious?” My eyebrows shot up in disbelief.
“Deadly.” Her voice was laced with mischief, and something in the way she looked at me made my heart race. That she could act this way after everything she’d seen today…well, there was something to be said for finding someone who matched your kind of crazy.
“Come on,” I said, trying to shake the mix of emotions swirling through me. “Let’s find our contact.”
Navigating through the throngs of bodies, I focused on the task at hand, all the while aware of Abby’s presence beside me—a constant heat in the chaos of Neon. The bouncer in the reserved booths recognized me immediately, his bulk shifting aside to let us pass the black velvet curtain that veiled the private section from the rest of the club. The world beyond was a stark contrast; the pulsing music became muffled, the atmosphere intimate, almost hushed.
“Jack’s already here,” I murmured to Abby as we approached the secluded booth.