hadn’t heard him.
I lift my glass to my mouth just as a commotion starts at the front door, I can hear yelling though it’s impossible to hear what’s being said. I can see Bones heading over that way and taking a final chug of the amber liquid in my glass I shift my body to join the fray.
I look up at the DJ booth, still occupied by DJ Skelli but now I can see the shape of at least two men beside her. I change my direction, Skelli is crew too and I know that Bones can handle himself, Skelli isn’t a fighter, she’s our money maker and you always protect your money man.
I’m pushing my way through the crowd, who’s too busy watching the door commotion to notice that I’m shoving my way through. Skelli’s backing up, trying to get her back against the wall but the two figures are shuffling around her trying to sandwich themselves around her.
I elbow a guy out of the way of the stairs, but instead of rushing forward up the stars like I’d like to, I head up the stairs quietly, my booted feet making barely any noise. I’m almost to the top when I feel a tug on my hand and I whip round, to find a man I’ve never seen before.
He’s burly, like he could have been a linebacker in another life. His dark hair is combed back but, in this light, I can’t tell if it’s long or not. His face is serious, and while some might find it intimidating or frightening, they haven’t seen Cobra, this guy just looks serious. He’s also tall as all get out, taller than Bones’ 6’2” frame, but I don’t think about it.
I pull my hand free and turn my focus back on the stairs. The speakers don’t point at the booth so I can hear better than when I was crossing the dance floor.
“Bitch, I’ll ask you one more time,” someone says, and I hear the sharp sound of a hard slap, but nothing else, no intake of breath or gasp, Skelli might not be a fighter but she wasn’t weak either.
“Where is Elda?” His voice holds dark rage, but I don’t focus on that. I’m holding my breath because it’s been years since that name’s been uttered around me, it holds so much information, because to most of the world Elda fell off the face of the earth.
I take a steadying breath, and step into the booth, noting the burly man still behind me, but as he’s not dressed in the same suits as the two in the booth, I don’t think he’s with them.
“You doin' alright Skelli?” I ask by way of announcing my presence, capturing the men’s attention.
Her face is swollen, and the guy in front of her is going to get his payback, I can see it in her eyes. She’s young, maybe nineteen, and pretty, blond hair up in a tight ponytail, face done in light make up, but now her left cheek is now a bright red that’s already starting to bruise.
“Yeah, I’m good Priest. These assholes just seem to get off on smacking a lady around,” her voice is defiant, and I know why Cobra brought her in. He’s always had a thing for a girl with a smart mouth, I should be proof enough of that.
I turn my attention back to the men, both have guns though most wouldn’t notice the way the men’s jackets lay, but they weren’t trained to see these things by Cobra.
“Bitch, this has nothing to do with you,” the one behind Skelli says, and I don’t contain the cold laughter I feel at that comment. Both men stare at me warily now, like I finally did something worthy of noticing.
“Actually,” I straighten my spine, straightening to my full height of 5’10”, “you made it my business when you approached my friend Skelli, you also made it my business when you go around asking after me.”
Their bodies shifted, Skelli now forgotten, they both surge forward, apparently capture on their mind, and while I wonder what the hell has them looking for me, the daughter of an exotic dancer, since that’s all that is associated with that name, I shift my feet ever so slightly.
The one who slapped Skelli comes at me fast, so I take him down fast, delivering a quick but hard kick to the side of his knee, and hear the promising sound of what is usually a dislocated