Even in a packed strip club I’d never felt so alone and scared. Never in my whole life.
My mind re-engaged when I saw Tanya, walking funny, with a man I’d never seen close to her back. She was heading toward the dancer’s hal , where their dressing room was. The waitresses rarely went back there during shift and the customers never went back there.
I looked closely and saw he had a gun held to her back.
Oh… dear… Lord.
What now?
For some reason, I didn’t think I just acted. I didn’t want to bring attention to Tanya and the guy and I didn’t want to waste any time. I had to admit I hoped Richie would fol ow me. It was his job, even though he’d never been real y good at it.
As quickly as I could, I fol owed them, straight to the dancer’s dressing room.
dancer’s dressing room.
I heard the guy say, “Out.” And before I entered the room, the dancers were hustling out, faces pale, jostling me.
“Tel Smithie,” I whispered to JoJo as she passed. She nodded.
I entered the room, trying to be calm and casual.
“Hey Tanya, what’s up? Table ten is asking for drinks.” Tanya’s face was a mask of terror and my stomach lurched at the sight.
The guy’s head turned to her. “Tanya?” he asked, “I thought you were Jet.”
Fuck.
Fuck, f**k, f**k.
And it was a multi f-word moment, let me tel you.
I said, “I’m Jet.” At the same time Tanya yel ed, “Don’t!” The guy turned to me. He was white, tal , brown-haired and had an ugly scar running from the corner of his mouth down to his jaw. My heart was hammering in my chest but it tripped and faltered when he turned the gun to me.
“Leavin’ a message for Ray,” he said to me. “Steal from me, somebody pays. That’d be you.”
Then, without hesitation, he fired.
My luck took a turn and he missed. I dove to the side, my tray flying in the opposite direction.
Tanya pul ed free and dove to the side too.
I did my tuck and rol as shots rang out. Then I stood, my mind a blur except for the fact that I was pissed, right the hel , off.
I mean, real y.
Enough was enough.
I charged him, bent double and hit him in the bel y with my shoulder. We both went down, me grappling for the gun.
Another shot was fired and I vaguely sensed activity in the room.
Soon, I was joined by others, wrestling, a pack of arms and legs and lots and lots of nails.
JoJo had joined the tangle, wearing nothing but a g-string, the pasties long gone. Tanya was there too, obviously feeling the need to get hers back. A couple of other strippers jumped into the fray, the gun was wrenched free and we ended up with me straddling the guy’s stomach, my hands pushing down his shoulders. JoJo had her knees on one of his wrists, Tanya holding down the other arm with both hands and Meena, another stripper, was laying flat out on both of his thighs.
We didn’t have to hold him down, Indy was there and had gotten hold of the gun and was pointing it at him, looking seriously badass and like she knew her way around a gun.
“Don’t f**king move,” Indy clipped.