Page 31 of Leave Me (Touch of Death 2)
My eyes scan the street up and down, looking for any possible threat. The deep rumble of bass pours from the building as Nero and Gio approach the front. There’s a mumbled exchange between them and the security on the door, and then we’re passing inside. The red glow of the neon above cuts off as soon as I cross over the threshold. The scent of smoke and cheap beer fills the dark corridor, and the walls and floor vibrate around us. We move down the hall and out the other side into a cavernous room. Strobe lights flicker over my face, and I blink through the blinding light before taking in the scene before me. There are several stages dotted around the room, and barely clothed women swing from poles. Of course, Nero would have a meeting here. It’s precisely the kind of place the mob would conduct business.
A woman in a G-string and bra approaches Nero with a smile. She says nothing, simply turns on her very high heel and walks away, her hips swaying just a little too much. She leads us through a hygienic-looking, beaded curtain to a back room. The walls are black pleather, and a huge circular table sits in the center with a pole protruding from it. Zebra-print seating surrounds the table. We all sit down, and the girl disappears back through the curtain with a skitter of beads.
I sit on the edge of the seat, my spine stiff, and my body rigid. Situations such as these are precarious. There’s only one way in and one way out. If anyone were to set an ambush, this would be ideal.
“Please don’t shoot anyone,” Nero says quietly.
I glance at him. “I will only shoot someone if they are a threat.”
“Okay, but could you stop looking at everyone as if they are a threat?”
I narrow my eyes at him, perplexed as to why he would assume anyone isn’t a threat. “Your security is sloppy.”
He rolls his eyes just as that curtain moves again. The girl comes back with another trailing behind her, also clad in…well, not a lot. They place a bottle of bourbon and four glasses on the table, and then both girls climb on it and begin writhing around the pole. Nero and Gio talk next to me, seemingly relaxed as they sip whiskey. Gio’s eyes intermittently flick to the girls while Nero ignores them completely. Tommy is across from me, his eyes fixed on the two women like a hawk. I do not understand why a man would wish to lower himself to such things. To pay money to see a woman naked seems…distasteful. I’m disgusted by the entire scene unfolding in front of me.
“You couldn’t have chosen a more upscale establishment for your…proclivities?” I say to Nero.
Gio throws his head back on a laugh. “Classy strip joints are like classy pizza joints. Everyone knows the best pizza comes from the cheap, dirty places.”
Tommy joins in on his laughter. I do not understand. Cheap, dirty women are supposed to be better? I do not agree.
The tinkle of the beaded curtain yet again has my head snapping in that direction. The outline of an enormous man fills the doorway, and I instantly reach for the gun at my back.
Nero’s hand lands on my arm just as my fingers brush the warm metal. “It’s fine. This is Jimmy,” he murmurs under his breath.
The man shuffles forward, heaving his weight from side to side as he approaches. Long before he reaches us, I can smell the entwined scent of cigar smoke and body odor. His gray, three-piece suit has stains beneath the armpits, and beads of moisture cling to his brow, giving his skin a sheen that matches his greasy, black hair. He puffs on a cigar before plucking it from his lips with chubby fingers. A thick cloud releases into the air just as he reaches us, embalming the entire table in smoke.
“Nero,” he roars.
I push to my feet and stand vigilantly with my back to the wall, allowing Nero to exit the booth.
“Jimmy.” He smiles wide and takes the man’s outstretched hand.
Jimmy proceeds to pull him into a one-armed hug, and I commend Nero for his willingness to indulge in such things for the sake of business.
“How are you finding my girls?” the huge man asks, watching the dancing women with a broad grin.
“Very welcoming,” Nero says, a smirk playing over his lips, and Jimmy laughs until a hacking cough takes over. “How’s business?”
Jimmy shrugs. “Well, tits and pussy are always in demand.” He laughs again, and I find myself becoming more and more repulsed. Just being here makes me feel tainted and dirty.
“Well, we should talk business,” Jimmy says. “Gentlemen, enjoy the entertainment.” The two of them leave the room, and then it’s just Gio, Tommy, myself, and two half-naked women.
