Shattered King(29)

CHAPTER ELEVEN


Lulu

I squeezed Hunter's hand tighter as we neared the entrance to the club.  This place was exclusive. Only the rich and privileged got to party  here. Bret owned it, and after some digging by Neco, we discovered he  was still very much under his father's thumb. This made the guys  extremely nervous. But I knew how controlling his father could be and  knew how Bret felt about the man. It was common knowledge among his  associates that they didn't get on, which was the only reason Hunter was  going ahead with the meeting.

I trusted Bret. He'd been my only friend for a lot of years. My best  friend. We were thrown together a lot, and we'd looked out for each  other. He'd hated his father almost as much as I'd hated Pierce.

When I'd called to ask for the meeting, he'd sounded as happy to hear my  voice as I was his. He'd also made it clear we needed to talk in  person, not over the phone. Knowing his family, this didn't surprise me.

We bypassed the line of people waiting to get in to the club and I felt  their stares burning into me as we passed. Not surprising. We were  seriously underdressed for this place. Both of us were in jeans. Hunter  had on a T-shirt and leather jacket and I had on a plain black jacket  and the best top I owned. It was royal blue and shimmery and hit  mid-thigh. I'd loved it when I saw it on the rack. None of the women  here would be seen dead in it. I knew this because once upon a time, I'd  been one of them. I'd worn the designer clothes. I'd had the perfect  hair and makeup. Pierce had made sure of that.

I'd hated it. All of it.

These were the young and wealthy. And, more than likely, the bored and  resentful. They weren't my people anymore, never had been. I'd never  fitted in. Hadn't wanted to.

Hunter didn't seem to notice the stares, or care.

I caught sight of Jude and Neco in the lineup, close to the front, and  nearly stumbled over my own feet. They were both in suits, grinning and  chatting to a couple of women. Hunter gave my hand a squeeze, silently  telling me not to stare.

I gaped up at him. "How do they know those women?"

Hunter smirked and shrugged but didn't answer my question. I wasn't sure  I wanted to know. At least that cleared up my question over how he was  going to get backup into the club.

We walked up to the velvet rope and the bouncer guarding it, blocking  the way in. The guy looked as if he ate steroids like Tic Tacs.

"Bret Tanners is expecting us," Hunter said.

He took our names then spoke into the headpiece attached to his ear.  Another guy arrived a few minutes later and motioned us to follow.

We were led into the main club. The music was loud, and the place was  already pretty packed. There was a main dance floor down stairs and a  second level that was sectioned off-a VIP area. That's where we were  taken. Hunter glanced down at me, and I could see he was on full alert. I  could also see he was as confused as I was. I'd expected to be shown to  Bret's office, not some table surrounded by people. Drinks and bottles  littered the surface and several people were openly doing drugs.         

     



 

Bret was sitting back, a woman pressed up against him on either side.  When he spotted me, I noticed his eyes were glassy and bloodshot. A lazy  smile spread across his lips.

He was high.

I took him in, having a hard time recognizing this Bret.

My old friend disentangled from the women beside him and headed our way,  lifting his arms as he approached, his grin getting wider.

"Lucinda. God, I've missed you. It's been too long."

His hands went to my shoulders and he pulled me in for a hug. He was  sweaty and gripped too tight, but I knew how worried he'd been about me,  so I hugged him back just as tight, happy to have my friend back.

"I've missed you, too," I said against his shoulder.

Hunter didn't let go of my hand, pulling me back in close as soon as  Bret let me go. I looked up at him brow raised. He wasn't looking at  me-his eyes were locked on Bret.

"You didn't say you were bringing a friend," Bret said, eyeing Hunter right back.

I quickly tried to steer this meeting in the right direction. "I was hoping we could go somewhere quiet and talk?"

He sniffed, wiping the back of his hand under his nose, eyes darting around the club. "Yeah, sure. Of course."

I hated seeing him like this; he'd always hated drugs. I was starting to  doubt he'd have anything useful for us, but I had to at least try.  Maybe after today we could spend some time together, maybe I could get  through to him, help make some changes in his life.

He turned and led us to a door at the back of the VIP section. I saw  Hunter slip his hand inside his jacket pocket. I knew he had his phone  in there, that it was a simple as hitting a button to alert the other  guys if he felt something was off.

Knowing Hunter was worried sent nerves spiraling though me. They only  shot higher when that same hand went under his jacket, to the gun on his  opposite hip. Surely he didn't think Bret would try and do something to  me?

Bret punched in a code when we reached the door and tilted his head,  silently telling us to follow. We entered a short hall and he motioned  us into his office. "In here."

That's when a toilet flushed opposite us.

The bathroom door opened. Derek, Pierce's man, walked right on out.

Derek froze, and Hunter cursed.

Everything happened in a blur after that. Hunter shoved me behind him  then slammed his fist into Bret's throat. Bret dropped like a stone as  Hunter pulled his gun and aimed it at Derek before I was fully aware of  what was going on.

"Hands where I can see them."

Derek did as he was told, and Hunter started to back us up to the door  we'd just come through. The sound of feet pounding came from the other  end of the hall, and Derek smirked. They were coming for me. Oh God. Was  Pierce here?

A loud thud behind us made me jump. Hunter jerked me out of the way a  second before the door flew open. Jude stood there breathing heavily.  Hunter grabbed my hand, and we were running. We took the stairs to the  lower level. Jude was in front of us, clearing a path with his massive  shoulders like a human bowling ball.

We hit the street and Hunter picked me up and started sprinting. The  lights on his SUV flashed as we drew near. He opened the passenger door  and shoved me in. He was in the driver's side a second later. Something  hit the back of his car. Were they shooting at us?

Jude was still outside returning fire, then he dove into the back and we took off.

I twisted in my seat. "What about Neco?"

"He's fine," Jude said. "He's gonna try and follow Derek. Maybe he'll lead us to Pierce."

I started shaking. "I can't believe it . . ." I shook my head. "He was a  sweet kid. Sad and mixed up, but we were friends, best friends." I  turned to Hunter. "I didn't think he'd . . . he'd betray me like I'd  never meant anything to him."

"You had no way of knowing Bret would do that." He reached out and gave  my thigh a squeeze. His jaw was tight, the fingers of his other hand  flexing around the steering wheel. "Whoever's supplying him drugs more  than likely owns him."

Hunter obviously hadn't missed Bret's condition. "He won't give up, will  he?" I turned to Hunter, feeling numb. I was glad of it, of the  numbness. If I thought too hard about what just happened, what could  have happened, I'd enter full-on meltdown mode. "Pierce . . . he won't  stop until he has me."

"That's not going to happen," Hunter said, voice so low and fierce it made it hard not to believe him.

I just hoped he was right.

Hunter

We walked into the apartment. Van looked up from his phone, frowning.  Van had volunteered to babysit. Since Josh seemed to like his uncle a  whole hell of a lot, Lulu had been okay with the arrangement.         

     



 

"That Neco?" I asked.

"Yeah." Van shook his head. "Nothing."

Lulu yanked her hand from mine. "I'm going to . . . I need a shower."  Then she all but ran across the living room to get away, tousled hair  flying out behind her. Shit.

I turned to my brother. "Josh asleep?"

"Yeah."

"Can you stay a little longer, just in case he wakes?" I needed to talk  to Lulu without interruption. I needed to hold her, reassure myself that  she was okay. Tonight had been a fuck-up of epic proportions.

Van gave me a chin lift. "Take as long as you need."

I wanted more than anything for Lulu to lean on me. Needed it probably  more than she did. She'd been dealing with so much shit on her own for  so long, I didn't think she knew how to do anything else. My girl was  scared out of her mind. I got that she was afraid to let me back in. I  understood it. Fuck, more than most.

But knowing what she'd been through while I was locked up, what Pierce  had done to her . . . yeah, I needed her to lean on me. I needed her to  see me as her man again, be the one she turned to. She needed to work  through all that had happened. On top of all that, she was carrying  guilt over the time I'd done, blamed herself when she'd had no choice.  None.