Swear (Landry Family #4)(47)

"Not my fault you're a proper politician these days," Lincoln winks. "Besides, don't you want to see Ford and Graham get all fucked up?"

"I will not be getting fucked up." Graham shoots Lincoln a look. "Now focus, boys. Let's do some . . . what do you call it, Ford?"

"Recon. We're on a recon mission."

The shot glasses are placed in front of each of us, Barrett's spilling over a little. Troy looks concerned when Lincoln asks that the bottle be left in front of him.

We raise our drinks and shoot them at the same time. It's not so bad going down, but I forgot the fire once you open your mouth.

"Ugh," I say, licking my lips. "I hate that shit."

"Purifies your blood," Lincoln laughs. He points at Graham. "Want another one?

"When in Rome . . ." He holds out his glass and Lincoln fills it back up.

"Fuck it." Barrett offers his up for a refill too. "Give some to Ford. Don't leave him out."

"I'd never leave him out," he grins. "He's the one I'd like to get bombed."

"Good luck," I snort.

The clear liquid fills the glass again. I cringe as my brothers wait for me to lift it to my lips. It goes down a little better than the first, but still tastes awful. The glass clinks against the bar top as I feel the fire again.

"All right. Now to business," Barrett says. He looks around the room and I follow suit.

There's an exit sign behind us that's dimly lit. Over by the nook holding the stripper pole, there's a nondescript door.

"Wonder where that leads?" I say, moving my eyes that way. "Door to the left. By the pink chandelier."

"How do we even know if she was here specifically?" Barrett asks. "Maybe she got dropped off here and went elsewhere."

"Yeah. Because if you were getting picked up by someone, this is the place you'd choose," I say sarcastically. "The only reason you'd be here is to be here."

Lincoln pours everyone another shot and we take this one without thought. He looks proud.

"Hey, Nate!" Lincoln calls.

The bartender makes his way to us, looking irritated. "What's up?"

"We're looking for someone," Lincoln says.

"Aren't we all?"

"Hey! That's a good one," Lincoln laughs. "But we really are. She's short, blonde, green eyes. A pain in the fucking ass."

"A set of big ol' titties?" Nate leans against the bar so he's eye to eye with Lincoln. He's challenging him, there's no doubt about it, and becomes very clear he knows who we are. And who Camilla is.

Lincoln grins, but I can see his jaw pulsing. Instead of replying right away, he pours us all another drink. I down mine. I see Graham pushing his away out of the corner of my eye.

Nate shoves away. "I see a lot of whores in this place. Hard to tell them apart after a while."

"Why ya gotta be a dick, Nate?" Lincoln asks, shaking his head.

"Why ya gotta come in here causing trouble, Landry?"

Just like that, all cards are on the table. Not that we had cover, but if we had anything going for us at all, it's now blown into the abyss.

"We aren't here to cause trouble," Graham cuts in. "We're just looking for our sister."

"She ain't here," Nate says, spreading his arms to his sides. "Do you see her?"

Barrett leans forward, giving Nate his best campaign-esque smile. "We don't want trouble. We're just concerned."



       
         
       
        

"Why?" Nate snorts. "Because you think maybe your little sister has fallen to the dark side?"

"We didn't say that," Graham says calmly.

"Maybe," Nate says, keeping a few feet back, "your little sister just likes a little real cock laid to her."

"Easy . . ." I warn.

Nate laughs. "I'd venture to say there's nothing easy about it."

"You motherfucker," I say, lunging across the bar. Troy is at my side, Lincoln on the other, before I know it.

"It's time to go," Troy says, jerking me backwards. I shake off his grip and give him a look letting him know I'm fine.

Nate grins. "Do you boys need anything else?"

Lincoln slams a couple of bills down and sits his glass on top of it. Without taking my eyes off him, I pour another shot and down it. Slamming my glass against the bar, I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. "If you fuck with her, you fuck with all of us. Do you hear me?"

"I hear you," he winks. "Now listen to your minder there and get the hell out of here before word gets out the Governor is sitting in the Gold Room. I don't think you want that, do you?"