The club had emptied out and the rich patrons were heading back to the responsible lives they led outside Malcolm’s depraved kingdom. His eyes glanced around to see his men cleaning up after the night’s activities and a small smile pulled at his lips.
“Someone had a good night,” a voice said merrily.
Malcolm spun around toward the sound of the familiar voice, and the smile on his face immediately became broader. “Dominic,” he greeted. “I’m not the only one.”
“Yes, but it’s normal for me to have that much fun,” Dominic replied.
“You, on the other hand? I’ve got to hear about this. Up for a drink?”
Malcolm nodded and motioned to the bar. “Of course. Just don’t expect me to be impressed by those bartending skills that woo all the women,” he said with a grin.
“Rich, poor, or somewhere in between. You’d be surprised what spinning a few bottles can do to a girl’s panties,” Dominic said with a chuckle. “It goes to show you that people aren’t all that different, no matter where they are from. Fancy tricks and confidence will always impress.”
“Is that why you pose as something less than you are?” Malcolm asked with a raised brow. “For some human study?”
“Something like that,” Dominic said with an impish grin on his face.
Malcolm grunted as he pulled out a stool to sit on. “How did the night go?” he asked as he made himself comfortable in the seat.
“As well as any other night. Your little stunt caused a lot of trouble though,” Dominic said as he moved around the bar.
“I expected as much,” Malcolm said. He leaned against the bar and put his face into his palm. “How much trouble?”
Dominic made a face as he reached for a fine bottle of scotch. “Just a bunch of jealous women mostly. Some were annoyed because you canceled on their meetings,” he explained.
“Fuck their meetings. If they want to do business, they know where to find me. They know the club is off limits for business,” he said irritably.
“And that’s why you’re the king,” Dominic said with a chuckle. He poured two drinks and passed one to Malcolm.
“It’s always pleasant to take them out of their comfort zone. Remember how they used to do that to us?” Malcolm asked darkly.
“Of course,” Dominic said. “I’m so sorry Mr. Cage, but CEO Fuckface is out of the office at the moment. I mean, fucking some hooker in his office. Can I take a message?” He sounded bitter as he took a swig of his scotch.
Malcolm couldn’t help but grin at his friend and raised his drink in toast. “To always calling the shots,” he said.
Dominic touched his glass to Malcolm’s and the soft clinking sound echoed in the empty hall. “I’ll drink to that,” he said. He lifted the glass to his lips and took a second long pull of the amber liquid inside.
Malcolm smiled at his friend and leaned against the bar. He drank from his glass and enjoyed the faint burning sensation of the alcohol sliding down his throat. Thoughts of Victoria filled his mind and without being able to help himself, his lips softened into a tender expression.
“Thinking of your night?” Dominic asked as if able to read his friend’s mind.
Malcolm nodded as he took another sip from his drink. “Am I that transparent?”
“You are when you’re talking to someone who’s known you as long as I have,” Dominic pointed out. “What was so special about her?”
“I couldn’t tell you,” Malcolm said quietly. “She just was.” He couldn’t stop going over every detail of their night in his mind. The way it felt to be inside of her, the way her skin tasted on his tongue, and the way she smelled as her body was pressed close to him. He shivered slightly where he stood and took another sip to calm himself.
“Clearly,” Dominic said slyly. “If I didn’t know any better I’d say you were developing feelings for this woman.”
Malcolm looked sharply at his friend. “It’s a good thing you know better,” he said darkly.
Dominic flinched slightly at the tone in Malcolm’s voice. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to strike a nerve,” he said with a forced smile on his lips.
Malcolm sighed and shook his head to clear the feeling of sudden anger that had welled up inside of him. “It’s not your fault. Just bad memories,” he explained.
“I know, and that’s why I’m apologizing. I know how much Elizabeth meant to you,” Dominic said gently. He reached out to pat Malcolm firmly on the back. “Any luck with finding her and Claire?”
Malcolm shook his head. Finding his daughter and his ex-wife had been a near impossible challenge, even with all the resources at his disposal. “No, but I think Victoria might be the key,” he said confidently. “She’s quite skilled.”
Dominic had a dubious look on his face. “Really? That chick? How is she going to be any help?” he asked in confusion.
Malcolm’s lips turned upward into a predatory smile. “Didn’t you recognize her? Victoria Chase,” he explained.
“No! The reporter that’s been hounding us for months?” he asked in surprise. “Well, I’ll be damned. I didn’t recognize her at all. How the hell did she figure out about Club Luxe?”
“Someone obviously talked. We’re going to need to seal that leak before it gets out-but there could be a silver lining. I think Victoria could be useful.”
Dominic sighed and took a long drink from his scotch glass. He emptied the contents and then placed his glass on the bar top. He looked at his friend for a moment with a worried expression. “This is a dangerous game you’re playing, old friend. There are powerful people in the Organization that won’t like you fraternizing with a reporter and potentially exposing their secrets. If they find out, your head might not be attached to your shoulders for much longer,” he said gravely.
Malcolm shrugged his shoulders. “Let me deal with them, Dominic. They only care if the secrets are kept, and they will be,” he said in a flat voice.
“And how long is this secret going to be kept with a reporter poking her nose into everything? Huh?” Dominic asked in a heated voice.
“Don’t worry,” Malcolm said calmly. “I’ve already dealt with Victoria. She isn’t a threat to us.”
Dominic’s eyes flashed fear and he paled slightly. “Don’t tell me…” he trailed off.
“No, I’m not going to kill her,” Malcolm said dryly. “Not as long as she does what she is told and helps me find Claire. I’ve bugged her car, her apartment, and taped her conversation on the limo ride home to make sure that she’s not working for our enemies.”
“I love you, man,” Dominic said gently, “but sometimes you’re a real bastard.” He looked away with pained eyes.
“Not all of us can sit in a lab and pretend the outside world doesn’t exist,” Malcolm said harshly.
Dominic’s knuckles became white as he squeezed the empty glass. Malcolm’s eyes glanced down to see and for a moment he wondered if his friend would throw the glass at him for the insult.
“Like I said, a real bastard,” Dominic said. “I won’t be any part of this.”
“I’m not asking you to be,” Malcolm said with a shrug. “However,” he said in a low voice. “I need you to do something for me.”
Dominic looked at him for a moment before his lips pulled into a frown. “You want me to figure out how a reporter snuck into the club?” he asked in a disgusted voice. “I’ll start with the invitation code she used for the tickets.”
Malcolm ignored the attitude and nodded, glad that he was able to count on Dominic regardless of his friend’s apprehensions. “Good. I want to know within the hour,” he ordered.
Dominic nodded hesitantly and pulled out his phone. “I’ll go make the call,” he said as he walked away.
Malcolm watched his friend turn away from him and sighed deeply once Dominic was out of earshot. Alone, he allowed himself a private moment of shame. He took no pleasure in what he was about to do, but he needed to do everything possible in order to achieve his goals. As long as he did that, it didn’t matter the cost.
“I will find you, Claire,” he said with resolve. “I’m not going to let that bitch raise you to be just like her.” He stood up from his chair and walked toward the door leading to the outside. Events were now in motion that he knew he couldn’t control. The best that he could do was to mitigate the damage and make sure that he came out on top. It was what he was best at, and the sole reason he had survived this long. He needed some fresh air to think about his plans, and the early morning sun would help focus his mind.
The long hallway leading up to the surface caused Malcolm to grow depressed as he walked it. He usually felt protected by the secretive location, but now he felt like he was trapped in his own home. Now that the reality of morning was setting in, he couldn’t get rid of the distasteful feeling. The guilt and fear of what he had done to Victoria was nagging at his mind, almost as much as the memory of the pleasure they had shared.
His steps echoed in the hall as he approached the heavy iron door that led to the alleyway outside. He pushed it open and was blasted by a cool breeze of fresh Chicago air. His lungs expanded as he took in a deep breath.
The air soothed his nerves and the sunlight felt good on his skin.
“Calm down, Malcolm,” he said to himself. “You’re the best at what you do, and if anyone can figure this out, it’s you. So think.” He began to pace around the alleyway slowly, and the soft impact of his feet on the asphalt jarred his mind into wakefulness. He could feel the weariness of the night begin to creep up on him, but right now he couldn’t even afford a moment to sleep.
Soft steps echoed behind him and Malcolm turned around to face Dominic approaching him from the entrance to the club.
“Malcolm, you’re not going to believe whose code Victoria used,” Dominic said with panic in his voice.
Malcolm raised his brow with worry. “Tell me,” he said in consternation.
“Brantford Cunningham,” he said with wide eyes. “That bastard did this on purpose.”
Malcolm’s jaw clenched at the sound of the name. “It’s a warning for going after Claire,” he said with rage in his voice. Brant was his biggest rival in business and more importantly, he was his ex-wife’s older brother. “He thinks he can keep my own daughter away from me? Expose my private life by sending in reporters? That son of a bitch has another thing coming.”
“Slow down, Malcolm,” Dominic said in warning. “He could have just sent her to spy on us. He didn’t try to hurt anyone or declare a full-out war.” Malcolm felt defensive for a moment. “I don’t think Victoria knew about him. She might even have gotten an anonymous tip. He probably just sent her here to rattle us.”
Dominic raised a brow. “Really? What purpose would that serve?” he asked in an irritated voice. “Don’t tell me now you’ve gone soft on her. You were just talking about taking care of her and making sure she wasn’t a threat.”
“I know what I said, and she isn’t a threat,” Malcolm said hotly. “But you don’t know Brant like I do. You don’t know the kind of poison that flows through his veins.”
Dominic sighed and walked closer to Malcolm. Resting a hand on his friend’s shoulder as he said softly, “Look man, you’re the one always saying never to take anything at face value.” With a frown he let his hand drop. “I know how ruthless he can be and I know it’s just his style to send in a beautiful, strong woman to come fuck with your head.”
Malcolm grimaced at the truth in Dominic’s words. Even if Victoria was unaware of what she had become involved with, he couldn’t chance it. “She’s still the key to finding Claire,” he said defensively. “She’s the only person I know who might be skilled enough.”
“And she might be on the payroll of the enemy! Look man, maybe you should just let her go,” Dominic said with anguish in his voice.
Those words sent Malcolm into a rage he struggled to control. Without being able to help himself he grabbed Dominic by the collar and pushed him against the hard brick wall near the door of the club. “Don’t you ever tell me to let go of her. They were both taken from me by that bastard!” Malcolm hissed with fury. “He poisoned Elizabeth against me and helped her flee the county. I’m not going to let him poison my daughter against me too. There’s only so much brainwashing a person can take before they believe that shit forever. Once her mind is set against me, then I’ve really lost her.” Malcolm looked at Dominic with bloodshot eyes as he trembled in anger. “Right now you’re either with me or you’re not.”
“Malcolm,” Dominic said softly. “I was talking about Victoria.”
The older man looked at his friend with a stunned lack of comprehension.
Dominic lifted his hands to rest them on Malcolm’s and gave his friend a hard, unwavering stare. “You know I always have your back,” he said softly.
Malcolm felt the rage pass through him and his nerves calmed a bit.
“I’m sorry. This is just such a mess,” he admitted.
Dominic nodded and clapped Malcolm on the back affectionately. “No. I’m sorry for being a pussy like I normally am. We’ve been through worse. We’ll get Claire back,” he said confidently. “So what’s your plan?”
“First of all, I need to send Brant a message in return,” Malcolm said coldly. “Then I need to make sure Victoria stays on our side.”
Dominic crossed his arms thoughtfully. “What the hell do you plan on doing? She’s a strong woman with balls nearly as big as yours,” he said with a nervous laugh.
Malcolm looked at his friend with narrowed eyes that were filled with conviction. “Whatever it takes.”
Dominic frowned and turned on his heel. “I’ll go get things ready in that case,” he said as he left.
“Thank you,” Malcolm said with a sigh. He turned to look at the tall buildings of the Chicago skyline. Dark thoughts passed through his mind and he almost regretted what he was about to do. He walked deeper into the alley in an attempt to refocus his jumbled mind.
The sky was clear and the city seemed so peaceful on a Saturday morning. Idly he wondered why he didn’t go on more of these walks after Friday nights at the club. The thought was pushed away, for he already knew the answer. He never had the time, and the only reason he could justify taking a moment to himself right now was because he needed to get away.
Malcolm stopped as he exited the alleyway. The streets were empty of cars and there were only a few people walking around in the early morning. He allowed himself to rest against a wall and enjoy the peacefulness of the moment.
It was the last moment of peace he was going to have.