The Club (14 page)

Antonio Wayne

Though the element of surprise was on our side, a woman still got shot on my watch and I’m not happy about it at all. When I hear the news, I immediately call the doctor we use for these types of situations. The problem with going to a hospital is that gunshot wounds have to be reported by law. I don’t operate under the law. How I do operate is flying under the radar.

I take a minute to call my brother. My staff will get Stormy and Miller situated with the doctor and then I’ll go see her. The last thing she is going to want is an audience as a bullet is being extracted from her arm. I thank God it’s not a fatal wound. That bitch Rosalie who shot her was probably high and couldn’t aim straight.

I dial my brother’s number and I can feel my heart beginning to race. There are very few people that I’m afraid of and my brother is at the top of the list; the Russians, Glazov and Novak, would be next and that’s pretty much it as far as my fear factor.

“Habla!” Speak.

Shit… I can tell he already knows and he’s pissed. Fucking Diego is such a kiss ass; he must have called him.

“You get this fucking shit taken care of, little brother!”

That’s all he says before the phone goes dead. Yeah, he’s pissed. I don’t even have a chance to say anything. My brother has a terrible temper and the fact that it was a woman who got shot isn’t sitting well with him at all. Call it old school if you like, but women shouldn’t be in situations where they can get shot. Neither of us would ever consider having a woman on the payroll. That’s Miller’s problem, not mine. My problem is getting this girl taken care of and keeping her and Miller hidden. If that fucking FBI agent gets wind of them being here, he is going to put two and two together and figure out that Ricardo and I were involved in this hit. If that happens, my brother is going to be beyond pissed and it will be my ass getting served up on a silver platter—never going to happen. It’s time to go check on Stormy…

Diego

I already know that my boss, Ricardo, is going to be pissed about that woman getting shot. I’m going to make damn sure this job gets done right and I’m also making sure I notify him of what has transpired. I care for both the brothers and I don’t want to see Ricardo’s wrath unleashed on Antonio. Ricardo’s temper is explosive and I don’t want to be subjected to it either. Antonio Wayne isn’t normally in the habit of killing women but he did say to kill Rosalie. He said she was damaged goods, damaged by Eduardo. His exact words had been, “Kill them all so that none can come back to exact vengeance later.” So kill them all we did.

I’m certain Ricardo has taken care of the Haitians in Haiti and the Dominican Republic and Antonio Wayne and I are taking care of the Dominicans that they partnered up with here in New York. By morning, the word will be out and the reputation of the brothers will be solidified. The message sent to the masses will be loud and clear. If you fuck the Ramirez brothers over, you will pay.

In one night,
The Refugees
have been taken out. Ricardo and Antonio Wayne have gained quite a reputation over the years. They simply do not play! After all, a peace treaty has been broken and the offenders need to be seen making recompense or the Ramirez brothers will be perceived as weak. In the business they are in, that can’t happen.

Roxanne

I took Alexis and went to the club this morning. It feels like there is a heavy cloud hanging over everyone at the castle and it’s making me worry. Anything to get my mind off the fact that my husband could be in danger or in trouble with the law is a good thing right now.

No longer am I concerned with trying to escape. Now I’m plagued with thoughts of how to not lose my husband to the violent life he lives. I can’t stand the thought of being without him. I just needed to get away from the gloom hovering over everyone at the castle. I’m also concerned about these new women who have been brought in. I can’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. I keep wondering if Antonio’s obsession will wane with time and I hate myself for feeling weak.

I read most of the day, when I could focus, and now Alexis and I are upstairs getting ready. She is my best friend here and pretty much stays glued to my side. What she says next shocks me. She bends down in front of me and looks at me with tears in her eyes as she speaks.

“Roxanne, I have something to tell you and I don’t want you to be mad. I just feel so guilty.”

“Tell me, Alexis.” I brace myself for what I know isn’t going to be good news.

“I told Antonio when Juanita called you and you were going to run away.” She begins talking rapidly before I have a chance to respond.

“Please don’t be mad. I just couldn’t stand the thought of you leaving. Tony isn’t the only one who loves you. I don’t have any friends here; the dancers are all so competitive.”

I pat her hand, “It’s fine. I understand but quit blabbing everything to him. You let him intimidate you too much and you’re too damn worried about what he thinks. Now, get me ready and make me look really hot.”

“Are you worried about the new girls?”

“Yes,” I answer, not even trying to lie about it.

When she finishes with my make-up, she dresses me in a deep wine colored, velvet, mini dress that clings in all the right places. The dress has little splashes of silver sparkle and I’m wearing a garter, black hose, and five-inch stilettos. Though the dress looks sexy, it still oozes class.

As I make my way down the steps, Alexis is behind me, wringing her hands as she says, “Oh dear, you are always in trouble.” I guess she is thinking that because we snuck out and came here to the club. Once again, she is worried about making Antonio mad. Poor girl, it must be ingrained in her head to try and please the guy. For me… not so much.

Antonio Wayne

That damn woman of mine snuck out and there are only a couple of reasons she would have done so. I’ll get a better read on her when I talk to her. Between the shooting and the shit she pulls, I’m beyond pissed.

I enter the bar, not dressed in my standard suit, but in a crisp white shirt, blue jeans, and cowboy boots. Judging by the way the women are checking me out, it works. The only woman I have on my mind right now is the very woman who plagues my thoughts every moment of every day. I swear the woman makes me nuts. I never know what the hell she is going to do next. She causes me more problems than the rest of my women combined. I have never been around a woman who tries me the way she does. She is dead set and determined to undermine me.

When I enter the club, I stand at the door to get a feel for the room and I notice my wife is sitting with Alexis and a customer. I listen to the conversation to get the Intel I’ll need for later when I address her actions. For me, everything is about control and that means knowing what is going on at all times. Sometimes that means I have to consider the simplest things to be covert operations. What can I say? I’m a control freak. After I put that chip in my little troublemaker’s shoulder last night, I hooked up an app on my phone that monitors her every move. Like I said, I’m all about control. The customer has been buying them drinks and I can hear him telling
my
fucking wife how beautiful she is. She and Alexis are sitting there giggling, totally clueless to the fact I’m behind them listening. If I know those two, they’ve already been into the pain pills and Patron. I’m certain after last night’s session with the tip of my whip, she has got to be sore. She is going to be hurting even more than she already is after this little stunt. She really can’t seem to help herself. Roxanne just stays in trouble.

I stalk up behind her, startling her as I growl in her ear.

“Get your fucking ass up right now and follow me.”

I overhear the women talking as I make my way through the dressing room but, right now, I only have one thing on the brain.

“The man just plain looks good!” I hear one of the dancers remark. I can see Roxanne has been into the pill bottle, the Patron bottle, and whatever else she could find, just as I already suspected. Something is bugging her and I have every intention of finding out what it is.

As I eye her, I can’t help but think how hot she looks. The customer was right…
my
wife is very beautiful. My wife is also for my eyes only and she knows that. One of the rules is no fucking talking to customers for just this reason. Men are going to hit on her and I would hate to have to kill one of my patrons but I will. Her looking as good as she does only solidifies my need to address the issue of her sitting with a customer.

I stand in front of her, getting a read on her, and it doesn’t take long; I can read the woman like a book. I can clearly see the defiance mixed with fear and I will use it to my advantage. Just in the short time I have been away from her today, I have missed her and I’m ready to play. I’m ready to play in my woman’s psyche. It is something I never tire of. I’m certain that years from now, I will still be intrigued with this lovely lady standing in front of me.

She stands there, just glaring at me. Much of it is an act because she is scared right now. She knows she fucked up but she is trying to show some courage. I pin her into the wall by placing both hands beside her head so she can’t escape. I begin toying with the neckline of her dress, which is low cut enough to reveal her splotchy chest. It gets that way when she’s nervous and she has every reason feel that way. She knows I’m pissed. “You, young lady, have been a very bad little girl in my absence, have you not?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she says, crossing her arms to make her point.

I calmly reach down and uncross her arms. “Roxanne, where are your manners? When you address me, you are to do so with respect.”

“I don’t have to because I’m staying here at the apartment.” I stifle a smile. Her childlike ways are one of the things that so intrigue me. She is so fucking naïve to believe I would ever let her stay here at the apartment without me.

“Did we not cover this already, Roxanne? I run things and you, my dear, belong to me so, therefore, you are to live where I decide.”

“I belong to no one but myself.” I can feel my temple begin to twitch. It’s evidence that I’m becoming irritated.

I lean in and growl, this time with more force, “You have no choice! You belong to me! Now be a good girl and come with me. You either come willingly or I’m going to toss you over my shoulder and forcefully carry you from my establishment. Don’t fuck with me, Roxanne. I have enough shit going on right now and you don’t want to be on the receiving end of my wrath. That little session you had last night will seem like child’s play.” By now, I’m snarling, “If it wasn’t for the fact that I am busy right now, I would take you home and string your ass up! Now be a good girl, and come with me.”

I guess she has sense enough to see that I’m not in the mood to play her little games right now because she follows me out as I grab Alexis and a bodyguard and get in the limousine to head for the castle.

Diego has already texted me and informed me that the girls we rescued are a mess and they are going to need a feminine touch to get them cleaned up. It will give me a chance to see how Roxanne and Alexis respond to the new girls.