Clayton had a smile on his face, phone sex with Alice went smoothly. He enjoyed hearing her moan, saying his name.
He imagined her legs tensing and it wasn't her own fingers but his cock inside of her.
Chuckling to himself when he climbed out of the shower, he quickly dried himself.
Clayton then dressed in his nicest pair of jeans and a dark blue shirt, arming himself with a small colt. He made sure that it was loaded with six bullets with the safety off. Clayton finished dressing with a jacket before he headed out.
In the living room, Samuel was leaning against the wall, looking very smokey with his design jeans and leather jacket. He was counting his money...a lot of it.
"What's the game plan here" Samuel said without a glance.
"Go to the Empress. Ask around and try not to get into trouble. I mean you Sam"
Samuel made a face towards Clayton. It was pure disgust.
"Seriously Sam. Ruth is arriving soon. I don't want trouble for her right now, especially with Philip being so close on our radar. No stress for her, please, you know how she feels about your habits. Remember Thailand, oh, and then Cairo. She almost killed you with all the hookers and mess you left behind. I had five stitches in my left side from her because you used me as your human shield"
Sam stared at Clayton. He knew that Clayton was right. Sam leaned against the wall as he placed his money back into his jacket pocket.
"Ok. Fine. Best behavior" Sam said, with slight childish sass that made Clayton trying hard not to laugh.
Clayton then made sure the coffee was on and brewing as he continued to hunt for Philip from his laptop as he sat down on that old brown couch for the rest of the night.
They arrived at the Empress by 11pm, it was pitch black. The Empress was a secret, underground club. It was an elite place, hidden, only visible if you knew where to look.
Parking the car beside the back entrance. Clayton had a nervousness about him. He made sure that the back door was left ajar with a concrete slab.
Couples were close together, experimenting, as if they were teenagers while Clayton and Sam walked in together. They were side-eyed by a few of the members as a waitress walked them to a leather booth, quickly placing an order of four beers for the two of them.
It wasn't even a few moments when Isabella was in his sight. Her long legs were the first thing in Clayton's sight. She glided over to him. Her blood red dress clung to her body in all the right places. His mind was racing as she reach towards his face, her freshly manicured nails brushed his cheek.
"Clay. My love. I've missed you" she purred at him. He immediately thought back them fucking back on the day. The positions, her tightness.
Shit! No
Isabella curled into his lap as he awkwardly moved his beer up to his mouth. His free hand was on her back. He didn't realize how thirsty he was until he realized that he had almost drank the whole thing as Isabella titled her head at him, that smirk forming as he placed his beer down.
"What do you want Bell?" Clayton said, a little loudly as the music played around them.
Sam was watching them carefully as he lounged on the side of the leather booth, he had moved on to tequila shots. It made Clayton uncomfortable being watched.
"Oh. Clayton, I've missed you. It's been over a year. I haven't heard from you. No texts or calls. Nothing" Isabella pouted, her hand stroking his forearm.
"I've miss you in my bed" she whispered in his ear, her teeth gazing his earlobe.
He was being careful not to get hard. Clayton moved his thoughts to study her lips. That glossy shade of pink she wore was shimming in the dim lights of the Empress.
"Well Belle. I've been busy. I'm engaged now actually. Things have change. I'm sorry"
Her eyes narrowed. Clayton could see she was calculating her next move.
"Oh well. Congratulations." Isabella whispered, her eyes pricked up, her pulse quicken.
Clayton struggled to hear her, but her facial expression screamed in anguish.
She moved to get off him and stood up without a thought, he shuffled uncomfortably as Clayton reached up to hug her goodbye. She kissed his cheek and lingered a little to long for his comfort.
"Don't forget about me. I'd love an invitation to your wedding" she whispered in his ear again, her hot breath purring.
"OH MY GOD" Clayton thoughts were screaming.
Clayton just nodded, ignoring his thoughts, as she walked after from the table into the dancing crowd.
It wasn't even two seconds after Clayton sat back down when Sam moved to his side.
"That sucked. Saying goodbye to her. Weren't you guys a thing?" Sam was in his ear. He was drunk, slurring every word.
"Once" Clayton said plainly, trying not to dig up that past.
"Are you sure Alice is the right girl for you?" Clayton could tell Sam said that with hesitation.
His eyes narrowed as he stood up, looking down at a meek Sam, who quickly jumped up in defense.
The two men were squaring up. Clayton didn't care if you were a man or a woman, his best friend or a whore. If you challenged him, you better be prepared to defend yourself. Rage was starting to build in Clayton, he was seeing red as Sam continued
"I mean man. She's 17 years old. I get it, you popped her cherry and now you two are all in love with each other. I'm happy for you both, truly, but Clay, she's the daughter of the guy we are hunting. Think about it man, what is going to happen when Booth is in jail or better yet, dead? This was a money transaction, remember? She was apart of the transaction. She was the bait"
Suddenly his phone rang before he could reply.
Alice's name flashed across the screen.
Sam took a step back, going back to his drink as Clayton answered it, moving through the crowd to head outside, somewhere quiet.
"Hi, Miss Allie" he said, leaning against the brick wall of the Empress. The hot air hitting him hard
"How is Brazil? I bet it's warm" she said, letting out a breath.
There was a couple of minutes between them. Clayton's attention was suddenly on the two black SUV's that turned up outside. Nervousness filled the air as people moved out of the way when the local drug gang turned up in support. Vanessa, with her long, midnight black dead straight hair, stepped out with Isabelle to greet her. Clayton noticed a third shadow with them, but he was to far around the corner to get a confirmed ID on them.
Isabelle suddenly looked over towards him while three armed three men, dressed in combat gear walked inside the Empress.
He heard the click of loaded guns as the hired guns followed them. He counted four of them. Fear ran through his veins. Suddenly crowds were screaming and hurrying out of the Empress as shots rang out inside. This gave him some cover as he moved a little closer to the brick wall.
Sam!
"Clayton. What is going on?" Alice said, panic in her voice. He could sense that her blood pressure raising. He could hear Sam yelling.
"It's just Vanessa and her crazy friends. This wasn't my idea Allie." Clayton whispered, watching the SUV's as Isabelle walked towards the entrance and the cars drove off in a haste.
Clayton hung up the phone. Moving quickly. He was worried. He pulled his gun from his jacket.
He ran with all this strength in this legs through the back door, through the kitchen as bodies lay silent on the black and white floor.
A over drugged hire charged towards him with a knife. All Clayton could see of him was his gold, paisley shirt. He was young, not very well skilled and Clayton had a clear shot, easily overpowering him with a sharp elbow to the face before he nailed the so called man to the wall with the same knife. The guy bloody scream rang Clayton ears as he turned back towards him and pulled the trigger of his gun, quickly silencing him as he went limp.
Within seconds, Clayton was moving on. He didn't have time to waste, he had to get to Sam.
It was a war zone when Clayton finally reached the dance floor, he had killed another hire on his way over. He had a few cuts as blood and dirt covered his knuckles. Clayton could feel blood trickle down his neck from the nape of his hairline.
Everything in his body was on fire. Clayton right now could feel his age. He wasn't 18 anymore.
Glass was everywhere, bodies scattered was the first thing Clayton saw as he stood in the middle of the room. The chandelier smashed to the left of him. Lights hanging by a thread. Music skipping with the strain of barely any power.
Suddenly Isabelle slashed his forearm out of no where. Clayton reacted the best way he could. Gripping his arm, holding it tight as he prepared for Isabelle's next move, throwing a punch towards her way as she dodged it quickly. He lost his footing, falling down as Isabelle slapped him. His cheek stung as he quickly realized that he was pinned, out numbered, no bullets.
Clayton was prepared for death. He glanced towards Sam. He was pinned as well, staring up at a barrel of a gun.
A shot rang out. Sam's eyes were closed. Clayton for a second thought that he was dead. His heart felt like it stopped but he realized that Danny was behind him. Holding a long hunting rifle, pointing towards Sam's captive. The guard flinched and fell backwards as Sam opened his eyes in disbelief.
Isabelle stood back, eyes filled with confusion.
She panicked, yelling "He made me. I loved you" before she turned on her heels and ran. Pain flooded Clayton's arm as he watched Isabelle flee in a red haze.
Loved me? Clayton thought to himself.
The gang members silently retreated as Daniel moved closer. The odds were in our favor for the moment as I tried to pick up a long shard of glass, ready for another fight.
Looking back towards Danny, Ruth's red hair greeted him before her face did as she looked up at him.
He was grateful for his cousin.
She lead him to a barstool as he dropped the piece of glass. She was putting pressure on his arm. He hadn't realized it was going numb.
"Ruth. Daniel. You're both early. Thank you" Clayton muttered, feeling lightheaded as he stood up. The glass cracking under his footsteps.
Danny moving his gun to his left side. He greeted Sam with a fist bump, everyone had a silence about them. A relieved and grateful silence as Clayton leaned on Ruth for support, her whole body barely holding him up.
"We should leave. Cops will be here soon. This place is a mess" Sam finally piped up, holding his hand to the gaping, blooded wound above his eyebrow.
Clayton actually agreed with him as they made their way to the jeep, still parked outside, near the back entrance.
Clayton and Sam gingerly climbed in with Ruth quickly taking over the driving, Daniel riding beside her. She quickly bought the car to life as they made their way home.
They were cautious when we arrived home. Sam opening the door with Danny close behind. When they quickly realized it was safe. Clayton pulled off his jacket as Ruth grabbed her small purse. She pulled out a kit, more the medical type, as Clayton sat beside Sam on the couch.
He had to admit, he didn't feel much after a few seconds while she went to work on his forearm after wrapping Sam's wound with bandages.
Clayton was just happy he didn't die tonight, although now he questioning how long he could keep this up? He suddenly had another thought, how the fuck did Vanessa and Isabella know that he was at that club? at that exact moment in time.
Who the fuck told?
He closed his eyes, not wanting to think about that topic, letting sleep take over as the adrenaline slowed down.