CLASS ACT (A BRITISH ROCKSTAR BAD BOY ROMANCE) (37 page)

I pointed to his hand. “What’s in the bag?”

“A gift,” he said, handing it to me. “Try it on.”

“Explains why you asked my size,” I said, examining the clothes. I pulled out a miniskirt and a tight button up blouse. They were something a sexy cheerleader type would wear back in college. My dad would’ve freaked if he was still alive. “This is really skimpy.”

“Whoever said I don’t get you nice things?” he joked to which I rewarded with a glare. The man opened up a nearby briefcase to reveal a disassembled sniper rifle. “More to the point, Krause likes skimpy. Nuns don’t strike his fancy.”

I recalled the plan that Jackie had painstakingly setup. I was to locate and talk to Krause in a private nightclub called Noir. I’d get free entry on the account of being a woman.

Then, I had to get up to the second floor which housed private rooms. That’s where Jackie would come in to finish him. We wouldn’t get another chance like this for another month. By then, it might be too late to save Cobbs and track down Gregori. “You said I had to just talk to him, not seduce him.”

“Krause thinks anyone woman who talks to him is one that will spread her legs for him,” Jackie said grimly, examining the individual parts of the sniper rifle. “The man’s balls are his biggest weakness. For better or for worse, he likes college girls. I’d hate to use you as bait but this is the one night each month that Krause treats himself to a night out. He likes this nightclub called Noir. Most other days he’s holed up with whatever criminal organization that’s funding him. It’s hard to get a clean shot and a safe getaway when there’s a private army with him.”

I looked through the bag and found some jewelry. There were a set of studded earrings and a bracelet. “Can’t you ambush him when he’s leaving?”

“He rides with his entourage in a set of four cars with tinted windows,” he answered. “They park directly in the club’s private garage. I have no way of knowing which one he is in. I don’t want to risk using explosives, especially if civilians are caught in the blast.”

It felt strange to take part in killing a man. Then again, Krause seemed like a monster from all accounts. He was said to have raped and beaten countless women. We’d be doing the world a service in getting rid of him.

“If it gets us to Gregori…” I sighed. “You’ll back me up if things get out of hand?”

He lifted his jacket and revealed a pair of high caliber handguns. “I swear I’ll come in guns blazing is he as much as slaps you.”

I eyed the guns. “That’s reassuring. Will you be strong enough to do this? You were shot just a week ago.”

He pulled out a high caliber rifle round. “I’m strong enough to send this into that sorry excuse of a human being. You can change in my room, Kelly.”

I did so and reemerged from the room in my new clothes. Jackie and I took the subway to reach the private club that Krause was visiting at. We could’ve driven there but Jackie didn’t like using a car. They needed to be registered and tended to attract police attention. He told me of how a hitman he knew was arrested by the police when they pulled over his car for a broken taillight.

After we got off the subway, he dropped me off at a distance from Noir.

“Whatever you do, don’t hesitate,” he warned. He took out a phone out of his pocket and handed it to me. “You can’t second guess yourself in this line of work.”

It was an older flip-phone model. “A cell phone?”

“A burner,” he clarified. “I’ll use it to contact you and give you instructions in case you find yourself in a corner or need to escape. I have a getaway car I can borrow in case of an emergency. Just act natural.”

I nodded and pocketed the phone. “Good luck, Jackie.”

He smiled. “I make my own luck.”

Walking a couple of blocks, I went to the nightclub’s entrance and flashed a smile at the two men guarding its entrance. I nervously held the smile as one of the bouncers scanned my face. “Do you have ID?”

I pulled out the fake ID Jackie had forged for me. “Here you go.”

The man barely even looked at it before waving me in. “Come in. Call us if anyone causes trouble.”

If he knew it was a fake, then he didn’t seem to care. I guessed they liked having girls here even if they were not of age. “Thanks.”

Security inside the lobby was a different story. There were metal detectors and even an airport style X-ray machine for bags. One bouncer searched a man for concealed weapons.

After putting my belongings in a tray, I waited in line. I was nervous as hell. One wrong move and this whole thing could fall apart. Finally, it was my turn to walk through.

The metal detector went off. The man operating the metal detector sighed and said. “Step aside.”

I took a deep breath and did so. “Okay…”

One of the guards sighed and pointed at me. “Take your bracelet off, put in the tray, and go in again.”

I did so and went through the metal detector again.

It gave me a clean bill. I took my belongings from the tray and nodded at the guards. “Thanks.”

Now, it was time to get to work. Unfortunately, the club was loud, noisy and crowed. I had to snake through groups of club goers before I could find a place to seat. I was never a fan of clubs during college and this didn’t change it.

I took a seat at the bar. I ordered a diet soda and scanned the area. Most bartenders didn’t like freeloaders, anyway.

It didn’t take too long to find Krause.

Or I should say that it didn’t take long for Krause to find.

I jolted up when the man took a seat next to me. From his beard to his scars, this was unmistakably the man I was after. I prayed that he hadn’t seen through my disguise.

He spoke with a distinct East German accent. “What’s a girl like you doing here?”

“Me?”

He smiled and reveal his chipped teeth. “You can’t come in here and just order a soft drink. It’s against the rules.”

I wanted to sigh in relief but held my composure. “I’m just here to have a good time.”

“Aren’t we all?” Krause continued, still flashing his sinister smile. “What brings you here? I would’ve noticed a pretty girl like you.”

I didn’t know whether he was speaking the truth or if it was just a part of his seduction tactics. Two could play at that game. “I heard this club was the wildest in town.”

“It doesn’t look you’re of age,” he said, his eyes narrowing. I prayed he didn’t see through my disguise. Thankfully, he let out a laugh afterwards. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell. Management doesn’t mind. Let me guess, you’re a college student trying to have fun during the summer break.”

“Not the first time I’ve lied today,” I replied, keeping my cool. “I’m a dropout, actually. I guess I liked hitting the bottle more than I liked hitting the books.”

“Is there some drink I could buy for you?”

“You buy drinks for girls?”

He smiled again. I wished Jackie would put a bullet in his head already. “Just the ones I like. And the ones that know how to return the favor.”

I mustered the most fake smile I could make. “Actually, I’m thirsty for something else.”

“I can get us a private room,” he said, putting his hand on my lap. It took everything in my power not to run away. “No one would disturb us.”

I got him. “Sure, does it have a window? I just love watching the streets from above. Fresh air never hurts when you’re having a drink... or something else.”

Krause held out his hand. “It’s got everything a lady like you’d need.”

I took the hand he offered. “I hope it has a minibar.”

Krause guided me upstairs to a private room. On the trip here, Jackie had told me how Krause was known for beating and raping women. The club’s management turned a blind eye since Krause’s employers had important business arrangements with them.

The staircase leading up to it looked to be guarded by two men. However, Krause’s presence alone made the man guarding the stairs to step aside. Either he had some special treatment or Krause’s dangerous reputation was well known.

I was walking into the lion’s den.

Finally, he reached the second floor. A sign said only special guests were allowed in here. Krause opened the door to the room and pulled me in by the arm.

This man was no gentleman.

I was so scared that I didn’t have time to take in the fine furnishings. Krause guided me to a pair of chairs across a small coffee table. “Sit.”

I did as commanded. He went to a minibar to pull out a few chilled drinks. He poured a glass of scotch. “Thank you…”

“I know how to treat a girl right,” the man, said, putting his hand on my thigh. His fingers began to trail up my skirt. “She just has to treat me right… if she knows what’s good for her.”

Suddenly, Krause reached out to grab me. I instantly pulled away but he was too quick. “Stop!”

His hand grabbed my neck and chocked me. His other hand clawed at my blouse. I felt him palm my breasts as he eyed me with carnal intent.

Recalling the martial arts training Jackie had taught me, I used my free elbow to strike him in the chin. The move caught him by surprise as he let go of me. Krause was so surprised that he didn’t see me hook him in the cheek with my left hand.

The man double over the chair and onto the floor. He stared at me with disbelief. It soon turned into rage as he wiped his lip.

I had drawn blood.

“Bitch!” Krause spat, his mouth spewing fresh blood. He wasn’t prepared for a woman who was willing to fight back. “I’ll kill you for this!”

I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist him for much long in a hand to hand fight. Krause was a veteran hitman. He could snap my neck in a split second. I needed Jackie to swoop in and help me.

Krause raced towards me and cocked his fist. He was inches from me. It was too late to dodge his attack. I needed a miracle.

BANG!

The man went careening to the side. He collapsed eagle spread onto the fine carpet. Blood leaked profusely from his head.

He was dead.

I could’ve sworn I heard a gurgling noise but it had to be a death rattle. I stared at the lifeless body in disbelief. The man had been a feared hitman one second and a corpse in the next.

I looked across to see that that a window had been completely shattered. That was from where Jackie had fired his sniper rifle. I couldn’t make him out due to the long distance.

In a broken shard of glass, I saw my reflection. My face had droplets of blood on it. It had fallen onto my blouse as well and formed reddish-brown splotches.

Suddenly, the cell phone Jackie had given me began to vibrate.

I opened it up and read the text. “They’ll find out what happened soon. Leave before they do. Get out of the room, make a left, and take the emergency stairs down to the back entrance. I’ll meet you outside. Move quickly. –J.”

Gathering my wits, I memorized the instructions before wiping my face off with a bottle of water and some cloth. I didn’t have time to clean the blouse or redo my blouse. I opened the door and prayed no one suspected what had just happened.

I followed the directions to the emergency exit. I went down a flight of stairs and found a pair of lovers making out in the stairs. I zipped past them and made a run to the back entrance.

I swung the door open and nearly knocked out a bouncer guarding the back entrance. He glared at me but didn’t notice the blood on my shirt. “Sorry.”