Page 55 of Echoes of a Muted Song

Johnny just giggled and shot me a look I could barely make out through the tinted windows. Outside, the streets were lit up with lights and neon as evening activities were in full swing. Honestly, I was a bit thrown to see us weaving through the heart of downtown, what with all the people out tonight popping in and out of clubs and bars but I trusted Sully and Christine to have done their due diligence about vetting wherever the hell we were going, but damn I was curious.

“It’s only fair,” he replied, covering my hand with his so I couldn’t type. “Just relax and enjoy the ride with me.”

“But…” I growled.

“No buts and save your voice, you’ll need it later.”

Okay, what the hell?

“Please trust me.”

His beseeching tone was what finally convinced me to just roll with it and let him have his bit of fun. When he laced his fingers with mine, I could feel his twitchy excitement, which only served to rev up my own. This was important to him, not just another outing to do something fun.

Now I was really curious.

When we pulled into a well-lit parking lot behind what looked like a non-descript warehouse and parked right beside a dark green door, my anticipation almost got the best of me, and I started to reach for the door handle only to hear Sully clear his throat. Sheepishly, I removed my hand from it and nodded at his eyes in the rearview, grateful for his reminder, because Johnny hadn’t moved an inch. I had to chuckle, because he knew the drill better than I did at this point.

Christine got out and went inside, while Sully remained with us and the vehicle.

“You remember what we talked about,” Sully said, and I knew he had to be addressing Johnny.

“Yes, sir,” Johnny said. “If you give the word, we are out of there, no matter what we’re doing.”

“Exactly,” Sully said. “You did good, getting me all the information I needed to be able to check this place out and touch base with the owners. I don’t expect any issues, but you know I’m prepared, so just enjoy yourselves and let us do the watching and the worrying for you.”

“Thank’s Sully.”

“You got it.”

Even after he went silent we waited, until the green door opened and Christine emerged flanked by two bulky, badasses in leather that she still towered over by at least an inch. They remained in the doorway while she approached Johnny’s door and Sully got out and came around to mine.

Nothing of the inside showed around the two in the doorway, nor was there any hint of a clue as we went in, flanked by our guards. I realized why, a few minutes later, when we were led through another set of thick, double doors, and into a hallway with deep purple walls and another set of doors at the end.

Talk about a maze, though I doubted this was the way everyone entered. That green door must have been painted that color for a reason, which left me to wonder if Johnny had gotten us VIP tickets to something.

“So, you remember my friends from Palm Springs, Sky and Vic?” Johnny asked.

“The owners of Club Sin, yeah,” I replied, remembering to use my device after he’dwarned me about needing my voice later.

“Well, they own this place too,” Johnny explained. “Vic’s sister, Cass and her partner Reno manage this place for them. It’s private, members only, but they hooked us up with passes. I-I wanted…”

When Johnny licked his lips, I could tell he was feeling a bit hesitant. It had gotten to where I’d started to pick up on that and other tells he had.

Cupping his cheek, I leaned in until our noses touched, and I could peer directly into those honey brown eyes of his. He tipped his head back and I could tell he expected me to go for a kiss, so I took a page out of Jagger’s book and licked his cheek, which immediately got him giggling.

All the tension drained out of his shoulders then and he threw his arms around me.

“There’s something I’ve wanted even before you put your collar on me,” he explained as he stepped back, fingers immediately reaching to rub over the leather.

I cocked my head and locked eyes with him, hoping to convey without using my device, that he could tell me anything.

“Will you make me fly tonight?” He murmured, cupping my face before he kissed me.

Hell yeah I would.

Hell yeah.

I understood what he was asking and what kind of place he’d brought us to the moment the words left his lips.

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