Page 10 of Conquering Oz

“Thanks!”

She wasn’t overly concerned about finding it. In a club this size there was sure to be an obvious line. But when she got to the end of the hall and turned down the next corridor, it was empty.

“Shit,” she muttered, searching for a restroom sign. “Where the hell is it?” She passed the elevator on her right and stopped to look back. Did the girl say totakethe elevator? It was the only plausible possibility. As if fate was on her side, the doors opened. Two men stepped out and walked in the opposite direction, not bothering to acknowledge her.

“Perfect.” Elodie rushed forward as the doors started to close.

She glanced up at the screen as the elevator started to move. No numbers? That was odd. She circled the small space noticing the panel was completely flat with no buttons.

What the…

When the doors opened, she peeked out. She could hear voices in the background and surprisingly, the music was barely a whisper. How many floors had she gone up? Elodie stepped out as the doors began to close and peered around. This was definitely not where the bathrooms were, and if she had to guess, it was a restricted area meant for staff. She quickly spun around and reached for the elevator button. There was none.

WhatinAlice in Wonderlandwasthis?

****

“Killcreek is here,” Nash said.

Oz took a drag from his cigar, squinting toward the opposite end of the balcony. It came as no surprise the MC would come in as an army. Had they been meeting in Killcreek territory, he would’ve done the same. There was a level of trust among the Underground and the club. But neither of them took chances and let their guard down.

Oz gave a sharp nod, but Nash remained standing next to the table.

He narrowed his gaze. “Is there an issue?”

“This is probably not the best time, but I wanted to make you aware.” Nash pulled out the chair and sat, resting his arms on the table.

Nash had been with Oz for decades. He’d hand selected him as his second in command. His position didn’t give Nash any vote or say in how the Underground was run or decisions on deals. However, it did make him a confidante who was privy to most of the innerworkings of the organization. Aside from Rogue, Trey, and Sal, there was no one he trusted more than Nash. While he didn’t hold the same status as Oz’s brothers, Nash had earned his spot in the Underground.

“A little while back, Rogue and Trey expressed their concerns about an interaction between a woman and Sal at a restaurant, if you recall.”

Oz vaguely remembered. He wasn’t present at the time, but Rogue had been vocal about the run in. Usually, Oz took his brother’s antics with a grain of salt. Rogue was known for being overly dramatic, and at times, paranoid. It was Trey’s concern that heightened his attention to the matter. But as far as Oz knew, they got her name from Quinn, Rogue’s woman, and had her checked out. No red flags.

He reached for his whiskey. “You have new information?”

“No.” Nash paused and cleared his throat. “But she’s here, sir.”

Oz furrowed his brows, and his hand stilled on his glass. “At the club?”

Nash gave a curt nod. “It could be a coincidence. But considering Rogue and Trey’s concern, I wanted to make you aware.”

Oz slowly lifted his glass and sipped his whiskey, staring at Nash over the rim, knowing there was more.

“She was the woman you were inquiring about earlier in VIP.”

Oz had clocked her immediately. He’d always had a keen sense for being watched. It was an instant vibe that gave cause to scan the room. Earlier had been no different. He’d locked eyes with her instantly. It wasn’t the first time he’d caught women looking at him, especially in the club. They may not have known exactly who he was, but most knew he was the owner. As a result, a lot of women tried to pursue him. Oz rarely gave any of them a second glance, especially the younger ones.

The long-haired strawberry blonde seated in VIP with her gaze on him had definitely caught his attention. Initially, it was the mere act of staring. Oz knew he had an aura about him. A sinister, deadly vibe that had most people avoiding his stare.With good reason.But not her. It was intriguing, and when he got a full view of the woman, it was also enticing. Beautiful and confident with a taunting small smile. It didn’t happen often, but she had his full attention. Slightly older than the average clientele, her soft eyes stirred something in him. It had been a long time since he’d had an instantaneous attraction and even longer since he’d acted on it. He owned an apartment in the city he used on occasion. Everyone had needs, and he was no different. He’d instructed Nash to find out who she was. Oznever dipped into his club selection for women to bring to his bed, but for her he’d been willing to make an exception.

However,thiswas a revelation he hadn’t seen coming.

“Are you positive?”

Nash gave a curt nod. “I personally handled the background check. I recognize her from her driver’s license picture. If it’s all right with you, after the meeting I’m going to put more security on the floor. It can’t hurt to have eyes on her.”

This was why he’d put Nash in charge as a backup. He was always one step ahead. Oz had done his due diligence and spoken with Sal, who’d brushed off the scene as unimportant. If Sal wasn’t concerned, why should he be? But to appease his brother and Trey, Oz had her looked into. An average citizen who owned a local shop in the city.Hardly a threat.Oz would give more thought to thecoincidenceat a later time. For now, he needed to handle his business. That always came first.

He nodded and gestured for Nash to bring in Killcreek.

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