“If today doesn’t flush him out, then we need to regroup. Carter is following some intel today back at the compound, so hopefully he finds something too,” I offer, even though I’m going to be even more pissed if we have to settle for intel instead of his dead body when we leave today.

The car weaves through the streets until we come to a stop outside Allure. I have been to this shithole more times in the past few months than ever before, and the sooner I can leave it all behind, the better I will feel. It is still a heap of crap, nothing renovated, nothing cleaned. As I survey the streetscape, I can clearly see the spot where I threw Little Red down onto the pavement that first day and that is the only good thing this place has going for it.

Sebastian and I step out of the car, standing tall in the street, showcasing ourselves to anyone who may be watching. In the bright afternoon sun, we are hoping that a visit during the day, when everyone can see us, may be the way to draw Dominic out. Sure, we have our people planted all around the streets and inside, and we are fully armed and ready to kill on sight, but if Dominic is watching, then he’ll see it as his chance to kill us both.

Offering ourselves up like lambs to the slaughter is not anything new. We have put our own lives on the line before and we are not afraid. We stop on the sidewalk and look around, taking our time, seeing no one, nothing, the street quiet, eerily so. My skin prickles and I have a feeling that something isn’t right. Looking at Sebastian, I can tell he feels it too, but we turn and walk into Allure like we are paying customers.

Stepping inside, things look like they usually would for this time of the day. There are a few patrons sprinkled around the tables, and I spot some of our team undercover around the place. Music is playing through the speakers as women dance on the stage and the smoke haze filling the room is enough to make my eyes sting. My shoes stick to the floor, the peel with every step I take irritating me even more.

As Sebastian and I walk to the bar, all eyes are on us, and I don’t miss the sly grins we are receiving from some of the men in the room, like they know something we don’t. That uneasy feeling I had outside multiplies.