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"How’s the club doing these days?" Dan asks as he hands lass "Ben toldin, now that Teasers is closed?"

"Yeahit’s an investment, but it’s worth it" I take a sip ofover his face, and I wonder where this conversation is headed this time Conversations with Dan about the club tend to head in one general direction

His voice lowers to say, "Starting to hear ru in pure street-grade heroin Not one of these idiot gangbangers e can usually take down in a feeeks An organized operation This could be big They expect it’ll lead to a turf ith the cartel" Dan studies me closely with his next question "You haven’t seen or heard anything?"

This isn’t the first time we’ve had this conversation I’round check done After Storm quit Penny’s, she admitted to me that Detective Dan had made inquiries and pulled so up my past I may have--miraculously--avoided a crily paper trail as it relates toand prostitution scene by relation I guess good ol’ Daddy didn’t thinkme up with that side of the family business was a s Dan’s not stupid, though He’s seen his share of that world He knows it’s not built in silos--separating the dealers from the pimps from the thieves from the murderers He knows that I’ve made all kinds of connections, whether I et approached by bookies once in a while for a big-ticket fight Ten years later, all the way in Miami! And then there’s the fact that I’m in the business that I’m in, where I’m constantly approached with illicit propositions

Dan knows I could find out, if I wanted to get involved If I wanted to risk being labeled a police infor everyone around , Dan And you know those scu anywhere near Penny’s That’s why I have the security that I do That’s why I’m selective ho I hire"

Dan nods his head once "I know, Cain But I told the guys I’d ask, anyway" With a heavy exhale, he quickly changes the topic, his tone lightening up "So, tell ot Cain choking the chicken in his office every night?" Ben hollers, while furiously clicking keys to pu a tent already "

"Fuck off, Morris," I throw back with an annoyed chuckle "I’h There’s no point defending loves are off and the jackass is just getting warht

"That’s how it’s done!" Ben shouts, tossing the controller at Nate’s broad chest "I ivehis head "Such a travesty You don’t deserve to own a club Fuck, you don’t deserve to own a dick!"

I know Ben’s just shooting his mouth off for entertainment purposes We’ve had more than a few frank drunken-Ben conversations in the past, where he expressed his undying ade of lare at Dan, who can’t keep the s her up"

Dan lifts his hands in mock surrender "Just surprised to hear theup on a woman like the rest of us poor suckers, that’s all"

"I’hter fro that Hell, I’hts are more firmly hot-wired to Charlie than they were before Hell, she knowsclosed in One night with her and I’uts like a prisoner in a torture rooive you a shot, you know If you’d stop your nightly jerk-off sessions already and ask her to yank your--" Ben’s voice cuts of abruptly, his eyes riveted on so behind me Dan and I turn in unison to find the subject of his crass banter standing at the entrance in a blue bikini, a veggie platter in her hands

Ben’s right I aht of that body It’s only that much more desirable, now that I’ve been inside it