A bark had him turning in his chair, a huge smile on his face when the door opened and Chip came bounding over like a giant black bunny. With the size of his ears, he certainly could get mistaken for a rabbit. They were glorious.
“Hello, fella. Who’s a handsome boy?”
Chip barked and sat in front of Frank to get ear scratches.
“That’s right. You’re handsome.”
“Frank, thank God you’re okay,” Jack said, hurrying over to Frank’s side.
“What? Yeah, of course. What’s going on?”
Joker stepped up next to his best friend and partner in crime. The non-furry one. “Have you heard from Troy Ross?”
At the mention of the name, Frank glowered, though not as darkly as Jack, who balled his fists at his sides. “That son of a bitch? No. Not since I kicked him out for trying to take advantage of Fitz. Why?” What a mess it had been. The night of the bachelor auction, someone had targeted Jack’s boyfriend, Fitz, drugging him in the hopes of getting Jack away from him. And Troy Ross, one of Frank’s clients, had found Fitz, and instead of being a decent human being, decided to be an asshole. Jack had punched the guy in the face, and Frank had revoked his club membership and kicked him out on his ass.
“He’s the one behind the raid,” Jack said.
“What?” Frank stood, his blood boiling.
Jack nodded. “The judge? He’s an old golfing buddy of Ross’s father. It took some digging, but we were able to make the connection. The thing is, no one’s heard from Ross in weeks. That night at the club started a chain reaction.”
“There were business associates here with him that night,” Joker continued. “They were embarrassed and appalled by his behavior. They ended up cancelling contracts. Word spread and the guy started fucking up all over the place. Got in deep with the wrong people. He lost his business, and my gut says he’s gunning for you, Frank.”
“I can handle Ross.”
Jack shook his head. “A rich guy who’s lost everything and blames you? He’s desperate. Who knows what this guy is capable of? You should probably tell Joshua. He was in the VIP section with Colton a few minutes ago.”
Frank’s heart slammed in his chest. “Joshua’s here?”
“Yeah, he came with Colton,” Joker replied. “I was with Jack when the intel came through. We stopped to talk to you before we head back to HQ to speak to Mason. Until the police locate Ross, we need to reassess the club’s security.”
“Fine. Do whatever you need to do.” He gave Chip one last scratch before heading for his office door. “I need to talk to Joshua.” They walked out into the hall, the double doors that led into the club swinging open. Frank had been about to thank the guys when Chip sniffed the air, then bolted toward the swinging doors and into the club. “Shit. Your dog just took off.”
Joker’s eye went wide. “Fuck. We need to evacuate.”
“What?”
“Get everyone out of the club,” Joker yelled as he took off after Chip.
That’s when Frank remembered what Chip had been trained for, what his job at Four Kings Security was.
Detecting explosives.
Frank snatched his radio off his belt as he bolted toward the double doors, Jack on his heels. “Security, get everyone out now. Protocol signal thirty.” By the time he was on the floor, security was quickly and calmly moving everyone to the exits. Where the hell was Colton? Joshua would be difficult to spot, but at six foot five, Colton was easier to find. Spotting Colton, Frank headed toward the VIP area.
“Calling it in now,” Jack said, phone to his ear. “Where the hell are you going?”
“I need to find Joshua. He’s somewhere in the club.”
Jack grabbed his arm. “Frank, if this guy’s targeting you—”
“I’m not leaving without Joshua,” Frank growled. Thankfully, Jack released him. They headed for Colton, and Frank’s heart dropped when he saw Ace but not Joshua.
“Where’s Joshua?” Frank asked.
“He went to the men’s room,” Colton said. “Ace got a call from Joker. He said Chip found something in one of the back rooms. He’s clearing everyone out.”
“Okay.” Frank turned to Ace. “Get him outside to safety. I’m going to find Joshua.”
Ace shook his head. “He’s probably already outside, Frank. You need to leave the building.”
Frank met Ace’s eyes. “Would you leave Colton’s safety to chance?”
With pursed lips, Ace shook his head.
“I didn’t think so.” Frank turned and pushed through the crowd, calling out over his shoulder. “Take Colton outside.”
Knowing Ace would keep Colton safe, Frank hurried against the current of men toward the men’s room. He threw the door open and froze.
“Ross?”
“Hi, Frank.” Troy Ross waved at him, a gun in his hand, but there was no sign of Joshua. Frank prayed he’d made it outside. “Nice of you to remember me.”
“How the hell did you get in here?”
“One of the construction workers let me in. He believed me when I told him I’d left my wallet inside but couldn’t go in through the front in case my date saw me. I was skipping out on account of it being a disaster. Which pretty much defines my life, thanks to you. Do you have any idea what you did to me?”
“You signed a contract. You knew the rules, knew what would happen if you broke them.”
“Come on, Frank. You saw the way he was dressed. If not me, it would have been someone else. What do you care?”
Ross’s words sent a fierce rage through Frank. “I care because you’re a vile predator. I care because someone just like you raped my sister. I care because I wasn’t there to stop her from killing herself after she was told she’d asked for it. I care because as long as guys like you exist, I will take joy in putting you behind bars, or in the case of my sister’s rapist, in the hospital, then behind bars.”
“Poor Frank.” Ross pretended to cry. “Always too late to save the one he loves.”
A chill went up Frank’s spine. “What are you talking about?”
“Couldn’t save your sister. Can’t save your boyfriend.”
Frank took a step forward. “So help me, if you’ve hurt him—”
“You’ll do nothing, Frank. Like you did nothing to help your sweet sister.”
“Fuck you!” He lunged at Ross, only to have the gun thrust in his face.
“Let’s take a little walk.”
“No.”
“If you want to see Joshua, you’ll take a walk with me, Frank.” He motioned toward the door with the gun.
Frank turned and left the men’s room, Ross close behind.
“The room all the way at the end on the right.”
Doing as Ross said, Frank headed down the hall, the doors on either side belonging to the back rooms open and empty. A familiar scent caught his nose, and his heart all but stopped when he spotted the faint wisps of smoke coming from under the last door on the right.
“No.” Frank bolted to the door, skidding to a stop in front of it, the curtain of the small glass window open. Terror filled him as he stared at Joshua pressing himself into the far-left corner of the room, the right side engulfed in flames. “Joshua!”