Chapter 77: Chapter Seventy-Seven

“So, now that we’re all comfortable,” Johnny said, sighing as if his girl had just found his g-spot. “What is it you want to know, Frank?”

Frankie’s mind blanked as Gloria dropped down and rose back up. The curve of her spine disappearing into the lush slopes of her ass made his brain short circuit. His fingers itched to dig into the skin she was teasing him with.

“Frank? Do we need to switch so you can think?”

Frankie’s eyes jerked to Johnny, and whatever his friend saw in his gaze made him throw his hands in the air in surrender.

“Looks like Frankie may want a key to a private room after this, John John,” the woman in Johnny’s lap mused as she rotated her hips over his lap.

Frankie sighed. “Hello, Charlotte.”

The woman giggled softly. “Been a long time, Frankie. Thought after the last time we met, I’d never see you again.”

Sensing a history, Gloria’s hand wrapped around the back of Frankie’s neck while she draped her body across him as if to shield him. Her hand squeezed, and the message was clear: explain.

“The last time we met, I let my relationship with Asher slip and then, somehow, the very next day, Sergei has a gun pointed at my head,” Frankie growled. Gloria’s hand relaxed and her head settled against his other shoulder.

Charlotte tsked. “You learned your lesson. Information is valuable. Don’t let it go for free. Speaking of which…”

“Excuse me, Vi… Sweetheart,” Frankie said, catching himself. “I’ll need to reach into my pocket.

Gloria slid down his body and swiveled. He reached for his back pocket and she shook her head. She straddled his thighs again and reached for his wallet, pulling it out herself. She held it in the air in front of him, taunting.

“Pull out two hundr…”

“Uh, uh, uh,” Charlotte tsked.

Frankie sighed. “Five hundred, please.”

Gloria rested more fully on his lap and counted out five hundred dollars. She held the wad of cash between two fingers towards Charlotte.

“Thanks, Babe,” Charlotte said, taking the cash and placing it in her bra strap.

Frankie held out his hand for his wallet, only for Gloria to shake her head once. She pulled out a hundred for herself and tucked it in the front of her panties before leaning over him again to put his wallet back in his pocket… her hand lingering before running up under his shirt, making him shiver.

“What do you want to know?” Charlotte asked, getting back to pleasing her boss and long-time friend.

Frankie groaned as Gloria raised herself up, placing her cleavage mere centimeters from his face. “I’m looking for a runaway.”

“You’ve got at least two in this room,” Charlotte said with a light laugh.

Frankie bit his lip as Gloria dropped back down and spun again to straddle one of his thighs. “No, not here.”

“You got a name?” she asked.

“Loretta Castro,” Frankie said, bracing for what he knew would come next.

“What?” Johnny asked.

“I’ve heard the name,” Charlotte mused.

“You what?” Johnny asked, his attention on Charlotte now as his voice became more strained with anger.

“Not now, baby, momma’s working,” Charlotte said, pinching Johnny’s cheeks between her fingers.

“She disappeared about, I’d say, ten years ago. Blonde hair, green eyes, big smile, from New York originally. Came to the Windy City looking for her brother only to fall into the hands of some wicked men,” Frankie continued, adjusting his hips so he could easily reach his gun. Sensing the change in the air, Gloria swiveled and ran her hands over Frankie’s shoulders, getting as close to his body as she could whilst keeping up the ruse.

“Ten years? And you suddenly have an interest?” Charlotte mused, unaware of the rigidity of Johnny’s body or the way his breath was coming in short, halting gasps of anger.

“I recently saw her name on a list. I just need confirmation from you.”

“What list?” Johnny ground out between clenched teeth.

“She’s not in any of the clubs in town. Last I heard, she was a pet,” Charlotte said with a sigh of boredom, as if she’d expected the information Frankie required to be more tantalizing.

In the end, she got the excitement she wanted. Johnny abruptly shoved her off his lap, sending her to the floor. The two other girls in the room screamed while Gloria got a hold of Frankie’s gun before he could and pointed it at the enraged male standing over a confused Charlotte. Johnny’s own weapon shook in his hand as he glared down at his oldest, most trusted informant.

Charlotte held her hand up as if it would be enough to shield her from a bullet. “Johnny, what the…”

“Shut the fuck up, you traitorous bitch,” Johnny yelled, making Charlotte cower in fear. “The only thing I want to hear coming out of your mouth is where the fuck my sister is!”

“Johnny, what the fuck?” one of his associates asked.

“Get the fuck out!” Johnny bellowed, keeping his gun trained on Charlotte’s forehead.

The women moved as though any moment he would turn the gun on them while his associates and the bartender sidled out as though he were a startled animal that would tear them to shreds if they made any sudden movements.

“Did I fucking stutter?” Johnny asked, turning his glare on Gloria.

Gloria’s hand remained on Frankie’s chest while her other hand gripped his handgun with white knuckles. Her chest rose and fell sharply, stuttering slightly with her adrenaline. Frankie stood slowly, making sure to not knock her down.

“Give me the gun,” Frankie cooed.

Gloria’s eyes moved under her mask. She shook her head and licked her lips. Frankie subtly maneuvered her toward the curtain.

“Give me the gun and leave me to talk to him.”

Gloria kept her eyes and gun trained on Johnny. Frankie’s hand curled around the muzzle of the gun and forced it down. He leaned closer so he could whisper in her ear.

“Leave now, Vixen. Every second you delay is another minute added to your punishment for the stunt you just pulled,” he warned.

“You are the one who left me out of an important meeting pertaining to my father,” she hissed under her breath.

“Believe it or not, I’m good at my job and I don’t need a proctor to sit in and grade my performance,” he returned with as much patience as he could muster. “We’ll talk about this later.” Gloria huffed and turned to do as he said. As she started through the curtain, though, he snatched her wrist. “Go to the dressing rooms and do not leave ‘til I come for you. If I find you on another man’s lap, your ass will be the color of the blood I’ll spill from his throat. Understood?”

In answer, Gloria rolled her eyes and yanked her wrist back. Frankie stood by the curtain and watched her hug the wall, heading toward the back door. He scanned the room, noting every man whose gaze dared to linger on her magnetic, practically naked form. He waited until she disappeared through the door before turning his attention back to the mayhem going on within.

“Where is she?!” Johnny repeated, pressing the barrel of his gun to Charlotte’s forehead.

“With Ivan Rubanov,” Frankie answered for her.

Johnny’s eyes shot up. Frankie put his gun back in his waistband and shoved his hands in his pockets.

“You knew?” Johnny asked, raising the gun to Frankie’s head.

Frankie nodded. “I was given a list a few days ago, and I saw her name. I needed Charlotte to confirm before I asked for your help.”

“I-I don’t understand. Your name is Valencia!” Charlotte stuttered, trying to defend herself.

“I fucking changed it to protect my family, bitch!”

“Johnny, calm the fuck down. She didn’t know.”

“Is this why you wanted to see me? To tell me my sister was abducted by that fucker and has been his whore for ten years?!”

“No,” Frankie approached cautiously, closing the distance between him and the gun that could easily end his life. “I came here to ask for your help.”

Johnny scoffed. “I don’t want any part of your quest for forbidden pussy.”

Anger surged through Frankie, but he shoved it down, knowing at least one person in this room needed to keep their head. “Ivan Rubanov is throwing a party this weekend at his retreat outside of the city. I have intel that says it’s where he keeps and trains his pets, Johnny.” This seemed to get Johnny’s attention. His gun wavered. “I have tickets to get inside. I have a slot of one-on-one time with Ivan.”

“Lucky you,” Johnny spat.

Frankie sighed. “What I don’t have is enough manpower to take him down and get the women out.”

“And?”

“What do you mean, ‘and’? Do I need to spell it out for you?”

“In this world, yes. I need you to be explicit. Better yet, I’d like it in writing and signed in your fucking blood,” Johnny quipped, the fun-loving nature of his so far gone it was buying tickets at the gates to Paris Disneyland.

Frankie shrugged. “You and Charlotte…”

“Me?!” Charlotte screeched.

“You and Charlotte can come with us. I need a wingman who doesn’t have his nose buried in a laptop. Someone who knows the Chicago players that have changed in the almost twenty years I’ve been gone.” He looked at Charlotte. “And someone who can distract them in ways us men aren’t capable.” Frankie looked back at Johnny who had lowered his gun a few inches. “Once I’m in with Ivan, his men’s attention will be focused on us and those still getting drunk at the party. It will allow you to make your way to the girls and get them out with minimal security to get in your way.”

“You’re sure Loretta is there?” Johnny asked.

Frankie looked down at Charlotte, who rose unsteadily to her feet. She smoothed her teddy down and wiped her nose with the back of her hand before she nodded. “A few of the girls have seen her from time to time on the arm of Ivan’s associates.”

Johnny snarled. His fists clenched. “Son of a bitch!”

“Well?” Frankie prompted.

Johnny raised his chin toward the ceiling. He turned, braced his palms against the bar and nodded. “Send me the details.”

“Be ready to leave by tomorrow night. We’ll disclose everything on the way. Charlotte, pick out something pretty and…” He looked her up and down. “Make it risque.”

Charlotte glared at him as he walked to the curtain, but he noticed her glare soften as she cautiously approached Johnny and laid a flattened palm on his shaking shoulder.

“Oh!” Frankie said, stopping at the curtain. “Seeing as how I just basically promised to reunite you with your long-lost sister and give you revenge all in one night…”

Johnny’s head fell forward, and he sighed long as Charlotte placed her cheek against his back. “What?”

“I just need one last favor…”