Chapter 3

Aaron pulled up to the busy sidewalk and stopped the vehicle, where other cars lined the main road on both sides. A kaleidoscope of colored lanterns was strung above the cobblestoned road, shimmering in the reflections of parked car windows. Pulsating music reverberated from the streets and into his car; the mirror and windows shuddering with each deep beat. Next to him, Makayla checked her hair and make-up in the mirror, twirling her fingers through her thick blonde curls as she stared at her unrecognizable reflection.

“You can do this,” she whispered to herself, while adjusting her bust.

He glanced over at her. “You’re going to be fine.” His light blue eyes twinkled in the light.

She gave him a sideways glance. “Yeah, okay. You good to go, Dannie?” she asked meeting her friend’s eyes in the rearview mirror.

“Hell, yes!” Dannie sang before reaching over for the door handle. “It’s locked.” She whined at the driver.

Aaron ignored her and turned in his seat to look at Makayla. “If it anytime you feel you can’t get out of the situation safely…”

His eyes roamed a crowd of girls passing by, dressed in the same attire as the two girls in his car - high heels, way too much makeup, over-styled hair, and all of it squeezed into skimpy dresses. He sighed as a group of young men peeled themselves away from the shadowed wall to whistle and call on the girls to have a drink with them. The girls giggled in response. One girl flung her hand out, pulling a lollypop from her over poppy pink lips and shouted back. “We are here for the real party, hombres!” she snickered at the word hombres. Clearly she thought them not men at all.

“Later, losers.” Her friend hollered.

Aaron knew, from his research, that these girls were after high rollers. Gangster wannabes simply wouldn’t do.

Makayla followed his gaze to the group of boys, where one seemed to be losing his cool. He stepped fully into the light and shouted, “Get lost Puta. I don’t tu mierda anyhows.” He grabbed his crotch and thrust it her way.

Aaron opened his mouth to speak when Makayla turned back to give him a pointed look. “Please, don’t lecture me. This isn’t my first time. You know that.”

His face gave away nothing as he said, “I don’t need to remind you of the types of players involved in this.”

“Word is, these gigs are under new management,” Dannie interjected from the back seat whilst she applied another thick layer of passion purple gloss to her lips.

“That’s the problem—new players mean new rules,” he reminds them. “Or I would never have approved you as a guest.” His eyes met Dannie’s as he said that last part.

Dannie blew a bubble of sweet-smelling gum and bit through it to make it pop louder. “Boy please, your girl and I used to party up a storm like no-one’s business back in the day. She still has it; that’s why you chose her for this event, no? Besides, we know how to play a role if need be, wink, wink, nudge, nudge,” Dannie said, fluttering her eyelids at Aaron.

Aaron turned in his seat to face her. “This is no ordinary party Dannie, try and remember that. This is not back in the day; we have serial killers, kidnappers, human traffickers, and murderers looking for just what you are selling here tonight. This is the perfect playground for all kinds of warped minds.” He tried to ignore her skimpy black dress and popped up bosom, thinking how much he hated sending the girls in there, looking like that.

Dannie smiled wickedly. “Don’t give me that stink eye—this dress was your idea in the first place.”

He swung back to Makayla. “Stick to the plan.”

“Don’t I always?”

He gave her a blank stare, to which she replied, “Yeah, yeah, and yeah already. Let us out so we can get done with what we came here for. I’ve already had it with the horny men out there about to slimeball me.”

“Your carelessness scares me,” Aaron added.

“I’m good at what I do. It’s why you chose me.”

He snorted. “I chose you?

He arched his brow as he undid the child-lock on the doors and watched Dannie get out. He stopped Makayla, pulling her by her wrist as she tried to follow, “Don’t underestimate anyone at this party. Understand?”

“Now you’re just insulting me.” Her head flicked to Dannie who was waiting impatiently by her door. “Catch you on the flip side.” She grinned and climbed out of the car.

They took the side road, where a brightly lit booth stood off to one side spotlighted two Latino men on the door. The doormen stopped them, asking for their invitations. As Dannie flirted, Makayla turned to wave at Aaron for him to go.

“Bye, Honey!” she shouted so he could hear her through the open window. “I’ll call you for pick up!” she said, blowing him a kiss as if he were hers.

As he drove away slowly, someone slipped into his space. He watched the girls in his rear-view mirror as they produced their invites, got stamped, and caught the end of what looked like the girls having to take a shot before entering. He wanted to stop right there and turn the car around, but then he saw Dannie distract the bouncer so Makayla could spill her drink on the sidewalk and his heart settled a little.

“She’s got this,” he persuaded himself out aloud.