Vera

chapter 14

S O R E N
8 Y E A R S A G O

I walked into a strip club, located in Boston as I searched for a Vincent Patroni. Based on his profile, which Vera had somehow found my number and sent to me, he is a child abductor and women rapist. He walks up to women, pretending to flirt with them as if he is interested. He gets close enough to knick them with a needle filled with enough anesthesia to knock them both out.

He goes into the strip club to make deals with child pedophilias, groomers who want pictures of the children he keeps. He makes thousands of dollars a week by taking pictures of children. When I read over that part of his profile, I couldn't bear to hold in food for the rest of the day.

Vera was nowhere in my sight but I know she was here somewhere. Instead of seeing who can kill first, we changed our plans to see who can make our victims cry out and beg the loudest.

I spot Vincent's blonde hair, sitting near the stage watching the girl on the stage wrap her leg across the silver pole. His knees are shaking under the table like he's either impatient for his next payer or he's holding himself from snatching her up so he can mutilate her body.

I want to fist my knife and take him down now but this game Vee and I have is about patience and I need to make sure I hold myself back. The longer we wait, the better the torture.

A hand smoothly glides down my back, bringing me out of my thoughts. "Hey, I'm Opal."

The brown-haired girl smiles up at me. Although I'm sitting on one of the seats at the bar, I still tower her body by a lot. "Hi."

She leans closer, twirling her straight hair, nibbling her lips like she's nervous, "My friend and I saw you alone and were wondering if you'd like to have a drink with us." She gestures to her friend, a redhead who waves at me from their table. "We work here and it's our break."

I'm working right now, and I didn't want to leave Vincent unattended even with Vee in the building nor did I have any interest in drinking tonight.

"No, I'm good."

The girl blinks, twice, four times, before letting out a nervous laugh, "Are you sure? You seem lonely and could use a couple of friends."

I snort, "I don't need any friends."

"There's no harm in having some." She responds and I narrowed my eyes at her sharp red nails as they trail across my chest. Before she could pass my belt, she hisses as her hand is bent back at an odd angle.

The golden hand, that belonged to Vera, of course, twists Opal's hand making her wince. "He said he doesn't want your company."

The icy tone in Vera's voice makes me bite back a smirk. Her glossy black hair matches her all-black attire. I didn't have to see her face to know she was wearing that red lip gloss. I hope it's sparkly.

Opal glares back at Vera, "Who the fuck are you?"

"A girl who knows when someone says no, it means no. Walk the fuck away before I shoot your ass up." Vera threatens the girl, still gripping Opal's hand with a death grip.

Opal's posture is less straight like she's scared but she refuses to back down. "Like you'd do anything." She scoffs.

Vera's hand moves behind her, reaching the gun tucked behind her that was hidden beneath her leather jacket and positioning it between them, pressing the barrel against the girl's stomach. Opal's eyes widen, as she starts to tremble and her lips quiver.

"As you were saying?"

I keep my eyes pacing between Vera who's about to shoot a stripper up and Vincent who's talking to his next buyer right now.