Free The Letters (Carnage #4) by Lesley Jones

accepted.
    I didn’t call Georgia or go to her place that afternoon, deciding to turn up at Ashley’s birthday party that night and surprise her instead.
    She was fucking surprised all right.
    The first thing I noticed when I pulled into my reserved spot was the extra security in place, even at the back of the building. I walked around to the front, where there were not only more of my staff than usual but also faces I didn’t recognise.
    “What’s going on?” I asked Steve, one of my head doorman.
    “Private party, boss. Frank’s boy, the one that’s in the band? He’s up there with another bloke from the band.”
    I looked around at the queue as he spoke and spotted a few photographers hanging about. Oh well, it’d be good publicity for the club and would most definitely raise our profile having them here.
    “Who’s paying for all the extra security?” I asked him.
    “Nothing to do with us, boss. They came with the band. Bailey’s inside, have a chat with him.”
    I nodded my head but I was only half listening. Georgia was inside, and after two lonely nights without her in my bed, I planned to drag her out of there just as soon as she’d let me.
    I had a key with me. It wasn’t the actual key to the house I’d bought, but she wouldn’t know that. I was gonna put it into a glass of champagne and pass it to her.
    The club was packed to capacity, and the bars were four deep with people waiting to be served. I made my way through the crowds and up the stairs to the VIP area.
    Bailey stepped in front of me, blocking my path from the bar to the dance floor in the sectioned off area.
    “I thought you were away till next week?” he questioned. His eyebrows were drawn down and he blinked rapidly as a look of complete panic washed over his face. It was only there for a few seconds before he composed himself. Bailey Layton looked worried, what the fuck was that all about?
    “I got things sorted sooner than expected and thought I’d fly straight home to surprise your sister.”
    He swallowed hard and nodded his head slowly. He wasn’t happy that we were together, but he’d been pretty good about things so far. I wasn’t sure how he was gonna feel about Georgia moving in with me, though. Fuck, I missed her. I needed to see those pretty blue eyes that finally had some light back in them.
    “Where is she?”
    He shrugged his shoulders and sat himself down on a bar stool. “Not sure, but if I know Georgia, she’s probably dancing. Have a drink.”
    He caught the attention of Kelly, one of our barmaids, and motioned with his finger between us. She brought over a bottle of bourbon and two glasses, moving the ice bucket along the bar so it was within our reach.
    “So, your brother’s here, the one that’s in Carnage?”
    “Er, yeah. Yeah he is. Both my brothers are here.” He looked all around himself as he spoke. He looked like he was either in pain, or he was terrified.
    What the fuck was going on?
    My office door opened.
    “I think George said she was gonna go to the dance floor downstairs, perhaps you’d be better off looking for her there,” Bailey said, whipping the sweat that was shining on his forehead.
    “Why the fuck would she go down there?”
    A bloke that seemed vaguely familiar appeared over Bailey’s shoulder, dangling a bunch of keys.
    “Cheers, mate. We owe you big time.”
    I looked from the bloke, to the keys, to Bailey.
    He closed his eyes and seemed to hold his breath before turning around on the stool he was sitting on. I followed his gaze.
    Kitten.
    “You wanna drink, baby?” the bloke, the key-dangling fucker, kissed her temple and asked.
    I was torn between telling him to take his hands off my woman and smiling at her. I opened my mouth to speak when realisation of who he was started to seep into my poor, stupid, love-fucked brain.
    The singer from the band.
    Mac?
    Maca?
    Something like that.
    I looked from her to him, he’d kissed her and he was holding her hand. I looked at