It was sundown when Eva left Sweet Savor with a smile, waving goodbye to Holly. "Take care," she said to Holly.
"Be here early tomorrow," Holly replied. Eva nodded. "It's 8:00 AM, don't be late," she added, her voice slightly raised so Eva could hear her.
Eva shook her head inwardly but turned and offered her a smile.
She clutched her bag and walked down the road. She looked happy and fulfilled until she saw the time and her smile disappeared.
It was almost time to head to Sensual Nights.
but she wanted to go home and see Liam. Ask how his interview went and celebrate if possible, but she couldn't, or she'll be late.
She didn't know what Jon was like, and she didn't want to know. Besides, Ace might just be there waiting as he'd promised he would.
"Insufferable bastard," she muttered and waved at a taxi. "3rd street," she said as soon as she entered and shut the door.
While seated inside the taxi, she decided to check on her phone and saw a missed call from Liam and a few texts.
She pressed her lips together, her thumb just hovering above the messages. After a few seconds, she tapped, and the message opened.
"I got the job, Eva. Steve's Pizza Palace."
She read and smiled.
"Pizza boy, huh?" she mused.
She was about to begin typing when the car stopped, and the driver announced, "We're here, Ma'am.
She looked outside and found the sign that would always be an eye for her, and she sighed before stepping out of the taxi, paid the fare, and the taxi drove off.
Her steps halted as she approached the entrance. There was something unusual about the place tonight. It was too crowded, and many men in black suits who looked to be bodyguards could be seen both inside and out loitering outside.
She entered inside, her eyes still looking around, and then she found the burly man who had introduced her to Jon the other day, and she approached him.
"Stan," she called, but he didn't hear her and walked further away, leading a group of men.
Eva quickened her pace. She didn't know any else around that she could ask what was going on, so he was her only option.
"This is a proper place for such a conversation, gentlemen. Please follow me," Eva heard Stan say to the men that surrounded him.
Stan led them to an area that said, "authorized personnel only". The hallway was darker and with lights just bright enough to the person next to you.
Eva frowned, contemplating whether she should follow them or not. Then she remembered her mission here was to uncover their secrets and find Shadow.
Throwing caution to the wind, she followed, her steps fast but light, inwardly praying she shouldn't be discovered.
"I see no need for such secrecy when we already Shadow is here," one of the men following Stan grumbled.
Eva paused mid-step. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard what the man said.
Shadow..? The name replayed in her mind.
Was he really here? She asked inwardly.
Noticing the growing distance between them. She picked up her face, inwardly thanking her stars that she had worn sneakers and not heels. Those things were too loud.
"I do noy know where you heard something like that, Mr. Dawson, But I assure you that he is not here. Shadow is not someone that can be hidden," Stan replied.
"But he is always hiding," another man said, clicking his tongue. "All we want is a chance to talk to him, that is all. It isn't too difficult, is it?"
The longer they walked, the more Eva's unease grew. There were fewer places to hide, and should any of them glance behind, they would immediately spot her.
The men stopped walking, and Stan dipped his hand into his pant's pocket and took out a bunch of keys, and began checking each one.
The hallway was silent, and the only sound that could be heard was that of keys as he flipped them slowly as if intentional, then she heard him speak,
"I don't know who you are," he said. glancing her direction, "but you've made a big mistake coming down here."
Eva frowned ss she tried to understand why he meant, but she wasn't given that, and a hand clamped around her mouth and nose from behind with a cloth. She struggled and tried to break free, but she was firmly held by the waist, her back pressed again a hardened torso.
Then, slowly, her eyes grew heavy, and she started to lose consciousness.
****
At Small Ville, Smith was in an underground prison cell, a black mask on his face, covering all but his eyes. He was seated in front of him, was a man bound to a chair, hands tied behind behind him.
"I swear on my life I have told you everything," the man cried out through swollen lips and cheeks, his body bruised from the beating he had received.
"You say that like your life has any questions to it," Smith scoffed. His eyes narrowed.
"..." The man fell silent.
"How many of you are there here?" He asked.
"Two, Sir," he replied, and someone hit him from behind, the chair almost tipping over.
"Didn't you say you've told everything?" a gruff voice as. "Boss, should I just kill him?" the man asked, looking at Smith.
Smith shook his head, and then looked at the man tied up and asked, "Where is the other?"
"Talk." The other man urged.
"At the university…." The man answered without any further hesitation, but his words died when a cell phone rang, and footsteps came running towards the cell from outside.
"Sir," a boy who seemed to be between eighteen and twenty called. "it's yours, sir, and it's Mr. Marco calling." he said, holding the phone so Smith could see the caller as well.
His eyes narrowed as a deep frown settled between his brows. He glanced at the man inside and said, "Get everything from him."
He left without paying attention to whether or not theman responded.
Reaching the boy, he took the phone, his fi her sliding across the screen as he answered.
"There better be a good reason why you are calling, Marco." he said he stepped out of the cell and walked down the dark hallway.
There was pause before Marco's voice came through, "They've got your girl."