In the dim haze of a smoky club, the world outside might as well have been a million miles away. The bass of poorly mixed music thundered through my bones, each beat like the erratic pulse of the city itself—unforgiving, relentless. I leaned back in my booth, meeting the plush purple velvet of the sofa, and took a long sip of my whiskey. The thick amber liquid burned its way down my throat, chasing away the last remnants of my patience.

My eyes, trained to see both everything and nothing at all, roamed the room. Dancers twisted and turned on their poles, bodies moving with a seductive precision that belied the desperation behind their eyes. In this place, everyone had something to hide, but I knew that better than most. I had learned early on that trust was a currency only fools spent freely.

Tonight, I was here on business. A deal was supposed to go down—something small, a matter of shifting a few pieces of contraband through channels that had been secure for years. The boss insisted I oversee the transaction, a task I found more tedious than challenging. But, when you're a low-level crook with a reputation for reliability, tedious is better than dangerous.

The meeting was scheduled for midnight. I checked my watch; it was already ten minutes past. The contact was still yet to show and, in all honesty, I should've been on high alert. Instead, I was busy nursing my drink and eyeing up the beautiful woman twirling around a pole just across the room. Her dark, coiled hair shimmered with just a tinge of blue as it fell about her shoulders, catching the dim lights with a subtle, almost otherworldly glow.

Her skin was smooth and honey-gold, a sparkle of makeup dusted over her cheeks, shining under the neon lights that swam across her curves. She moved with an effortless grace that contradicted her vulgar moves, her body undulating in a rhythm that seemed almost hypnotic.

Her eyes, though, were the most captivating part of her. They were a deep, soulful brown, framed by long lashes and a smudge of dark eyeliner. They almost twinkled as she danced but behind their beauty hid a shroud of something more. Something that seemed to cling to her even as she projected her image of confidence and allure. She was dangerous, I could tell you that from a single glance.

Her full lips curved into a practised, seductive smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes as she winked at me, her hips swinging in a way that made you want to reach out and grab them.

I downed the rest of my glass and stood up, ready to meet my men and figure out what the hell was going on. As I made my way through the crowded club, pushing through the musk of sweaty bodies, I scanned the room for anything unusual.

Before I had a good chance to look around, a lopsided smirk and unruly golden curls stepped into my way. It was a young man, his subtle makeup catching the light just so as he swayed his hips to the thrum of the music. His slightly unbuttoned top exposed his pointed collarbones, and there was a confident, almost cocky glint in his eye.

"Hey handsome, looking for a good time?" he asked, his voice smooth as butter, presumably meant to be as enticing as the way he leaned in, letting his warm breath brush against my cheek. His eyes, a shade too bright to be natural, flickered with mischief as he traced a finger down my arm. "Because I can show you a night you won't forget."

I pushed him off with a frown, not in the mood for distractions. "Not now." I said, brushing past him as my eyes continued to flitter over the crowd for who I was looking for. I had bigger concerns tonight than a pretty face.

As I walked away, I heard him mutter something under his breath but ignored it. I already had enough on my plate. Besides, I was here for business, not pleasure. The deal was all that mattered. If something went wrong it would be my head on the chopping block.

Pushing through the throng of bodies, I finally spotted one of my guys, Sean, near the back of the club. He was a burly, violent man inked from head to toe but, when I had to do the dirty work there was no one else I'd rather have by my side. He'd been with me through thick and thin and was now leaning against the wall, scanning the room with a look I'd rarely seen on him before.

"Sean," I called out as I approached. "Anything?"

Sean shook his head, his expression grim. "No sign of him. I've got a bad feeling about this."

With my instincts on high alert, I glanced around the room. Something was definitely off, usually we'd have at least heard about a delay. The contact was scarcely late, and this uncanny silence was starting to smell like a setup.

"Keep your eyes peeled," I ordered. "We can't afford any mistakes tonight."

Sean nodded, his jaw set with determination. "Yeah, alright. I'll keep looking."

This was supposed to be a routine job, but the night was starting to take on a sinister edge. I just hoped we could get through it without everything going to hell.

That was when my burner buzzed.

I pulled it out to glance at the message, recognising it immediately as coming from the higher-ups who'd sent us out here in the first place. It was brief but clear:

Contact. Back Alley. Now.

I glanced up at Sean, who was already watching me with his brow slightly arched and a silent question lingering in his eyes. "Change of plans. Look's like we're getting some fresh air."

I grabbed the briefcase stashed by Sean's feet and we began to push our way through the crowd towards the back exit. The bass of the music seemed to grow fainter and fainter with each step until it was replaced by the murmur of the city outside. Or was that just the ringing in my ears?

As I stepped out into the cool night air, I caught a glimpse of the dancer from earlier. She was leaning against the wall wearing a thick fur coat, the flicker of her cigarette lighter casting brief, orange shadows across her features. Her dark, coiled hair was now loose, falling in waves over her shoulders. She really was too fucking beautiful for her own good, far too much so to be standing outside alone on a cold, dark night.

If I didn't have a job to do I'd have asked her for a light just for a chance to taste the nicotine on her tongue. There was no sultry wink now or even a glance my way as we passed by. In fact, she seemed far too lost in her own thoughts to care about anything else.

A bit further down, tucked away in a shadowy corner, I noticed a couple all wrapped up in each other. As we got closer, the familiar mop of blonde curls caught my eye—it was the same guy who had propositioned me earlier. Now, he was wrapped around another man, their lips locked in a fervent kiss while their hands wandered beneath each other's clothes. The sight was a stark, almost absurd contrast to the tension I felt building inside me. I nearly scoffed but bit back the impulse. I had a job to do.

In that grimy alley the only light came from a single flickering bulb that cast these creepy as hell, erratic shadows on the walls. It only served to add to my sense of unease and I couldn't shake the feeling that we were walking into something we shouldn't be. Then again, I was never one for shying away from a fight.

The longer we stood there, the more that narrow space seemed to compress around us, the walls closing in like a watchful audience. I glanced at Sean, who remained stoic, his gaze fixed on the dimly lit entrance where our contact was supposed to meet us.

We waited, eyes darting around for any signs of movement, anything that shouldn't be there. The briefcase I was holding felt heavier by the second.

Then, from the darkness, they appeared—led by a wiry man in a long, dark coat who stepped into the alley with an air of deliberate calm. He showed no indifference as he walked out, carrying a briefcase identical to the one I had in my hand, and his eyes flicked to mine with a fleeting hint of apprehension.

"Evening," he said, his voice low and measured. "Let's get this over with."

We exchanged the briefcases swiftly, just as I'd done every other time, the transaction going about as smoothly as you'd expect it to. I verified the contents quickly, making sure not a penny was out of place. When I was sure everything was there, for a brief moment, I allowed myself to relax.

Big mistake.

The deal was just wrapping up when I saw it, a sudden flicker of movement that caught my eye. Instinctively, I turned my head just in time to see a glint of metal. My heart raced as I realised what was happening—our contact was drawing a gun.

"Get down!" I shouted, barely managing to draw my own pistol in time when bullets started flying.

The alley erupted into chaos. The contact's men pulled their weapons and, with the briefcase still firmly in his grip, he made a mad dash for the exit, his silhouette vanishing into the night.

I fired a shot, barely missing one of the attackers as the alley continued to fill with bursts of gunfire and shouts of confusion. I saw Sean fall, his body crumpling to the ground, crimson splattering the walls. The noise was deafening, each gunshot echoing in the confined space.

I barely managed to fire off another round before I felt a searing pain in my side. The force of the bullet knocked me back, and I stumbled against the cold brick wall. The world around me began to blur, the alley's harsh shadows blending into a swirling haze of red and black.

The screaming began then, sharp and piercing. It wasn't until the sound echoed down the alley that I realised it was a woman's scream—the stripper. My vision swam in and out, the edges of my sight darkening with each passing second.

Amid the chaos, I caught fleeting glimpses of movement. Through the swirling darkness, I saw her face, eyes wide with fear. Beside her was the prostitute, his golden curls illuminated in the flickering light, looking down at me with an expression I couldn't quite place—concern, maybe, or just surprise.

Darkness closed in around me, the world growing dimmer. I could barely make out their faces now as they hovered above me. Their voices were muffled, their words incomprehensible. I felt a cold numbness spreading through my body, and I could do nothing but fade away into the encroaching blackness that had come to finally claim my soul.

Crook — a person who is dishonest or a criminal.

Inked — having a tattoo or tattoos.

Burner — a mobile phone without a contract, that is typically only used for a short time and then thrown away. a burner phone.