Chapter 547

With that on his mind, Hughes drove through the streets. The hum of the city was swallowed by the purr of the engine.

In the back seat, Robbie let out a sigh of relief that could fill the whole car. He had narrowly escaped the reaper’s grasp, but he knew Hughes wouldn’t help him out of the fire for free. They were just regular pals. He often came to Azure with his friends. And Hughes? He owned the club. That was all.

Robbie couldn’t fathom why Hughes had saved his life. Two hundred grand wasn’t chump change, but at least Robbie didn’t need to hide himself anymore and kept his life. He ventured to break the silence.

“Mr. Hughes, whatever you need, just say it.” He thumped his chest for emphasis. “Whatever it is, consider it done!”

Hughes lit a cigarette as the car slid out of the alley. Before he could respond, a woman stepped out of a cab. She had an average face, long hair, and rosy skin. She was wearing gold metal framed glasses.

She was dressed in plain black sportswear, nothing fancy. But as she walked, her figure turned heads.

Her face was forgettable, but her body was hot.

The woman seemed in a rush to get to Elm Street. Hughes had to wonder what kind of connection she had to Robbie. He honked the horn and rolled down the window. “Get in.”

Emma got in. The smell in the car was bad. Turning her head, she caught sight of Robbie in the back and let out a breath she seemed to have been holding. Hughes, catching a whiff of the peculiar odor, realized Robbie had pissed himself in fear. He cursed under his breath and rolled down the windows further as he sped along.

Feeling sheepish, Robbie’s eyes wandered to Emma’s chest. Near-death experiences surely had a way of bringing out a man’s boldness.

“Is this Robbie?” Emma asked.

Hughes took a puff from his cigarette and smirked. “He’s the man you’re looking for. You don’t recognize him?”

“Thank you,” Emma responded simply.

“A ‘thanks’ seems a bit light. How about something more real?”

“How much do you want?” Emma inquired.

Hughes exhaled a cloud of smoke that danced around his sharp features. “I’m not in need of cash.” He spoke around the cigarette. His voice was slightly muffled. “We got time. Talk to Robbie. Get what you need from him. Then we’ll talk.”

They pulled up to the Azure.

Hughes stepped out first. Emma, still eyeing Robbie, told Hughes, “I need a private room.”

Hughes nodded in agreement.

As they entered the club, an employee approached. “Boss, there’s been an inquiry.”

“About what?” Hughes asked.

“Some folks came asking for Robbie. Has he ruffled some feathers? People have been sniffing around for him a lot lately.”

Hughes’ eyes narrowed. “Did you tell them anything?”

“Not a word.”

Hughes pondered for a moment, and then instructed, “Set up a private room for the lady. The third floor.”

The third floor was Hughes’ personal sanctum. It was a quiet space. The decoration style was different from the first and second floors.

Meanwhile, Hughes took out his phone and dialed Darian’s number. “Darian, I’ll toss an extra hundred grand your way. I need a favor.”

Money talks. Darian wasn’t the type to turn it down. “Speak away, Mr. Hughes.”

“If anyone comes to you looking for Robbie, play dumb. Say you haven’t seen him and you’re looking for him too.”