by Kylie Walker
He led her past the bar and out onto an open balcony. The night air had a light warm breeze, but it was so much nicer than the air in the crowded, stuffy club. Chloe saw Roxi and two men she didn’t know sitting at a table near a small dance floor. Lexi and Brock were amongst the four or five couples dancing and Mike was embroiled in deep conversation with the piano player.
Roxi saw them and waved.
There were about thirty-or forty people total at the party. Some of them worked as dancers or bartenders at the club and some of them Chloe didn’t recognize at all. The two men with Roxi were very nicely dressed and looked like businessmen. Chloe guessed they were probably very rich and discreet members of Roxi’s club.
Off to one side was a buffet table piled high with delicious looking food and a giant cake with a little man spinning a record sitting on top. Chloe and Jake made their way towards the others and the song that was playing ended. Lexi and Brock intercepted them before they made it to Roxi’s table.
“I’m so glad you came,” Lexi told her, giving her a hug. “Hi, Jake.”
“Lexi, good to see you again.”
Brock and Jake were saying hello as Chloe said, “I’m glad I came too…now that I see things from up here. I was a little leery at first.”
“Yeah, Brock’s like you about crowds. As soon as he saw that mess downstairs, he wanted to leave.”
“That comes from being in security,” Brock said. “You just never know what kind of fool is going to end up in the mix of that many people.”
Jake gave Chloe a “told you so,” look, but he didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to; if anyone was leery of crowds, it was her. She had just really needed to get out tonight.
As the men returned to their conversation, Chloe looked up to see Roxi headed towards them. Lexi glanced her way too and then loudly she said, “Thank goodness our boss is so classy and has such good taste.”
“Kiss up much?” Roxi asked her in a dry voice.
Lexi laughed. “I didn’t know you were there, Rox.”
Roxi rolled her eyes at Lexi and then she said hello to Chloe. Chloe introduced her to Jake.
“Wow, you look so much like your brother.”
Jake smiled. “He looks like me.”
“Lucky guy,” Roxi said in a seductive voice. Jake’s eyes lit up. Chloe didn’t miss the exchange. She glanced at Lexi who looked like she was trying to control her giggles.
Roxi shocked them further by sliding her arm through Jake’s and saying, “Let’s go get you a drink.” Chloe had seen her do it many times before, but never to anyone she didn’t know. Jake was as helpless to her charms as every other man. He followed her like he was in a trance.
Lexi and Chloe watched them go with incredulous looks on their faces. “Damn, she’s good. He’s smiling from ear to ear already,” Lexi said. “I wish I had some of that magic.”
Chloe laughed. “You don’t need it; you have Brock.” Chloe watched as Roxi worked poor Jake over with her subtle, seductive glances and brief touches. “I don’t know Jake all that well yet, but I’m afraid Roxi might just be too much for him.” She and Lexi giggled again.
“Chloe!” She looked in the direction of the deep voice. Mike was headed over towards them. He was dressed in his standard jeans and long, wide t-shirt. His clothes were always clean and pressed, so Roxi let him have his own style when he worked. It looked like he had the same when he was off the job.
“Hey, Mike! Congratulations on your new job,” she said when he got close. “Aren’t you going to miss Roxi’s club?”
Mike laughed and looked around for Roxi. When he saw she wasn’t near, he said, “Not even a tiny little bit. I miss you like crazy though. I heard about Derek; I’m so sorry. How is he?”
“He’s getting better every day,” Chloe told him. “He’s amazing.”
Mike laughed again.
“What?” Chloe asked cocking an eyebrow.
“Oh nothing, I just had a little memory flash of a girl who said some guy that paid that much money to watch her dance exclusively for him all week was some kind of perverted…”
“Okay, okay. I was wrong. I was so wrong. It happens rarely, but it happens,” she said with a smile. “So tell me about your new job.”
“It’s at a radio station in New Hampshire. 106.7 The Foxx,” he said. “I’m pretty excited about it.”
“You should be. I’m really happy for you. Are you moving there too?”
“The wife and I are still talking about that. She’s not fond of the idea of being two and a half hours from her mother. Dance with me?”
Chloe wondered what that felt like. She was suddenly filled with a warm sensation as she thought about Samantha. Hopefully, soon she would be able to identify when people spoke fondly about their parents. She was already proud of who hers were, that was the first step, she supposed.
“Sure, I would love to dance,” Chloe said, “Where’s your wife?”
“She’s here,” he told her, looking around. “There she is with Britney and Grace. They were talking about this new make-up line the wife’s company started carrying on about for almost an hour. It was boring me to death.”
Chloe laughed and said, “I’m not much into that stuff either.”
“I know, you’re an enigma…a hot chick who’s not into chick stuff.”
Mike led Chloe out to the dance floor and they danced to an upbeat song. Chloe had almost forgotten how much she loved to dance just for the sake of dancing. It was fun when there weren’t any nasty old men sitting around with their peckers in their hands. Anything was more fun without that though. When the song ended, she went over to the bar by Roxi and Jake and ordered a drink.
After the bartender sat her drink on the counter and walked away, Roxi looked around to make sure it was just the three of them and said, “Any word on Jesse?”
Jake’s happy demeanor was suddenly sour. “He’s still slinking around like a rat,” he said.
“Has he tried to contact you at all?” she asked Chloe.
“He walked right up to us not long ago,” Chloe told her. “But just to prove he’s a little chicken-shit, he waited until we were on the pier and he stood underneath us and spewed his bull-shit.”
“I’ve never met this guy and I would really like to cut off his dick,” Roxi said, dryly.
Jake almost choked on his drink as he laughed. When he stopped laughing, he said, “I do know him and I feel the same way.”
“What are the police doing about all of this?”
“They’re looking for him in connection with my friend Chantelle’s assault. I can’t say that I believe they’re looking hard. It would be hard to be the guy who brings in the D.A.’s son I guess, but it still pisses me off. If you’re going to be a cop, you should have the balls to do your job regardless of who the criminal is related to.”
“I agree,” Roxi said. “You need to stay on them, get a good attorney and push them to do something. I can put in a word with some of the people I know and if you need money…”
“I don’t need money, Roxi, but thanks.”
“She has an attorney…or two,” Jake said with a smile.
“You?” Roxi asked.
“Yes. I’m an attorney and so is my father.”
“Oh, you don’t work for the DA’s office, do you?”
He laughed. “No, thanks. I’m a defense attorney.”
“Oh good, there you go Chloe. Keep after the police because if you don’t, they’ll never get out there and look for this guy. I wouldn’t doubt that Vince Donovan is putting pressure on them not to.” She looked at Jake then with another of her flirty, seductive looks and said, “Before you go tonight you can give me your card.”
Jake raised an eyebrow. “You need a lawyer?”
“Not yet,” she said, “But you never know. Would it be okay if I called you if I did?”
Chloe almost smiled at the look on Jake’s face. He didn’t really have to answer, but he did. “Um, yeah, definitely…i
f you need a lawyer…or anything.”
Roxi smiled, showing rows of beautiful white teeth. “Come on Jake. Let’s dance.”
Chloe watched them go, smiling too. They were cute. It was nice to just have some mindless fun for a change. She finished her drink and found Lexi on her way out to dance with Brock. “Where is the ladies room?”
“There’s one right at the top of the stairs,” Lexi told her.
“Thanks, I’ll be right back.” Chloe made eye-contact with Jake who seemed very comfortable with Roxi in his arms. She didn’t blame him, Roxi is hot. She was glad he was having fun since he had to spend his night following her around.
She mouthed, “Bathroom,” and pointed towards the lounge.
He nodded.
She didn’t want him to look up and not see her and worry. She made her way back to the small lounge. She found the Unisex bathroom and knocked on the door. When there was no sound from inside, she turned the handle and pushed open the door. She was holding onto the door, reaching along the wall for the light-switch when she suddenly felt herself be pushed from behind. She was propelled forward into the small room and landed on her knees up against the wall. Before the door closed behind him, she saw Jesse’s smiling face.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Hi Kelly,” she heard him say as she scrambled to her feet. She couldn’t see him in the dark room, but she could hear him breathing. She was trying to feel along the wall and circle around him back to the door. Max’s words…everything he taught her was running through her mind. Attack, retreat, attack again…don’t stop. Never stop. If you leave him alive, he will kill you!
“I’m not alone here, Jesse!”
“I know that Kelly,” he said, in a sarcastic, juvenile tone. “You’re with a Stark again. I was wondering about something Kelly. Are you screwing both of them? Maybe their Daddy too? Maybe you can take on all three of them at once. That is if Derek’s dick even works anymore.”
“Fuck you, Jesse!”
He laughed. “Me too? You’re a bigger slut than I remember you being. Just remember that I know every little thing there is to know about you, Kelly. I know where you live. I know where you’re staying. I know who you’re screwing. I know you’ve been going to that studio, thinking you’re learning how to fight…ME…that’s a fucking joke. I’m stronger now than I’ve ever been. You would be better off lying down and just letting the knife slip into your carotid.”
His voice was getting closer. She could smell the subtle hint of the alcohol on his breath or in his pores. He had drunk enough to make him brave. Coming out in public like this to grab her was a big mistake, she hoped. Her heart was hammering in her chest and she was having trouble controlling her breathing. She knew she had to calm down and pull it together and she had to do it fast. Maybe tonight this will end one way or the other.
“What do you want, Jesse?” she wanted to keep him talking, so she knew where he was.
His voice was suddenly right in her ear. She felt the warmth of his alcohol soaked breath as he said, “You. Dead!”
“How does that help you? Then you just go back to prison. Why not just get on with your life and let me get on with mine.” Good Chloe, reason with a psychopath.
“They can’t send me to prison if they don’t find the body. You already disappeared off the face of the earth once. No one will even notice if you take off again. You know I’m nobody’s fool, Kelly. I have this all figured out. I’ve already got spots for all the pieces of your body. I’m looking forward to it. So much so that I would almost be willing for us to do it tonight and get it over with. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Why don’t we do that?”
Chloe lunged for the door. Jesse’s arm came out and grabbed her by the hair sending a flurry of pain rushing through her head.
She screamed.
The music was too loud. He could beat her to death right here and no one would ever hear her screams. She was shaking and panting. She took a deep breath and told herself; I’m nobody’s victim. She drew her knee up to her stomach and with everything inside of her she kicked back like a mule. Jesse grunted and she heard his balls crunch. Taking a handful of hair with him, he flew back and hit the wall. Chloe scrambled for the door to the sound of him groaning out, “You fucking bitch! You’re dead bitch!”
She ran out of the bathroom. A young girl was standing near the door. She didn’t seem to hear all the yelling. Chloe didn’t stop running. She grabbed her by the wrist and as she dragged her along, she said, “Don’t go in there. Call 911.”
“What? Get off me!” The girl was drunk.
Chloe let go of her and yelled out to the bartender. He was down at the end of the bar flirting with a half-dressed brunette. “Call the police!” She continued out to the patio. As soon as Jake saw her face, he knew.
“Jesse’s here! He’s in the bathroom.”
Jake left her with Lexi and Roxi who had come over right away and he ran.
“Are you okay?” Lexi asked her. Chloe’s heart was racing so fast that she thought it might explode. She just nodded. She was too winded to speak. Roxi made her sit down and got her some water.
“Take some deep breaths, Chloe. Relax. You’re safe now.” Roxi whispered.
Chloe knew rationally that she had won that fight, but the furthest recesses of her mind were still so screwed up from her history. All she could hear in her head at the moment was Jesse’s voice telling her that she would be sorry. She pissed him off and if they didn’t catch him tonight, he would be back. Even if they did, he would be back.
Chloe sat there trying to take some deep breaths and willing herself to stop shaking. She didn’t know how much time passed, but she suddenly realized that Jake had been gone too long. What if Jesse hurt him? She couldn’t stand to be responsible for that. She stood up and instantly felt Roxi’s hand on her arm.
“Jake’s been gone too long. I need to make sure that he’s okay.”
“Give him a few more minutes; I’m sure he’ll be fine. He looks like a guy who can handle himself to me.”
Chloe felt tears at the corners of her eyes. That made her angry. She wasn’t going to cry over him again. Her days of crying over Jesse were in the past. She concentrated on controlling her breathing again and after a few more minutes passed, Jake came back out on the balcony. He was with two uniformed police officers.
“Are you okay?” she asked him.
“I’m fine. I’m so sorry, Chloe. He was gone when I got to the bathroom. The bouncer down at the bottom of the stairs said he had a red ticket. The guy at the door denied giving it to him but said just now he saw a guy leave who was all hunched over forward. The guy told him he had too much to drink and was sick. The bouncer was happy to let him go vomit somewhere else. He had dark hair and his physical build matched Jesse’s. Was he wearing a black polo?”
Chloe nodded numbly. He was back out there to stalk her again.
“I went outside, but I didn’t see him. I’m so sorry!” Jake sounded so distraught.
“Don’t be sorry. It’s not your fault. He wouldn’t have come in here if he hadn’t planned his getaway already. Shit! I should have aimed for his face!”
“Did you get his nuts?” Roxi asked. “Is that why he was hunched over?”
“Yeah, I got those pretty good,” Chloe said.
“Good girl.” Roxi looked proud.
Jake went to talk to the police officers. Chloe glanced at him and thought that he looked like he was about to explode. There was sweat on his brow and Chloe could see the vein pulsing in his neck. When he finished telling them his story, they called her over and she told them what happened in the bathroom. Jake tensed visibly, even more, when Chloe repeated the words Jesse said to her.
“Do you have a restraining order against him, Miss?” The officer asked her.
“I haven’t filed one, no. But he just got out of prison for trying to kill me. Wouldn’t coming near me after that be some kind of offense?”
“He assaulted you, so yes he
committed an offense. I would suggest getting that restraining order.” Roxi was standing behind Chloe.
“You should go get it right now,” Roxi said in a smug tone. Chloe turned to look at her and she could see the irritation on her boss’s face. “That way if he comes back with that knife, you can throw that paper right at him.”
The cop ignored Roxi’s comment and finished taking down Chloe’s information. When the police left, Chloe and Jake said goodnight to everyone and headed for home. Chloe heard Roxi ask Jake for his card and she heard him tell her he didn’t have one. He seemed angry with himself. This wasn’t his fault and Chloe hated that she forced him to go out with her and went into that bathroom alone and he was taking this all on himself. He was quiet all the way to the apartment and Chloe could almost feel the heat coming off of him as he smoldered.
“Jake, I’m okay and this wasn’t your fault,” she finally told him.
“You could be dead on that bathroom floor and it would have been my fault.”
“No, it wouldn’t have been. Everyone keeps telling me to stop owning Jesse’s stuff. You need to do the same. Besides, I handled myself pretty well. At least now I know he’s not as tough as I had always imagined him to be.”
“I’m not trying to own that psychopath’s issues,” Jake said. “But I have to own my own. I shouldn’t have let you go alone. I was…fuck! I was flirting with your boss and you nearly died. That’s teenage mentality. I’m ashamed of myself.”
“Jake…”
“It’s okay, Chloe, you don’t have to say it. I know that you don’t blame me, but no matter what you say, I know that I fucked up my duties. It won’t happen again. I’m staying with you tonight.”
“These “duties” were shoved onto you. I’m the one who is sorry for that. It’s not necessary for you to stay.”
“Maybe not, but you’ll have to have me physically removed from the premises if you don’t want me here. I’m not leaving you. It’s the only way I can feel better about tonight.” Chloe appreciated his diligence, but that would make what she had to do in a few more weeks that much more difficult.