Up All Night Long: From Lust to Love (Romance Anthology)

by Ali Parker

  Marcus paused, his eyes closing as he leaned his head back. "Fine. Come over and we'll talk. No, she's not coming out. She's asleep."

  Kate's brow furrowed as she sunk back into her seat, the sound of Marcus's voice fading as her mind began to race. Was Adam's death somehow connected to the new drugs Marcus had started selling? They hadn't spoken about Marcus's involvement in selling in a long time. She tried hard to keep clear of knowing too much. It was safer that way.

  "Kate. Hello?" He stood and the movement pulled her from her reverie, the sound of his voice already moved into the past, pulling at her memories of the days when she ran for her life all the time. She looked up at him as he moved around the desk and reached down to pull at her shoulder, concern on his face. She shook her head a little, hoping to physically clear her thoughts.

  What did he say?

  "Yeah, I'm sorry. Lost in thought. Who was that and what did they want, Marcus? Don't bullshit with me either," she growled at him and backed up a little.

  A look of hurt moved across his strong face, his eyes narrowing in confusion as he moved forward to maintain contact.

  "You know things have changed since you were in the game, Katie. Shorty got a new product a week or so ago from a new drug lord and it's the rage right now. Our boss isn't too happy with it. A war is on the horizon, this new form of meth cooked up in the heart of hell. One hit and you would dance naked across barbwire. It's mind-blowing."

  "Who is this new guy and what does that have to do with your phone call? What does it have to do with me? With Adam?"

  "Seems your friend was caught up with these guys. The new drug lord is a vicious man. He takes what he wants, fucks some of it and kills the rest. Adam was trying to get in with him and I guess the boy smoked up the product."

  "I knew it was something like that, Marcus. But what about me? You were talking to them as if they knew me and knew what happened in the street the other night."

  "Let's talk about this later. They are sending someone this way to meet me. They want to establish a relationship with us to make sure we don't give the cops any information about what happened."

  "They want to threaten us. These guys don't talk. They gunned Adam down and you invited them to stop by? Why didn't you fucking tell me that you knew who killed him?"

  "How would that have made a difference? You need to gain their trust or they are likely to gun us down too."

  "Why now? It's been a fucking week. Why just now are you coming clean? Why just now are they wanting to meet?"

  "They’re watching us I would assume. Your cop friend just set them back on the path to clean up their shit. I guess they haven't established themselves well enough and don't have a rat on the force. That being the case, they have to clean up the hard way."

  "By killing everyone who might have eyes to implicate their actions."

  "Exactly. I need you to go. They're headed this way. Just go up to your place and I'll take care of it."

  "What? No. I'm not cowering in my bedroom while you deal with these guys. It's probably just one of this new guy’s lackeys. If I don't show my face they'll think they can run over me, scare me and push me around." She stood and shook her head, reiterating that she wasn't going anywhere.

  "Stop fucking around and get out of here. I told you that they're on their way over here, Katie. Victor is the new guy over there and he's no one to mess with. Things have changed a lot since you left the streets. Go and let me handle it." He walked around the desk and turned her around, physically forcing her to move toward the door. She dug her heels into the ground and pushed back, spinning her body and sending him tumbling toward the open door behind her.

  "No. This is my club and my territory. I've worked hard for this place, both physically and metaphorically speaking. Let him come over here. I'm tough, Marcus. Don't you dare turn me into a little girl that needs help. I will never be that." She moved to the safe in the back of the office and knelt before it.

  She typed in her numbers on the keypad and tugged at the small metal door. It groaned at her as she tugged it open, the smell of weed rising up to greet her. Money, drugs, I.D.'s and guns were all safely tucked away for a time such as this. She pulled out her pistol and some ammo, sliding the gun into the back of her jeans and tucking the ammo in her back pocket. She closed the safe and stood, Marcus breathing down her neck.

  "I need my glock back. Fucking cops," she mumbled and moved toward him, his stare pinning her in place for a minute.

  "Goddammit, Kate. These aren't people like Shady and me. They are from another place and respect amongst you and them has yet to be established. Listen to me... they are not coming to see what you're made of, they are coming to tell you what you get to do and what you won't be doing. Get outta here and just let me deal with them." He pulled her face into his large palms, and looked down at her with foreign emotion. "Please..."

  She laughed and it fell flat. A knock resounded at the back door and she pulled from him, moving toward it. "I'm not that girl, Marcus. You've domesticated me in your mind. Shame really."

  He moved in behind her, a soft growl coming from him. "Dammit."

  She pressed the door open and stepped out into the late afternoon, the alley empty save for one man, his body large like Marcus, his look humored at best.

  "This is my club and my place. You're not welcome here, so back the fuck up, because I won't." She might be small, but men were subject to pain just like the rest of the world and she knew exactly where to get him to teach the mother fucker a lesson that he wouldn't soon forget.

  Chapter 9

  Kate

  He was at least six foot eight and weighed more than two hundred and fifty pounds. His head was bald and tattoos ran down his neck, disappearing into his black Metallica t-shirt.

  He smiled, and held up his hands as she reached for her gun, hesitating as a warning to him. He shook his head and took another step toward her as Marcus held up his hand.

  "That's far enough, man. Stay where you are and say what you came to say. She ain't in the mood to be pushed around and I never will be." Marcus crossed his arms over his large chest as Kate moved another step toward the threat.

  "Hold up there, pretty girl." The man spoke, his voice deep and raspy like he had glass for breakfast. "I'm only here to talk. Don't pull your gun on me or my marching orders will shift to something less than pleasant."

  Kate growled and touched the base of her gun, but didn't pull it out. She didn't want a fight, but she was most certainly not backing down from anything related to what was and wasn't happening at her club, in her world.

  "Don't tell me what to do with my gun at my fucking club. Got it?"

  Marcus stepped up beside her and pressed his arm to hers. "What do you want? I've already explained to your boss on the phone that nothing was said to the cops about what happened, namely because we don't know the details. You guys ran off far too fast and we don't know any of you. Nothing else to say really."

  The large man nodded and shifted his dark gaze back to Kate, his eyes moving across her body as if undressing her and imagining all the ways to make her scream. She steeled her resolve, her teeth locking together as she glared at him.

  "We hear you loud and clear, but seeing as Katelyn was the one to talk with the cops about us..."

  "Kate," she barked at him. He had a few more minutes to pussyfoot around before she pulled her gun and waved him off, threat or promise, she wasn't in the mood for being manhandled emotionally by some new two-bit crack dealer’s yard boy.

  He laughed and winked at her. "I like you. So seeing as Kate was the one that talked with the cops, my boss just wanted me to stop by and talk directly with her. We're new here and looking to make friends. Your club is known for being the kind of place our clients hang out in. We can help each other, you know?"

  “I'm not interested. We have suppliers that we deal with and you guys aren't one of them." She shrugged as if he didn't matter, which he didn't.

  "That's not the
answer I was looking for, Princess." His smile fell and his stance shifted just a bit.

  "She's right, dude. Tell Victor that if he's looking to score some business he needs to call me. I'm in charge of what does and doesn't make it into Kate's club. We have suppliers and unless you're willing to cut me a good deal, I ain't interested either."

  "I said no." Kate looked toward Marcus and then back to the large bastard before her. "Tell Victor that I didn't say nothing to the cops and I won't. I don't have anything to say. Fuck you and your offer. Get off of my property."

  "Keep your mouth shut, pretty girl. If not, I'll be back and next time I don't get the chance to be this cordial." The man winked and turned his heavy stare back toward Marcus. "We'll be in touch. I think you'll find that my employer is much more willing to make you a powerful and rich man should you decide that's something you want."

  Marcus nodded and turned, motioning for Kate to follow him as the guy left. It wasn't until they were in the darkness of the hall that Kate turned to him.

  "Don't you ever presume to know what is and isn't okay with me. Those mother fuckers gunned down a seventeen-year-old boy outside my club last weekend. I don't want them or their shit near me."

  "Kate... you know the world we live in. Stop acting like the kid didn't get what was coming to him. I'm sorry you knew him and his death affects you, but baby you know I'm right." He reached for her as she jerked away and walked back into her office, moving to her safe and pulling the small bag of weed out.

  "Give it here and I'll roll it for you," Marcus spoke behind her.

  "I hate you." She tossed it to him and sat down in her father's large leather chair. "And I'm starving."

  Marcus sat down across from her and lifted a small box on the edge of her desk, moving the folded up yellow papers to pull out the small rollers. He worked the weed into it, licking the edge as he looked up at her.

  "Relax with this and I'll go grab you something to eat. You want a burger?"

  "Are you not at all concerned with what just happened? There is a new drug lord in town? How is your boss going to take that? He's just as likely to send someone over here to off you if he thinks you're talking about getting in bed with Victor."

  Marcus stood and shrugged, handing her the joint and reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a light and leaned in, the small flame dancing before her.

  "It's part of the job, Kate. I don't scare easily and whoever pays the most is who I'm working for."

  "I don't like it."

  "You've been through a lot lately. Sit back and chill. This week is going to suck and I'll be out for some of it. You need to enjoy your Sunday. Leave these bastards to me and you focus on shaking that cop off your tail. He doesn't seem like he's satisfied with your story. I'm sure it's not the last you've seen of his preppy looking ass."

  "Extra mayo and pickles on my burger. Stop treating me like a child or I'll tie you down and fuck you until your eyes bulge from your big head."

  He chuckled and walked to the door, his voice carrying over his shoulder. "Okay sweet little docile sugar plum."

  She laughed and lifted the smoke to her lips, inhaling deeply. They were in too deep. The life she hated was following her as closely now as it had back then. She needed to get rid of Jon, to lead him down a different trail. The guys who killed his brother wouldn't hesitate to off him too, and her if given the chance.

  Marcus dropped off her food and left for the evening, his offer to stay and help her forget everything denied. Sex wasn't the answer. She wasn't sure what was though. Maybe leaving the city and changing her name? She couldn't leave the club though. It was the first thing she ever owned, part of her view of herself now.

  A long sigh left her as she walked up to her apartment, the afternoon having slid into evening quickly. The club was ready for the onslaught of drunk idiots sure to show up the next evening and she was bone tired. Marcus was right about Adam's death, but it didn't make it any easier to swallow.

  She sat down at her computer and kicked off her shoes, pulling up the information on Adam's death, the cops still stating that they didn't have a suspect for the drive by shooting.

  "Drive by... that's funny. How about concentrated drive by?" She reached over and undid the small burger from the wrapper, taking a bite and cursing as tomato juice ran down her white shirt. She pulled it from her and tossed it across the room to the laundry hamper before turning her attention back to the screen.

  Jon's name was highlighted in the bottom right hand corner as the detective on the case. She clicked it as a picture of him in his dark blue uniform came up. Clean shaved and smiling like he had just won the lottery, she chuckled. He was a good boy for sure. No wonder Adam didn't like him. Looking at his picture she didn't much care for him all of a sudden either. Good thing he didn't look like a good boy at all in person.

  She read through his bio, the police station quick to note that even though Jon shared a last name with the victim on his current case, there was no relation between them.

  "Bullshit." She sat back and finished her burger as she watched him. How fun it would be to toy with him, to see what he was made of. It had been a long time since someone had beckoned her to move away from the pleasure Marcus provided, just to test the proverbial 'what-if'. She rolled her eyes, crumpling the paper and standing to stretch.

  "How about we move past the part where you think I killed your brother and get to the part where you’re fucking me passionately?"

  "No? Don't know how to fuck passionately?"

  "Let me show you, baby." She laughed and walked to the kitchen, still talking to herself. "You're such a dumbass."

  Her dreams were filled with fire and demons from hell as she tried to save Adam over and over, only to lose him each time the dream cycled during the night. She woke several times with a scream on the tip of her tongue, her body aching from thrashing about and covered in sweat.

  She needed the morning to come and pull her from the vicious cycle laid before her, her guilty conscience eating at her although she'd done nothing wrong. It was as if she had set Adam on his path to destruction. The worst part of the dream was watching Jon lose his shit over the death of his brother, the large handsome man falling apart in front of her while she laughed.

  The sound of her alarm was a welcomed reprieve and she slipped from her wet sheets and stumbled to the kitchen, making a pot of coffee and then heading to the shower in hopes of burning the images from her mind.

  The hot water pulled her from her zombification and helped her to wake up to the reality that Adam had died at the hands of a new drug lord. One that wanted to do business with her and Marcus. She could drown in the truth that it was unfair and wrong, or she could put on her big girl panties and respect the world that lived just outside her door.

  They didn't play by the common man's set of rules. They made their own.

  Maybe it was time she did as well.

  Slipping a fitted cream-colored dress over her head, she pulled the small piece of paper from her jewelry box and looked it over once more before putting it back. She would dress up like the innocent girl she was and pay a visit to Adam's brother, turning him in the wrong direction or convincing him to let this go.

  Nothing good could come of it.

  Chapter 10

  Jon

  He couldn't shake the thought of her. The way she spoke with confidence, her presence commanding, her eyes filled with the innocence he wanted to see. Seth deserved a phone call commending him on foreseeing the future. Ten minutes in the woman's presence and Jon wasn't so sure of her guilt. He would have to dig further. His visits to Adam's small tent in the shitty side of town didn't do anything for him. His brother had left a few things, surprisingly enough, one of them being a picture of the beautiful club owner.

  Jon walked to his dresser and picked it up, the small photo torn and dirty, but her smile leaving him intrigued. She had to be more to Adam than a simple friend who helped him through tough times. The photo being in his
bunker had told Jon that much. Did he use it to jack off to? Most likely, but Jon could see why.

  Kate was a few years younger in the picture, her smile wide and welcoming, her eyes filled with happiness. No way was she really experiencing it. Most likely high on something, but either way, she was breathtaking. He slid his hand into the front of his boxers and pressed his hardening erection back down.

  "I need to get laid."

  Growling softly, he put the picture down and moved to tug on a pair of jeans. His phone charger was in the car and even though he promised himself he wouldn't get dressed until later that afternoon, scaring the elderly woman in the small house next door with his bulging erection wasn't going to happen. He chuckled at the thought and slipped out into the chilly Monday morning shadows.

  The position of the car caught his attention as he moved toward it. His eyes shifted toward the tires. All four were flat... no coincidence there. He growled and turned to walk to his small garage, the lock still in place, which meant that his bike was good.

  He would search for evidence after getting some food in his stomach, his mood souring at the realization that this case wasn't going to be a clean one. They never were when drugs were involved. He would have to start watching his back as well. These guys were fucking dangerous and didn't care who they took out in the process of getting what they wanted.

  Was Kate involved with them? He would have to ask her.

  "She doesn't need you saving her." He pressed the key fob on his car and got into the front seat to dig out the charger. His phone buzzed in his pocket, causing him to jump and hit his head on the top of the door. He cursed softly and got out, walking back to the house after scanning the street in front of his place.