by Ali Parker
"I'm starting to think the same thing." Pauly smiled and glanced at Ian. "I'll stay with Chloe for a minute if you want to go scope the place. You know much better what to look for in large crowds than I do."
"You bet. Keep her safe." Ian glanced down at Pauly and then me. "I'll be right back."
"I'm good. I'll go see my father for a minute." I smiled and forced myself to turn toward Pauly and not watch my sexy bodyguard walk off.
"So, you guys aren't sleeping together, right?" Pauly tilted his head and lifted his eyebrow.
"Um... no?" I chuckled as my cheeks burned.
Pauly laughed. "Liar. I know people. I’ve watched them my whole life, Chloe.”
“Good for you.” I popped him in the chest. “I’m not talking about my sex life with you. That’s where I draw the line.”
“Do you care about him?” He lifted his eyebrow and squeezed my shoulders softly.
“As a person, yeah, sure.” I shrugged and adverted my gaze. Pauly was a master at reading people, and we were so fucking busted. “I’m sorry for running off the other day. That was super shitty of me. I just needed to break free. Forgive me?”
“You’re diverting.” He chuckled. “But of course I forgive you. Just promise me that you’ll be careful with Ian. You don’t need another heartache on your punch card, and the man seems like one of the good guys, but you never really know.”
“True.” I patted Pauly’s sides and smiled. “I wish there was something between us, but it’s just a bunch of tension with momentary breaks right now.”
“He’s starting to care about you, which is good and bad.” Pauly released me and shrugged as he turned in Ian’s direction.
“What? How can you tell that?”
"Men have an unspoken language and he just laid it down on me. It was a non-verbal threat. Watch the girl and don't let anything happen to her or I'll fuck you up." Pauly smiled and nodded toward a small tent behind us. "Your dad's back there. Let's go see him."
I turned and walked with my oldest friend toward the small white structure. "Is that really what he said?"
"That's what I heard." Pauly shrugged. "Guy code. You wouldn't get it. You don’t have the parts to fit in."
"I guess not." I rolled my eyes playfully and walked into the tent, stopping in front of my father and reaching up to fix his tie.
"Oh, Chloe. There you are, pumpkin." He leaned down and kissed the side of my face, but never really focused on me.
"Are you excited?" I smiled up at him, not really feeling anything around him but nervousness. I knew he didn't know about me and Ian, but some part of me wanted him to. I needed him to consider the possibilities like I was. I wanted to open the door just in case there was a hope of a real relationship blossoming past sexual infatuation and lust.
"No. It's just a song and dance. I'll be glad to have two weeks off after this. I need to just stare at a wall." He brushed my hair back from my shoulders. "How are you? Everything with Ian going well?"
"Yes. I actually wanted to talk to you about him. He’s doing a great job. Everything has turned around and is going really good." I shrugged. “I could see myself with a guy like him in the future, you know, strong and protective.”
Pauly cleared his throat and I glanced at him as he gave me the 'cut it out' symbol. I ignored him against my better judgment.
My father laughed. "What? That's a silly thought. Discard it before it turns into an unhealthy desire. He's a man, Chloe. You're a girl. Besides, he's street trash with a hard body and a good eye. Don't be ridiculous and don't push anything with him. He knows his place. Don't confuse the poor boy. Got it?"
I stood in shock, not quite sure how to respond. My father had always been for the underdog rising up, or was it just a strong platform to fool people from.
"Wow. Okay then… Cool." I mumbled and turned, shaking my head as white-hot anger burned my chest.
"Chloe. Come back, pumpkin. I didn't mean anything harsh by it," he called after me, but I didn't hear anything from the deafening sound of blood rushing by my ears.
My father wasn't at all who he seemed to be. Did any of the poor people who supported him know that he laughed at their poverty and attempts to rise up out of it behind their backs?
Pauly jogged up beside me. "Stay with me, sweetheart. We're not totally safe in these large events."
"Okay," I mumbled, half numb. I hated him. I wasn’t asking for anything but a little bit of grace should things mature between me and Ian. I had my doubts that we would be anything more than summer fuck buddies, but if something did work out… I needed my father on board. Without him, I could forget it. He would ensure that I followed his directives, no matter how old I was.
"Butterfly, don't let him upset you. He's not been himself lately and you know as well as I do that no one will ever be good enough for you." Pauly reached over and rubbed my shoulders.
"I guess. I just never expected him to be so... so desensitized."
"He's under a lot of pressure. Cut him some slack and he'll be back to the guy you know and love after a little bit of rest." Pauly winked at me and I nodded, dropping the conversation. There was no way my father's closest companion was going to be objective. I couldn't expect him to be either.
"I need to run to the restroom. I'll be back in a minute?" I smiled and pulled from his hold.
"I'll be right over there at the entrance gate. Just come find me."
"I can do that." I turned and walked to the bathroom, letting the fake smile on my lips fade. My father might be tired, but his nasty demeanor toward Ian hit me square in the chest. The guy had almost taken a bullet for my dad, changed his whole life to protect me, and was here again today, watching over both of us.
What else could someone do to prove their worth? Why did he have to prove anything? I walked into the bathroom and moved to the mirror to reapply my lipstick as my phone buzzed.
I pulled it out hoping it was Ian.
Jeremy. Always Jeremy.
"Hey you," I picked up and leaned in to apply a little more gloss to my lips. I wanted Ian to see me and hone in on them.
"Hey! I was going to come down to the beach this afternoon and wanted to see if you would be around."
"Yeah. I should. Just hit me up when you get there and we'll hang out."
"I would like that. I miss you, C."
"Awww... that's sweet." I closed my eyes, trying not to sound as fake as I felt.
"I'm surprised you're not going to your father's event on campus."
"Nope. Can't make it. Are you?" I cringed at the thought of running into him.
"No. I've already left town. I'll have to make it up to him. Does he like milk or dark chocolates?"
What? I shook my head and let out a shallow breath before moving from the restroom. "Both I guess."
A strong hand grabbed my arm as something pressed into my side. "I like both, too. Don't scream or I'll pull the trigger."
I yelped and looked over at Jeremy, the look on his face disturbing. “Jeremy. What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you. You know the one thing I hate more than anything else?"
"What?" I walked with him toward the back of the bathroom and out to the parking lot. Terror washed over me and I knew my phone was my only hope.
He stopped by a black Honda and opened the passenger side door. "Liars. Get in you stupid cunt. You must think I'm an idiot."
"Of course not." I moved toward the opening and tried to think through a way to get out of the situation I was in. I couldn't get in the car. I wouldn't live to tell about it.
He plucked the phone from my hand and popped me in the side of the head with the butt of the gun as I cried out. "Get. In. The. Fucking. Car."
He didn't have to ask again.
Chapter 22
Ian
I moved through the crowds of college kids as the smell of marijuana burned my senses. It was legal in California, but that didn't mean I toked up anymore. Anything that took me out of a controlled
frame of mind was out. I wasn't interested in living that life anymore. I rolled my eyes at a huge group of guys who were sharing a joint and grabbing their crotches every time one of them spoke.
Chloe was safe with Pauly and now I just needed to make sure that Mitch would be safe in the large-ass crowd gathered around us. I moved to the platform and stood on the stage, glancing around and trying to pick up on anyone who looked suspicious or was packing heat.
Nothing.
Jumping off the edge of the platform, something caught my attention. Chloe with some guy, and it wasn't Pauly. I picked up my phone and called him as I moved toward the back of the event circle that the gates had created.
"What's up?" Pauly's voice was low and scratchy, as if he had smoked a pack a day for all of his younger years.
"Where is Chloe?"
"She's in the bathroom, but you need to keep your distance. If Mitch gets a whiff of what's going on between the two of you, you won't have a job, boy."
"Of what’s going on with us?” I growled. Had she said something to Pauly? Fuck. I’d have to own it and roll with it. “I don't give a shit about the job then. I just saw her walking from the event with a tall blond guy. Lanky and looked like a swimmer. Who is he?"
"Can't be her, Ian. She just went into the bathroom."
"I'm hanging up now to jump the fence at the back gate. Go check the bathroom and text me back. I need to know if the goose chase I'm about to head on is just that, or if someone has her."
"Fine, but you're wrong."
I dropped the call and put the phone in my pocket as I scaled the fence. The crowd behind me erupted with cheers like scaling a fence was a big fucking deal. To a pothead it probably was.
Scanning the parking lot, I didn't see anything out of place until I jogged to the exit gate and stopped by the motorcycles. I tugged on each of them while watching the movement around me. The last one wasn't locked down, some idiot thinking the best of people.
I knelt beside it and made quick work to get it running as a black Honda pulled past me. I glanced up in time to get a perfect profile of the girl in the backseat. She was crying and it didn't take me more than a second to get on the bike and trail behind the fucker who had her.
Chloe. Shit.
My phone buzzed and I pulled it to my ear, a big ass no-no when driving a bike.
"Fuck, Ian. She's not here. Find her, man."
"I'm on it. She's been taken by some prick in a black Honda. I'm going to give you his plate number. Have it traced and call the cops. Got it?"
"Yes. Thank God you were here. I'd die if anything happened to that girl. She's like a daughter to me."
"Yeah, that's lovely. It's HK4VE9. Run it and I'll be in touch. Don't tell the Senator anything, but be on the lookout. I can't be here, going after her, and there, making sure no one puts a bullet in the old man's head."
"I got this shit. You take care of her. Let me know the minute you have her back." The hard emotion in Pauly’s voice validated his claims to care for Chloe, and something about that made me like him even more.
"Will do." I hung up and let my anger fuel my desire to remain calm and not ride up beside the car, jerking into it and ripping the fucker out of the window when he stopped. I could chill out and let them get to their destination before going ape shit on the guy.
If I had to lay bets on who had her, I would have to guess it was Jeremy. I never got a full description on the creep, but he seemed the only likely candidate. If it were someone after Mitch, they would have simply shown their effectiveness by pulling a gun on him at the event, or having kidnapped him afterward.
Had to be the ex-boyfriend.
I let out a long sigh and pulled onto the freeway, allowing a white pick-up truck to pull in between us. No need to give myself away just yet.
The fucker drove for a good ten minutes before pulling off in one of the rougher residential areas. My heart began to race inside my chest at the thought of Chloe being scared over the bastard taking her. She had no clue I was behind her and I doubted if she had her phone.
He was a damn idiot if she did.
They made a sharp left and I slowed the bike, turning down the small street a few seconds later. I could see the car slowing a little and the guy craning his neck to look out her side of the car.
"If you fucking touch her, I will split your ass in a million pieces and sell the parts to the highest bidder." I pulled down the street and tucked in behind a long line of cars, quite confident that they would be stopping soon. I turned the bike over and flipped the kickstand before hoofing it on foot toward the two of them.
I wasn't sure of his connection with the neighborhood or the quality of the people, but jumping out and kicking his ass was likely to get me shot if he had friends in the house or hanging out around it. I waited until he pulled her inside to move toward the open window on the side of the house.
She wasn't crying anymore, which was good, but her tone was soft and filled with fear. Damn this guy was going to pay for making her feel anything at all. His turn was up and her emotional state only belonged to her, and me on occasion.
There was no doubt in my mind as I stood there that I had feelings brewing deep inside of me that had little to do with sex and more do with matters of the heart. I wanted to start something with her and see where it could go. I wanted to take her on a date, or hold her through a movie. I wanted to try again.
My phone buzzed and I pulled it out.
Pauly: The cops said to back off. They're tracking the car and will be there shortly.
Me: I'm standing outside the house. The cops can suck a nut.
Pauly: Unless she's in immediate danger you need to listen, boy. You have a huge-ass rap sheet. They aren't going to show up and pat you on the back.
Me: Newsflash old man, she’s my responsibility. I don't give a fuck who's involved. If she's involved... it's my fight.
Pauly: Good answer. Text me when she's with you.
I dropped the phone into my pocket and walked to the back door as I heard something crash. That was my cue to bust down the door. I moved to the back door and caught her attention as she turned to look at me. He was talking fast and excitedly, but I couldn't make out the words.
She mouthed, “No. Sneak in.”
I nodded and moved back down the stairs and snuck around the house. They were near the back, so my best surprise attack would be to go through the front and try to catch him from behind. I would just choke him to death. Nothing too terribly violent, just a bit of what was coming to him.
"Payback is hell, brother, and you're messing with the wrong mother fucking woman." I pushed the door open as she screamed.
My time of being stealthy was over.
Chapter 23
Chloe
There wasn't anything I could say to Jeremy that I hadn't already said by the time he parked the car in a shitty part of town. He was rambling about his week and how stressful his new job was, as if we were friends on a lunch date.
I simply nodded and prayed like hell someone would realize I was gone before it was too late. Glancing around the confines of the car, I tried to figure out where my phone was. There had to be some type of tracking device in it.
"Are you listening to me?" He popped my thigh hard and I yelped. "You never listen to me. How many times do I have to text you or call you to get you to come back to me? We were good together, weren't we?"
I nodded as tears burned my gaze. The need to be tough was irrelevant. Maybe being intimidated and frightened would soften him a little.
"Yes. Why are you doing this to me? You could have just asked me to come with you. You don't need that gun." I sniffled and wiped at my eyes.
He laughed loudly. "Oh, that's rich. You think because you're crying that I'm going to melt and relent? Please."
"I don't get it." I tugged at my seatbelt as he slid his hand over my thigh, pushing my dress up. Slapping at him, I jerked toward the door in hopes that he would back off. "Don't touch me."
"Whatever." I turned to look out the window as tears continued to drip on my cheeks. "Where are we going? Are you going to force yourself on me? Is that what this is about?"
"No. If I wanted you, you'd be mine."
I didn't respond. Better for him to think I was the pathetic moron who was trailing after him instead of the true reality we were living. The houses grew more and more dilapidated as he turned down another street. He didn't seem like the type of guy who would be welcomed in such a shitty neighborhood, but then again, I obviously didn't know him very well.
He cleared his throat and pulled the car over by a small white shack. "Here we go. Get out. If you run, I'll shoot."
I got out of the car and he jogged around, grabbing my arm roughly and tugging me toward the house. "Why am I here, Jer?"
"It's Jeremy, you cunt, and you're here because I'm sick of being broke. Your father is a bastard and it's about time he paid me to keep that information to myself. I don't think he'd like the nation to know what an ass he is."
"He is an ass, but you're not going to get any money out of him." I glanced over at Jeremy. "His assets are all locked up in this campaign. If you know anything about politics, you’d know this."
"Oh, I'm aware. Did you know this wasn't his first time to run for office?" He opened the door and shoved me in.
I stumbled and caught myself, reaching for the large table in front of me. "No. I thought this was his first."
If I could keep my tone conversational and keep him talking, there was a chance that someone would finally realize where I was, and maybe track my phone, which was still sitting in the car outside.
"No. He ran for office about eight years ago when you were a teenager. It wasn't long after your mother died. He thought her death might bring him some heavy sympathy. I was his campaign manager."