Date Me (38 page)

Dallas looks like he's ready to cry. He runs his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry. This is all my fault."

I don't understand why he's rambling about it being his fault, but I do know I need to get to Damian.

Fast.

I run to the door leading backstage. Flash my backstage wristband to the guy standing in front of it.

I sprint through the hall, up the three black metal stairs leading to the stage, run across the stage and leap on Damian, bringing him and his guitar crashing to the ground.

Big guys dressed in black rush onto the stage, surrounding us and trying to pull me off Damian.

"What the hell did you do that for?" he whispers.

"He's here. Vincent is here. You've got to get off this stage."

The bouncers pull me off him and carry me off. They pull Damian to his feet, and he runs after me.

"Put her down," he says, once we're both safely offstage.

I can see the other backstage door from here. I see Vincent standing in front of it. He passes a wad of cash to the bouncer. The bouncer opens the door and lets him in. Riley and Dallas, who are both out of breath, come running up to us.

"We're leaving out the back. This way," Dallas says as he pulls me to the back exit.

I don’t even have time to think. I just let him lead me. He seems to have a plan.

As we rush out into the back alley, I see three identical blacked out Suburbans. Men in dark suits pull me, Dallas, and Riley into one and Damian into another.

The trucks split up and we go flying down the street, slowing only to make numerous turns.

Dallas doesn't say anything, but I can tell he’s as tense and scared as I am.

I put my shaking hand on his leg and start to say something. He gives me a slight headshake and moves his eyes toward the guys.

How did Dallas get these men here so fast? And just who are they?

After a fifteen minute drive full of turns and doubling back, we pull into an underground parking lot and are hustled to a nondescript elevator.

After a short ride, we enter a plush hallway to a huge Presidential suite with sweeping views of Biscayne Bay.

Dallas stops to give me hug and whispers in my ear. "They are going to want to debrief us. Just agree with me. I’ll explain everything to you later. I’m so sorry that I put you in danger.”

“But . . .”

“We’ll talk later,” he says firmly.

I nod as he leads me to a sofa, which I promptly collapse on.

I look out at the beach.

Try to pretend I'm back in Malibu and Vincent doesn't exist.

Two guys in suits sit down.

"Tell us what happened," one of them says to Dallas.

"I did what I was told to do if I ever felt threatened. An old guy had ahold of her on the dance floor and wouldn't let go. He grabbed her arm hard. At first, I thought it was just because she's pretty and turned him down or something. But I could tell he was threatening her. Riley and I decided to get her away from him. When we did, she told me he had a gun. That's when I texted."

The guy in the suit turns to me. "What did he say to you and did he threaten the Senator's son directly?"

"He told me he had a gun and that if I didn't dance with him he'd start shooting."

"But he never mentioned his name?"

I shake my head. What is going on here? Do they think Vincent was after Dallas? “No, he didn’t say anything about Dallas. He only mentioned Damian, the guy you put in the other truck. He’s my friend. That’s why we were at the club in the first place. To hear him sing.”

Another black-suited guy stands in front of us. “We’d still like to question him. I have a man in the club. Can you give us a physical description of the assailant?”

“He was white, dark haired, about six-two, and was wearing a dark jacket,” Dallas replies.

“That’s half the people at the club.”

I could give them his name and a much better physical description, but I’m a little confused right now, because I think they think he was going to shoot Dallas, not me and Damian.

“Look, guys,” Dallas says to the suits as he takes a calming breath. “I’m sorry for the hassle. It's the first time I've ever been in a situation like this and I panicked."

"Well, you're safe. That's all that matters,” the suit says.

The other guy in the suit, who has been on his phone the whole time we've been talking, raises his head. “The senator will be calling you shortly. We've kept him abreast of the situation and we'll make sure you get safely back to school. You're free to retire, Miss Monroe."

I'm pretty sure I'm being dismissed.

"My friend, Damian, where did you take him?"

"We took him to where you were staying. He was not followed and is secure. We’ll get your belongings brought here.”

"Thank you,” I say, because I can’t come up with anything else.

I'm led to the door of a large bedroom. I walk in and collapse on the bed.

A few minutes later, Dallas and Riley walk in. Dallas grabs the bottle of champagne that was chilling in the corner. Probably waiting for the senator’s arrival.

He pops it and pours us each a glass.

"So now that we're safe, I need to apologize to you," Dallas says as he climbs on the bed with me.

"Why would you apologize? You helped me.”

"Because I've told you more than once not to lie to me, but I told you a lie."

"You did?"

He sighs and runs his hand through his short blond hair. "Yeah."

"What did you lie about?"

"I told you I got caught smoking weed and that I was an embarrassment to my dad."

"Yeah, I kinda thought your dad sounded like a dick."

"He's not. My dad is awesome."

"So why did you lie?"

Riley has been pacing the floor. "You lied too, Keatyn. About why you're here."

I lower my head. "Yeah."

"We'll talk about you next," Dallas says. "I need to get this off my chest."

He leans back on the pillows. I pull my feet under my legs and snuggle up next to him.

Riley turns from the window and leaps across the room and onto the bed. "How ’bout we all get naked and do something worth lying about?"

Dallas and I laugh.

Riley pulls me back into a hug. "You seem like you're doing better. Are you?"

I kiss his arm and nod.

Dallas says, "Okay, so I'm the youngest of five kids. I was the oops baby. I’m the same age as most of my brothers’ and sisters’ kids. They are all grown, married, and spread across the country." He pauses and sighs. "So, my dad was threatened by this extremist group. They specifically threatened our family. My mom and me. They were going to make me leave my normal school and go live in Washington with them, but I didn't want that." He rolls his eyes. “I threw a bit of a fit. So the drug thing was a lie. Dad let it be publicized. Said he was sending me to military school. That drugs are killing our youth, blah, blah, blah, and I went to Eastbrooke. To stay safe."

"I keep dangerous company," Riley says with a laugh. Then he looks at me seriously. "So that guy at the club. Is he the guy you told me about? Your mom's ex?"

"Um, yeah. He . . ." I don't know what to say. I want to tell them both the truth so badly. But I can't. Just yesterday, I was going to tell Dawson everything. I can't fully trust anyone. And even though I do trust these boys, I also know they are human. They could accidentally say something about Abby being my mom. If that happened, the whole school would find out in seconds. And I can't risk it.

My phone rings, startling me.

Shit. It's Garrett.

"I need to answer this," I say to the boys.

I try to act nonchalant. "Hey, what's up?"

"Keatyn."

"Yes?"

"Where the fuck are you and why aren’t you wearing your necklace?”

“I'm out of town, but I think you already know that."

"Yes, I know that you’re in Miami. I know that you went to see Damian. I know that you had a run in with Vincent. I know that you tackled Damian on stage and were whisked into black Suburbans by what might have been the Secret Service."

“That about covers it. I’m fine.”

"I need to know what he said to you. Damian has already filled me in on the rest."

"I can't now,” I say and hang up.

I get tears in my eyes. What could have happened to me is sinking in.

I'm gonna start crying.

I look at Riley. He’s helped me so much. I’m not going to have another meltdown in front of him.

But it's coming.

"Uh, if you don't mind, I'm gonna go shower," I say, pointing toward the palatial bathroom.

"That's fine," Dallas says. "My dad is going to be here soon. He’s here in Miami but he’s out on a boat somewhere. They are choppering him in. He’ll want to talk to me alone."

He chugs his champagne then goes back into the living room, shutting the door behind him.

“I’m just going to lie on the bed, drink champagne, and think about how bad-ass that was,” Riley states. “I felt like I was in a spy movie or something.”

I nod, walk into the bathroom, shut the doors, turn on the shower, strip off my clothes, and stand under the warm water.

I let the water fall and start crying.

I look at the tattoo. It’s supposed to remind me of my first love, but now it feels violated and dirty.

I grab a washcloth and try to scrub it off.

I scrub and scrub and scrub.

When it won't come off, I sit on the shower floor, pull my knees up to my chest, drop my head to my knees, and let my emotions rack through me.

I cry about everything.

The way Dawson looked standing there in his closet.

How much I miss Damian.

The things Vincent said to me.

How he probably had Tiny killed.

How he's been following the breadcrumbs.

How he’s not going to stop.

How I know it’s just a matter of time before he shows up at school and gets me for real.

I suddenly realize the water has stopped running.

A towel is thrown across my body as Riley sits down next to me. “You’re not gonna sit in here all by yourself and cry."

"Where's Dallas?"

"His dad is here. He's out with him. And your friend Damian called, so I answered for you. He wanted you to know that he’s fine and that he’s sorry about everything."

I grab Riley’s shoulder, getting his shirt all wet, and cry into it until I have no more tears.

"I'm so glad you came with me, Riley. Otherwise, I’d have been here alone and I don't think I would’ve gotten away."

“What I don’t understand is why he wants to kidnap you. For ransom or something?"

"No. He doesn't need money. He wants to make my mom pay for whatever he thinks she did. He wants to hurt her by hurting me. He also thinks I look like her when they, um, dated. When they were young. He even called me by her name tonight.”

“That’s just sick. But don’t worry. You're safe now. Dallas and I will always make sure you’re safe."

"Did you know about Dallas? Like what he told me?"

Riley nods. "Yeah. They did full background checks on everyone at the school. Specifically chose me to be his roommate. They liked the fact that I had some military training and that I’m not afraid to break rules when necessary. They briefed me on his situation and asked me not to tell anyone. That’s why I was worried about you during Homecoming week. They told us with all the people coming and going we needed to be especially alert. Come on. Let's get you out of here. It's time to meet the senator."

While Riley goes out into the living room, I brush out my wet hair and put on a big fluffy robe. Not what I would usually choose for meeting a parent, let alone a senator, but it's going to have to do. I threw my clothes from the club in the trash and I’m not putting them back on.

I’m getting ready to walk out when I hear my name.

A voice I don’t recognize says, “Don’t you think it’s a little strange that this girl brings you to Miami and all of a sudden there’s a threat? Who is this girl, anyway?”

“We don’t know much about her, sir,” another voice says. “She apparently was admitted to the school at the last minute.”

“Don’t you think that’s a little odd? I want her background run now. I want to know everything about her.”

Shit.

I call Garrett quickly.

“Um, I have a question. How solid is my backstory? Like if someone starting digging. Like, the government, maybe. What would they find?”

“It will stand up. I’m good at what I do.”

“Okay, I won’t worry then.”

“Why don’t you tell me what’s going on.”

I tell him about Dallas.

“You swore to me that you wouldn’t go see a friend again.”

“I know, but this was different. Brooklyn’s event was public and planned. This wasn’t. Damian said it was a surprise performance.”

“Yeah, one that the club owners leaked all over the internet.”

“I didn’t know that. Damian didn’t know that.”

“He knows how the industry works. He’s not stupid. He risked your life tonight.”

“He’s never done a surprise thing like this before. He’d never knowingly put me in danger.”

Out in the living room, the same voice says, “Son, you need to start thinking with your head and not your dick. I don’t believe in coincidences.”

“They think it’s my fault, Garrett. They think I may have set Dallas up to get kidnapped.”

“Who is his dad?”

“He’s a senator from Kentucky. Last name is McMahon.”

“I know senator McMahon quite well. Did security for his trip to Central America a few years back. When we were fighting the war on drugs instead of the war on terror. Let me talk to him.”

“Garrett, no. I don’t want Riley and Dallas to know who I am or the truth. I don’t want to put them in danger.”

“How did you explain the situation to them?”

“I told them that Vincent was my mom’s ex-boyfriend. That he’s been stalking me.”

“That’s a pretty good story. And don’t worry about your background. I’ll call the senator myself. I’m also working on a new plan for your security. We’re going to be making some changes.”

“Garrett, one other thing. When I talked to Vincent, he told me about how he’s been following the breadcrumbs to find me. He never once mentioned anything about school. I’m positive he doesn’t know where I am.”