Up All Night Long: From Lust to Love (Romance Anthology) (39 page)

Chapter 22

I moved through the crowds of college kids as the smell of marijuana burned my senses. It was legal in California now, 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."

"I don't give a shit about the job. 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 my girl."

"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 slipped in 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 on my girl. 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.

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."

"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 my girl, 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, now.

There was no doubt in my mind that I loved her as I stood there, trying to figure out the best time to bust in the house and fuck the creeper up.

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, I love her. 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 winked 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 fucker's girl." I pushed the door open as she screamed. My time of being stealthy was done.

Chapter 23

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."

"That's not what you used to say, C. You used to love me touching you. All those nights of taking you hard from behind, the way you like it."

"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 doubt.

"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."

"What?" I jerked up in surprise, all of my thoughts dissipating. I realized that my father hadn't actually met Jeremy face to face. He would have recognized him immediately.

"Yep. He fucked me over then and I plan to return the favor."

"Why am I here?"

"You're bait, idiot." He laughed and walked toward the other end of the hall, reaching out and pulling me with him. "You're a hot little piece of ass, but I can't tell you how hard it was to get you to fall in love with me."

I held my tongue on why I didn't want to date him and on the fact that love was never part of the deal.

"Didn't seem like you had to try too hard to me. I've been attracted to you since we met." I stopped in the kitchen as he pointed to a nearby chair.

"Sit down and shut up."

I nodded and dropped down in the seat.

"I'm thinking I'll call your dad in a bit and let him know where we are and what I want in return for you." He moved toward me. A smile slipped over Jeremy's handsome face, his attire and looks deeming him a preppy jock at the top of his class.

Damn looks can be deceiving.
I shuddered at the thought as he leaned over the top of me, running the tip of his gun up my dress and tapping it over my mound.

"I can think of a few things we could do while we wait here together." He licked at his lips and I pushed at the gun, my courage roaring to life every time I thought of him raping me.

"Stop it."

He laughed and stood up before swinging his arm and pushing all the dishes off of the table. The loud crash that resounded around me caused me to jump.

Jeremy laughed harder, something inside of him seeming to crack.

"Get on the table and pull your dress up. I want to see what color your panties are. You rich girls always have the prettiest little panties." He moved to stand in front of me and I jerked away again.

Something moved by the back door and I glanced up to see Ian. A sigh slipped from my lips at the sight of him. I shook my head as Jeremy began to pace in front of me, his pistol in his hand as if he expected to use it any minute.

"How can I get you to do what I want you to do without hitting you again? You're too pretty to mark up too badly." He shrugged and turned back to stare down at me. "Guess it's impossible."

He changed the gun to his left hand and reared back, slapping me hard in the face before I could get my hands up to protect myself.

I screamed as pain laced through my jaw. I stood and plowed into Jeremy about the time I heard Ian's voice behind us.

"Chloe. No!"

The gun went off, but I didn't care about anything in the moment. Ian was hired to protect me, but there was no way I was letting him walk in on the crazy bastard holding me hostage. He wouldn't hesitate to shoot my bodyguard, my lover.

I couldn't let that happen.

I wouldn't.

Chapter 24

The scene before me was surreal, Chloe having played hero and attacked the sick fuck that stood in front of her, waving his gun around. I bolted over the table and punched him twice in the face before he dropped. The gun fell from his hands and I scrambled to get it, the sickness rolling over me due to her possibly being hurt was almost debilitating.

"No!" The guy screamed and moved up, ramming into my stomach and knocking me back. He was stronger than I had given him credit for, but he couldn't hold a candle to all the shit I'd been put through on the streets.

How many times had I been faced with death, a gun or knife shoved to my chest or crammed into my back. This was child's play at best.

I turned and flipped us, ramming him against the table as his back cracked and he screamed again. He fell to the floor and I rushed over to Chloe, pulling her up and checking for blood.

A large scrape on the side of her face dripped blood from where he must have pistol whipped her, but nothing else from what I could tell.

"Baby. Are you shot? Hurt anywhere but here?" I nodded to her face and pulled her close, not caring what the fucker behind me was up to. I had his gun and without it, he was at my mercy.

"No," she sniffled, but held her tears back. "I was just scared that he was going to shoot you when you walked in."

"I'm your bodyguard, silly woman. Shit." I kissed her face and moved back. "Sit back down over there and let's wait for the cops to show up."

She nodded and moved as the sirens sounded near the front of the house. I knew Pauly would move fast, but it almost wasn't fast enough. I stepped on the guy's chest and pressed down as he groaned.

Pointing the gun at him felt good. It reminded me of my days of crime before getting caught. There was power in being the one with the weapon.

I played with the trigger as the ugly fucker began to cry, lamenting over all the things he wanted in life and none of them coming to fruition.

"Ian. Put the gun down, baby. He's not going anywhere and the cops are here."

Her voice was soft, but something told me that he would just be the first of many to come after her. I'd lost Amanda because of my stupidity. Was this another moment like that? Another way for life to test me and find me inadequate once again? Maybe doing the same with Chloe was only going to leave me standing over another casket.

I glanced toward her and realized I was surrounded by cops, all of them with their weapons drawn on me.

"Put the gun down, son. We'll take it from here."

"I don't want him to hurt you, baby." I blinked a few times, coming back to reality. What the fuck was I thinking?

I handed the gun to the nearest officer and turned as one of them forcefully pressed me to the table and cuffed me.

Chloe screamed and moved toward me, but a large cop picked her up and hauled her backwards.

"No. Stop. He's my boyfriend. He came to save me." She screamed as he dragged her out of the house.

I stood up, well aware that I'd be cleared of the charges, but knowing I had to go through the motions. One of the cops from my younger years walked up and chuckled.

"I knew we weren't done seeing you, Matthenson. Once a criminal, always a criminal right?"

"Yep. Now, instead of stealing guns and drugs, I've allotted my time to panties and hearts." I winked as they pulled me out. I could play their game. I'd been doing it for far longer than anything else in my life. Jake would bail me out and we would figure things out together.

Chloe stood by Pauly as I walked to the car. She called out for me, but I tucked my head into my chest and just let the sound of her voice sink into me. Everything would be all right with the situation once it was cleared up, but I wasn't sure what was going to happen between us.

She was the daughter of a Senator running for President and I was a thug who couldn't seem to move past my hard living. Maybe it was a good thing that things might end between us this way.

I wasn't so sure she would think so, but the chances of her daddy letting anything resurrect between us after today was slim. I couldn't lose hope just yet though. She was the first woman I'd wanted in my life since Amanda.

I would fight for her, no matter the cost.