Up All Night Long: From Lust to Love (Romance Anthology) (75 page)

Chapter 18

Jon

They finished up at the morgue, the video of the guys who stole Adam's body telling Jon very little other than the fact that they were big and they were thugs. He checked his phone again, an unknown number having called thirty times by the time he dropped Seth off at the station. He got on his bike and promised to call his partner later so they could figure out their next steps - together. No more working alone. Him being alone let this chick get under his skin, his need for love and affection leaving him covered in her come from the night before.

He sighed heavily, stopping at a red light and looking at the messages to see one from her and lots from this other number. He hit the button for the one from her, his heart stopping in his chest.

Her voice was nothing more than a hoarse whisper, terror stinging his ears as she spoke. "Hey, it's me. I have company and I'm not so sure I'll be alive when you get this, but if you could come over and help me, I'd be grateful. It's one of Victor's boys."

The line went dead and Jon took off on his bike toward her, the light still red and the world blurred a little. It didn't matter if she had killed the president. If someone was after her, he was getting involved. He could pretend that he didn't care, but it was a fucking lie. A painful lie to swallow, but in that moment he was more than willing to take the truth.

"Please God don't let her be dead."

He could have stopped it. If he had just answered his phone he could have gotten over there. She had called more than forty minutes ago. There was no way she survived ... unless she got to her gun.

"Oh fuck... fuck, fuck, fuck." He pressed the gas, flying through the city as his heart shattered in his chest. He pulled his ear-bud from his pocket and slipped it in, trying hard not to wreck the bike as he pressed play on the other messages.

Marcus.

"Where the fuck are you? Get over to Kate's, Jon. I'm out of town and Victor's boys are over there. Dude... get over there."

Message after message, the hardness in Marcus's voice fading to him begging and pleading with Jon to drop his shit and go. Jon choked back the hot press of tears, every cell in his body screaming for her to be okay.

He finally saw the club's large red sign and stopped the bike at the door, dropping it and running fast up the stairs. The bottom door was busted and he could see the top one broken open by an ax, the large weapon still hanging in the door.

"Kate, Kate... where are you?" he screamed as he bolted toward the apartment. He didn't stop as he plowed through the door, Kate huddled against the floor, blood all over her mouth and dripping down from a busted eye.

"Oh shit." He ran to her and bent down, scooping her up and tucking her against his chest as she started to cry softly, her motions controlled. She had pulled back from him again. Did he blame her?

"Put me down. I'm fine. I took care of it," she choked out and slipped her legs out of his hold. She pulled from him and moved to sit down on the couch, her long legs tucking up under her. He sat down and moved in close, her hand coming up to warn him.

"Baby, I didn't know."

"Why didn't you answer your phone?" She looked at him with accusation.

Lie to her. Tell her you didn't see it.

"I didn't know if I wanted to talk to you." He swallowed the need to lie, the truth being so much worse and yet lying never ended well for him.

"I see." She stood and walked with shaky legs to her bed, tugging the sheets from it as he stood and moved next to her.

"Who did this to you?" He touched her back and she jerked from him again. "Baby."

"Don't call me that. It's Miss Jarret to you." She glanced over her shoulder, her face a mess.

"Let me help you clean up your face and then you tell me who did it and I'll go after him."

She laughed, the sound heartless and dark. "Get out. I took care of it myself. I don't need you hauling me off to jail for self-defense."

"Kate."

She pulled the sheets from the bed and moved to the other side of the room, going in the bathroom and grunting loudly. He watched in horror as she tugged someone from the bathroom, the large male more than she could physically handle.

"Oh my God." Jon moved toward her, pushing her out of the way as she turned and lifted her gun toward him.

"Get out. I don't live in a world of justice. I live in a place where people show up to rape you and beat you until you say yes to their desires. I'll not live there anymore. People like you show up and promise the world, a different world, but the funny thing is... you never deliver." She smiled and cocked the gun.

"Don't do this."

"I'm not doing anything." She turned the gun on herself, pressing it to her temple. "Get out or watch me die."

"I'm not leaving here. Give me that fucking gun before I wrestle it from you."

"No. No one is taking anything from me anymore." She pointed the gun toward his feet and let it go off.

Jon jumped back, the world making very little sense in front of him. He turned as the door behind him opened, Marcus running in and going to Kate. She dropped her gun and flung herself in his arms, Jon's heart shattering in his chest. It should have been him holding her, but he believed the worst and didn't respond when she needed him most.

"What the fuck, dude?" Marcus turned around to face him. "Where were you? Thirty fucking phone calls and nothing from you? Turn your phone on."

Marcus pushed him in the chest hard, Jon stumbling back, unsure how to answer the big guy’s questions. He had just met these people and yet felt like they were supposed to be part of his future, a big part. He glanced at Kate as she moved in to slide her arms around Marcus's thick waist, pressing her face to his back.

"He didn't want to talk to me." Her voice was small and filled with pain.

Jon flinched, rubbing his hand down his face. "I can explain."

"No dude. You don't get to explain. Get out and if the cops show up over this dead bitch on the floor I'm going to open you up from your throat to your dick. Leave." Marcus turned and wrapped his arms around Kate, his words burning a hole right through Jon. "It's okay, baby. I'm here now. No one's going to hurt you or come near you. It's just you and me, Katie. Just like it always has been."

Jon turned and walked out of the apartment, his blood boiling at the fact that he'd been such a dumb ass to leave her alone. How had he not picked up on the fact that she was in danger? Everything Mike and Seth had mentioned about the events of the night before should have pulled together to scream to him to get to her.

Maybe he didn't want to put it together.

Maybe she deserved someone like Marcus who could protect her.

He turned to walk to his bike, his stomach rising in his chest. A big hand slipped around his mouth, the firm press of cotton dipped in something strong filling his nose and mouth. He choked and tried to fight against the large body that held his still, but nothing responded as fast as he needed it to. He pressed against his attacker and tried to turn his head, but the light faded far too fast and he blacked out.

Chapter 19

Kate

It was better this way. Less to be concerned about. Jon would return for a few more questions on Adam's death, but she would let Marcus handle him. She had almost given him her heart the night before, alongside her body. How fucked up that would have been.

"Go clean up your face, baby girl. I'll get rid of this body later tonight. We're going to have to figure out how to deal with Victor. He's not going to be good with us taking out his number one lackey."

"Fine, but something is wrong with all of this shit, Marcus. He came here himself today." She reached up and touched her eye, pressing softly around the sensitive skin.

"Victor was here in the apartment?"

"Yes. He wants to shut
us
down."

"Us?"

"Yeah. I think he thinks that you and I are the competition. I tried to tell him that I'm not the other boss in this area and he laughed in my face. You have to get your boss involved, Marcus. Only he can stop this shit."

"I think my boss sent a group of guys over to the east side last night. One of the boys was texting me this morning. He's not happy I wasn't there to go as well."

"Then someone is setting us up."

"But why? That makes no fucking sense."

"I don't know, but I'm telling you that Victor believes I'm the old drug lord and you're my right hand."

"I'll look into it. Get cleaned up, baby."

"I will and then we need to assess the damage on the club."

"What? What damage?" Marcus lifted his hands in the air.

She laughed and walked to the bathroom, kicking the dead guy’s shoe back into the bedroom. "Someone set fire to the club last night. You've missed quite a party."

"Shit. Last time you sleep with a cop. No more good guys please. They bring with them horrible luck."

Her smile faded. "No worries there. I'm done with any guys."

"Except me."

"That's up for discussion." She shut the door and reached for a small white towel, pressing her face to it and letting the pain force tears of regret from her soul. How badly she had wanted Jon to be the one to give her a different view of men, a hope for a different life.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to talk to her.

What in the world would change things so fast? She picked up her phone and texted him, needing to know. She waited a few minutes, assured that he would respond right away, but nothing.

She snorted and closed her eyes. She was nothing more than a piece of trash, a whore he wanted to sate himself with.

"Fine. Good for you then."

Her phone buzzed and she pulled it up, the message more than disturbing.

"Kate. It's Beth. I just wrapped up numbers for the first of February. There are a few charges that I think you're going to want to see on these expense reports."

She picked up the towel, got it wet and slipped out of the apartment while Marcus barked at someone on the phone. She didn't need to get into his business and whatever Beth had found was sure to be another breadcrumb in how everything had taken such a drastic change for the worst.

Chapter 20

Kate

Kate walked down to the club, pulling her key from her pocket and working to get the door opened as the mid-day sun beat down on her back. The crowds were starting to gather again, but the club was unfortunately closed for business until the fire marshal could come by. She needed that to happen soon or she would miss out on the biggest day for them all year. The parades would run all day and the crowds would grow thick as soon as the sun set and maybe sooner.

She locked the door behind her and walked quickly toward the back, her body aching, her heart obliterated from Jon's denial of her. She grumbled at herself, so angry for wanting more than she had. Marcus would be right to turn her completely away too, but he never would. He had been too much a part of her saving. She was his, and would be in some form or fashion for the rest of their lives.

"You back here?" Kate called out as she walked toward Beth's small office near the back of the dark hall.

"Yeah, come on back, boss."

Kate stopped at the door, the towel pressed to her face as she leaned against the frame. Her office manager looking up from a pile of papers on her desk. "Come on in. Sit down and look at these receipts."

"What are they for?" Kate walked in, a sense of trepidation pressing down on her.

"Drugs."

Kate sighed and sunk down in the chair as she moved the towel from her face.

Beth gasped as her eyes widened. "Oh my God, Kate. What the hell happened?"

"Got a visit from a less than happy drug lord and his lackey."

"I thought you weren't dealing anymore."

"I'm not. He thinks I am for some reason, but that's a conversation I need to figure out before I can have it." She took the receipts and held them close to her face, her good eye working overtime to focus.

"Damn... remind me never to hang out with the guys you hang out with."

"It's not advised for sure." Kate lifted the towel back to her mouth as something dripped down her chin, blood no doubt. "Why is Marcus buying drugs on his company card?"

"I assume he's having a cash flow issue and needs debt to sustain his narcotics business."

"We're not paying for this shit, right?" Kate looked up as anger swirled in the pit of her stomach. Was life about to go from really bad to much worse? Was her best friend, her lover, stealing money from her and their budding company?

"No. He wouldn't do that. It's all marked as personal. He takes care of it."

"Oh, thank God." She extended her hand, the receipts nothing more than a false alarm.

"No, look at the signature, Kate."

Kate pulled them back and held them up again, tilting her head as she tried to make out the crazy cursive writing. "This doesn't look like Marcus's handwriting."

"Yeah, cause it's not."

"He had someone else buy drugs on our company cards?"

"It would seem so."

"Whose signature is this?"

Beth took in a long breath and sat back, her lips pursed as she stared straight forward.

"Beth. Tell me whose signature this is."

"I wasn't sure myself, so I pulled up who could sign on the card. It's just Marcus and one other name on it."

"Mine, right?" Kate leaned forward and set the receipts down.

"No. Adam Peterson."

Numbness washed over her as she climbed the steps back up to the apartment, the sound of Marcus cursing someone out only fueling her fire. She walked into the room and jerked the phone from his ear, throwing it through the open door behind her as she snarled.

"What the fuck, Kate?"

She pushed at his chest hard as he backed up, his hands lifting as his eyes grew wild.

"Kate, talk to me. What's the matter?"

"How long?"

"How long what, baby?"

"How long were you going to lie to me? How long before you told me you had Adam working for you, you sorry bastard." She pushed at him again, the towel sliding from her hand and hitting the floor as she pushed with both hands.

He caught her and pulled her toward him, wrapping her in a tight hug. She fought against him, tears of pain and deceit rolling over her eyes onto her swollen cheek.

"It's not what you think."

"I held him while he died because of some drug lords last week, Marcus. I was taken downtown on manslaughter charges."

"Which were cleared."

"I made love to his fucking brother and almost gave him my heart."

"He's a dick. That has nothing to do with me."

She pulled away, walking from him as a sob left her. "I could have died today or been raped for hours because Victor believes me to be the other drug lord in town. Your boss is the only other drug lord in New Orleans, Marcus. Why does Victor believe that I'm that person?"

"Kate, I don't know, but I'm trying to find out. The kid wanted a job and said he knew you. I didn't know his fucking history with you."

"Why didn't you mention it?"

"He asked me not to. He said he was in love with you and wanted to get himself right before seeing you again."

"You know why Victor thinks I'm the head of your organization?"

"Why? Tell me and I'll fix it."

She pressed her fingers to her mouth as she let out a groan of heartfelt agony. He started toward her and she held her hand up. "No. Don't you come near me. He thinks I run things because I was set up."

"By who? Tell me and I'll kill him."

She sniffled, reaching up to wipe a tear from her good eye. "By the only man I thought I could ever trust. You."

"Kate..."

She turned and jogged down the stairs, everything adding up far too well. Marcus had been involved in the drug ring far beyond her days of being in it, her only argument with him relating to him selling his shit in her club. Obviously he sought to get rid of her and take her place at the club, ushering in his products and making millions of dollars on the deal.

"Kate, you're being ridiculous."

The sound of him following her fueled her fire as she walked out into the street, turning to wait for him. She would blast him again with the truth and this time he couldn't deny it.

"Am I? Adam's name is on your credit card receipts. You let Jon stay with me and you just happen to be out of town the night your boss sends the boys over to welcome Victor."

"I'm the fucking one being set up here. Don't you see?"

A beeping noise pulled her attention from him, the phone on the ground beside her lighting up with a text message reminder. She looked down at the small contraption, bending over to pick it up out of instinct. It buzzed again and she looked around to see if anyone seemed to be looking for it.

"Kate. Stop worrying about the fucking phone and talk to me. How long have we been together? Who came after you to save you?"

"You did," she muttered and turned back to him, starting to slip the phone in her pocket. It buzzed again and she pulled it out, looking at it.

Kate Jarret

She pushed the button and the full text opened, her message to Jon on display. She looked up at Marcus before worry struck her.

"This is Jon's phone. Why is it here?"

"He dropped it?"

She looked around, spotting his bike across the street as her heart stopped. "Oh my God. Something happened to him. His bike's still here too."

"I thought he drove a car."

"He has both. I saw him that night, after I got out of the station, on his bike. I just didn't know him then." She tucked the phone in her pocket and let out a shaky breath.

"Kate, I'm sure he's fine."

"Of course you are. Your plans are in motion and he's just a distraction. Where is he? What did you do to him?"

"Stop it. I love you and have been with you for the last three years. You’re my best friend and I almost fucking died today when you called. You better get your shit straight and stop accusing me of shit I would never do. I didn't touch your boy and you're lucky that fucker upstairs was dead when I walked in. I would have torn him apart with my bare hands for touching you."

The passion in his eyes, the roar of his emotion, set her right, her heart shuddering in her chest. Not sure what to do, she raced past him, running full speed up the stairs to grab her keys. She had to find Jon. He might not want her anymore, but she had given him a piece of herself the night before. She needed to make sure he was safe and not in harm’s way because of whatever shit she had herself mixed up in.

Marcus met her in the middle of the stairs. "I'm coming with you."

"Coming with me where?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"To find him. I hate that you already think you're in love with him, but you mean more to me than anyone else. If you want to save him, I'm doing it with you."

"I don't know where he is, Marcus." Her eyes filled with tears again. "I haven't cried more than three times in my life and two of them have been today."

Marcus stepped up another step and pulled her close, Kate sinking into his strong hold. "I know sweetheart. This has to be Victor's doing."

She moved back. "What if it's your boss? Would he have anything to do with all of this? Maybe he implicated me to bring Victor to my door and start a war that Jon would shut down fast. Maybe all of this time we've been focused on the wrong bad guy."

"I don't think so, Kate." Marcus moved back, reaching up and palming his bald head. "My boss isn't really the type to do anything too maniacal. He's really just a rich pussy with his fingers in too many pies."

"Have you met him? Do you know him?"

"Yeah... of course. He's a cop on the force, or pretends to be one. That's why we have such an easy time dealing in the city."

"What's his name, Marcus?" She pressed her hand to the side of his neck, tilting his face toward hers as she tried to keep her cool.

"He goes by boss, but I've seen some shit with the name Seth McGraven on it. I assume he's not willing to use his real name."

"Seth?"

"You know him, Kate?"

"Why didn't you tell me?”

"Fuck, Kate. You never wanted to know before. Why are you looking at me like I'm hiding something?"

"Are you?"

"No. I told you who the fuck he is. Why are you acting like you know who I'm talking about? Are you working for him and I don't know it?"

She moved past him and jogged down the stairs, yelling over her shoulder. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

Marcus caught up to her and reached for the keys in her hand. "I'll drive. Tell me what you're thinking."

"Jon has a partner on the force. His name's Seth, but he's not come with Jon once to talk to me or help gather information."

"You think it's the same guy?"

"I sure as fuck do. My theory makes way more sense now."

"If he has Jon, then they are near the edge of the city limits, on the west side, at the large barn we torture people at."

She shivered as fear wrapped around her heart. Reaching back, she made sure her glock was in place. She had a feeling she would be using it more than once that day.