Bitter Black Kiss (19 page)

Brody rubbed at the hollow of his shoulder where Aaron’s elbow had nailed him. “So why didn’t you look for me instead of killing him?” He indicated Jimbo with a tilt of the chin.

Aaron laughed at that. “I’m not paid to give a damn, man.” He lunged at Brody, who sidestepped him.

Aaron moved just out of reach. “Stone told me where my whore of a wife was. He paid me to screw with her head.” He laughed at that. “And she thinks I’m the sick fuck, right?”

Brody knew he should keep Aaron talking just to distract him. He didn’t’ like the subject matter, but pressed on. “What else did Stone pay you to do?”

Aaron looked at him almost as if weighing his next words. “He promised me free run with her after he’s done,” Aaron stalked around the shelf. The skin of his face tightened and moved. “I’m gonna make that bitch sorry she ever left me.”

“You’re not going to lay a hand on her.”

Aaron dove at Brody and caught him by the front of the shirt. He hauled him closer. His grin was feral as the bones of his face slid in and out of shape.

Brody registered that someone else had entered the shop. Tony’s scent filled the immediate area. He grasped Brody’s shoulder and hauled him backward, away from Aaron.

Brody stumbled against Jimbo’s legs. There was a gun in Tony’s hand. It was the same one Aaron had used. Tony didn’t waste any time. He whipped his arm up and fired.

Brody attempted to twist away, but it was too late. Pain exploded through his left side. He clasped a hand against it and a fair amount of blood trickled through his fingers.

“Die already.” Tony wore a crooked smile. He backhanded Brody, gun still in hand.

Brody fell across Jimbo’s outstretched legs.

****

“Get up,” a gruff female voice demanded. He didn’t move so she kicked his leg.

Brody struggled to sit up. The left side of his t-shirt was glued to the skin. The fabric tore away from the dried blood with each movement. A fresh trickle of blood warmed his skin and he winced in pain.

Vasquez stood a few feet away, a wary frown on her face. “What have you done now, Brody?”

“I’ve been shot.” He was still unable to believe it.

“I can see that.” There was no compassion in Vasquez’s voice. “What I want to know is why Jim shot you.”

A crime scene investigator meandered past.

“He didn’t.” Brody pushed himself up onto his feet. Jimbo’s body was gone. “Stone’s men were here. Aaron took care of Jimbo and Tony shot me.”

Vasquez cast an incredulous glance at him. “It’s just a flesh wound, Brody. You’re fine. Jim, on the other hand, is deader than dead. What the hell possessed you to do that to him?”

Brody wasn’t where he should be. He hadn’t fallen here. “This isn’t right.”

Vasquez regarded him with a smug expression. “Maybe you’d better explain it. It looks like you and Jim got into it. Maybe you knocked a few shelves over then chewed a couple of his fingers off? What were you doing, trying to scare more information out of him?”

“I didn’t do this,” he maintained.

Vasquez wasn’t going to listen. He could see it in her eyes. She wore the same expression when she questioned suspects she knew were full of shit.

She pointed at the bullet hole in the back wall. “You must have scared him pretty bad. It looks like he took a shot at you, but missed. You came after him again and he got you.”

“Not a bad guess, but you’re wrong.” He searched the immediate area for the discarded weapon. “Where’s the gun?”

“We took it out of Jimbo’s hand.”

“Check him for gunpowder residue. He didn’t fire the gun. Besides, it’s hard to shoot someone after your head’s caved in. Even if it was possible, the trajectory is wrong.”

“There’s blood on your lips. You chewed on his hand.” She placed her hands on her hips and tapped the toe of her shoe on the cement floor. “I’d say his aim was off.”

Brody shook his head, desperate to make her understand. “Tony hit me and I fell backward across Jimbo’s legs. The bullet would have taken a different path. And for the record, that’s my blood. Tony busted my lip.”

Vasquez’s eyes were expressionless. “We didn’t find you near Jim, Brody. You were here, he was over there.” She pointed at a bloodied spot closer to the front of the store.

“They’re setting me up.”

"Not this song and dance again," Vasquez groaned.

“I have to check on Nicole.” He moved down the aisle and stepped over the trashed electronics.

Two uniformed policemen filled the doorway.

“Put him in cuffs then haul him downtown.” Vasquez stood with arms crossed over her chest, a no-nonsense grimace on her face.

Chapter Seventeen

The nightclub wasn’t full tonight. In fact, it was at its lowest capacity since Nicole had worked there. It was easy to walk the floor. For once, she wasn’t bumped by every single body she passed.

Her forlorn gaze fell to the DJ booth. A couple of club-goers stopped to ask about Brody’s whereabouts. Most seemed shocked to learn he wouldn’t be back. Each time she said it, it hurt all over again.

Things would be different now that he was gone. Maybe, just maybe, she could get her life back on track and focus on the things that mattered—the people who mattered.

Brody did matter, even though she told herself that he shouldn’t. She’d fallen head over heels for him. Last night, Molly told her what she and Brody had talked about. It tore her heart to shreds to think he’d gone through so much, but he hadn’t trusted her with the truth. She couldn’t be in a relationship where there was no honesty.

She spotted Sean seated at the bar, his chin rested on his fist and he appeared lost in thought. Molly, who had also returned to work, was at the opposite end. Ramon, the bouncer and bartender in training, looked right at home beside her. He had no problems keeping up with the slow pace the club had fallen into. Nicole noticed that he glanced in Molly’s direction often. Maybe he was developing a thing for her.

“Hi.” She climbed onto the stool next to Sean.

“Hello, Angel. It’s good to see you.”

Nicole surveyed the mirror above the bar. The same number of people gyrated on the dance floor and few people sat at the end of the bar. “You seem to be in a good mood.”

“I apologize for not coming by last night. Something came up.” He withdrew an unmarked brown pill bottle from his breast pocket and sat it atop the bar. “Here’s your medicine.”

Nicole snatched it from the counter. She cast a wary glance around and noticed Molly’s frown of disapproval. Ignoring her friend, she took one then stashed the pill bottle in her purse.

“Come with me. We have some things to discuss.” Sean didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, he swiveled off the stool.

Nicole caught up to him in the parking lot. Her stomach flip-flopped. Maybe he was finally fed up with her — angry that she’d blown off his previous advances or that she’d made a scene in front of the record execs. Well, she had plenty to be angry about as well. The fact that Tony had been out on the beach was not something she was going to drop.

Sean opened the limousine door and watched her drop inside. He climbed in next to her and waited for the driver to start the engine. Once the car rumbled to life, he engaged the privacy screen between them and the driver.

Nicole cleared her throat. She wasn’t sure how to approach the subject that burned on the tip of her tongue. “I need to talk to you as well.”

She could read nothing in his eyes. He studied her a moment. “What’s on your mind?”

“Tony.”

He looked a bit confused. “Pardon me?”

“Did you know that Tony and Aaron attacked Molly and me on the beach? I’m wondering if you knew he was there. I’m not going to ignore his violence anymore, Sean. I think it’s time the police were involved.”

Sean’s expression was stony. “Are you sure it was Tony—and who?”

“Aaron. The lead singer of the band.” She retrieved the bottle of pills and shook two into her palm. His gaze followed her hand to her mouth. “And yes, I’m positive.”

“I see. I will have a word with Tony. If it makes any difference, I chose not to hire the band. Not after your reaction to them.”

“My reaction?” A bitter laugh escaped her. “Aaron terrorized me for two years. He got drunk and beat me up. He’s the one who gave me this damned virus. What kind of reaction should I have had?”

He spread his hands wide. “I had no idea, Angel. Had I known you shared a past with him, especially one like that, I would never have hired his band. I’ll take the necessary steps to put a restraining order on him.”

“Not that it does any good, but I’ve already got one.”

“Are the two of you still married?”

“God, no. We went to Vegas, but there was no paperwork or anything to make it legal.”

He sat back and studied her for a moment. “Glad to hear it.”

“What about Tony?”

“Let me take care of it.” Sean loosened his tie and tossed it onto the opposite seat. “In fact, I’ll send him back to L.A. if that makes you happy.”

Had she really expected him to do something about the bully? “That’s not good enough, Sean. He was trying to kill me and Molly.”

“Give me a chance to take care of everything.”

Just like before, she grew lightheaded. Her limbs fell asleep and felt heavy. A shudder ran up her spine. “It’s too late, Sean. He’s gone too far. I’m not going to be scared anymore. I want to be strong. I have to be strong.”

His eyes darkened momentarily. “He’s been with me a very long time. I’d hate to see anything happen to him. I promise he’ll do exactly as I tell him from now on. I’ll take care of it, you’ll see.”

He scooted closer and rested his arm across the back of the seat. Nicole tensed.

“This is a problem, Nicole. I’ve done everything in my power to show you that I care. No matter what I do, you won’t let down your guard.”

She ducked her head to avoid his eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m just not interested in a relationship with you, Sean.”

“I know you’ve been hurt. Let me make all the wrongs right.” His hand stroked through her hair. “Let me be your escape.”

“Sean, I feel weird. Something’s wrong.” It was a chore just to form the words. "Take me home."

“Come here.” His arm dropped onto her shoulders and he pulled her against him. “Let me prove my feelings for you. Let me take care of you.”

Her mind swam and her eyes fluttered shut. “What did you give me?”

Instead of answering, Sean narrowed his eyes and said, “Is Brody Dunn out of your system?”

Nicole was unable to form the words at the back of her tongue.

His expression grew stony. “I refuse to compete for your affection.”

Sean clasped her wrist and brought it to his lips. The tip of his tongue traced the pulse point. “I know you’ve been hurt in the past. I tried to take it slow with you for that reason.”

She rested her head against the smooth leather seat. Her eyelids slid shut. Maybe she needed a power nap. "Look Sean, you're a great boss. I appreciate all that you've done for me, but it would be a mistake for us to date."

He kissed her forehead. “I've tried to convey my interest without being too pushy, but I don’t want to wait anymore. I want more from you."

She peered into his calm gray eyes. His confession sounded so sincere, almost vulnerable. “I just came to talk business.”

“We are.” The car idled to a stop. Sean opened the door and got out. "We need to discuss a few things and I know we won't be disturbed here."

Nicole pulled herself from the car, conscious of the fact that she was stumbling. Vertigo overwhelmed her and she couldn’t focus on anything.

He led her into the kitchen, where he poured them both a glass of pale pink wine. “I have to make a phone call. Make yourself at home.”

Nicole slid onto a barstool and rested her elbows on the center island. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear and stared out at the patio. Her nerves were jittery and unstable.

Her skin was hot to the touch. Pain twisted her spine and jerked her limbs. She fell from the barstool, onto the smooth tiled floor. Fingers that were not human gouged deep ruts into the marble.

"What's happening to me?"

Sean stood in the doorway and sipped from a glass of wine. He wore an amused expression.

"No!" Her spine reassembled itself. Her body bucked forward and the next scream sounded more like a howl. The tile floor bit into her cheek and she lost all knowledge of what happened next.