Once Upon a Disaster

by Holly Copella

  He eyed her with a bewildered look, uncertain of the question. “Is she what?”

  “Is she James Bond?”

  Rafael considered the question then cocked his head with a strange realization. “You know, she just might be.” He managed a tiny smile and snorted a laugh. “The crazy girl is probably enjoying herself. She has a strange idea of a good time.”

  Chapter Thirty-nine

  Jade and Greg clung to the inside of the Bentley and screamed with horror as Vahn took the hairpin curve without touching the brakes. It was hard to see the road beyond the debris, fissures, and crashed vehicles.

  “Car! Car! Car!” Jade shouted while clinging to the door and her seat.

  “I see the car!”

  The Bentley slid in a complete circle, leaving a thick black layer of tire rubber, then stopped, jolting the passengers. Vahn missed hitting the wrecked car by inches. Jade and Greg clung to the inside of the car and breathed heavily from their wild ride.

  Vahn eyed them and grinned. “Good tires,” he informed them. “That’s the secret to safe driving.”

  Jade eyed him while panting. “And anyone but you behind the wheel!”

  “I’m going to be sick,” Greg gasped and held his stomach.

  Vahn eyed him through the rearview mirror. “Just keep it back there.” He glanced at Jade and raised his brows. “Now, if the two of you don’t mind, I’ll decide what route to take.”

  “How the hell was I supposed to know there was a canyon in the middle of Fifth Avenue?” Greg demanded hotly in his own defense.

  “I think I should drive,” Jade chimed in.

  Vahn stepped on the gas, rocketing the car forward while squealing the tires. Greg and Jade flew back against their seats, barely able to scream.

  “This is my last time driving an expensive car like this,” he informed her. “I’m milking it for all it’s worth.”

  §

  Dani and Rafael remained comfortably seated behind the desk with their backs to the partition. Rafael held her hand and gently played with it. Dani studied him while he caressed her hand with an odd seriousness.

  “Why didn’t you want me to know it was you?” she finally asked.

  “Look at me then look at you,” he replied while looking up and met her gaze. “You’re young and beautiful. I’m kidding myself when I say I’m 5’8”. I’m close to fifteen years older than you and, well, I look like a Muppet.”

  She suddenly blushed with embarrassment, having forgotten that little blunder. “I didn’t mean that in a bad way. Muppets are cute.” Dani turned on her hip to face him while clinging to his hand. “I always thought you were very attractive. Sure, I’d envisioned Boyd as a twenty-two-year-old, six-foot-something Greek god, but it’s all those conversations we had that made me want Boyd.” She offered a timid smile. “Not because I thought he was tall.” She shrugged with some embarrassment. “I’ve never been out with a man who talked the way you do, with your intelligence. I only ever seem to attract the party animals.” She laughed softly. “Trust me, once the party is over, there’s nothing left but a mess to clean.”

  “I just didn’t want to disappoint you, but mostly I didn’t want our chats to end,” he informed her in a timid tone. “I don’t get out much. If it wasn’t for Jade’s constant prodding, I’d still be sitting at my kitchen table feeling sorry for myself. I need to be saved from me.”

  “I want to continue our chats, but I think I’d like to do them face-to-face, if that’s okay with you,” Dani informed him and gently squeezed his hand.

  He stared into her eyes while caressing her hand. “I’d like that.”

  She fidgeted slightly while staring at him. “I hope you don’t think me too forward--”

  Dani leaned closer to Rafael and kissed him warmly but passionately on the lips. Rafael was slightly surprised but showed little hesitation as he pulled her into his arms and returned the kiss.

  Chapter Forty

  The Bentley pulled up to Jade’s apartment overtop a used bookstore. The surrounding area was dark, but there didn’t appear to be nearly as much damage in her neighborhood. Vahn and Greg followed Jade into her studio apartment where only a few items were scattered along the floor. Greg collapsed on her sofa and immediately shut his eyes.

  “Don’t get comfortable,” she warned. “I’m just going to change and grab some weapons for our trip.”

  “It seems pretty safe here,” Greg remarked and eyed her. “Maybe we should just wait for the National Guard to sweep and clean first. You know, get a couple of winks in.”

  Vahn grinned at her and teased, “Or maybe a shower for two.”

  Jade glared at Vahn, hoping her look would silence him. He eyed her, raised his brows suggestively, and grinned. She looked back at Greg.

  “Cody knows I have you, so he’ll eventually show up here looking for us,” she informed him while folding her arms across her chest. “Even worse; if he gets to your computer first, we have nothing on him, and you remain a target.”

  “That would be a valid point, but I doubt he knows I need my computer,” Greg replied.

  “That’s the plan,” she informed them, leaving no room for argument. “I’m going to change. Stay here.”

  Jade disappeared into the nearby bedroom and shut the door behind her. Vahn glanced around the apartment and appeared deep in thought as if considering his options.

  “She didn’t lock the door,” he remarked to Greg and raised a curious brow. “Think that means something?”

  Greg rolled his eyes then smirked sarcastically. “Yeah, she’s totally inviting you into her room,” he replied. “You should take her up on the invitation or risk insulting her.”

  “That’s what I thought too.”

  As Vahn approached the bedroom door, Greg hid his smile and tried to keep from laughing. While Jade was changing out of her black dress, the bedroom door unexpectedly opened and Vahn entered. Jade gasped with surprise and straightened, allowing him a generous view of her in just her black bra, thong panties, and thigh gun holster strapped to her leg and hip like some bizarre garter belt.

  Vahn stood in the doorway and stared with more than a passing interest. “Oh, wow--”

  Jade’s embarrassment quickly turned to hostility. She spun into a roundhouse kick and struck him in the chest, throwing him against the door causing it to slam shut.

  Vahn gingerly rubbed his chest. “Thanks for taking off the heels that time.”

  Jade threw a punch at his face. He dodged her punch but was struck with her left foot, kicking him in the shoulder. Vahn darted across the room and held up his hands defensively.

  “Okay, I get it,” he announced, attempting to calm her. “Not locking the door wasn’t an invite.”

  “There is no lock on the door,” she lashed out. “I’m sick and tired of you treating me like your wet dream! So from now on, I’ll speak in a language you actually understand!”

  Jade threw her body into a roundhouse kick. Vahn dove from her path and onto her bed, bouncing slightly.

  “Hmm. Nice, firm mattress--”

  Jade again kicked at him. He rolled across the bed and to his feet on the opposite side. Jade jumped onto the bed in a standing position and kicked for his head. He bolted from her path and ran around the foot end of the bed. Jade leaped off the bed, caught onto him, and flipped him with her body on the way down to the floor. Vahn landed roughly on his back with Jade landing on top straddling him.

  “Okay,” he announced with noted concern in his tone. “Maybe I’ve been a bit sexually aggressive--”

  Jade punched him in the face. Vahn groaned painfully. She threw another punch. Vahn gasped, blocked her fist, and flipped her onto her back, placing himself on top. Jade attempted to punch him again. He caught her wrists, stopping her assault, and panted from the excessive workout.

  “Okay, I’ll admit I’ve been very sexually aggressive,” he announced. “Let me apologize.”

  Jade glared at him with hostility but stopped s
truggling to hear him out.

  Vahn eyed her and suddenly groaned. “This is exactly how I envisioned our honeymoon.”

  Jade thrust her knee into his hip, forcing him to yelp and loosen his grip. She flipped him roughly onto his back while again straddling him and slammed his wrists to the floor on either side of his head. The door opened to reveal Greg. He eyed them, appeared embarrassed, and smiled.

  “Sorry,” Greg announced while hiding his grin. “Just take your time.”

  Once Greg shut the door, Jade coiled back with her knee to kick Vahn in the groin.

  Vahn appeared alarmed and gasped. “No, no, not that!”

  As he pinched his eyes shut and braced for impact, Jade stopped and stared at him while breathing heavily. Vahn slowly opened his eyes and appeared relieved.

  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all the remarks,” he announced with sincerity. “I’m just very attracted to you, and I know I don’t have a shot. I’m sure there’s some sort of psychobabble bullshit term for what’s wrong with me.”

  She slowly released his wrists and straightened on her knees while still straddling his hips. Vahn slowly sat up as Jade was about to move off him. He looked at her position over him and her lacy bra. He suddenly grabbed her under her buttocks with his arm, pulled her forward against him, and kissed her passionately and aggressively. Jade gasped with surprise and pushed against him. He broke off the kiss and met her gaze, searching her eyes.

  “You can beat me up and flatten my boys,” he announced, “but it was totally worth it.”

  Jade stared at him with an oddly annoyed look. He still held her hips against him and stared into her eyes with a serious look. Jade remained still and stared back at him. She relaxed her hands once braced against his chest and allowed her hand to caress his face. Vahn groaned softly then ran his hand along her bare back and caressed her buttocks with the other. He slowly moved his mouth closer to hers and kissed her warmly and with less aggression. She returned the kiss then immediately broke it off and attempted to pull away from him.

  “We need to go,” she announced.

  “We have twenty minutes,” he protested.

  She stared at him with an unpredictable look. “You’ve got fifteen.”

  Vahn realized what she’d said then groaned and kissed her passionately with aggression. Jade immediately returned the kiss and savagely helped him out of his jacket and shoulder holster.

  Chapter Forty-one

  Greg opened a bottle of water while relaxing on the sofa within Jade’s living room area. He then heard loud thumping and moaning coming from the bedroom. Greg eyed the bedroom door and shook his head.

  “There’s some strange bedfellows,” he muttered.

  Within the bedroom, Jade and Vahn aggressively groped each other beneath the sheets with Vahn on top of her. He moved against her with uninhibited passion. Jade suddenly flipped him onto his back, reversing their positions, and pinned his wrists to the mattress, holding him down.

  Vahn groaned and smiled as Jade aggressively moved against him. “Oh, you’re a dirty cop.”

  Back in the living room, Greg relaxed on the sofa and played a game of solitaire on his cell phone. Loud thumping and both male and female screams came from the bedroom. Greg attempted to drown out the sound by increasing the volume on music playing from his cell phone.

  “Jesus Christ!” Vahn screamed loud enough to startle Greg despite the increased volume on his cell phone.

  Greg rolled his eyes and sank into the sofa while attempting to concentrate on his game.

  Back in the bedroom, Vahn suddenly tackled Jade to the bed, pinning her beneath him while panting and smiling.

  “That was very un-ladylike,” he teased.

  Jade smiled while panting and ran her hands firmly along his shoulders. “You needed to be spanked,” she announced then whispered something in his ear.

  He suddenly groaned with pleasure and rolled his eyes shut. “Oh, yeah--”

  Back in the living room, Greg sat on the sofa holding pillows over his ears while attempting to block out the noise. Despite the pillows against his ears, Jade was heard crying out with ecstasy while Vahn grunted and groaned. The bed struck the wall harshly and repeatedly in rhythm with their groaning. It sounded as if the headboard would knock down the wall. Greg held his breath and shut his eyes.

  “My God,” he groaned softly. “Finish her off already.”

  Within the bedroom, Jade and Vahn finally collapsed together on the bed. They clung to each other while panting heavily with exhaustion.

  Vahn grinned while attempting to catch his breath. “That was the best twenty minutes of my life,” he informed her. “I think I’m having a heart attack.”

  “Maybe next time you shouldn’t drive the headboard through the wall.”

  He suddenly smiled and cast a look at her in his arms. “You’ll give me a next time?”

  Jade fell silent, avoided looking at him, and nestled her head against his chest. “Well, I wouldn’t mind having a chance for an orgasm.”

  “What are you talking about?” he suddenly proclaimed. “I counted at least three.”

  “Hmm--no.”

  He stared at the top of her head a moment with surprise or possible horror. “Come on,” he nearly exploded. “That was definitely the sounds of a woman having an orgasm.”

  “I’m afraid not,” she replied while hiding her smile. “That was just having fun.”

  “Having fun? I worked my ass off for those screams,” he insisted in protest. “You could at least have let me believe I did that.”

  “You did,” she replied casually. “It just wasn’t what you thought.”

  “Does the whole building complain about the noise when you get off?” he scoffed.

  Jade half lay on him and met his gaze while her grin mocked him. “Getting me off requires a lot of prep work and more than twenty minutes.”

  He appeared to sulk then looked determined. “I want a rematch,” Vahn insisted proudly. “You’re not getting away with this. Total injustice.”

  Jade returned her head to his chest and clung to him. Her smile slowly faded when she realized what she’d actually done.

  “This should never have happened,” she remarked in a timid tone.

  “Why?” he asked. “Because you think I’m a hitman for the mob?”

  “Exactly.”

  “I keep telling you, I’m not a hitman,” he informed her then considered the comment, “but I’m not a choir boy either.”

  “So what are you?”

  “Misguided and looking for a second chance at life and love,” he replied.

  Jade moved onto her elbow and met his gaze. “That might be out of my hands.”

  “I know,” he warmly replied then pulled her against him and kissed her passionately.

  §

  Vahn walked out of the bedroom while buttoning his shirt. He saw Greg staring at him with a serious look on his face and his mouth hanging partway open.

  Vahn glared back at him with irritation. “What?”

  “I can’t believe you got her off three times,” Greg gasped with astonishment. “You’re, like, my hero. She looked like a tough customer too.”

  Vahn seemed to consider the comment then smiled, pleased with himself. “What can I say? She’s hot for me.”

  “Son-of-a-bitch!” Jade screamed from the bedroom, alarming both men.

  Vahn and Greg ran into the bedroom. They discovered Jade, now dressed combat ready and wearing her leather jacket, standing in front of her closet door. She stared into the half-empty gun cabinet located within her closet.

  “What’s wrong?” Vahn asked.

  “That bastard took half my guns,” she cried out then looked around the gun cabinet. “He took my Uzi!”

  “What bastard?” Greg asked.

  “My uncle!” Jade removed two guns and some ammunition. “Left me all the crappy weapons. Who does he think he is? Dirty Quinn?”

  Greg patted Vahn on the back. “She
’s all yours, man.”

  Vahn grinned lustfully while folding his arms across his chest as he leaned in the doorway. “She’s a keeper all right,” he announced. “A woman with an Uzi. That’s so hot.”

  Greg rolled his eyes and walked away. “Get help. Please.”

  Chapter Forty-two

  Dani and Rafael sat behind the desk and listened to the sound of repetitive gunfire coming from outside the building. It sounded close, possibly just outside the lobby. There was no telling what was going on within the city streets, and it was unwise to stand near the mostly shattered windows. Although they were up high enough to avoid any issues with those on the ground, aftershocks could take out the side of the building.

  “Do you think that’s the National Guard?” Dani asked while clinging to Rafael’s arm.

  “No, I don’t.”

  Rafael grabbed the discarded Uzi and sprang to his feet. Dani grabbed her semiautomatic and joined him. Larson, Brad, and another man hurried into the open office door and looked outside where the parking garage used to be.

  “There’s a lot of gunfire coming from the lobby. I doubt it’s the police. Sounds like a war going on down there.” Larson eyed Rafael. “What do you think?”

  “Rival gangs settling old scores,” Rafael remarked.

  “What’s our next move?” Larson asked while seeking Rafael’s input on their situation.

  Dani thought it seemed odd that Larson was suddenly turning over control to the man who repairs computers. Was Larson losing faith in his own abilities to lead?

  “If we’re lucky they’ll give up at the barricaded doors, but we need to be prepared,” Rafael informed him. “Let’s move some of the desks in front of the lobby door and the glass wall to seal it. If they break through the fire door, breaking the glass and climbing over the desks will leave any intruders exposed. We’ll be able to pick them off before they make it past the barricade.”

  Larson nodded in agreement and rallied the others. They moved several desks in front of the glass wall and lobby door. Another group moved desks from the cubicles to form a second barrier before cubicle square. Janice and Abby moved another desk in front of one of the offices in the back as a last resort. The office was big enough that those remaining could barricade themselves inside if it came to that. The sound of gunfire echoed from the first floor. Everyone remained positioned safely behind the desks and clung to their weapons.