Vice

by Nicole Marsh

  Katia listens while I talk, then firmly nods her head when I finish speaking, “Things will get sorted out. Wont they boys?” Katia looks between the two cops, waiting for their response.

  Cooper and Alex both look from Katia to me, then nod their heads. Neither of them interjected while I was telling Katia my story, even though they were present for most of it. I appreciate them giving me the chance to tell it in my own words.

  I exhale loudly before looking around the table. “I feel like talking about all of this is bringing me down, and we both have to work tonight, in a couple hours. Do you guys want to maybe watch a movie to get our minds off things?”

  Everyone agrees a movie will help to get our minds off everything that’s gone down in the last twenty-four hours. It’s unanimously voted the best way to spend our time until we have to head down to the club for the night, however the movie to watch is not. After a brief disagreement about the best movie genre, the four of us pile onto the couch with bowls of popcorn. We settle into our cushions, ready to enjoy a new comedy that none of us had even heard of before.

  We watch the movie in bits and pieces, talking in places, getting sucked in at others. I laugh when Cooper and Alex get in a popcorn fight as a way to settle a disagreement about a character’s motives in the movie. I start refereeing, calling popcorn pieces that miss “Out of bounds”. Finally Alex concedes, he’s out of popcorn and just being pelted by Cooper. Cooper whoops with victory, and the two of them scoop up the pieces off the ground and eat them, much to the disgust of Katia and I.

  At one point I look at Katia and I see her radiating happiness, after a fit of giggles from the guy’s commentary. I think I understand. I feel it too. We never had anyone until we had each other. Today, enjoying this movie with the four of us, it feels like we have a real little family. Or maybe just a really close friend group, since my feelings to at least one of the guys is not what I should feel towards a sibling. Either way the happiness of this moment is permeating into my bones, it feels good.

  Chapter 6

  Jenna

  The next week passes quickly, with hours blurring into each other. I’m having a hard time keeping track of the days, but my routine helps me to stay on track at the Club. At the beginning of the week, I was more timid to enter my business, relying on the guys for their support. They’ve been an added peace of mind, checking rooms of the Club and my apartment for threats, prior to letting me enter. Now, the fear that I initially felt has almost dissipated. Either from the time that’s passed without any other incidents, either at the Club and my apartment, or from the calming presence of the guys.

  I’ve gotten used to having my cops around, at work and in the apartment. It’s nice to have company to talk to and friends to eat with. My time outside of the club feels fuller. More enjoyable. I try not to think too hard about when they leave. For now, they’re stuck with me for at least a bit longer, the forensics team has found very limited evidence. They’re working off a few fibers, a partial fingerprint, and a handwriting analysis from the note. Until the team has something more concrete, Matt agreed that Cooper and Alex should stay with me as a security detail.

  I’m almost done with the work week, finishing up in the office, filing some new Membership documents, preparing to head back to my apartment for a few hours before the club opens. Tonight is the last night the club is open this week and I’m looking forward to a few days to rest… and to spend more time with my guys. We made plans to go check out a new restaurant in the nicer part of the city that I’ve been following the reviews for. I also agreed to go shopping again with Katia, for a few new outfits. She said she needs to start preparing her wardrobe for winter and I could use a few new winter pieces as well.

  This week has been busy, with the days flowing into each other, I’ve barely had time to see Katia, either at work or outside of it. I was concerned the way the Masquerade ended would affect business and it has. Just not in a negative way. The event seems to have made the club more desirable, instead of less.

  The fact that the club is so private and well connected, that it wasn’t shown or discussed in the papers, even after last week, seems to speak to Patrons. Those that have considered Patronage in the past, but didn’t commit, have all come in this week. The last three days have seen about fifty qualified Member applications, which is usually the volume of an entire month. Not that I’m complaining, it’s nice to see a swell in profits for the month, but it has made a lot of extra paperwork for me to deal with as well.

  I stand up and put the last of my paperwork into the safe in my office. Reaching my arms up, I stretch, before walking out of my office to greet Cooper and Alex at their post in the hall. As I walk up, I watch as they push away from the wall once I come into sight. “Ready guys?”

  I’m more than ready to head home even if it’s just for a few hours before I have to come to the Club again. I continue walking through the hall to the back lot, not waiting for their response. I hear their footsteps behind me and we all head out and up into my apartment to start our nightly routines for getting ready.

  I close the heavy wooden door to Vice, after the last Patron walks out. I flip the two deadbolts then lean my back against the door, bending my knees a bit. I relax my smiling face, close my eyes, and take a deep breath. Normally running the Club invigorates me, but this week I’m worn out. I think I need a few days to process the whirlwind of the last week and I’m thankful I have a few days off starting now.

  I open my eyes and look straight in front of me, spotting Alex leaning against one of the pillars in the Foyer entrance. He gives me a small smile once we make eye contact. Smiling back, I push myself off the door to walk towards him. He wraps an arm around my shoulder and we stroll through the club together in a comfortable silence. Alex is definitely the more affectionate of my cops. During his time at the apartment with me, I’ve become comfortable with his warm hugs and easy going affection. Cooper is more talkative, but he keeps his distance physically.

  We reach Cooper waiting by the back door and he looks between me and Alex and raises an eyebrow. Alex smirks and tightens his arm around my shoulder, brushing a light kiss against my cheek. I laugh, but shrug off his arm so we can exit the Club. Alex and Cooper like to egg each other on, so I don’t Alex’s affectionate actions too seriously.

  They stand to the side as I lock up the back door, then we head up the stairs together. As usual, once we enter the apartment, I wait by the door for an “all clear” from my guys before I enter my bedroom and get ready for bed.

  Alex and Cooper have an agreement to alternate the couch, so neither one sleeps terribly every night that they’re part of my security detail. We usually come home and the guys clear the apartment. Then we all shower or change, and fall into our places of rest for the night until it’s time to wake up and begin the next day.

  Like I said, I’m getting very used to having the guys here. We’re building our own routines for life in the apartment, and it’s getting to the point where I hope they don’t have to leave anytime soon. Even though it would be nice to have some sort of resolution for the murder in my Club.

  I wander into the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. Once I finish up, I call out “shower’s open,” in case either of the guys are interested. Then slip into some of my sweats and slide into bed. It feels like the minute my body touches the mattress, I’m already asleep.

  «»«»«»«»

  A loud crash wakes me, I jolt upright in bed, disoriented. The first thing I see is the lamp from my nightstand, shattered on the floor beside the bed. Checking around the room, shows Cooper in his boxers exchanging blows with a man wearing a ski mask. One of the windows behind the guys couch is open and my curtains are fluttering in the slight breeze.

  My heart is pounding in my chest. I know this man is here at the apartment for me, but I don’t know what to do to help Cooper. I glance around the room, looking for something to help disable the man that broke in and is now sparring one of my guys
in my bedroom.

  Cooper seems to have the upper hand when he lands two blows to the masked man’s face. His victory is short lived, he abruptly bends in half when he’s hit with a hard punch in the gut. I’m jumping out of bed to do something, anything, when I notice the man fighting Cooper is now holding something in his hand. I see it glint in the light coming in from the window and scream out, “KNIFE!”

  I can hear Alex barreling down the hallway. I don’t know if the fight or my scream woke him up, but I’m guessing the man in the mask can hear him as well. He bends over and slices at the back of Cooper’s leg with the large knife in his hand. Cooper yelps, grabbing at his leg and slumping to the ground. The masked man turns and slips back out the window just as Alex rips open the door to the bedroom.

  I surge across the room to check on Cooper, who’s still laying on the floor. Alex bolts to the window and sticks his upper torso out, “He’s already running down the street!” He calls out. His tone is frustrated and the profile of his face that’s visible looks tense. Alex turns his attention from watching the road for the masked man to Cooper and me on the floor of my bedroom.

  I have Cooper’s head on my lap and am pressing the sheet from the couch to the back of his leg to help slow the bleeding. At the same time I’m on the phone with 9-1-1, frantically requesting an ambulance. Immediately!

  Alex places his hand on top of mine, pressing hard to put more pressure on the wound. He’s engaging with Cooper to see how alert he is when I hang up the phone. We’re sitting in a small puddle of his blood that has gradually grown during our time on the floor.

  After a few long minutes, I can finally hear the sound of sirens in the background. I let out a sigh of relief and Alex scrambles to meet the ambulance crew at my front door.

  Once Cooper is loaded onto a stretcher, and under the care of the paramedics, I finally let my shoulders relax. “He’s going to be okay,” I mutter to myself. I stand there with my arms wrapped around my body for a minute, then Alex comes back into the room. “You aren’t going to ride in the ambulance with him?” I ask, then add on the more important question, “Is he going to be okay?”

  Alex walks up to me and rubs his hands up and down my crossed arms for a few seconds. He then wraps his arms around me and rests his chin on top of my head. I unfold my arms from myself and wrap them around him, appreciating the comfort he’s offering after the horrible events of this morning.

  “It’s more important to stay with you, I need to make sure you’re safe.” He replies, “Let’s get cleaned up and meet him at the hospital.”

  Alex kisses the top of my head, and I step back. I don’t respond with words, I just nod my head in agreement.

  I wander into the bathroom and shut the door, pulling off my bloody clothes and throwing them in the hamper. Jumping under the water, I rinse off as quickly as I can, then head back into my room to piece myself together and put a few things in a bag for Cooper while he’s at the hospital. I stop short when I see that Alex has already cleaned up the blood with some cleaning supplies from under my kitchen sink. He placed the bloodied sheets into a garbage bag and he’s standing with his back to the bathroom door with his phone to the ear.

  Hesitating, I stand in the doorway for a moment, unsure if I’m intruding. I can hear him talk into the phone, he’s saying, “I know, I’m sorry Ally.” A pause, “I miss you too, but I can’t come out to the house this weekend.”

  I wonder who he’s talking to. Alex is incredibly attractive, and I‘ve seen him checking me out a few times since we’ve become forced roommates. Honestly though, we’ve been living in close quarters for almost a week and he hasn’t made any moves just offered his random affection. He also barely even looks at Katia… I thought he was just very professional, but it’s plausible that he has a girlfriend. I hadn’t even thought about his life outside of being my cop roommate before now.

  I tamp down the bit of jealousy that appears with the thought of Alex having a girlfriend. He may be an excellent comfort hugger, and the hottest man that has ever been in my apartment, but I definitely have no claim on him.

  Alex is still on the phone and following another pause he responds, “Things are really busy right now at work. I have an important case.” He waits again, while the other side of the phone talks, “I love you too. I’ll try to call you later.”

  I’m convinced it’s his girlfriend now, following the ‘I love you’ bit. All the good ones are taken. He hangs up the phone and sees me hovering before I have a chance to pretend I wasn’t eavesdropping on his phone call. “Sorry I couldn’t help but overhear. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop,” I apologize, even though I was totally eavesdropping. Then I ask, “Girlfriend troubles?” Trying to seem nonchalant, like his answer won’t matter much either way.

  Alex laughs, which he tries to cover with a cough. I scrunch my nose in confusion from his response until Alex finally responds, “It was my sister trying to guilt trip me for not coming home for a couple of months now. My parents live out in the suburbs and expect me to come home for dinner every Sunday night. My sister is extra upset because she’s only home for a couple months for summer break from her college.”

  “Ohhh,” I respond. Trying not to closely examine the relief I feel.

  Alex continues on, “I felt like with everything that just happened to Cooper, it’s probably best to let them know I’m skipping this week. We need to head to the hospital to see how he’s doing.” He gestures to the window, then the garbage bag on the floor while he talks, “I also called a forensics team in to examine the window. And saved the sheet in case there was any evidence. I also found a black leather glove that Cooper appears to have pulled of the attacker, during the fight. Is it okay if they come in while we are at the hospital?”

  I glance around. I don’t own very many expensive or valuable items, besides clothing, and it’s not like I’m really worried about police officers taking things from my apartment anyways. “Yeah that should, be fine. I’ll leave a key for them under the front mat.”

  Alex takes a quick shower, while I get dressed and gather up some of Cooper’s belongings. I grab a bag and throw in some fresh clothes and his cell phone. Along with a toothbrush and a few other toiletries.

  I also put together two travel mugs of coffee, one for each of us. Looking around the kitchen while the coffee brews, I try to figure out if we need anything else. I decide to snag some protein bars to eat in the car and add them to the pile of things that I’m bringing with us.

  Once Alex is showered and dressed, he comes out of the bedroom and grabs the bag for Cooper from the table. We head downstairs and out to the Escalade together. I open the trunk and Alex tosses the bag for Cooper into the back. Leaving him at the trunk, I head to the front and place both of our coffees in the cup holders and deposit our granola bars on top of the center console for us to munch on during the trip.

  The drive to the hospital passes quickly with neither of us saying much. Alex fiddles a bit with the music until a pop station comes on. I ask him to leave it, my jam is playing on the radio. I start crooning along to the song quietly as we drive. Alex surprises me by joining in, making it a duet.

  “I can’t believe you know this song!” I exclaim.

  He looks at me and asks, “Why not?” Faking affront he places his hand against his chest and adopts a wide-eyed look. “That’s a close-minded assumption. I love this song it’s one of my favorites to sing to.”

  I laugh and shake my head at his dramatics. We continue singing together into the next song. I giggle when Alex tries to bring his deep voice into a high falsetto and fails miserably. Katia refuses to sing with me saying her voice isn’t any good, so I’m having a blast belting out lyrics with Alex.

  We reach the hospital and both of us sober up a bit. Alex turns the volume of our music down as we pull into the parking structure. After we’re parked, I snag our coffees as we exit the car. Alex heads to the trunk and scoops up Cooper’s bag, then we start the trek into the building.<
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  Once inside, we approach the Nurse’s station to try to find Cooper’s room. They direct us to the waiting room, Cooper is in surgery for his injury and they anticipate it will be another two to three hours before he’s released to a room and we’re able to visit him. Alex makes a few checks with the Nurse to ensure Cooper’s Mom was called and alerted of the situation. After he finds the reassurance he’s seeking, we head out to the waiting room to pass by the time until Cooper is placed in a room for recovery.

  Alex and I pass the time in the waiting room playing “I never” with our coffee. I find out that like me, Alex has never been married. He tells me more about his parents, they’ve been happily married for about thirty-four years. He has his one, younger, sister, Ally, and his family is from Illinois. Alex went to college in Chicago and studied criminal justice, which helped him to get his job at the station.

  Meanwhile, I disclose a few details of my own during the game. I tell Alex that I’ve never had a serious relationship, nor have I been married, which was probably obvious after the serious relationship bit. I tell him a few pieces of my history involving the foster system, how I’ve never met my parents or any siblings that I may have. We also talk about my own education, and how I have an unofficial online degree in business.

  When my bladder is full to the bursting point from our game, two of Cooper and Alex’s coworkers from the station arrive at the hospital. They join us in the waiting room and I’m introduced to Smith and Steele, who also helped with the investigation at my Club. They tell us they heard the news about Cooper and headed over once their shift ended. I chat with the two new arrivals for a few minutes, then quickly excuse myself to find a restroom.