“Get them all for me, or I’ll kill you and your family.”
Jones was filled with sudden panic. He was willing to do anything to protect the people he loved. “Take it easy. No one has to get hurt. I’ll get them for you.”
“Don’t screw it up. Now, get the hell out of my sight.”
A nervous wreck, Jones rushed out of the room. Outside, in the casino, all the bells, whistles, and sirens had lost their appeal. Even though the place was a beehive of activity, it seemed like a cold, dark place for him to hang out. He ducked into the bathroom. On his hands and knees, hugging the toilet bowl, he threw up several times.
Chapter 37
At Bone Creek Restaurant, Karen sat in a small booth, across from Kemp. He was wearing a charcoal pinstriped suit with a yellow button-down shirt and a light blue tie. His brown hair was neat and parted on the side. Oh, he seems like the perfect gentleman, she thought. Every time he smiled, two dimples formed on his face, one on either side of his mouth. His teeth were white, straight, and even.
“Thank you for meeting me,” Kemp said. “I’ve been looking forward to seeing you.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
“In fact, I can’t stop thinking about you. You’ve been on my mind, twenty-four-seven.”
Karen felt butterflies in her stomach. “You’re so sweet.”
“It takes a special type of person to care about abused children.”
“I just want to help them live a better life, that’s all. I have a big heart for them.”
“The world is a much better place because of you.”
Karen found herself falling for him. She loved how much attention he was giving her. “Do you really think so?”
“If it wasn’t true, I wouldn’t have said it.”
“That’s really nice of you.” Karen smiled. “You’re a smooth talker.”
“Only when I’m in the presence of someone I admire.”
“What happened between you and your girlfriend?” Karen took a sip of her ice tea, all the while staring over the rim of her glass, admiring his confident demeanor. Everything he did seemed deliberate to her, as if his words and actions were carefully thought out. He appeared to be comfortable with himself, like he didn’t care if someone liked him or not.
“She’s a drunk.” Kemp sounded bitter. “She drinks wine all the time, night and day.”
“I have some experience with that.”
Kemp looked at her with suspicion. “Are you a lush, too?”
“No, I’m not.” Karen shook her head. “My husband has a drinking problem, too.”
“You had me worried for a second. I almost got up, paid the bill, and walked out on you.”
“It sounds like you’ve been to hell and back.” Karen admired a man who could say what was on his mind. Had she met the man of her dreams? The mere fact he almost ended their date told her a lot about his character. He’d obviously watched someone he loved abuse alcohol, and he wasn’t willing to go down the same path again.
“My ex-girlfriend put me through the ringer. I’m just trying to put it all behind me now.”
“You shoot straight from the hip, don’t you?”
Kemp nodded. “I can’t be around a slobbering drunk anymore.”
“I don’t blame you. That’s exactly how I feel.”
The waiter came up to them, carrying a basket of warm bread. He placed it on the table, and took their dinner orders—Kemp ordered a steak with a baked potato, and Karen ordered salmon with wild rice. Before he left, he grabbed a pitcher of ice tea and filled their glasses.
“To the nicest woman in Miami,” Kemp said, raising his glass.
“Oh, stop it.”
Kemp winked at her. “Wait I’m not done. To the prettiest woman I know.”
Karen felt her heart quicken. She didn’t want the night to end. “I like your style.” She set her drink on the table. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”
“I think you’re an amazing woman—kind, intuitive, and intelligent.”
“Are you trying to sweep me off my feet?”
“I’ve got my fingers crossed behind my back.”
Karen took a nervous breath. She wanted to make sure he wasn’t too good to be true. “You’re going to need a lot more than luck to get me into bed.”
“There’s no such thing as luck. It’s a figment of people’s imagination.”
“Do you think there’s something else going on here?”
The waiter came back their table, carrying house salads and another basket of warm bread. Smiling, he placed them on the table. Before he left, he grabbed a pitcher of ice tea and filled their glasses.
“We both have similar passions,” Kemp said. “Helping abused children.”
“That’s true.”
“We were both involved with people who abused alcohol.”
“You’re right.”
“We’re both starving for love, attention, and affection.”
Karen was impressed. Even though they just met, it seemed like she knew him for her whole life. “You don’t miss a beat, do you?”
“Apart we remain separate and alone. But together we become whole and complete.”
“That’s deep.” Karen mulled it over. “I mean, it’s a lot to process.”
“Listen, I know fate when I see it. And we’re destined to be together.”
Karen felt her cheeks redden, and she glanced around. Across the aisle, a couple sat in a small booth. They held hands over the table. In the dim light, they stared into each other’s eyes, as if they were the only two people in the whole restaurant. Smiling, they leaned forward and embraced in a long kiss. Karen longed to have that type of romance in her life.
“Do you really think we’re supposed to be together?”
“Love is in the air,” Kemp said, smiling. “I feel it everywhere.”
“It seems to be.”
Kemp gazed into her eyes “I think we have a good connection.”
Karen felt a shiver of excitement. She wondered what it would be like to kiss him. “I feel it, too.” She felt a little nervous. “You’re going to make me blush again.”
“I’m going to do a lot more than that. I’m going to kick it up a notch.”
“Oh, please surprise me.”
Kemp got to his feet, grabbed her hand, and whisked her onto the dance floor. They slow danced to a love song playing in the background. With his strong hands clasped around her small waist, he bent over and kissed her. The sexual tension between them was palpable. Looking deep into her eyes, he kissed her again, this time slowly and passionately.
Chapter 38
Karen made love to Kemp in his luxurious bedroom. When it was over, they lay side by side on their backs, both covered in sweat, gasping for breath. The sheets and quilt were torn off the bed, lying on the dark wood floor beneath them.
“That was a great roll in the sack,” Kemp said. “That’s exactly what I needed.”
“I feel so close to you,” Karen said, placing her hand on his chest. She snuggled up to him. “It’s like I’ve known you for my whole life.”
“Don’t blow things out of proportion.” Kemp sounded irritated. “Don’t get attached.”
She didn’t know what to make by the comment. “Excuse me?”
“Intimacy takes time to develop. It’s not something that can be manufactured.”
Karen couldn’t believe her ears. “We just slept together, didn’t we?”
“That’s the way it goes.” Kemp’s tone was cold. “In fact, it was bound to happen.”
“It was bound to happen?”
Kemp sounded annoyed. “That’s what I said. Opposites attract, right?”
Karen propped her head up on the palm of her hand and looked at him. She wanted to make sure they were still on the same page. “You still think we have a future together, right?”
“I guess so.” Kemp stared at the ceiling. “I mean, it’s whatever you want it to be.”
“I let my wal
ls down. I feel emotionally connected to you.”
“That’s how I felt earlier, when we were bumping and grinding in the sack.”
Karen’s stomach turned over. She was trying to wrap her mind around the situation. “I don’t get it. I mean, I’m confused right now.”
Kemp gave her a bright smile. “The sex was great, out-of-sight.”
“It was more about an emotional connection for me.” Karen bit her bottom lip. She didn’t want to believe he had sweet-talked her into bed.
“The sex wasn’t too rough for you, was it?”
“No.”
Kemp laughed. “Well, there’s always next time.”
Karen felt the color rising in her cheeks. He had absolutely no right to talk to her like that. “That’s rude. I’m afraid I’ve misjudged you.”
“Oh, knock it off. You’re a grown woman, not a little girl with a silly crush.”
Karen felt herself stiffen. “Don’t patronize me.”
“I’m just saying that life is unpredictable. No one knows what the future holds.”
“What do you think about us?” Karen glanced around the room. There was a Persian silk rug on the dark wood floor. Next to the large canopied bed was a nightstand. On it was a gold lamp, a crystal clock, and a crystal bowl. Directly in front of them was a full length mirror, encrusted with ornate carvings, built into the pale blue wall. On either side of the mirror were two paintings, one by Monet, the other by Rembrandt. Karen suspected he thought of women as disposal objects, rather than something to be cherished.
“We had great sex.” Kemp gave her a wide grin. “But I don’t have a crystal ball.”
“You don’t still see us becoming a couple, do you?”
“Look, I don’t want to read too much into it.”
“I was just another notch in your belt, right?” Karen glanced away from him. She stared at two walk in closets, one filled with expensive suits, the other filled with casual attire. Across the room, along the far back wall, was a large screen television. That area appeared to be set up as a sitting room, with a blue couch, two chintz covered chairs, and a coffee table. Karen realized Kemp had everything in the world, except for one thing—a heart.
“You think about it, long and hard. And let me know what you come up with.”
“Now, that’s the sex is over with, you don’t want anything to with me?”
Kemp cracked a smile. “You’re a late bloomer. It takes you awhile to figure things out.”
“You’re a jerk.”
“Women like you are a dime a dozen.”
Karen felt a wave of shame wash over her. She regretted giving herself away to him. “That’s not right. You played me for a fool.”
Kemp wagged a finger. “If you keep this up, you’re going to spoil the evening.”
“I’m afraid it’s too late for that.”
“I’ll have sex with you again, provided we don’t talk much after.”
Karen felt tears running down in her cheeks. She couldn’t believe she’d been so naïve. “You knew my marriage wasn’t going well. You used that to take advantage of me.”
“A sucker is born every minute, I guess.”
“You’re a rotten person. I’m never going to speak to you again.”
“You’re such a tramp.” Kemp pointed at the door. “Now, get the hell out of my life.”
Karen jumped out of bed, got dressed, and stormed out of the master bedroom. Seconds after she’d left the room, he put on his lavender silk robe, opened a drawer in the nightstand, and grabbed a special remote controller. Standing in front of the full length two-way mirror, which served as a secret door that concealed a six-by-six-foot observation room, he punched in five numbers on the controller—all in their proper sequence. The mirrored door unhinged from the wall, opening several inches. He opened it the rest of the way and looked inside. Lining the sides of the observation room were shelves, stocked with metal boxes—all containing perfectly cut diamonds, gold bars, and expensive jewelry. In the center of the room was an expensive video recorder, fixed to the top of a five-foot tripod, pointing directly at the canopied bed. Oh, that’s perfect, he thought. Two way mirrors are one of the greatest inventions. I’ve got it all on tape. Switching off the video recorder, he grabbed his stomach and had a good laugh.
Chapter 39
Peterson sat in the living room, sipping a cup of hot tea, and stared out the large front window. Outside the home, set high in the night sky, the full moon cast everything in a pale light—the trees, the bushes, the walkway. It was getting late, already past midnight, and her seventeen year old daughter, Monica, still wasn’t home from her date with her new boyfriend. She grabbed the remote controller, switched off the television set, and sighed. Nothing good happened past midnight. She feared her daughter may not take things slowly with her boyfriend, especially because teenage hormones had a tendency to cloud good judgment. She heard the car door slam, followed by footsteps on the walkway. Her daughter opened the front door, reeking of alcohol and cigarettes, and came into the dimly lit foyer.
“Oh, you startled me,” Monica said, her voice low. “I didn’t think you’d still be up.”
“Do you know what time it is, young lady?”
“I know it’s late. I’m going straight to bed.”
“It’s way past your curfew.”
Monica took a moment to reply. “I got carried away and lost track of the time.”
Peterson shifted restlessly on the couch. She didn’t like her daughter’s response. “What do you meant? You got carried away?”
“We were at the beach together, lost under the moon and stars.”
“I can’t believe I’m hearing this.”
Monica rolled her eyes. “No, it’s not like that, Mom. It’s not what you’re thinking.”
“Oh?”
“We just walked along the beach, holding hands.”
Peterson took a minute to think things over. She knew her daughter had strong feelings for him, so she had to choose her words carefully. “Don’t forget he’s really popular.”
“No kidding, Mom. He’s the best player on the football team. Everybody likes him.”
Peterson decided to be more direct. “That could be a problem, don’t you think?”
“No, he’s the perfect guy for me.”
“Look, he’s a charmer. He’s had a lot of girlfriends, hasn’t he?”
Monica dropped onto the couch, next to her mother, and crossed her legs. She pulled a red barrette out of her hair and blonde curls bounced off her shoulders. Lost in her thoughts, she played with one of her gold earrings, a pretty diamond, attached to a little gold chain. She looked at her mother, took a deep breath, and smiled. “Oh, he loves me, Mom.” Her voice was charged with emotion. “He loves me more than any girl he’s ever dated.”
“You’ve only been dating him for two weeks.”
“Don’t be so negative, Mom. I hate it when you act like this.”
“I’m not trying to rain on your parade, honey. But no one falls in love that fast.”
Monica’s eyes beamed. “He makes me feel so special, like I’m the center of his world.”
“Every relationship feels good in the beginning.”
“What’s that supposed to me?”
“You can’t move too fast, honey. Or someone’s going to get hurt.”
“He’s not dumb, Mom. He knows exactly how he feels about me.”
Peterson folded her arms across her chest. She hated how stubborn her daughter was being. “I’m just saying you should slow down, that’s all.”
“It feels like I’ve known him forever. And things keep getting better.”
Peterson cut to the heart of the matter. “He just broke up with his girlfriend, didn’t he?”
“That was over a month ago.”
“What about all his other girlfriends?”
Monica’s cell phone buzzed, indicating she’d received an incoming text message. She opened her purse, grabbed her phone, and r
ead it. Smiling, she typed a short message. She read it again, obviously going over each line carefully, and made a few changes. Using her thumb, she hit the send button. She leaned back against the couch, swept up in the moment. “He just wanted to say good night to me. That he’s thinking about me.”
“Oh, I’m sure he is.”
“He wishes I was there with him right now.”
Alarm bells went off in Peterson’s head. “Oh, I bet he does.”
“I think about him all the time, too. I can’t imagine myself being with anyone else.”
“What does that mean?”
Monica set her purse on the floor, right next to her feet. Obviously upset over the conversation, she folded her arms across her chest. Staring straight ahead, she narrowed her dark green eyes. “No, it’s not like that, Mom. I’m not going to sleep with him, if that’s what you’re worried about. So, you can calm down.”
“I love you so much. I just don’t want to see you make a big mistake, that’s all.”
“He wishes I was with him right now. He just wants to hold me in his arms all night.”
“Don’t think you’re the only girl he’s ever said that to.”
“This is true love, Mom.”
Peterson pressed he lips together. She was frustrated that she couldn’t get her daughter to take off the rose colored glasses. “Some of your girlfriends slept with him, didn’t they?”
Monica’s cheeks bloomed. “Stop saying I’m like them, that he’s not in love with me.”
“He used them and dumped them. I’m just trying to get you to see the bigger picture.”
“I can’t listen to this, Mom. I can’t listen to you badmouth my boyfriend anymore.”
Monica got to her feet, stormed out of the room, and headed for her bedroom. Sitting on the couch, sipping her cup of hot tea, Peterson tucked her legs underneath her. Oh, she’s headed down the wrong path, she thought. She knew she was going to end up getting her heart broken. Confronted with a situation like this, Peterson knew that raising a teenage daughter was one of the hardest things she’d ever have to do.
Rebels and Thieves Page 17
