“It’s a strip club, ma’am.” The woman said with a smirk on her face that Roxie wanted to slap off, especially when she heard Mrs. Thompson gasp in shock behind her. Antagonizing your witnesses wasn’t the way to go about this, Roxie had enough dealings with the police over the years to know that. What was this woman’s problem? She hated Emily because she was rich and embarrassing her got the cop off? And that whole line about Elmo’s being a strip club was just plain rude.
She’d become accustomed to people putting her down a long time ago, assuming things like she took her clothes off for money when that wasn’t always the case, but the way the female officer sneered the term was insulting. It also embarrassed a woman who was one of her very good friends. Roxie wished she’d worn her combat boots so she could stomp the toes of the prickly bitch.
“If you would please follow us.” Roxie gritted through clenched teeth and pulled Emily away from the two cops. She wondered if she should call Dylan, or a lawyer, but decided to wait and see what the cops wanted to ask first.
“We don’t need you, miss,” the woman said dismissively as if Roxie were a servant of Emily’s.
Roxie turned to the hateful woman; her dark eyebrows raised in a dare, with a smile on her face that would have melted diamonds. The other woman bucked up for a moment, but then backed down. “You can either leave and go get a warrant to speak with Mrs. James, or you can let me go in with her.”
Roxie wasn’t going to budge and her steady gaze finally deflated the female cop. Roxie smirked when all the energy seemed to leave the woman. That was better.
She didn’t let her guard down though, and she listened carefully to the questions the cops asked about the fire, about Nathan, and about what Emily might know. Emily didn’t know much about either of the things, other than she’d been trapped in the fire but managed to get out.
“Wait, I thought I recognized you. You’re Roxie Simpson, aren’t you? Nathan Bawlow’s girlfriend. If you can call a stripper girlfriend.” The woman’s smirk was back, and Roxie noted her name and badge number.
“Miss Slater if you persist in insulting everyone like this, I will insist that you leave. You’ve been invited in, please don’t insult my guests.” Emily popped up with fire in her eyes. She took insults when they were aimed at her, but definitely not at her friend.
“My apologies, Mrs. James.” The woman replied, and Roxie noted the apology wasn’t directed at her. No matter. “So where was your boyfriend that night, Miss Simpson?”
“He told me he was out doing some deep-sea fishing, that’s all I know,” Roxie answered smoothly, not worried because that’s exactly what Nathan told her. It did worry her that they were asking about Elmo’s and Nathan at the same time, though.
“I see, and do you know where he is now?”
“I have no idea where Nathan is, I haven’t seen him in weeks.”
“So, you don’t know we’ve arrested him in connection with the fire that night?” the woman asked, her face a picture of triumph.
“No, I didn’t know that.” She remained calm but what else could she do? Especially with Ms. Slater the super-bitch standing there like she’d just won the biggest beauty pageant in the world with ease.
Roxie hated it when cops acted like this, but she knew she had to stay calm.
“If that’s all you have to ask, I have guests to get back to,” Emily spoke and held her hand toward the door, to guide the cops out politely but firmly.
“Of course, Mrs. James. If we have any more questions for you, Miss Simpson, we know where to find you.”
Roxie’s only response was to let her eyebrows rise. Like she had anything to worry about. She’d had nothing to do with the fire.
“Fuck, she was such a bitch.” Emily whispered as she closed the front door behind the cops. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, but I think I’ll go. I guess I need to go bail Nathan out of jail.” Roxie brushed the hair out of her face and tried to think of who she needed to call.
“I’ll have Dylan find out what his bail is. Let me know if you need help with paying it.” Emily offered and gave Roxie a hug.
“I would never ask that of you,” Roxie said firmly and patted Emily’s back. “I’ll call you later. Tell Dylan to call me if he finds anything out.”
Roxie grabbed her bag and headed out to her car. The sensible thing would be to leave Nathan in jail. He’d been a dick for far too long and now he was in jail. Doubt tugged at Roxie’s mind and she knew she couldn’t leave him in jail like that. He was as alone in the world as she was. It was one of the things that had drawn them together at the beginning, back when it was so good, and his smile alone made her heart flip over in her chest.
If she could have that Nathan back she’d bail him out of jail a million times.
She didn’t have to think about whether he was guilty or not, she knew there was no way he would have set that fire, not with her in the place. She didn’t even pause to wonder, she trusted him, even if he’d gone off the rails lately.
Roxie answered her phone as she walked into her apartment, relieved that it was Dylan. “Hi Dylan, what have you found out?”
She put her bag and car keys on a hook by the door and walked into her living room. She’d like a strong drink, but she might have to drive so that wasn’t an option.
“He’s not getting out through a bail bondsman, first of all,” Dylan said without preamble, he knew Roxie liked to get straight to the point.
“Why?” Roxie asked, surprised that a bail bondsman would turn Nathan down.
“His bail is 150 grand, Roxie, he has no fixed address, and no job. He’s definitely a flight risk and even with my connections, I can’t find a bondsman that will take him. They’ve all said the same thing.” Dylan sounded as annoyed as Roxie felt. She sympathized with him.
“Thanks, Dylan, I know you tried.” She sank down to the couch, her eyes on a spot on the floor in the corner. “And before you ask, no, I don’t want you to bail him out. If the bondsmen all think he’s that much of a risk, I don’t want you taking that on.”
How was she going to get 150 grand? Her eyes flitted back to the corner but stayed there this time. She’d have to do it, if she wanted to help out the man she’d thought about marrying, if it had ever come to that.
“Well, if you change your mind, you know how to get me. Good luck, Roxie. I know you’ve been through one hell of a time and if we can help, just let us know.” Dylan’s voice was a soothing balm to Roxie’s fractious nerves and she knew that was one of the reasons Emily was still so enamored with him. Dylan was sexy as fuck. Sexy, but untouchable because he belonged to her friend.
“Thanks, Dylan. Tell Emily I’ll call her tomorrow and let her know how things are going.”
“You do that, Rox. Take care.” Dylan hung up before Roxie could say any more and she closed her eyes.
She didn’t want to go to that spot on the floor, didn’t want to pull back the rug that had kept the compartment hidden for an incredibly long time. That compartment held a memory, a part of who she used to be, a part of her that no longer existed. To open it now would tear open old wounds that had never quite healed right.
But Nathan was worth it, wasn’t he?
The old Nathan certainly was, but now? Roxie leaned back against the couch and wished for a bottle of tequila and some limes. She hadn’t stopped on the way home, but she should have. There was no way Nathan was getting out of jail tonight and maybe not tomorrow. She’d have to call some of her contacts.
But first, she’d have to open that compartment.
She got down on her hands and knees and crawled to the section of flooring. With shaking fingers, she pulled back the rug and then pried up the five-inch square section of floor. She pulled out the item she’d hidden there, dazzled by the late afternoon sunlight as it bounced off hundreds, maybe thousands of small diamonds set in the watch. The watch she’d borrowed the night her parents died. A night she didn’t want to remember.
&nb
sp; Anger at her parents, at fate, and at Nathan mixed as she stared down at the watch that had always been too flashy to wear out anywhere. It was all she had left of parents that may or may not have abandoned her. Either way, they’d been involved in something that had led to their deaths and if they’d stayed on the straight and narrow Roxie wouldn’t have ended up in this life she now led.
She’d have to pawn the watch if she wanted to get Nathan out of jail. Could she really part with it though? It was all she had left of them. She leaned back against the wall and stared into the looming darkness that grew as the sun sank in the sky. What the hell was she going to do?
5
Lincoln
“Hello?” A sultry female voice spoke from Lincoln’s cellphone, but it had little effect on him. The voice belonged to Emily James, a very happily married lady. She wasn’t available on any level. He respected that bond of marriage. In most cases.
“Hey, Emily, it’s Lincoln Young. How are you today?” Lincoln spoke smoothly, with just the right amount of curiosity.
“I’m good, Lincoln, how are you? What can I do for you?” Emily asked, obviously curious as to why he’d called her.
“I’m good, I hope you don’t mind me calling. I asked Dylan for your number because I’m hosting a boat party with a friend of mine and I was thinking of having some adult entertainment. Dylan said you might know someone that could help me out with that.”
“Oh, that sounds fun. What kind of adult entertainment are we talking here?” Emily asked with caution, and Lincoln wondered if he’d approached this the wrong way.
“Well, I’d like to have an exotic dancer on the yacht, but I want someone classy, that can really give my guests a quality show, not just the kind of thing we’d see in a seedy strip club. Does that make sense?” Lincoln wasn’t so sure it did, but Emily rushed in to assure him she’d taken his meaning.
“I know what you mean, and I do know someone that would be perfect for the job,” Emily rushed on to tell Lincoln about a friend of hers that had won competitions up and down the east coast as well as a few out west in Las Vegas. “She’s really good and I think she’ll give you exactly what you’re after.”
“She sounds perfect, really.” Lincoln smiled with relief. He was co-hosting the party with his long-time friend Kai, and it was one of the biggest events of the year. He negotiated with Emily for a while over the price and airfare for the job. Lincoln was impressed with how Emily didn’t back down for her friend and even demanded a good hotel for the woman.
By the time the negotiations were finished Emily had even managed to wrangle an invitation for herself and her husband, although he’d have invited them anyway if she hadn’t asked. Lincoln had to smile at how well this woman worked to wrap you around her finger without any effort at all. No wonder Dylan always got a smug smile on his face when he mentioned his wife, she was impressive and not just because she was beautiful.
“So, I’ve let her know what’s going on and she agrees she’ll come to New York for the job. Thanks for calling, Lincoln. I have to go but if you send me all the information and details, I’ll pass them on.”
“Thank you, Emily, you’ve saved me,” Lincoln said before he told her goodbye and sat back in his chair, ready for this party to be over with.
It was a party he gave every year for some of his wealthier friends from around the world. It brought them all together, gave them a chance to blow off steam while also showing off, and brought new business contacts. That was always a plus in Lincoln’s eyes.
He called Kai to let him know the entertainment was sorted out for the party and then went about ordering plane tickets before reserving a rental car along with the hotel the woman would need for two nights. He emailed all the information to Emily before he went home from the office that day.
As he cooked a dinner for one, Lincoln smiled a smile that might turn other people’s blood cold, but his thoughts weren’t malicious or nasty, he was just pleased with himself. His trip down to Myrtle Beach to scout for Chloe had been fruitful, at least.
The dancer he’d spotted at the Thompson’s party that night was the spitting image of the girl he’d lost so long ago. She didn’t carry around that air of innocence anymore and there was a lot of confident pride in her smile, but he could see Chloe behind those eyes. The PI Lincoln had tailing her told him where to find her once Lincoln landed in Myrtle Beach on that quick run a few nights ago and he’d watched her as she instructed a class.
Her body had always been tight and toned from the ballet she’d done, that hadn’t changed at all. Only the exercise had changed. She’d gone from graceful ballet to an art that was far more sensual, far more…adult in nature. Lincoln had wanted to walk into that glass-fronted building and drag her out the minute he saw her, but he’d held off. He had to approach Chloe, Roxie as she now called herself, at the right time.
He’d dreamed about her every night of his life, it seemed. Since he’d seen her blonde hair a sultry shade of midnight black and her eyes full of knowledge she hadn’t had in the past, the heat of those dreams had cranked up to a scale that was off the charts. He wanted her back in his life, back in his bed, and if he helped her to gain her inheritance and some semblance of peace at the same time, so be it.
He felt a twinge of guilt over not telling Dylan’s wife that he knew who Roxie was, or that he’d wanted her to come to his party for a reason. That was soon dismissed, however. He had to do this right, or she’d run again and who knew if he’d be able to find her a second time. It had taken him ten years to find her this time.
Chloe had always been smart and she’d gained some street smarts over time, it would appear. Who’d taught her that wisdom didn’t matter, it was simply good to know that she wasn’t the waif he’d lost when he went out for breakfast one morning.
It didn’t matter to him that she’d had other men in her life, they’d been apart for over ten years, he had no right to judge, or that she’d exchanged ballet for exotic dancing. All that mattered was that he knew where she was now, and he’d soon have her back in his life. If everything went well.
But even as rich and privileged as he was, he knew things could go wrong. All he had to do was look to his mother to know how a good thing could be ruined in seconds. Her first boyfriend, Lincoln’s father, had been an alcoholic who turned abusive when he was drunk. So abusive she’d left him before Lincoln was born.
His mother had then moved on to a rich man that offered the kind of protection she wanted for herself and her unborn child. Lincoln couldn’t remember the man who’d wanted to give Lincoln his last name, but his mother had refused and given her child her own last name, Young instead of Osbourne. Even though the man was madly in love with his mother, she’d left him for Dr. Bennet, a friend of her husband’s.
Dr. Bennet’s wife had succumbed to cancer and he’d then succumbed to Lincoln’s mother’s charms. The pair had carried on the affair until Osbourne found out that his wife was pregnant with another man’s child. When his mother married Dr. Bennet after an incredibly quiet divorce, he thought she’d perhaps find peace at last, settle down, and live out her own happily ever after.
That hadn’t happened.
Lincoln’s mom’s marriage to Dr. Bennet was the longest and Lincoln couldn’t help feeling disappointed when it eventually ended in divorce. Then she moved on to a very brief marriage to a Mr. Clark. He hadn’t been nearly as kind to Lincoln as Dr. Bennet had been, but Lincoln hadn’t cared. By that point, he’d realized his mother would never be happy with any man for very long and wasn’t surprised at all when she left Mr. Clark and found a new boyfriend quickly.
Lincoln didn’t want that kind of life and he didn’t want to spook Chloe the way his mother had been scared off so many times before. The first hint of a problem, or the man became too clingy, and his mother was off like a shot. Would Chloe be the same way?
She’d lived a hard life for a long time and she might have her own addictions if her boyfriend did. He’d cope
with that if she did, and get her the help she needed. Whatever she needed or wanted, he’d give it to her, so long as it meant he could be a part of her life. Apart from drugs, of course. He hated drugs and what they did to people.
They made them lose control of themselves, their lives, and their emotions. Lincoln was just like his mom in many respects, he always had to be in control, of his life, of his emotions, of the people around him, to ever let drugs take that away from him. And to him, love was just as much a drug as any chemical. Lincoln didn’t really believe in everlasting love, not like the movies portrayed or women hoped for. He’d seen too many divorces and affairs to believe in things like that.
He did believe in intoxicating desire, in the elusive need to get high from being with one person until that high wasn’t enough, or began to wane over time. People would then go on to destroy that love in pursuit of a bigger high, or to capture those first moments of being high for the first time all over again. You couldn’t recapture that moment however, not really, so he’d never pursued love.
He’d pursued Chloe for a long time, but it wasn’t for love, he told himself. He didn’t know if what he’d felt for her all those years ago was love, but he knew he wanted her in his bed again. Lust he could deal with, desire was something that could be controlled, and he wanted this new Chloe underneath him very much. She’d been perfect as a sweet little virgin all those years ago, but she’d matured well, blossomed into something far more destructive, perhaps.
He was willing to get a few burns from her fire if that was the price he had to pay for another chance to have her in his bed. He’d never love her, not like a woman who looked like Natalie Dormer with her fiery, defiant eyes should be loved, but he could fuck her until he got her out of his system. Then they could both move on again. He was sure of it.
Dancing With Lies (Barre To Bar Book 1) Page 7
