“I can’t. I don’t know it!”
“Then how do you plan on opening it?”
“I don’t know.”
Placing her hand on the dial, she closes her eyes and spins the dial a couple times to the right. In her mind she can see her hand reaching for the dial and turning it. The dial stops on forty-two. Opening her eyes, she turns the dial to the right and stops on forty-two. Closing her eyes again, she sees the same hand turning the dial to the left. She opens her eyes and turns the dial to the left, stopping it on the number twelve. Closing her eyes a third time, she sees the hand turning the dial back to the right. For the final time, Kat opens her eyes, turns the dial to the right and stops it on the number six. Reaching for the handle, she pulls it down. The door releases and swings outward toward her. To her amazement, she unlocked the safe.
Turning, she looks up at Gage, who is staring at her intently. The look on his face is cold and it frightens her. Locking eyes, he looks as if he can see right through her.
“Enough bullshit. Who are you Katrina, and what do you want from me? Information? What?’
Confused, Katrina is startled by his vehemence. “What do you mean? You know who I am and I want nothing from you.” Feeling hurt and a bit bewildered, she asks, “What information could I possibly want from you, Gage? You’re the one who was following me, remember?”
“Then how? How could you open the safe if you didn’t know the combination?”
“Once I was standing in front of it, I just closed my eyes and I could see a pair of hands turning the dial in different directions and stopping on those numbers. The numbers that opened the safe. I can’t explain it Gage, I wish I could.”
“That’s just crazy. You expect me to believe you closed your eyes and the numbers magically appeared to you?”
“Something like that, yes.” Walking back over to the couch, Kat sits back down. “It’s the same way I know you’re in danger. I can’t tell you for sure what the danger is or how I know. I just do.”
Not knowing what to believe, Gage turns away from her and walks back over to his desk. Sitting down behind it, he opens the bottom drawer and withdraws a set of glasses, then reaches up to a wall-mounted shelf behind him and pulls a bottle down.
“I could use a drink. How about you?”
“Definitely.”
Gage remains quiet, not knowing what to think. After refilling both their glasses several times, he walks up to Kat while she is sitting on the couch, takes her hand and crouches before her.
“Look, I don’t know what’s going on, but you still look like you’re not feeling one hundred percent. You’re pale and look tired. Stay here and rest a few minutes okay? I’m going to go make arrangements for one of my bartenders to close-up tonight. When I get back, I’ll take you home and stay with you until you’re feeling better. It won’t take me long. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
Gage stands, giving Kat a kiss on the forehead and leaves the office.
Yawning, Kat is overcome by exhaustion and the drinks she’s just finished. Stretching out on the couch, she closes her eyes to rest them. Before she knows what’s happening, she’s fast asleep.
As before, she feels her sleeping body overcome by a floating sensation, and her nausea returning. She tries to breathe through the nausea, but is picked up by a vortex, which quickly hurtles her through the air, faster and faster. When she feels as if her body will be torn apart from the speed, she comes to a halt, and slams into something with such force, it takes her breath away. Desperately, she tries to draw air into her lungs. They burn from the lack of oxygen. She wants to scream, but cannot.
She tries to calm herself down so she can catch her breath. The tightness in her lungs starts to dissipate little by little as it begins to work. Once she’s able to breathe, she opens her eyes and finds herself sitting in an upright position. She spots Gage from across the room, and stands abruptly, ready to make her way to him. Before she can take a step, she is hit with the worst bout of vertigo she has ever felt. Dizzy, she sways from side to side. Grappling for the back of the bar stool she just vacated, she steadies herself, takes a few deep breaths, straightens her shoulders, and heads in Gage’s direction.
Moving closer to him, yet keeping her distance, she watches him gracefully move from person to person through the crowd of patrons; stopping for a few minutes to speak with each key member of his staff. She is able to overhear bits and pieces as he hands over keys and gives each employee a set of instructions for closing up the club. The entire process takes about thirty minutes.
Still following him, Kat notices he is well known by most of the club crowd. They stop to talk to him or shake his hand at every turn. Pursuing him through the crowd, he makes his way to the back of the club and uses his key to unlock the door to the stairwell leading to his office upstairs.
Instead of following him up the stairs, she proceeds to the emergency exit at the back of the club and out the door into the darkness of the night. Moving with purpose, she heads directly over to Gage’s Ducati, looks around, finds she is completely alone, opens her bag, and removes something cool and metal from it. Holding it out in front of her, she recognizes the tool as a pair of wire cutters.
No! She tries to scream, but no sound comes out of her mouth. Realizing what she’s about to do, she tries to stop herself by opening her hand and dropping the wire cutters on the ground. She’s lost control over her hand, it will not open. As if her hand has a mind of its own, she uses the shadows as cover, crouches down, and cuts the bike’s brake lines.
No! No! No! Standing, she places the tool back inside her clutch, brushes off the knees of her jeans, straightens her top, and heads back inside the club.
What the fuck? What am I doing? What is wrong with me? Why can I not control my actions? My brain is screaming to stop. I care for Gage. I care for him a lot. Why would I do this to him? Why can’t I stop myself?
Back inside the club, she proceeds to the bar and orders a shot to celebrate her success. Quickly downing it, she gets up and heads to the ladies room, where inside she washes her hands, dries them, and opens her bag, removing a brush and a tube of mauve lipstick. Dumping her head over, she swiftly brushes her hair from the underneath to give it body. Flipping her long blonde locks over, she puts the brush back in her bag and uses her fingers to finish smoothing them out.
Removing the lid to her lipstick, she twists the bottom of the tube, pressing the color out through the top. Looking at her mouth in the mirror, she starts with her plump bottom lip and spreads the color over it, then moves to her top lip and repeats the process. Rubbing her lips back and forth together to make sure the lipstick is applied evenly, she replaces the lid on the lipstick, gives herself the once over in the mirror and smiles. Holy fuck, it’s Taylor! In the mirror, it’s not me, it’s Taylor! But how? Opening the bathroom door, she exits and heads back to the bar.
When Gage reaches his office, Kat is sound asleep on the couch. She looks so peaceful he decides not to wake her right away. Sitting behind his desk, he watches her sleep. She is so beautiful he can’t take his eyes off her. Something inside him stirs every time he sees her, thinks about her, or is near her. He wonders what it is about her. Why she affects him so much differently than any other woman he’s ever been with. And the number is considerable. Mind racing, he wonders just what in the hell is going on with her. He wants to trust her. He wants to believe her. Aw hell, he just wants her. But how could she know about the safe? How was she able to open it without being able to recite the combination? Is she lying to me?
Sitting straight up and struggling to catch her breath, Kat violently awakens. Panicked and not able to breathe, tears roll down her cheeks and she starts flailing about, trying to get herself in a fully upright position.
Seeing her in distress, Gage jumps over the desk and makes his way to her side. “Kat, it’s okay. Calm down. You’re hyperventilating.” Sitting down beside her, he takes her in his arms and gently strokes
her cheek, her hair, and her arms like he would with a small child. “Come on baby, it’s alright. Breathe. Take a deep breath and exhale it slowly. That’s a girl,” he softly croons. “Now come on baby, do that a few more times until you’re breathing normally again.”
She does as he has instructed and it helps. Frantic to tell him what has happened, she starts, “Gage, I have to tell you…”
“We have time to talk after you’re feeling better, Kat. Now is your breathing better?’
“Yes, but…”
“No buts.” Handing her a tissue he says, “Here, dry your eyes.” She does. “Can you stand?” He takes her hand to help her up. She collapses in his arms.
“I feel weak. Sick. So sick to my stomach. Oh my god, I think I’m going to vomit.”
“Just take a few deep breaths. If you’re going to be sick, I’ll carry you into the bathroom. See that door on the other side of the room? It’s right through there.”
“Oh god, how embarrassing. I don’t want you to see me that way.”
“Kat, that is so not a big deal. Stop thinking about it. Now, do you need me to bring you in there?”
“No, I think I’m good. I just need something in my stomach. Where’s the rest of that protein bar?’
Gage hands it to her. “It’s right here.”
“Thanks. I know this sounds weird, but I could really use a drink.”
“I’ll grab you a water.”
“No, I need something stronger. It seems to settle me after I feel like this.”
“Alright, if you’re sure?” Picking up the same bottle as earlier, he pours the clear liquid into her glass and hands it to her. “Just sip it until you’re sure your stomach can handle it.” She nods in acknowledgment.
After several minutes pass, she informs him, “I feel fine now. I really do. Please, come sit down next to me. I have to tell you what’s happened. What I saw.”
“What you saw?”
“Yes. Now I know this is going to sound strange, but it really happened. While you were gone, you were being followed. Spied on. I watched as you were being stalked. You’re in danger, Gage. Your brake lines were cut on your motorcycle. I was there when it happened. If you get on that bike, you won’t be able to stop. You’ll be hurt or worse. I couldn’t take it if anything happened to you.”
“O…kaaay. “
“I’m not joking, Gage. It’s true. I saw it happen. I was there when it happened.”
“Katrina, you’ve been up here asleep since I left. It was just a bad dream, baby.”
“No! It wasn’t! Please do not patronize me, Gage. You have to listen to me.” Holding up her hand before he could speak she pleads, “Please, just listen. I saw you downstairs talking to different members of your staff, handing out a set of keys to someone, overhead you instructing them on how to close up. I followed you and watched people stop you to say hello, to shake your hand, to come on to you. I saw you unlock the door and head back upstairs.”
Gages eyes widen with astonishment. “But how could you know that?”
“I’m not sure, but when I’m finished, I’ll venture a guess okay? Now as I was saying, I saw all of that happen. When you left to come back upstairs, I did not follow you, but instead exited the club through the back emergency door and headed over to your motorcycle. I took a pair of wire cutters out of my purse and when I realized what I was about to do with them, I tried to stop myself. I tried to drop them on the ground, but couldn’t because I couldn’t make my hand open. I tried to scream and couldn’t make any sound come out of my mouth. Then, I just knelt down beside the bike and cut the brake lines.”
Clearly puzzled, Gage reiterates, “Kat, I know you believe all of this is real, but you could not have done that. You were in here asleep the whole time. I know you were. You were lying right here on the couch, out like a light when I returned from downstairs. I sat here watching you sleep, thinking how beautiful and peaceful you looked lying there. Don’t you see…you would have had to have been outside cutting the brakes on my bike at the same time I arrived back in the office? At the same time I watched you sleeping. It’s just not possible. You could not have done this. It had to be a dream.”
“No, you’re right, I didn’t do it. Taylor did!”
Beyond confused, Gage gapes at her, shaking his head. “Taylor? What does she have to do with this? I don’t understand Kat. You just finished telling me that you did it. You followed me through the club, you cut my brake lines. Now that I pointed out that you couldn’t have done those things, that you were right here asleep on the couch the whole time, you’re saying I’m right, you didn’t do these things, but Taylor did?”
“Yes, that is exactly what I’m saying. That Taylor did these things. I know she did, because after your brake lines were cut, I reentered the club and went into the ladies room to get cleaned up. When I looked in the mirror, it wasn’t my face I saw staring back at me, it was Taylor’s. Somehow, I saw all these things happen through her eyes. It was like I was inside of her. Trapped inside her body while she thought and did these horrible things and as much as I tried, there was nothing I could do to stop her. While it was happening, I thought I was the one doing it. I couldn’t understand how I could care for you so much and do something so terrible to you. Try to physically harm you. Then I saw Taylor’s reflection in the bathroom mirror and I knew it wasn’t me who wanted to harm you, it was her. She did it!”
“You saw these things happen through her eyes? What does that even mean?”
“I don’t know, Gage. My best guess is that I have some sort of connection with her.”
“Connection? As in psychic connection?”
“Yes…No...Aw hell, I don’t know! Hasn’t anything strange ever happened to you Gage? Something that you couldn’t explain?”
Only that I turn into a panther at will.
“Baby, this is starting to sound a bit insane.”
“I understand that, but I can prove it.” Standing, she takes Gage’s hand. “Follow me. We’ll go check out your bike. If the brake lines on the Ducati are cut, then what I’ve told you is true. If they’re not, then I’m crazy as a loon and need to be checked in to the nearest nut house.”
Kissing her hand, he concedes. “Lead the way.”
They descend the stairs and go directly outside through the emergency exit. Letting go of Katrina’s hand, Gage takes a few hurried strides directly over to his motorcycle. Kneeling down, he traces first one brake line and then the other, back to the where they bolt to the calipers. They’ve both been cut.
Enraged, he takes Kat by the shoulders, looks deep into her eyes and says, “I don’t know what is going on here, but you are not crazy. Can you tell me if Taylor is still inside?”
“Just before I woke up, she was sitting at the bar closest to the exit door. She was drinking, celebrating what she’d done.”
“Thanks. Wait for me at a table inside. I’m going to go get this bitch! It’s time we had a little conversation.”
“Oh no, I’m coming with you.”
“No Katrina! This could get ugly. Believe me you don’t want to get involved.”
“A little late for that, don’t ya think?’
As they reenter the club, they both stop and scan the crowd. Katrina spots Taylor first, sitting exactly where she remembered her. “Gage, over there.” Using her head, she motions in the direction of the bar.
“I see her.” Taking a key from his pocket he hands it to her. “Take this, head upstairs, and wait for me. Make sure you leave the door to the stairwell unlocked. I’m going to grab Taylor and bring her up to my office so I can find out what the hell she’s up to.
Gloating, Taylor sits at the bar and orders another drink. Poor Gage. He’s going to be in for a big surprise. It won’t kill him, but he’ll be in a world of hurt.
Stepping up behind her, Gage motions to the bartender and instructs him to cut her off. “She’s had enough for tonight.” Placing his right hand on her shoulder he informs her, “You
’re cut off.”
Spinning around on her stool, she opens her mouth to begin to argue. “What? I have not had too much to drink. How dare you!”
Leaning in to her, he places his right cheek to her left and whispers in her ear, “I thought you said earlier you wanted me? Now what fun would that be if you’re too drunk to participate?”
“No fun at all,” she quips as a large smile spreads across her face. “But I thought…”
Heading off her objections, Gage pulls her off of the stool into his arms and kisses her roughly, thrusting his tongue savagely into her mouth. She responds immediately. Revolted at the thought of kissing this bitch who just cut his brake lines; he ends the kiss quickly, leaving her head spinning, which was his only intent. “No thinking.” Taking her by the hand, Gage leads her through the crowd of people to the door that leads upstairs. Thinking another piece of her plan just fell into place and that she’s about to get laid, she gladly follows.
As they reach the top steps Taylor asks, “I thought you said you have a girlfriend. Did you two have a fight? Where is she?”
Stepping through the door to his office, he growls, “She’s right here.”
Dumbfounded, she looks around the small room and finds Katrina sitting on the couch. “No thanks, I’m not into threesomes,” she retorts scornfully. Turning on her heels she briskly moves towards the doorway.
Quickly, Kat jumps up and moves in front of her, blocking her exit. “Oh really bitch, you’re not into threesomes huh, just coming on to anyone I’m with, right? I saw you when I walked in the club, hanging all over Gage and kissing him, you slut. What’s the matter? Fucking Tony the other night wasn’t enough for you? You had to go after Gage, too?” she shouted.
Gage’s head snaps up and he stares at Katrina in shock. This is all new information that he wants to discuss with her. He can hear the jealousy in her voice over what happened between Tony and Taylor and he hates it, but right now he has bigger issues to deal with.
The Tower (The Tarot Series Book 1) Page 30
