The Midnight Club

by Love, Michelle

  Max nodded. ‘Yep. The only thing I found is an old newspaper from when you were stabbed. But that could have been here forever.’

  ‘Suddenly I feel bad,’ Jess admitted. ‘Poor guy. Let’s get out of here.’

  They were just about to leave when they heard a truck door slam. Max peeked around the corner.

  Shit.’ Max turned and pushed her back inside. ‘Go, go.’

  Max dragged her into the kitchen and into the pantry. The space was tight and she was pressed up against him. They listened to Clem enter, throw his keys down and went into the kitchen. Through the slats in the pantry door, they could see him grabbing a beer from the fridge. He leaned against the counter and drank.

  Through her fear, Jess was aware of being pressed up against Max. The situation was almost comical. All the terror left her then. Jess felt laughter bubble up inside her and buried her face in his chest to muffle it. Her weight shifted and something moved on the shelf behind her. They froze.

  Clem looked over towards the door and Jess stopped breathing. He had blonde hair and blue eyes but those eyes … she shivered. She couldn’t be sure it was Jules but they held all the malevolence of her reviled step-brother. She couldn’t see what Amelia saw in this guy. She began to tremble. Clem opened a drawer, still looking towards the door, and pulled out a kitchen knife. Max reached around his back and slowly pulled out his gun. Jess bugged at him. Max winked at her and mouthed ‘Don’t worry.’

  Clem reached over to the fruit bowl and picked up an apple, chopping it in two in one easy movement. He looked back over to the pantry door, took a step towards it.

  Max slipped the safety off. Jess started to tremble and he kissed her forehead, never taking his eyes from Clem.

  A loud knocking at the door. Clem hesitated for a beat, then strode over to the door and pulled it open

  ‘Amelia! What a lovely surprise.’

  Jess and Max gaped at each other. Amelia was walking into the kitchen with Clem’.

  ‘I thought I’d just drop your invitation around.’

  ‘Can I offer you a drink?’

  ‘Oh no, really, I just stopped by on the off-chance. I’m actually just going to see Jess.’

  Jess and Max froze as Clem glanced again at the pantry door. Jess could feel her heart beating out of her chest.

  ‘Then how could I delay you?’

  Amelia and Clem said goodbye and Clem stepped back into the kitchen. Jess and Max stopped breathing as he stood, planted square in his kitchen, staring at the closed pantry door. For a long, eerie, unsettling moment, his eyes seemed to drift in and out of focus. Jess stared at him.

  It could be him. It could be him. The disguise was very good if it was Jules. The black hair that he’d prized was shaved almost to nothing and bleached a bright white. The beard – false or not – was bushy, huge, hipster-like and covered more than half of the bottom of his face. The eyes… too blue to be natural. Contacts, Jess thought now, with a growing terror building inside her.

  A loud rapping at Clem’s door made them all start.

  ‘Clem? Let me in.’

  Jess and Max gaped at each other. It was a woman from the bar on the island, Caroline. She was snippy redhead who had taken a dislike to Jess on sight. Amelia had told her, discreetly, that Caroline had grown up with Theo, had her sights set on him, even in the face of Theo’s utter ambivalence. Clem strode over to the door and pulled it open. Caroline brushed past him into the room.

  ‘Thanks for waiting for me.’ Her tone was snippy.

  ‘You said you’d be on the seven-thirty. I was there at seven-thirty. You were not. Do you want a drink?’

  Caroline sat down in the living room. ‘Yes. Scotch. What was so pressing you couldn’t wait an extra thirty minutes?’

  Jess and Max watched while Clem handed her a glass.

  ‘Believe it or not, I’m not inclined nor am I obligated to wait around for you?’

  Caroline grunted. ‘I forgive you.’

  Clem smiled without humour. ‘What do you want, Caroline?’

  ‘I want to know why you’re fucking that old woman. Especially her.’

  Jess could feel Max tense up, his hand flexing on his gun. She put her hands against his chest, cautioning him, calming him.

  ‘Ah. How about we not talk about… that… for just this one night?’

  Clem put his drink down and pulled Caroline to her feet. ‘I think we can use this time better.’ He kissed her and Caroline responded.

  ‘I missed you, baby.’ She crooned. Jess wrinkled her nose and made a gagging gesture which made Max grin.

  Caroline held out her hand to Clem and led him into the living room. Max waited for a beat and pushed the pantry door open. Taking Jess’s hand, they crept across the door to living room, eyes always on the couple there. They caught a glimpse of Clem’s back, Caroline, on her knees before him. Max turned the handle of the back door and made Jess go out before him. They were almost at the bottom when they heard the door open above them.

  ‘Go, go, go!’ Max whispered and pushed Jess out of the door. Behind them, they could hear Clem’s heavy footsteps. Max grabbed her hand and they raced through the night, ducking down the alleys behind the apartment until they reached their car, Max throwing it into gear and speeding off into the night.

  Jules stood in the doorway. He’d been sure someone was in the house and when the back door had opened, he had darted from the living room, leaving a frustrated Caroline shouting after him. Whoever it was, and he was pretty sure who it was, had disappeared from view just as he reached the door. He swore. It was the fag but he hadn’t been alone. Surely Jess hadn’t been with him? In his house, spying on him. Bitch.

  ‘What the fuck are you doing?’

  He turned. Caroline was standing at wrapped in a sheet. Stupid whore. She was becoming a problem, a risk factor. He would have to get rid of her before she blew his cover.

  He smiled at her. ‘Nothing, darling.’ He moved to her side and kissed her.

  He would have to make sure her body wasn’t discovered until after Jess was dead. The wedding day was in less than a week.

  Theo looked down at his love, her face so relaxed. He lived for these quiet moments, it was if they sunk into each other, the world outside could not touch them. He listened to her breathing as she slept, regular and peaceful. Her left hand rested on the pillow, the white gold band with the diamond on her ring finger. Theo smiled and sighed. They had decided to risk the bad luck (‘Surely we’ve had enough’) and spend the night before the wedding together in his mom’s house. His mom had disapproved but had compromised by making him promise to go home to get ready so he wouldn’t see Jess in her dress. In a few short hours they would be married, she would be his forever. He trailed a finger down her soft cheek, bent over to kiss the smooth pink skin. Jess stirred and murmured, still deep in sleep.

  He showered quickly, then stood at the sink while he shaved.

  Glancing in the mirror he saw, through the open door to their bedroom, that Jess was awake and watching him. She said nothing but a small smile played on her lips. He smiled back at her reflection and continued to get ready, glancing in the mirror every few seconds at her. She giggled as he raised an eyebrow at her.

  When he was dressed he came back into the bedroom. ‘You,’ he bent down and kissed her, ‘are a distraction.’

  She cupped his face. ‘Come back to bed.’ She murmured and he laughed.

  ‘Bad girl.’ He considered her offer but then looked at the clock and grimaced. ‘I’m kind of late already.’ He laughed at her sulky face and sat on the edge of the bed. ‘I have a very, very bossy best man. I feel sorry for Seth.’

  Jess giggled. ‘Can you believe it’s today?’

  ‘I cannot wait to call you Mrs. Storm.’

  ‘Okay then, I suppose you can go to your mom’s. She’ll be here in an hour to lever me into my dress.’

  He smiled tenderly and covered her belly with his big hand. ‘You and the Bean.’

&
nbsp; ‘Me and the Bean,’ she agreed, happily.

  She sat up and looked out of the window.

  ‘God, what a beautiful day.’ She grinned at him, excited, looking like a kid. He laughed.

  ‘Yep, it’s stunning out there.’ He leaned over and kissed her again. ‘Although it’s nothing to what I can see right now.’

  She moaned. ‘How am I supposed to let you out of the door when you say things like that?’ She pulled him down and he laughed.

  ‘Woman, you’re insatiable.’

  ‘How late did you say you were?’ She whispered as she pressed her body against his. He groaned, covered her mouth with his and started to take off his shirt.

  ‘Not nearly late enough.’

  He stripped the rest of his clothes off in a hurry and slid back into bed with her, kissing her, his tongue caressing hers, exploring her sweet mouth. Her legs twined around his body and he could feel the hot wetness of her sex against his thigh. God, would he ever get enough of her? His cock stood, ramrod straight against his belly and he teased her entrance with the tip of it, as his mouth found her nipple, sucking and biting down on it.

  ‘I’m so wet for you,’ she whispered in his ear, ‘fill me, Theo, fuck me senseless, make me come.’

  Jesus. His cock grew thicker, strained to get inside her and as he slid into her, her warm, wet softness enveloping the length of him, he thrust deep, to the root, to be as close to her as he could, skin-on-skin. Her thighs tightened around his hips, and their bodies moved as if they were desperate to sink into each other. Theo, with a brutal roll of hips driving himself into her, watched as her breasts swelled, her belly undulating with their movements, her face flush pink, her mouth open, gasping for air, her dark eyes shining and fixed onto his. So, so beautiful, Theo kissed her and she urged him deeper inside, tilting her hips to accommodate him. With a hand, he pressed her legs further apart, then scooping her buttocks up, slammed into her again and again until she was crying out with pleasure and pain. He came violently, his groin jerking, his cock pumping out hot, viscous semen deep inside her. He grinned, knowing his seed would still be inside her as she walked down the aisle, that she was his in every way. He felt her vibrating and quivering, crying out as she reached orgasm but he didn’t let he recover, withdrawing his still hard cock and flipping her onto her back, parting her legs and pushing into her perfect ass, moving slowly as she moaned and writhed beneath him. They both came again and again and by the time Theo kissed her goodbye, they were so giddy and delirious with love, they could barely bear to part.

  ‘See you at the end of the aisle, beautiful,’ he murmured, his lips against her mouth.

  ‘I love you.’

  And then he was gone.

  Max was building himself up into a feverish state by the time Theo called to say he was on his way. Seth was trying to calm him down by distracting him but Max couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Was it something he forgot to do? No… it’s Jules. Max knew that today would be the day Jules would try to kill Jess again, maybe Theo too. What better way to get his revenge.

  Paranoid, he told himself. Mike, Theo’s head of security, was on everything – nobody on the island moved without Mike knowing about it. He went to look for him now and found him scanning a computer file.

  ‘Hey dude, everything looking good?’

  Mike looked up and smiled. ‘All good. I’m heading over to Mrs. Storm’s place now.’

  He didn’t see the truck until it was too late. Theo swore and swerved but the Mercedes slammed into it. Jules had moved it across the exit to the blind bend on the way to Amelia’s house and they didn’t have a chance. The car slid on the road and slipped down the embankment. It hit the tree side on. Theo’s head smashed against the window and he was knocked senseless. The wiper blades kept moving while all else was silent.

  Jules smiled as he stood at the road’s edge looking down at the car. Time to call Jess and ask her once and for all, if she would give up her life for her lover’s.

  Jules was in no doubt of the answer.

  Mike rounded the corner and slammed on the brakes. Theo’s car was burning. ‘Shit,’ Mike leaped from the car and darted as close as he could. He couldn’t see a body in the front seat. Yanking his phone from his pocket, he was about to dial v911 when he heard the tell-tale click of a safety being flicked off. He didn’t have time to turn toward the noise before the bullet tore through his skull and silenced him forever.

  Jess stepped into the dress that Amelia held and stood obediently as her almost-mother-in-law buttoned up the bodice. The dress, although deceptively simple, was light, flowing and of pure white. Jess smirked to herself. Thanks to Theo, she was about as far from a virgin as someone could be.

  Amelia stood back and looked at her, her eyes filling with tears. Jess’s dark hair was soft waves, pulled over one shoulder. The dress itself had sleeves of the most delicate chiffon which belled out delicately at the wrist, the skirt ending just above Jess’s knees. Against her honey skin, the white glowed, highlighting her subtle make-up and large brown eyes. Amelia sighed.

  ‘You look beautiful, Jessie. I’m so proud to call you my daughter.’

  Amelia’s phone rang and she snagged it from the table as Jess turned and admired the dress in the mirror.

  ‘Clem, darling, how lovely… what? Oh, that’s a shame. Well, perhaps we’ll see you at the reception this evening?’

  Jess glanced at Amelia in the mirror. She and Max hadn’t told her about Clem and Caroline and Amelia hadn’t mentioned dating Clem so they decided to leave it. Amelia was smiling now.

  ‘Yes, of course…’ She put her hand over the mic. ‘Clem wants to say congratulations.’ She held the phone out to Jess, who took, a little bemused.

  ‘Hello?’

  ‘Keep smiling, it’s very important you keep smiling. Say hello to me, Jessica.’

  Terror screeched back into every fiber of her being. I knew it. I knew it. Jules.

  ‘Hi, Clem, nice to speak to you.’

  She realized her face was frozen in a false smile. ‘Hello, Clem, nice to speak to you.’

  ‘Good. There’s a gun in my hand and the muzzle is currently against your fiancé’s temple. There are five bullets in it. All five will be in his head very soon unless you go what I say. Tell me you understand.’

  ‘I understand… Clem.’

  ‘Keep smiling. Now, find a way to get out and drive home. If you’re not here in ten minutes, Theo is dead. Then I’ll come for you. It’s entirely up to you whether he dies. Either way, this is the day you are going to die, Jessica. Say thank you, Jessica.’

  ‘Thank you, Clem.’ Her voice quivered just a little but Amelia, tidying the room, didn’t seem to notice.

  ‘Ten minutes, Jessica, and I’ll let you say goodbye before I put my knife into you.’

  The line went dead. Jess stood, holding the phone, frozen. Jules had Theo. She closed her eyes.

  ‘Jess, honey, you okay?’ Amelia sounded concerned. She tried to smile at the older woman.

  ‘I’m fine. Just nerves. I might just get some fresh air.’

  Downstairs she grabbed Amelia’s car keys and ran. Theo, I’m coming… please, hang on…

  She pushed open the door slowly. The house was silent. She moved through the rooms silently, the gun in her hand. Jess was amazed she wasn’t terrified – more like, she was mad. Real mad. This ended today. Jules wouldn’t stop until one of them was dead so she had no doubt in her mind that she could kill him. She wanted to. He’d taken Theo, might have even killed him by now – she pushed that thought away. Her adrenaline coursed through her body.

  ‘Jules?’

  ‘In here.’

  She turned at the sound of his voice and followed it to the main living room. Then all her fight left her as she saw Theo, tied to a chair, blood coursing down from a vicious head wound, his head slumped, his body crumpled. He looked dead.

  Nonononononono…. she realized the frenzied screams were coming from her,
and every plan she’d made left her brain in her grief. She started toward him then Jules grabbed her from behind. She felt a stinging pain in her neck and then she was falling….

  Theo opened his eyes, for a second not understanding. Jess was in a chair opposite him, unconscious, her white dress – her wedding dress - cut open down past her navel. Oh god no. She’d come to help him and put herself into Jules’ hands. Theo struggled again the cuffs Jules had used to bind him to the chair.

  ‘I wouldn’t bother.’

  Jules’ amused voice came from behind him and he heard the safety catch on a gun being clicked off, felt the cold metal of gun being pressed to his temple. Jules chuckled.

  ‘When she wakes up for the last time, this all ends. You’ll watch her die, Storm. You’ll watch me stab her over and over until she’s dead. But you won’t have to mourn her for long. You’ll be joining her very soon.’

  The pressure of the gun lifted and Jules pulled up a chair between him and Jess. She stirred and Theo’s heart jumped in fear. The one small hope was this – Jess didn’t seem to be bound but he knew that was another one of Jules’ games. He wanted Jess to allow him to kill her in the hope he’d let Theo go.

  Jules went to check her and as she opened her eyes, he pressed the muzzle of his gun again her bare skin. ‘Hello beauty.’

  Jess’s eyes rolled, dazed; when they found Theo’s desperate ones, their gazes locked and she could see the devastation in them.

  ‘I love you,’ she whispered. Jules growled and cuffed her.

  ‘Shut up, whore.’

  Theo roared, trying to get up from his chair. In one flash, Jules whipped behind Jess, hooking the hand holding the gun around her neck, and with the other, pulling his knife from his pocket. He kissed Jess. ‘Say goodbye, beautiful.’ And he raised the knife.

  Jess bit down on his other hand hard, as hard as she could and Jules roared in pain. Jess pushed back with all her might, knocking Jules over and the gun out of his hand, under the couch. She threw her body on top of Jules, fighting, kicking punching, ripping his shirt. The keys to Theo’s cuffs fell out of his pocket and she grabbed them, throwing them in Theo’s direction as Jules lashed at her with his knife. She ducked and scrambled to her feet as Jules fought to grab her. Jess paused briefly, one second when she met Theo’s eyes.