Dixie Lynn Dwyer (8 page)

He smiled at her.

“The owner of this fine establishment. Wonderful to meet you, Susanna. You and your husband must be quite proud of what you’ve accomplished.”

“Hey, darling, everything okay over here?” BJ asked as he placed his hands on Susanna’s shoulders.

“This is BJ, Susanna’s husband, the other owner of Dixie Chix,” Juliet stated firmly as she stared at both BJ and Susanna. Her head wasn’t facing Robert, and her friends seemed to get the hint.

“Pleasure to meet you. Are you an old friend of Juliet’s?” BJ asked.

Robert smiled as he pet Juliet’s hair. “Yes, we go way back. But you see, I know her as Juliana, not Juliet. She’s even more stunning than I recall.”

“Well I’m sorry to interrupt. Juliet is needed by the other party she’s responsible for tonight,” Susanna stated as she motioned for Juliet to leave.

“I just need another minute with her. I promise she’ll be back to work in a few short minutes.” Robert winked at Susanna.

“I’ll get back to work, boss, I promise,” Juliet stated.

Susanna looked at BJ, and BJ led her away from the table.

“The boss is strict, huh?”

“Very. That’s why her business is successful.”

“Well, let’s make some plans. I won’t tell Pierce about you quite yet, and you promise to stay in town, or I’ll kill the security guard whose been watching us this entire time from across the room.” She tightened up and Robert leaned closer to her neck. He kissed her skin then bit not so gently against it. She grabbed her neck.

“You will behave, Juliana, or your friends will suffer.”

Juliet promised then got up from the booth. She waited by the bar until Robert decided to leave. Once he walked away from the private area and headed toward the front door, Juliet rushed to the staff room and into the bathroom. She hung over the toilet and vomited as she cried.

She couldn’t even catch her breath. She wanted to die.

“Juliet, are you okay?” Susanna asked.

“Fine!” she yelled, her voice cracking.

The stall door opened and Susanna was there, pulling Juliet’s hair away from her face and shoulders as Juliet continued to vomit.

She couldn’t get the smell of Robert’s cologne off of her. She thought about the way he touched her, and she felt so violated and cheap. If he told Pierce where she was, then she would die. She had to leave, but Robert threatened her friends’ lives. He threatened to kill Richie.

She finally settled down as the dry heaves left her. Susanna held her against her.

“Come on, honey, let’s get you washed up.”

She cleaned up by the sink, and Susanna brought over a toothbrush and mouthwash from Juliet’s bag. She always carried things like that with her for the long hours at the dance hall.

Juliet stared into the mirror. “I need a shower,” she whispered as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

“He was touching you under the table, wasn’t he?” Susanna asked.

Juliet nodded her head.

“Oh God, Juliet, tell me what’s going on. Let me help you.”

Juliet shook her head.

“I placed you all in danger. He’ll hurt you to control me. It’s what he does. Even if I run now, he’ll hurt you because he knows it will get to me. He knew immediately that there was something between Richie and me. He’ll kill him, Susanna. I have no choice here. I have to do what Robert wants.”

“No, you do have a choice. Explain everything to me, and BJ, Monte, Richie, and Carl can help. You don’t know what they can and can’t handle.”

Juliet turned to look at Susanna.

“He’ll kill them. He’s done it before.”

The door swung open, and Richie and Carl entered the room. The tears immediately fell from her eyes. They were disgusted with her. They saw Robert touching her, kissing her neck, possessing her.

“I’ll leave you three alone. I’m right outside the door, Juliet, when you decide what you need to do.”

Susanna walked out the door, and Carl and Richie remained. Her legs were shaking as she held the top of the chair.

“Who was that guy, and what does he have on you?” Richie asked firmly as he stood in front of her with his hands on his hips. Carl stared at her looking angry, disgusted, and about to blow his top.

“It doesn’t matter. You both need to stay clear of me.”

“That’s not happening,” Carl stated, and she looked up at him. The tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I already killed one man I loved. I won’t be responsible for killing two more.” She started for the door when Richie raised his voice.

“Don’t you dare say something like that to us and walk away.”

“I have to leave, Richie. It’s the way it must be. I warned you both.” She started to walk away when Carl placed his hand on her waist.

“I know you’re scared. I know he scared you, but you can trust us, Juliet. Please trust us.”

“That bastard is not going to touch you ever again. I saw what he did to you. I saw the fear in your eyes and the control he had over you, Juliet. You’re going to explain the situation, and we are going to protect you.”

She shook her head as she cried and gripped his shoulders in an attempt to push away.

“You can’t protect me. You can’t save me from these men.”

“Men?” Carl asked.

She shook her head.

“Juliet.” Richie raised his voice from behind her. He embraced her, too, and she was sandwiched between the two massive male bodies.

Richie pushed her hair aside and whispered against her ear and neck.

“I’m going to tell you a secret. One that no one knows, and I expect you to keep it a secret.”

His voice was soft, yet commanding and intense. She felt it in every ounce of her being. She was shaking.

“Ever hear of Special Forces, Green Berets, Commandos?” He kissed her neck and caressed her body as Carl held her tight.

“Carl and I have done things beyond those positions. Maybe even things we shouldn’t ever talk about, relive, or find justification in, but we did it for our country, to protect Americans and our national security. If our resources, training, and skills are needed to protect you and keep you safe, then by damn, woman. We. Will. Use. Them.”

Richie and Carl joined Monte and BJ in the surveillance room. They were playing back the tape of when Robert noticed Juliet and then proceeded to make her sit with him. He could see plainly how frightened she was. She was shaking in the seat, gripping the table as that fucking dirtbag touched her.

He banged his fist down on the table.

“Calm down, Richie. I know you and Carl are pissed off, but we need to be smart here. Monte pulled up some info on this guy,” BJ stated.

“I should have had him followed,” Carl added.

“We took care of that,” Monte stated, straight faced as he typed away on the computer and brought up a series of images to the main five screens in front of them.

One contained a full picture of the man.

“Mason and Chad are on top of this guy. They followed him out of the club and to their hotel in Cellar County. His three guards are staying there, too,” Monte stated.

“He’s a cocky bastard, or he already knows where Juliet lives,” Carl added.

“That may be, but we’ll have the women’s house covered. BJ already sent over some people,” Monte offered.

“Who is this guy? What could he possibly have on Juliet to make her so scared and to allow him to control her?” Richie asked.

“I think we’re going to have to sit down and get the full story from her. But right now, working with what little information we’ve got, I pulled up everything I could on this Robert Sinclair. Here we go,” Monte stated then they looked over the material.

“He has a fucking rap sheet and a half.” Carl rubbed his chin. Richie looked at him. They were both worried.

“He’s been arrested numerous times for questioning for various murders and missing people,” BJ read from the file.

“Juliet mentioned that this guy was capable of killing, that he had done it before,” Richie whispered.

“She also mentioned about getting one man she loved killed,” Carl added. BJ and Monte exchanged glances.

“What? What is it?” Richie asked.

“Let’s just say we take all these accusations listed here in his file under arrests and questioning and say that they are true and he got away with them. It would mean that he murdered more than a dozen people. This man cannot be underestimated. Juliet is our key to protecting her. She must tell us everything she can about her past, about this guy Robert, and about the murder she knows about,” BJ told them.

“She will tell us. We’ll make sure she understands that we’re here for her,” Carl stated.

“You got her to stay instead of run. Let’s bring her up to Susanna’s office and get the answers we need,” Monte told them.

* * * *

“So what’s the plan, boss?” Robert’s guard, Teddy, asked him.

“There is no plan. Finding Juliana has come as a complete surprise. Did you see her? She is fucking beautiful.”

“Pierce is going to go crazy.”

Robert shot a look at Teddy.

“I can get anything I want from both of them. I can get Juliana to do as I say and be my little pleasure toy, and I can get Pierce to give me whatever I want and promise to deliver Juliana in one piece.”

“What about the security guy? He seemed like more than just a friend. His eyes were red in anger when he saw your hand up the redhead’s skirt.”

Robert chuckled.

“He was nothing to worry about. She knows what I’ll do to him. I killed Danny because Pierce felt that the kid stood in the way of his ultimate plans of seducing Juliana. When he found out Danny took her virginity, Pierce flipped out.”

“It doesn’t concern you about the town, the talk about ménage relationships, ex-military men, etcetera?”

“Fuck no. I got a gun, a knife, and an ability to kill like the best of them. A soldier boy won’t be a match or a concern. Besides, I’m thinking about changing my plans here and maybe taking her tomorrow night. She’ll go with me willingly, even if a boyfriend or whatever tries to stop me. She knows what Pierce will do. I’m a way better choice.”

“But you’re planning on keeping her for yourself a while, right? Won’t Pierce find out?”

“Even if he does, his craving and obsession over Juliana will rule his decisions. He’ll be so ecstatic to have her back, he won’t care what I did to her prior to.”

“That guy isn’t right in the head.” Teddy poured himself and Robert some brandy.

Robert chuckled.

“He hasn’t been right for years. Juliana will never be the same once we’re both through with her.”

* * * *

Juliet sat in Susanna’s office, staring out the window. The others were closing down the club for the night. Monte, BJ, Carl, and Richie were across the hall, probably trying to figure out who Robert was. Juliet felt sick to her stomach. She watched the light rain falling, the way it drizzled down the windowpane, blocking her view of who or what may be out there in the distance. She shivered. Robert wouldn’t take no for an answer. His anger and his loss of control were terrifying to watch. Numerous times she’d witnessed his wrath and his utter lack of respect or remorse after pulverizing someone Pierce had ordered him to.

Pierce. Oh God, please don’t let him find out I’m alive.

The tears rolled down her cheeks. She didn’t bother to wipe them away. She felt so hollow, so frightened and unaware of what to do. Should she trust Richie’s and Carl’s words? Were they capable of handling Robert and Pierce? Should she expose them to such evilness? Was she even worth it and the possibility that Richie or Carl could die? She sniffled as her heart ached. They got her to stay, even when her first instinct was to run. Was she just trying to hold on to the possibility that they could really help her and that they would still care for her? Or was she being a fool? Would she cause them harm? There were too many what-ifs.

The office door opened, and she knew multiple people entered. She clutched the blanket Susanna had given her tighter as she refused to look at them. She couldn’t face anyone right now. Robert’s touch lingered in her mind.

“Juliet, we need to talk,” Carl stated as he joined her on the couch and sat beside her. She continued to stare out the window.

“We need you to explain what’s going on. We want you to tell us about Robert and whoever else is after you. In order to help you, we need to know.” Carl caressed her hair. She sunk down deeper against the couch. She never took her eyes off the window and the falling rain.

“Tell us who Robert is to you,” Richie pushed. Sure he did. He admitted his capabilities, somewhat, earlier to her. He wasn’t a man to reckon with.

“He works for my stepfather.”

“Your stepfather?”

She hesitated and spoke slowly. “Well, technically, in his eyes he is. But my aunt, who claimed to be my mother, seduced a man to get him to marry her. She made promises to him.” A tear rolled down her cheek.