Unexpected Angel (22 page)

(Tasha)

I’m about to throw up. The combination of a few drinks on top of us having our first real fight is too much to take. I knew Holly didn’t care for Dylan, but it’s never been so clear that the issues go both ways.

“Why would I lie to you about something like this? I’d prefer to not go into all of the details, but if that’s what it’s going to take, I will.” Dylan’s slowly balling his fists, cracking one knuckle at a time. I know better than to think he’d ever lay a finger on me, but it still makes me nervous. I slide my bar stool closer to Zeke. I turn to him, hoping to see something in his icy blue eyes that will tell me this is some twisted joke. That Dylan’s making something of nothing. Because as much as I don’t want to believe Dylan, he’s also never given me a reason to
not
believe him.

Zeke’s face relays nothing, so I turn my attention back to Dylan. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can call a cab and go home. I motion with my hand for Dylan to continue, not knowing what to say at this point.

“Precious, the man she’s here with tonight is a drug dealer. He’s out on parole right now, but probably not for long,” I see the pain in Dylan’s eyes and want to believe what he’s saying, but it makes no sense. I know Holly used in the past, but she straightened herself out years ago. She’s always talking about how much better she feels now that she’s not living in a haze.

“Okay, so she’s friends with someone who’s been in jail. I’m sure all of your friends aren’t squeaky clean,” I say sarcastically. I glance over at Zeke and know I’m right. “Besides, maybe the guy learned his lesson.”

“Not likely. Look, this guy doesn’t bring women
to
the bar with him. It messes up his game. He comes alone, finds a girl to hook up with, get her high and hooked, fucks her and leaves her.” I don’t care for this Dylan. Tonight, he reminds me of Nick in many ways.

“Okay, so let’s say that is his MO, what does that have to do with Holly?” He has about ten seconds to tell me something profound before I turn and walk away. So far, he’s given me no reason to sit here and listen to this.

“Can we talk about this later?” He asks me, turning his attention back to the stage. “I really don’t have time to lay it all out for you, and I don’t think you want me to do that here. Am I right?”

“You know what? No, I don’t want to talk about this tonight.
Go do whatever it is you have to do.”

Dylan slides his arms around my waist, pulling me against his chest. I’m almost resentful that I still feel safe in his arms. I feel like, if I
were a stronger woman, he’d repulse me for trying to make me question the two people who have meant more to me than anyone else.

“Please,” he begs me. “I promise we’ll talk more tonight.” He looks down at me and I nod, unable to form words around the lump in my throat.

I know I told Dylan I would stay with Zeke, but there are certain places he can’t go. I walk into the restroom and nearly run into Holly. “Sorry, guess I was in a hurry,” I apologize. I’m not sure what else to say. Somehow, ‘hey, are you using drugs again?’ seems a touch inappropriate since I have no proof.

“It’s okay,” Holly assures me. “Come here, give me a hug.”

A hug? You’re going from ignoring me the last time we saw each other and not answering my calls to wanting a freaking hug?

When I don’t move from the doorway, Holly pulls me into the bathroom, wrapping her arms tightly around my body. “I miss you, Tasha,” she says sadly.

“You wouldn’t have to miss me if you answered the damn phone when I call,” I point out. She gapes at me, unaccustomed to me asserting myself.

“Yeah, I know.” She digs around in her clutch, more out of nervous habit than looking for anything.
I watch her, trying to see any physical changes in her but there are none that I can see. “I’ve been… busy. Hey, can we go somewhere else to talk?”

I bite my lip, trying to buy some time. This is the moment where I have to choose. If I go with Holly, I know Dylan’s going to be furious with me. If I stay, I know in my heart things will never be the same between Holly and me.

“I can’t be gone long,” I tell her. If we can go and talk and I can be back before Dylan’s done working, no one will be the wiser. I hate deceiving him, but I feel as if he’s given me no choice by dictating whom I spend time with.

Holly nods and reaches for my hand. Until now, I had forgotten why I came in here. “Um, before we go,” I say, pointing to the stalls.

“Go ahead,” Holly laughs. I don’t like how strained things are between us, but maybe I’m to blame because I allowed Dylan’s knight in shining armor routine to sweep me away. Moving forward, I promise I will find a balance so I can be with a guy I know is good for me and not lose my friends or my sense of self.

After I wash my hands, Holly grabs me again and leads me to the back door. “Come on, we’ll go this way so Mister Possessive doesn’t see you and freak.”

“He’s not that way, Holly,” I protest. Just as I’m not going to allow Dylan to tell me I can’t spend time with Holly, I’m not going to put up with Holly bad-mouthing Dylan.

“No?” She questions me, raising one eyebrow. “So the night I saw you at Last Chance, he didn’t have his buddy take you home before I could get away from my date and come to talk to you?”

“It wasn’t like that,” I groan. God, so much has happened in the past month. So much she would know about if she hadn’t quit taking my calls.

The back alley is dark when we walk outside. I hope we’re not going far because the cold November air is cutting right through me.

“Then how was it? Because, from where I was sitting, that’s exactly what happened,” she says defensively.

“Look, I’ve been having some issues with random text messages. I got some that night and Dylan didn’t want me there.” Holly stops and turns to me, giving me her full attention for the first time in over a month. “Whoever was sending them knew I was at the bar. Not only that, they knew when Dylan grabbed the phone out of my hand to see what was going on.”

“Damn, babe. I had no clue…” At least she has the decency to sound remorseful about her absence in my life. “If I had…”

“There’s no point in playing the ‘if only’ game,” I assure her. “Just don’t do that to me again, okay? I really could have used you.”

“I’m sorry. Like I said, it’s been a rough time for me too.” She pulls out her cell phone and calls for a cab. I should tell her I can’t go anywhere too far away, but I don’t. She already thinks Dylan is controlling my life; I don’t want to give her any more ammunition. “We’ll go get some coffee and you can tell me all about what’s been going on.”

I look back to the club, knowing that no matter what I do, I’m going to regret my decision. One look back at my best friend standing next to the cab and
I make my mind up. “Come on, I have to get back before Dylan’s done working.”

“But he doesn’t try to dominate your life, huh?” She shoots me a wry smile, and I know her question goes deeper than the obvious. I look away, not wanting her to see the lust-filled memories flooding my mind.

When Holly tells the cab driver to take us to Grandma’s Kitchen,
I take a moment to do the math so I know how long we can safely stay before having to come back. When we were younger, either we spent just about every night driving the stretch of road between the Capitol and the mall or our group was filling the booths at the all-night café.

“I can’t stay longer than an hour,” The nausea has returned. It’s too much to hope that Zeke will cover for me, but I can hope he doesn’t try looking for me and then tell Dylan when he can’t find me.

This is probably one of the dumbest things you’ve done in recent years. Is whatever you and Holly talk about worth losing him?

After Holly’s phone rings, she leans forward, giving the driver a different address. “Sorry, a friend called and invited us to a party,” she says with a shrug.

“Holly, I can
not
be gone all night. I have to get back before Dylan freaks out.” My chest hurts and it’s getting harder to breathe. “Please, just take me back to the club.”

“It’ll be fine,” Holly promises me. “We’ll stop by, hang out for a bit and I’ll have you back before the warden even knows you’re gone.”

My phone rings and I know she’s dead wrong. I glance down at the display and see a goofy picture of Zeke wearing taped up glasses and sporting buckteeth. I silence my phone and put it back in my purse. “Holly, that was Zeke. If he’s already noticed I’m not there, it won’t be long before he tells Dylan. Those two tell each other everything.”

“So you broke out of jail for a night, big deal,” she sighs. Interesting choice of words. I debate asking her about the man Dylan saw her with earlier in the evening, but decide against it. Obviously, he couldn’t care less that she bailed on him.

“Yeah, it is a big deal. Holly, you don’t get it,” I whimper. My temples are beginning to throb as my mind races with all the ways this decision is going to blow up in my face. As much as I’d rather not go back to my place, it will be my only choice after Dylan finds out I left with Holly. “I really like him. You have no clue how much he’s done for me.”

“You make it sound like you’ve known him for years,” Holly sneers. “You’ve known him a month. One month. Just over four weeks. There’s no way you really know someone in that time. If he can’t realize that you’re a grown woman who can make her own choices, fuck him.”

I grow more nervous with every mile we ride further from the center of town. We pull up in front of a house at the edge of town. I look around, but I’m not seeing enough cars for this to be where the party is.

“
Relax; they’re probably parked out back so the cops don’t come around bugging everyone.”

As we walk up the gravel driveway, I see that Holly is the one who seems nervous. I turn around, thinking this might not be a good idea, but there’s nothing but blackness behind me. The cab’s lights are fading quickly into the distance.

“Are you sure this is where we’re supposed to be?” I ask, willing myself to not hyperventilate.
Deep breath in through the nose, out through the mouth. In-two-three-four, out-two-three-four.

“This is where he said to go,” she shrugs. God, I’m really starting to hate the way she lifts her shoulders. It’s
as if she doesn’t think anything matters.

“Where
who
said to go?” There’s no music blaring in the house, no sign of anyone inside. And no way out of here.

(Dylan)

“Where’s Tasha?” I ask when I see Zeke roaming around the dance floor. I should take him out back and beat him to a pulp. I might not have given Tasha all the details, but he sure as fuck knows everything Tommy told us about Holly-fucking-Richards.

The way Zeke is tugging on his black hair, I know the answer. “She’s not here,” he says flatly. “Dude, I don’t know what happened. She said she was going to the bathroom and I haven’t seen her since. I’ve asked around and no one heard any fighting or anything, so I’m thinking she might have gone home.”

“FUCK!” I yell, drawing the eyes of everyone around me. “How long ago? You
have
to tell me this shit, man.”

“I don’t know, maybe an hour now?” I want to punch him square in the mouth. He had
one
job tonight, and now Tasha’s nowhere to be found. I wouldn’t be so worried if I had seen Holly recently, but she seems to be MIA as well.

“Call Tommy, get him down here. I’m going to find Starnes,” I tell him. That worthless fuck is going to tell me what’s been going on, once and for all. Any chance he and Holly showing up was coincidence flew right out the window the moment both women disappeared at the same time.

“Don’t be stupid, Dylan,” Zeke yells after me.

Fuck him. If he didn’t want me getting stupid, maybe he shouldn’t have let the only thing that matters in my life out of his sight.

I throw a hand in the air, the only acknowledgement I’m willing to give him.

It doesn’t take long to find Nathan Starnes, the low-life scum my girl’s so-called best friend has latched herself onto.

“Where is she?” I snarl, twisting Nathan’s shirt in my hands. I shove him against the wall, glaring at the buddy who I can see doesn’t really want to get into a fight tonight.

Nathan grabs my wrists twisting until I release him. I didn’t have to, but I figure maybe he’ll be more willing to talk if he’s not pinned.

“I have no clue who you’re talking about,” he says smugly.

“Where’s the little tramp you had on your lap earlier tonight?” I don’t give a shit about Holly, but he probably doesn’t know my Tasha, so there’s no point asking him where she is.

“I think you have me mistaken with someone else. The only company I’ve had at my table this evening is Michael.” He looks over to the terrified young man sitting at the table. “Isn’t that right?” The kid nods, but he’s a shitty liar.

“So, if I go ask Max to pull the security tapes for this area, I’m not going to see anyone but you and Michae
l sitting here? No short chick with shoulder length black hair and a bad attitude? I believe she was wearing a black pleather dress tonight with hooker boots.” I glance at Michael, knowing he’s the one who will crack first.

“Nope, doesn’t ring a bell.” I cock my fist back to knock the smug look off his slimy face, but I feel a strong hand latch onto my bicep.

“Not worth it,” Tommy assures me. I really wish he could have walked in about a minute later because I want nothing more than to get in one good hit on this bastard. “I’ll deal with this, you go try calling Tasha, okay?”

I watch as Tommy whispers something in Nathan’s ear. The look on his face tells me Tommy knows something the prick would rather a cop not know. They begin walking outside and
Zeke and I follow.

“The way I see it, Starnes, you have two choices. First, you tell us where your girl and his girl are and I’ll forget that I saw you tonight since I am off-duty and you’re not actively doing anything illegal at this moment.” It’s fun to watch Tommy go into cop-mode. There’s no doubt in my mind he plays good cop, no matter how much he tries to be a badass. He’s just a pretty boy wrapped up in a bit of muscle
, scruff, and a badge.

“I already told your friend,” Nathan scowls. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. I don’t know no girl like the bitch he’s describing.”

Tommy gives Nathan a good shove, landing him against the hood of a car. “Okay, so that brings us to the second option. I have a few buddies who
are
on duty waiting around the corner. See, I called them before I walked in and told them one of my friends is having some problems tonight. If I call them, I’d be willing to bet you’re sleeping downtown tonight.”

I rush toward Nathan as he reaches into his pocket. “Don’t
be a stupid fucker,” I warn him. I feel like an idiot when I realize he’s pulling out his cell phone.

“Look, I do know one girl who looks like what you were
sayin’. I figured I might call her and see what she knows.” He holds the phone to his ear and disconnects the call without a word. “Right to voicemail,” he says unapologetically.

I pull out my own phone and try Tasha. “Fuck, same thing.” I turn to my friend. “Tommy, this guy knows something, I’m sure of it.”

“I’m not doubting you, but are you sure Tasha didn’t just decide to take off for a bit?” Tommy’s posturing, letting Nathan and me both know that he’s the one in charge right now. I’ll give him that since he obviously knows the buttons to push to get this asshole talking.

“No,” I say confidently. “Before I went off to take care of some shit, she promised me she wouldn’t take off.”

“But Z said the two of you had words right before that; was he exaggerating?” I resent the way Tommy’s questions are turning on me. The fucker knows better than anyone other than Zeke does what it means for me to allow a woman to share my bed.

“We did,” I answer honestly. I have nothing to hide, but I also don’t think Tasha broke her promise to me.

“So, do you think it’s possible she went to find Holly and they took off? You said yourself that she’s been worried about their friendship.”

“It’s possible,” I concede. “But I doubt it. She seemed to understand that I wasn’t joking. I told her she needed to trust me and she said she did.”

“Okay, you keep trying to call her,” Tommy suggests. “There’s not much we can do unless we have something to go on. I can’t even call this in yet because they’ll tell me she’s not missing and we have no proof she’s in danger.”

I slam my fist into the side of Tommy’s car.
“Then I highly suggest you get that fucker talking because you and I both know she
is
in danger. He might not be to blame, but he fucking knows something.”

By this time, I see three of the bouncers standing at the front of the building, watching curiously,
and waiting for the call to action. I do not intend to have them come over to us. All that will do is cause problems for the club, and that’ll pretty much be the kiss of death for my business. No one wants a promoter who winds up getting the cops called to the club to break up a fight.