“You really want him in your bed?” He asks glaring at me from the corners of his eyes.
He’s right, I don’t want him in my bed. Nick’s bed. It feels wrong having him here at all. “No, you’re right, put him by the fireplace and I will make up a comfortable place there.” Ryan picks him up and begins dragging him in front of the fireplace until Dwayne walks in laughing.
“What in the hell happened?” Dwayne asks, laughing even harder when Ryan drops Brandon suddenly.
“Ryan knocked him out, so now I am going to have to fix the situation somehow.” I say, purposely leaving out that I let things get out of control in the first place and am grateful that he saved me the trouble. Ryan starts to say something smart but I hold my hand up to him. “Did you get the copies done?”
“I did, everything is ready to go.” Dwayne hands me Brandon’s originals and I put them back where I found them.
“Good. Now go and let me deal with this somehow.” Dwayne continues laughing at Ryan as they both leave shoving each other. I carefully slip off my dress and slide under the blanket with Brandon, still in my underwear in case he has more energy than I expect. I begin stroking his hair and kissing his head until he begins to come to. “Hi. How are you feeling?”
“What happened?” He asks, still trying to focus.
“You don’t remember?”
“Not really. I was preparing to romance you and then … nothing.” He says slowly trying to stand up but he immediately begins swaying back and forth until he falls back to the floor again.
“Oh you are so sweet. I came in to greet you in my outfit here and you passed out and hit your head. I have to say that must be the biggest compliment any man has ever given me, but you must have some headache?” He grunts with a slight nod. I wander my hands over his body as I kiss him seductively, “so do you want to continue getting to know each other better? I have several active ideas.” His eyes begin to flutter. “Oh, you look ill. Maybe you should go to the doctor. I can have my driver take you.” Reading his pain well, I know this situation calls for a lot of movement for him to try to focus on. So I dance seductively and energetically in front of him.
“Please stop, please stop moving like that.” Brandon says, somehow making it to his feet. “Oh … I think I am going to be sick. I think I will take you up on that offer to go to the hospital.” I nod as I watch him get dressed. Brandon leaves in confusion and I celebrate my small victory.
Chapter 4
~Kayla~
Even though I don’t believe that Ryan would ever betray me, I still am curious about where he is sneaking off to every night. Tonight, especially, I told him my plans to meet with Estrella have moved up, and not long after he gives me an excuse that he has to leave. This time, I follow him and watch from a distance as he does indeed meet with someone, passing off documents of some sort. I decide to follow his friend, but lose him quickly in the fog. When I return home, I decide to confront Ryan immediately before he has a chance to think of a lie. Barging into his room, I catch him in his boxers. His toned, muscular body catches me off guard and I have to take a breath before I speak.
“Is there something you need Kayla?” He asks with attitude.
“Yes! Where were you?”
“I told you, I was meeting a girl for some stress relief. You know, someone that doesn’t drive me crazy.”
“Well he didn’t look like your type.” I say, watching his surprised reaction carefully.
“Stay out of it Kayla, it doesn’t have anything to do with you!” He points his finger at me with that patent Jayzon glare.
“Then tell me what it’s about Ryan.”
“No! Now, is that it, or is there something else?” He demands, hovering over me with his bare chest stuck out and his devilish eyes gleaming in the light.
I have to take a deep breath and step back before I can recover. “Who was that? Who were you, meeting with Ryan?”
“Just an informant. I was trying to check up on Welch for you but so far nothing is panning out. There, are you happy?” Ryan backs off, returning to dressing himself.
“No, I want to know who your informant is.” I say, watching him pull his pants on over his perfectly rounded ass.
“I don’t even know who he is! He calls me and I go. It’s all very creepy, actually.”
“Then how do you contact him?” I ask, searching for something for him to give me.
“I don’t. He contacts me.”
“How?” I ask, irritating him even more
Approaching me with his shirt hanging off the back of his shoulders, he looks down on me, “Kayla, don’t worry about it. He has nothing that can help us so I won’t be meeting with him anymore.” I stand strong, knowing he isn’t telling me everything. There has to be something that I can get out of him. Ryan leans down even further, staring deep into my eyes, “Is there anything else?” His eyes nearly weaken my legs right out from under me and I forget for a moment who he is. Sighing he backs off, “Go to bed Kayla before you end up in mine.”
With little else to say, I leave him and go to bed, planning my next move against Welch … without Ryan.
Chapter 5
~Kayla~
Pagelle Place is under attack. Since moving back to this city, I haven’t paid much attention to the old gentleman’s club. The club is so much a part of my memories of Nick. It is, after all, the place I worked to go after him and make him pay for my sister’s death. Who would have ever thought that things would turn out so differently? That I would have been able to expose all the lies and unveil the truth. Nick became the man of my dreams and the love of my life, and Pagelle holds so much of his spirit within it. The memories of him there are too great and too heartbreaking for me. I have been content letting my husband’s original plan stand, letting Exie continue to own and run it. Exie, my best friend since we first met, has done well with Pagelle but recently she came to me for help. Exie has her hands full these days and needs help keeping Pagelle alive. Andrew Curtis Rankin III is a businessman and a religious man, so he says. Although, I know some girls who would say otherwise. Rankin is on a mission these days to clean things up within the city. Rankin’s first goal is to start with the area in which the club operates. It is no surprise to me that he also happens to be throwing money Senator Welch’s way to help him in his quest. Welch is heading up a new committee to shut Pagelle down, along with many other businesses along the strip. Welch says the whole strip is being run by dirty money. So Rankin, for the sake of our children, for the sake of their souls, says the area needs to be cleaned up, and the bad needs to be cleared out. Rankin, himself, is running for good saint of the year, only if you look behind his mask you will see his true colors. The land Pagelle is on has recently become prime real estate, since the new highway design has been completed. No one is supposed to have seen these designs, and no one is supposed to know the designs have been completed. Welch found out because he is on the committee to help decrease traffic, therefore his big donating, friend Rankin also happens to know. What they don’t know is, I also know, thanks to Ryan’s inside people. It took us some time to rebuild our eyes and ears within the government buildings, but we were able to get it done just in time. As soon as I found out, I let Exie know. She agreed she doesn’t have the weapons to deal with them, and I feel the need to have a major piece of Nick back. So my best friend and I became partners again and own Pagelle together.
My involvement and determination to hold strong against him must have worried Rankin. His next plan was to park himself outside each business and preach until they could no longer operate. Luckily for me, the business owners preferred to sell to me rather than Rankin or Welch. Our control of the neighborhood increased with each passing day. Everything was working beautifully until Rankin decided to get on his soapbox and point out the massive amounts of crime happening in the neighborhood. He alleges that this same crime is slowly making its way towards the respectable citizens of Belmont, and if they want to prevent it from sprea
ding, they had best do something now. Belmont is easily riled up, their picket signs and protests are overpowering us. They act as if a bunch of strippers are going to attack and rob them. If anything the strippers should be the ones scared of being robbed, they are the ones walking out with a ton of cash on them. The whole thing is ridiculous, but one by one the businesses are shutting down. The once upscale Pagelle is becoming the last place prominent businessmen and women want to be a part of. The club is taking a hard hit and there is little reason to leave it open, but shutting it down is difficult for me. Instead, I decide to reopen somewhere else. A new building, and a new club with even better clientele. An even better Pagelle. If I can only get Rankin to back off the new club location so it can be built. The man is relentless. I cannot put up a wall without someone setting fire to it. I have to set up guards day and night to protect the building and then I have to assure the workers that they won’t be attacked on their way to and from the site. I have to spend more than a few times battling Rankin face-to-face. Not all planned, at least on my part. Rankin makes a point of showing up to confront me at every place possible, even taking the opportunity to approach Nicky and I on our way into the Children’s Gym, a business that Nick also built.
I see him coming with his group of rowdy do gooders, who mistakenly believe they are simply ridding themselves of a strip club - not helping Rankin make money off the selling of land. Yelling at me and calling me a whore, they hope to embarrass me. When that doesn’t work, they come after my son. Trying to pull him from my arms, they chant. “Save the child!” The guards from the gym run out and stop them from going any further. While my son clings to me, I burn holes through my attacker but he will not stop. He threatens to attack the gym itself, a place that’s purpose is purely for the safety of the children. It was built with Nicky in mind, a dedication from a father to his son. Even though I manage to squeeze out from the swarm of people, he has come after me and I escape into the gym. It is not the only opportunity Rankin decides to take advantage of. He goes after Exie and her son too.
The man will not stop, and I wasn’t about to lose another part of Nick or risk a place that my son loves so dearly. And now Exie is being overwhelmed by his bullying and has no place to hide from him. I have been accused of being stubborn before, but right now I am wondering if my stubbornness is even worth it. The land itself doesn’t mean much, and the money for it is nothing to me. The only thing I cared about was the club itself, but there is no saving the original building now, nor is there even a good reason to. Exie could care less and is more than content to let the club go. Swallowing my pride I decide to give in. Rankin is quite pleased to hear from me, and is expectedly eager to have me sign over the property for a ridiculously low amount of money considering how much he is going to profit.
The contracts have been drawn up. All I have to do is sign them and everything will belong to Rankin. Rankin wants to meet at the club so I arrive early so I can say my final good-bye to the place. “I can’t believe the place is going to be gone.” Dwayne says, as we walk through the door. “Lots of great memories here, and then some not so nice ones too.” He smirks at me as we both recall our own images.
“It’s going to be sad to see it torn down, really sad.” I say, holding back my tears in case Rankin walks in. I will never let that bastard see me cry.
“You know it’s just a building.” Exie says, coming up behind me with a hug.
“No, it’s more than that. It’s a lot more than that.” I sigh with a wan smile.
“Well, think of it as a new beginning, and you know you can re-create his presence in the new place. Besides, there is little left of the good ole days here. It is so beat down and tired these days. So where is the asshole with the contracts so I can hand over these keys?”
“He said to meet him here at six, I don’t know where he is. My attorney looked them over and signed off on them hours ago. I am not sure why he is making this such a big to-do. I could have had anyone drop the keys off to him at his office.”
“Probably milking his success of being able to get the best of you,” Dwayne responds, with a bearlike grunt.
Rankin’s attorney finally walks in, smiling like a game show host. I can’t even imagine dealing with him on a daily basis. “Mrs. Jayzon, I am so happy to see you looking well, and you Ms. Carol are looking lovely as ever.”
Exie’s cursing huff should say all that we need to say but I still feel the need to voice our impatience. “Can we skip the formalities, when is Mr. Rankin getting here? I would like to get this done and over with as soon as possible.” He nods with a superior grin and hands Exie and I the paperwork, showing us where my Lawyer signed off on them.
“Mr. Rankin is running a bit late, but I assure you I can take care of everything from here.” Despite his reassurances, I do not feel much better. Rankin is up to something and I am sure it will only impact me more negatively than he already has.
“Can I help you sir?” Dwayne abruptly asks. I look up to see a man wandering in. He is sweating profusely and shaking like a leaf. Dwayne steps in front of Exie and me, asking the man who he is even more determined than before. “Sir you need to leave! NOW!” Dwayne rapidly pushes Exie and me down on the floor and behind a table. The man begins shooting, but before Dwayne can get off a single shot the man runs to the door and is shot dead before he can cross the threshold. “Stay down, there must be more of them out there. Kayla you need to call Ryan and get us some help out here.”
I dial Ryan’s number and he answers immediately, “Kayla, I need for you to get out of that building and get home … NOW!” Before I can explain our situation, he yells again. “Get out of there! The building is going to blow any second!” I hang my phone up and without another word take Exie’s arm and drag her with Dwayne out the door. We run while Dwayne shoots at anything and everything. Dwayne grabs Exie and me both, throwing us in the waiting car before falling in on top of us.
“GO!” Dwayne yells. Lionel slams on the gas and we are speeding down the road before Dwayne can get the door shut. Seconds after we leave the parking lot, the building begins exploding.
“What about Rankin’s attorney? Did he make it out?” Exie asks.
“No … he was shot in the head.” Dwayne says, still trying to catch his breath. Exie shivering in fear takes my hand, but remarkably my hand is solid.
We arrive home to a swarm of guards surrounding the house and locking us in. “It’s a warning for sure, but we are still not sure from whom or why?” Dwayne says as Ryan welcomes us.
Before I can say a word to him, I am interrupted by the guards saying the police are at the door. I sit and prepare for the expected questions and feel relieved when I see Brady walk in with two others. I know enough from the expression on his face to not feel too relieved or jump up and hug him. The seriousness in their voices as they ask me where I was and what relationship I have to Exie makes me wonder what they are after. The routine ends and they ask to speak to Exie alone. I expect them to come out to speak to us together, or at least me once more, but instead they leave with little else said. I try to stay calm until I get the text I was waiting for. Running out the door, I don’t bother to tell anyone where I am going.
Brady waits for me at the empty carnival grounds. He walks up to hug me and I can feel the tension in his muscles. “Tell me, tell me how much trouble am I in?” I ask him beginning to fear the stormy waters I am drifting into.
“You can tell just from a hug?” I smile at him as he begins to explain. “There was a second body found inside the club, besides Rankin’s attorney. Is there anyone in your crew missing?”
I shake my head, “no we were meeting with Rankin’s attorney to sell the property to him. Some man ran in and shot him, then ran out of the club and got shot himself as soon as he opened the door. I thought we were dead. I am still not sure how we got out of there in time. The other body must be the shooter.”
“Who was this shooter?”
“I don’t know,
I have never seen him before. I thought he was a drug addict looking for money. He was shaking and sweating when he suddenly pulled out a gun. Dwayne pushed us to the floor and next thing I know Rankin’s attorney is dead and we are running away from an exploding building.”
“Kayla, I was told the other body is believed to be Rankin himself.” He says, questioning me without saying a word.
“Brady I swear there was another man, another shooter. Rankin? He never showed. If he did show, the shooter must have shot him coming in. I did not kill him. It would be stupid for me to do so in my own club.” I insist.
“I know it sounds like a stupid thing to do, but the facts are, there was no one else there but Rankin and his attorney. His name by the way is Tim Flowers. You might should remember that.” I step back from him and he sighs. “I don’t think you realize how serious this all is. Kayla, there are witnesses that saw you, Dwayne and Exie fleeing the scene. Not to mention, you and Rankin have been going at each other for months. You had to know, if he was killed you were going to be the prime suspect.”
“But why would I kill someone when I had already sold the property we were fighting over to him. I have no reason to sell him the property and then kill him.” I say, suddenly realizing all the contracts were left in the explosion. “The contracts were in that building too, but I am sure my attorney will confirm the deal was done.”
“Your attorney will confirm?” Brady cocks his head at me.
“His attorney, oh no! The man I guess who …”
“Yea, don’t count on it since he is dead too. Kayla, I will do everything I can to help you, but you have to tell me everything you know. You are in a lot of fucking trouble right now. The D.A. is demanding your arrest and they are taking great care in building a case against you.”