CHAPTER TEN

Derek was excelling at everything. No one was surprised that by the end of that first week he was walking to the end of the rails and back twice at each session. He never complained and they always had to make him quit because he wanted to keep going. The speech therapy seemed to be harder for him and Chloe could tell that he was frustrated. She was so thankful for his tablet though, that way she never worried when they had to leave him alone that he would be able to get his point across and his needs met.

Tonight was the night that Chloe was going to meet Roxi and the rest of her friends at a club for the going away party for Mike. She was, surprisingly, really looking forward to it. Jake wasn’t thrilled about it and neither was Kevin when she first told them about it.

“I don’t care for that idea,” Kevin told her. Clubs are notoriously packed and it would be really hard to know if Jesse was lurking inside or not.

“I don’t care for it either,” Jake said.

“I wouldn’t mind if you sent one of the security men with me so that you didn’t have to go.”

“That’s not what we’re worried about, Chloe. It’s harder for whoever is with you to watch you in such crowded places,” Jake told her.

“I know and I’m sorry. I know this has been a huge imposition on your lifestyle.”

Jake rolled his eyes. “I work, Chloe, that’s about all I do.”

Kevin nodded and said, “I can confirm that. He has no life at all.”

Jake narrowed his eyes at his dad and Kevin laughed. Jake looked back at Chloe and said, “I’m so frustrated with the dating scene and meeting the wrong woman over and over that, I’ve practically given up going out all-together. Making sure you’re safe is not an “imposition.” But, it is a necessity because like I told you before, I’m not going to be the guy who has to tell my brother something happened to you.”

“Neither will I,” Kevin said. “But it’s not just about that either, Chloe. We care about you too.”

“I understand,” Chloe told him. “I can never tell you how grateful I am, or pay you back for all that you’ve done for me. But, I miss my friends and after I leave Derek at the hospital, I just sit there alone in that apartment every night. I’m going a little bit stir-crazy.”

Kevin and Jake looked at each other and Jake finally said, “I’ll go with you, but if it looks like you’re in any danger, we’re leaving.”

“Fair enough,” she said.

Jake picked her up at nine forty-five that night and they headed for the club. It was simply called “Club 234” because that was the address it sat at on a posh Manhattan Blvd. It was the kind of place that made Chloe really nervous. It was the kind of place that Jesse might have taken her when they were together and then beaten the hell out of her when they got home for “bumping up against” one too many guys, or because she didn’t want to dance. Back in those days, the idea of dancing in front of a bunch of people she didn’t know would have practically given her a heart attack.

She was glad Jake was with her tonight because even though they were on a list that Roxi left at the door, the place was so crowded that they still had to wait in line. Chloe looked around at all of the happy, carefree looking young people. She was the same age or even younger than most of them, but life had made her feel so far removed from most of these people. She had never felt a moment of ‘carefree’ in her life. She wondered enviously what that must be like. Jake held onto her elbow as she was ogled and “brushed” up against. A few times Chloe was worried that he would end up getting in a fight, but it seemed that he owned a look that only took once to intimidate and send the young perverts scurrying in the opposite direction. He was certainly protective. He gave her a sense of security, the way that Derek did.

When they finally reached the front of the line, the huge bouncer found their names on Roxi’s list and lifted the rope at the far left of the door.

“The party is upstairs in the “lounge area,” he told them. “Pass the downstairs dance floor and you’ll come to the stairs. Give the guy there this,” he handed Jake a red ticket.

Jake thanked him and led her in down a long walkway, past a dance floor with white booths lining both sides. There was a live band and it was so loud that Chloe could actually feel the beats of the music inside her head. She was beginning to regret that she didn’t bow out. She tried concentrating on the ambience of the place. The chandeliers overhead moved in time with the music and the lights flickered and changed color every so often.

They found their way to the velvet covered stairs and Jake gave the big guy there the ticket. The big man stepped aside, moving the rope so they could go in. Chloe found herself impressed once again by the beautiful art work on the walls. When they reached the top, they were in a much smaller place where the music was loud here too, but instead of live, it was being piped out of speakers in the room. The walls were covered with beautiful tapestries and there were plush, comfy looking couches arranged around the perimeter of the small dance floor. There was a bar in one corner and small tables with candles burning in the center set up here and there. Chloe was confused however because although there were about fifteen or twenty people here and there, she didn’t recognize any of them.

“He said the party was here, right?” she asked Jake.

“That he did. Maybe the balcony?”

“There’s a balcony?”

“If I remember correctly,” he said, leading her towards the bar.

“You’ve been here?”

“Once, a long time ago. I didn’t care for it. The crowd is really young and by the end of the night it’s a vomit fest amongst the girls in skimpy clothing in the parking lot.”

She laughed. “Classy.”

“I know, right? Nothing turns me off faster than vomit breath.”

He led her past the bar and out onto an open balcony. The night air had a light warm breeze, but it was so much nicer than the air in the crowded, stuffy club. Chloe saw Roxi and two men she didn’t know sitting at a table near a small dance floor. Lexi and Brock were amongst the four or five couples dancing and Mike was embroiled in deep conversation with the piano player.

Roxi saw them and waved.

There were about thirty-or forty people total at the party. Some of them worked as dancers or bartenders at the club and some of them Chloe didn’t recognize at all. The two men with Roxi were very nicely dressed and looked like businessmen. Chloe guessed they were probably very rich and discreet members of Roxi’s club.

Off to one side was a buffet table piled high with delicious looking food and a giant cake with a little man spinning a record sitting on top. Chloe and Jake made their way towards the others and the song that was playing ended. Lexi and Brock intercepted them before they made it to Roxi’s table.

“I’m so glad you came,” Lexi told her, giving her a hug. “Hi, Jake.”

“Lexi, good to see you again.”

Brock and Jake were saying hello as Chloe said, “I’m glad I came too…now that I see things from up here. I was a little leery at first.”

“Yeah, Brock’s like you about crowds. As soon as he saw that mess downstairs, he wanted to leave.”

“That comes from being in security,” Brock said. “You just never know what kind of fool is going to end up in the mix of that many people.”

Jake gave Chloe a “told you so,” look, but he didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to; if anyone was leery of crowds, it was her. She had just really needed to get out tonight.

As the men returned to their conversation, Chloe looked up to see Roxi headed towards them. Lexi glanced her way too and then loudly she said, “Thank goodness our boss is so classy and has such good taste.”

“Kiss up much?” Roxi asked her in a dry voice.

Lexi laughed. “I didn’t know you were there, Rox.”

Roxi rolled her eyes at Lexi and then she said hello to Chloe. Chloe introduced her to Jake.

“Wow, you look so much like your brother.”

Jake smiled. “He looks like me.”

“Lucky guy,” Roxi said in a seductive voice. Jake’s eyes lit up. Chloe didn’t miss the exchange. She glanced at Lexi who looked like she was trying to control her giggles.

Roxi shocked them further by sliding her arm through Jake’s and saying, “Let’s go get you a drink.” Chloe had seen her do it many times before, but never to anyone she didn’t know. Jake was as helpless to her charms as every other man. He followed her like he was in a trance.

Lexi and Chloe watched them go with incredulous looks on their faces. “Damn, she’s good. He’s smiling from ear to ear already,” Lexi said. “I wish I had some of that magic.”

Chloe laughed. “You don’t need it; you have Brock.” Chloe watched as Roxi worked poor Jake over with her subtle, seductive glances and brief touches. “I don’t know Jake all that well yet, but I’m afraid Roxi might just be too much for him.” She and Lexi giggled again.

“Chloe!” She looked in the direction of the deep voice. Mike was headed over towards them. He was dressed in his standard jeans and long, wide t-shirt. His clothes were always clean and pressed, so Roxi let him have his own style when he worked. It looked like he had the same when he was off the job.

“Hey, Mike! Congratulations on your new job,” she said when he got close. “Aren’t you going to miss Roxi’s club?”

Mike laughed and looked around for Roxi. When he saw she wasn’t near, he said, “Not even a tiny little bit. I miss you like crazy though. I heard about Derek; I’m so sorry. How is he?”

“He’s getting better every day,” Chloe told him. “He’s amazing.”

Mike laughed again.

“What?” Chloe asked cocking an eyebrow.

“Oh nothing, I just had a little memory flash of a girl who said some guy that paid that much money to watch her dance exclusively for him all week was some kind of perverted…”

“Okay, okay. I was wrong. I was so wrong. It happens rarely, but it happens,” she said with a smile. “So tell me about your new job.”

“It’s at a radio station in New Hampshire. 106.7 The Foxx,” he said. “I’m pretty excited about it.”

“You should be. I’m really happy for you. Are you moving there too?”

“The wife and I are still talking about that. She’s not fond of the idea of being two and a half hours from her mother. Dance with me?”

Chloe wondered what that felt like. She was suddenly filled with a warm sensation as she thought about Samantha. Hopefully, soon she would be able to identify when people spoke fondly about their parents. She was already proud of who hers were, that was the first step, she supposed.

“Sure, I would love to dance,” Chloe said, “Where’s your wife?”

“She’s here,” he told her, looking around. “There she is with Britney and Grace. They were talking about this new make-up line the wife’s company started carrying on about for almost an hour. It was boring me to death.”

Chloe laughed and said, “I’m not much into that stuff either.”

“I know, you’re an enigma…a hot chick who’s not into chick stuff.”

Mike led Chloe out to the dance floor and they danced to an upbeat song. Chloe had almost forgotten how much she loved to dance just for the sake of dancing. It was fun when there weren’t any nasty old men sitting around with their peckers in their hands. Anything was more fun without that though. When the song ended, she went over to the bar by Roxi and Jake and ordered a drink.

After the bartender sat her drink on the counter and walked away, Roxi looked around to make sure it was just the three of them and said, “Any word on Jesse?”

Jake’s happy demeanor was suddenly sour. “He’s still slinking around like a rat,” he said.

“Has he tried to contact you at all?” she asked Chloe.

“He walked right up to us not long ago,” Chloe told her. “But just to prove he’s a little chicken-shit, he waited until we were on the pier and he stood underneath us and spewed his bull-shit.”

“I’ve never met this guy and I would really like to cut off his dick,” Roxi said, dryly.

Jake almost choked on his drink as he laughed. When he stopped laughing, he said, “I do know him and I feel the same way.”

“What are the police doing about all of this?”

“They’re looking for him in connection with my friend Chantelle’s assault. I can’t say that I believe they’re looking hard. It would be hard to be the guy who brings in the D.A.’s son I guess, but it still pisses me off. If you’re going to be a cop, you should have the balls to do your job regardless of who the criminal is related to.”

“I agree,” Roxi said. “You need to stay on them, get a good attorney and push them to do something. I can put in a word with some of the people I know and if you need money…”

“I don’t need money, Roxi, but thanks.”

“She has an attorney…or two,” Jake said with a smile.

“You?” Roxi asked.

“Yes. I’m an attorney and so is my father.”

“Oh, you don’t work for the DA’s office, do you?”

He laughed. “No, thanks. I’m a defense attorney.”

“Oh good, there you go Chloe. Keep after the police because if you don’t, they’ll never get out there and look for this guy. I wouldn’t doubt that Vince Donovan is putting pressure on them not to.” She looked at Jake then with another of her flirty, seductive looks and said, “Before you go tonight you can give me your card.”

Jake raised an eyebrow. “You need a lawyer?”

“Not yet,” she said, “But you never know. Would it be okay if I called you if I did?”

Chloe almost smiled at the look on Jake’s face. He didn’t really have to answer, but he did. “Um, yeah, definitely…if you need a lawyer…or anything.”

Roxi smiled, showing rows of beautiful white teeth. “Come on Jake. Let’s dance.”

Chloe watched them go, smiling too. They were cute. It was nice to just have some mindless fun for a change. She finished her drink and found Lexi on her way out to dance with Brock. “Where is the ladies room?”

“There’s one right at the top of the stairs,” Lexi told her.

“Thanks, I’ll be right back.” Chloe made eye-contact with Jake who seemed very comfortable with Roxi in his arms. She didn’t blame him, Roxi is hot. She was glad he was having fun since he had to spend his night following her around.

She mouthed, “Bathroom,” and pointed towards the lounge.

He nodded.

She didn’t want him to look up and not see her and worry. She made her way back to the small lounge. She found the Unisex bathroom and knocked on the door. When there was no sound from inside, she turned the handle and pushed open the door. She was holding onto the door, reaching along the wall for the light-switch when she suddenly felt herself be pushed from behind. She was propelled forward into the small room and landed on her knees up against the wall. Before the door closed behind him, she saw Jesse’s smiling face.