Chapter Thirty-Nine
10:00 pm
Sitting straight up in bed, Katrina awakens out of a deep sleep. Breathing heavily, she feels a sense of panic, but isn’t quite sure why. “Think, Katrina, think. What’s wrong?” she whispers to herself. Gage. Get to Gage. There’s something wrong, you’ve got to get to Gage!
Climbing out of bed, she is overcome by a wave of nausea. She sits back down on the edge of the bed, placing her head in her hands. “Oh god, I feel sick. What the hell is wrong with me?” Taking a few deep breaths, her nausea starts to subside. “’I’d better get something in my system. Maybe a cool drink and a few crackers with cheese will help.”
You need to get to Gage!
Standing once more, Kat makes her way downstairs. Picking up her phone off the counter, she flips to G in her contacts and presses the little green phone receiver symbol next to Gage’s name. The phone rings once, twice, three times, “Come on, pick up,” four, five, voicemail. “Damn it!” She hits redial and the same thing happens. This time she leaves a message. “Gage, it’s Kat. When you get this, please call me right away. I’m on my way to the club. Please be careful, I think you’re in danger.” Still feeling sick, Kat hurriedly pops some food in her mouth and downs a glass of juice. That’s better.
Feeling more like herself, she runs upstairs to change from panties and a t-shirt into regular clothes. She reaches into her closet and grabs the closest thing to her. She ends up with a pair of Ed Hardy low rise jeans with skulls embroidered on the back pockets, and a matching Ed Hardy white studded skull t-shirt. Running into the bathroom, she quickly runs a brush through
her hair and touches up her makeup. Walking back into her closet, she picks up her purse and steps into a pair of four-inch heals before exiting. In total it’s been fifteen minutes since she left Gage a message. Checking her phone, still nothing, she heads down the stairs and doesn’t stop until she steps into the garage.
Turning to her left, she presses the button on the automatic door opener while removing her keys. Walking over to the Porsche, she opens the door and climbs inside. Inserting the key into the ignition, she starts the car, thinking about how much she’s missed driving it. Since arriving in town, she hadn’t driven it, being unable to think of a reasonable way to re-title and tag the car without her father’s goons tracing it. Thankfully, traffic is light and Kat finds herself arriving at The Pit in record time.
Searching the crowd from across the room, Taylor stops when she observes Gage standing at the back of the club, looking as hot as ever in his form-fitting, low-waisted black jeans, a tight, white ribbed shirt, a pair of black biker boots with metal buckles, and a black studded belt. Throw in dark hair that hangs two inches above his shoulders, muscular frame, and emerald green eyes, and you’ve got a lethal combination no woman can resist.
Removing his phone from his pocket, Gage notices he has two missed calls and a voicemail message. Checking the number, he realizes the calls were from Kat. Damn, I missed Kat’s call. I’ll bet that message is from her, too. I’ll have to wait until the band stops playing before I can duck into my office to listen to it. Tucking the phone back into his pocket, Gage looks up to see Taylor standing in front of him.
“Hi. I’m Taylor. Remember me from the track the other night?”
Thinking back…Nice run. I’m Taylor, then a kiss. “I remember.” Coughing, Gage covers his mouth.
“Are you alright?’
“I’m fine. I’m uh, just allergic to perfume and it appears you’re wearing some.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll have to remember that for next time.”
“So, are you having a good time?”
Invading his personal space, she bats her long lashes at him and seductively drawls, “I am now,” while running her finger across his left pec.
Smiling at her, he offers, “Would you like a drink?”
“Only if you’ll join me.”
Motioning across the room for a waitress, Gage asks, “What would you like?”
Leaning into him so they are chest to chest, Taylor flicks out her tongue, licks his earlobe and whispers, “You!” Wrapping her arms around his neck, she places feather light kisses down the side of his face until she hits the corner of his mouth. Their lips meet and she opens to him, thrusting her tongue into his mouth, savoring, twirling, and sliding her tongue against his.
Gage lifts both hands to her face, holding it in place as he gently pulls away, ending the kiss. Looking Taylor in the eye he says, “I’m flattered babe, I really am. And you are beautiful, but I’m working for several more hours.” Catching a familiar scent, his gaze shifts to the door where he spots Katrina entering the club and walking across the bar. “And my girlfriend just arrived.”
“Girlfriend — I wasn’t aware you had one. Lucky girl. Sorry about that. I wouldn’t want to come between the two of you.”
“No problem. If you head over to the bar, Lissa will make sure you get whatever you want to drink. Nice seeing you again, Taylor” Gage states absentmindedly as he walks away.
Taylor smiles at Gage, then turns away and heads over to the bar, furious. He turned me down…again! Blew me off for little miss perfect. Well Gage, that is absolutely the last time you turn me down for her! Once there she quickly orders a drink and turns in the direction he was heading just in time to see an embrace and passionate kiss between them. Girlfriend! Are you fucking kidding me? He’s calling little miss unfaithful his girlfriend now? Downing the drink, she orders another.
Once Gage sees Kat, he makes a beeline to her. As if he has tunnel vision, he sees and hears nothing in his periphery. When she enters a room, for him, there is no one else.
Kat spots Gage striding towards her from across the room and moves to him. Panicked, she runs into his waiting arms. Like a magnet attracted to a piece of metal, they cling to each other. Overcome with a fierce need to taste him, Katrina puts her lips to his as he sinks his fingers into her long, blonde hair. Taking the hair at the nape of her neck and tilting her face up to his, he crushes his lips down on hers in a kiss that he pours all his desire into. Drinking one another in, passion flares out of control like a five-alarm fire, leaving Kat weak in the knees.
Rocking back on his heels, Gage stares at Katrina. “God you’re beautiful. I wasn’t expecting you tonight, but I’m so happy you’re here.”
“I’m glad to see you, too,” she stammers. As the lust that is rocketing through her body starts to subside, she remembers the reason for her unexpected visit. “Didn’t you receive my message?”
“No, I haven’t had a chance to listen to it yet. Why?”
“Gage, you’re in danger.”
“What do you mean, I’m in danger? In danger from what?”
Looking nervous, Kat bites her bottom lip and begins to fidget, placing her right thumb in the front pocket of her jeans as she shifts her weight from one foot to the other. “I know this is going to sound ridiculous, but I don’t know. I just know you are.”
Smiling down at her, Gage kisses the top of her head for reassurance. “I’m fine baby, don’t worry. No danger here except the usual idiot who has too much to drink. I can handle that.”
Kat shakes her head, “No you don’t understand.”
Taking his finger and lifting her chin so they are eye to eye, he shushes her, “Shh Baby, I’m fine. See.” Holding out his hands, he rolls them from front to back. “No broken limbs, no bloody lips, I’m still in one piece. Don’t worry.”
“I see that, but I had this dream.”
Seductively he asks, “And what did you dream?”
Kat blushes and looks into his deep emerald eyes. Eyes that are as deep and beautiful as the lushest forest. Eyes she could get lost in forever. Mesmerized, she stands on her tiptoes, leans in, and kisses him like her life depended on it. Gage feels her urgent need and meets it with his own. When he finally ends the kiss, he whispers in her ear, “We’d better take this somewhere else before I do you right here in front of everyone.” Kat nods her head in agreement.
“Come on. Let’s find a place to sit down until the band gets off the stage. After that we can head upstairs. Taking her hand, Gage starts leading her through the crowd. “Now, what were you saying about a dream?”
Her senses finally return and Kat tugs on Gage’s arm, pulling him to a stop. “Well that’s just it, I don’t really remember. All I know is that when I woke up, I was panicked and worried about you. I just knew that you were in danger. That you are in danger. That’s why I called you. That’s why I had to warn you. Something inside screamed at me that you were in danger and something terrible was about to happen. I know it sounds crazy, but I had to warn you. I’ve never felt like this before. I’ve never done this before. I just know that whatever it is, it’s real Gage.”
Turning, Gage puts his arm around Kat and ushers her towards the bar. “Here, let’s get you a drink. You look like you could use one. Then we’ll head to my office and talk, okay?”
“Yes, alright.” Letting Gage lead her, she walks beside him. Two steps from the bar, someone brushes by her and she goes down. Gage catches Kat in his arms before she hits the floor.
“Hey, hey, I’ve got you.” She doesn’t respond. Gently rolling her head from side to side he croons, “Kat…wake up sweetie… come on, Kaaat.” Blinking, she tries to open her eyes.
“Hey baby, are you alright?”
She tries to focus as she whispers, “What happened?”
“I don’t know, one minute you were standing beside me, the next you were passed out cold. Have you eaten today? Maybe your blood sugar’s low?”
“I’ve eaten.”
“Can you stand?”
Taking her by the arm, Gage tries to help her up. Her legs begin to give way again. “No.”
Catching her in his arms, he lifts her to him. “Put your arms around my neck and hold on tight okay?”
She nods and does as instructed.
Holding her to him, he carries her to the back of the bar, up a flight of stairs and into his office, placing her down on the couch. Turning, he heads to the mini-fridge. Grabbing a bottle of water and twisting the top off, he holds it to her lips. “Here baby, take a sip. Let’s get you hydrated.” She drinks from it. “Better?”
“Yes, thank you.” Looking Gage in the eye, she apologizes, “I’m really sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. One minute I felt fine, the next I was weak and lightheaded.”
“Has this ever happened to you before?”
Kat tilts her head, thinking about it. “Well, yes. A few weeks ago, I had the boat out. After being out on the water and in the sun most of the day, I docked at Marina Jack and had something to eat. When I was walking down the dock to board the boat and head home, I sort of…hit the deck.”
“God, Kat. Were you hurt?”
“No, I was fine.”
“How did you navigate the boat back in this condition?”
Not feeling up to a fight, she looks down at her hands before answering. “I didn’t. Tony did.”
Pissed, but having enough common sense to not want to upset her, he nods and says, “Well, I’m glad you weren’t alone when that happened. Is that the only other time you’ve felt like this?”
“To this extent, yes. But the night I had that weird dream at your house, when I thought I was standing over my own body at the bottom of the bed, thought I saw the animal in your room, I felt weak then. And tonight, after I woke up from the dream. Knowing you were in danger. I felt weak and nauseated. I had to sit back down on the bed. Once I got some food into my system, I felt much better. Then I left to come here.”
Heading to his desk, he rifles through a drawer and returns with something in his hand. Tearing the wrapper off the item, he holds it out to her. “Here, it’s not much, but it’s the best I can do on short notice. Eat this. It’s a protein bar. You like peanut butter, don’t you?”
“Yes. Chocolate peanut butter is my favorite. Thanks.” Nibbling at the bar, Kat looks around the room they are in. It’s an office. There’s a large wooden desk with one matching chair behind it and two smaller chairs in front of it. A laptop computer sits on top with a calculator to one side of the desk. A file cabinet rests against the wall to the right of the desk, and a combination copy, fax, scanner sits on top. Opposite the desk is the couch Kat is currently occupying, with the mini fridge stacked beside it.
Starting to feel a bit freaked out, Kat mumbles, “Talk about déjà vu.”
“What?”
Nervously shaking her right foot back and forth she answers, “I’ve been here before.”
“You’ve been where before?”
“Uhmm…here…in your office,” she says weakly.
“No, I’ve never brought you up here before tonight.”
“I know, but I’ve seen the inside of this room before, Gage. I don’t know when or how, but I have.”
Knitting his brow together he takes her hand, brushes his lips against the knuckles and looks down at her. “That’s not possible.” Worried for her, he sits beside her, brushing his fingers through her hair in a calming motion. “I think you need some rest, baby.”
“Gage, I know how this sounds, but I’m not crazy. I know I’ve been in here before. I can prove it to you.”
A concerned expression creeps across his face. “Okay I’m game. How are you going to prove it?”
With her mind racing she blurts out, “That wall to my left, the one with the picture of the classic Corvette,” she pauses, “there’s a wall safe behind it, isn’t there?”
With a shocked expression on his face he asks, “How do you know that Kat?”
“I don’t know! I just do.”
Knowing he has never had her in his office before, yet unable to explain how she knew about the safe, he searches his subconscious for a reasonable explanation. How could she know? This doesn’t make any sense. There has to be a logical explanation for this. Think…okay, it’s a club, of course there’s going to be a safe. Anyone can deduce that. And behind a picture on the wall is the most common place for it to be. It was nothing more than a lucky guess.
“What else? Is there anything else you know?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know, you tell me. Can you tell me the combination of the safe or what’s inside?”
Placing her finger to her mouth and biting her nail she answers, “No. I can’t tell you the combination, although I do think I know what’s inside…money, some brown folders like the one you have with my information in it, a cell phone, and a large gun.”
Suspicious of her, he bluntly asks, “And you say you’ve never been in my safe?”
“Not that I know of. It’s not like I’m a thief or anything. I wouldn’t know how to crack a safe anymore than I know how to pick a lock.” Noticing the strange expression on his face, she begins to get weary. Feeling uncomfortable she asks, “So am I right?”
Not willing to confirm or deny, Gage says, “Why don’t you tell me.”
Offended, Kat stands and huffs, “Fine!” Walking over to the wall with the safe, she demands, “Remove the picture.”
Gage comes over to her and takes the picture off the wall, leaning it against the desk to keep it out of the way. “I thought you couldn’t tell me the combination.”
“I can’t. I don’t know it!”
“Then how do you plan on opening it?”
“I don’t know.”
Placing her hand on the dial, she closes her eyes and spins the dial a couple times to the right. In her mind she can see her hand reaching for the dial and turning it. The dial stops on forty-two. Opening her eyes, she turns the dial to the right and stops on forty-two. Closing her eyes again, she sees the same hand turning the dial to the left. She opens her eyes and turns the dial to the left, stopping it on the number twelve. Closing her eyes a third time, she sees the hand turning the dial back to the right. For the final time, Kat opens her eyes, turns the dial to the right and stops it on the number six. Reaching for the handle, she pulls it down. The door releases and swings outward toward her. To her amazement, she unlocked the safe.
Turning, she looks up at Gage, who is staring at her intently. The look on his face is cold and it frightens her. Locking eyes, he looks as if he can see right through her.
“Enough bullshit. Who are you Katrina, and what do you want from me? Information? What?’
Confused, Katrina is startled by his vehemence. “What do you mean? You know who I am and I want nothing from you.” Feeling hurt and a bit bewildered, she asks, “What information could I possibly want from you, Gage? You’re the one who was following me, remember?”
“Then how? How could you open the safe if you didn’t know the combination?”
“Once I was standing in front of it, I just closed my eyes and I could see a pair of hands turning the dial in different directions and stopping on those numbers. The numbers that opened the safe. I can’t explain it Gage, I wish I could.”
“That’s just crazy. You expect me to believe you closed your eyes and the numbers magically appeared to you?”
“Something like that, yes.” Walking back over to the couch, Kat sits back down. “It’s the same way I know you’re in danger. I can’t tell you for sure what the danger is or how I know. I just do.”
Not knowing what to believe, Gage turns away from her and walks back over to his desk. Sitting down behind it, he opens the bottom drawer and withdraws a set of glasses, then reaches up to a wall-mounted shelf behind him and pulls a bottle down.
“I could use a drink. How about you?”
“Definitely.”
Gage remains quiet, not knowing what to think. After refilling both their glasses several times, he walks up to Kat while she is sitting on the couch, takes her hand and crouches before her.
“Look, I don’t know what’s going on, but you still look like you’re not feeling one hundred percent. You’re pale and look tired. Stay here and rest a few minutes okay? I’m going to go make arrangements for one of my bartenders to close-up tonight. When I get back, I’ll take you home and stay with you until you’re feeling better. It won’t take me long. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
Gage stands, giving Kat a kiss on the forehead and leaves the office.
Yawning, Kat is overcome by exhaustion and the drinks she’s just finished. Stretching out on the couch, she closes her eyes to rest them. Before she knows what’s happening, she’s fast asleep.
As before, she feels her sleeping body overcome by a floating sensation, and her nausea returning. She tries to breathe through the nausea, but is picked up by a vortex, which quickly hurtles her through the air, faster and faster. When she feels as if her body will be torn apart from the speed, she comes to a halt, and slams into something with such force, it takes her breath away. Desperately, she tries to draw air into her lungs. They burn from the lack of oxygen. She wants to scream, but cannot.
She tries to calm herself down so she can catch her breath. The tightness in her lungs starts to dissipate little by little as it begins to work. Once she’s able to breathe, she opens her eyes and finds herself sitting in an upright position. She spots Gage from across the room, and stands abruptly, ready to make her way to him. Before she can take a step, she is hit with the worst bout of vertigo she has ever felt. Dizzy, she sways from side to side. Grappling for the back of the bar stool she just vacated, she steadies herself, takes a few deep breaths, straightens her shoulders, and heads in Gage’s direction.
Moving closer to him, yet keeping her distance, she watches him gracefully move from person to person through the crowd of patrons; stopping for a few minutes to speak with each key member of his staff. She is able to overhear bits and pieces as he hands over keys and gives each employee a set of instructions for closing up the club. The entire process takes about thirty minutes.
Still following him, Kat notices he is well known by most of the club crowd. They stop to talk to him or shake his hand at every turn. Pursuing him through the crowd, he makes his way to the back of the club and uses his key to unlock the door to the stairwell leading to his office upstairs.
Instead of following him up the stairs, she proceeds to the emergency exit at the back of the club and out the door into the darkness of the night. Moving with purpose, she heads directly over to Gage’s Ducati, looks around, finds she is completely alone, opens her bag, and removes something cool and metal from it. Holding it out in front of her, she recognizes the tool as a pair of wire cutters.
No! She tries to scream, but no sound comes out of her mouth. Realizing what she’s about to do, she tries to stop herself by opening her hand and dropping the wire cutters on the ground. She’s lost control over her hand, it will not open. As if her hand has a mind of its own, she uses the shadows as cover, crouches down, and cuts the bike’s brake lines.
No! No! No! Standing, she places the tool back inside her clutch, brushes off the knees of her jeans, straightens her top, and heads back inside the club.
What the fuck? What am I doing? What is wrong with me? Why can I not control my actions? My brain is screaming to stop. I care for Gage. I care for him a lot. Why would I do this to him? Why can’t I stop myself?
Back inside the club, she proceeds to the bar and orders a shot to celebrate her success. Quickly downing it, she gets up and heads to the ladies room, where inside she washes her hands, dries them, and opens her bag, removing a brush and a tube of mauve lipstick. Dumping her head over, she swiftly brushes her hair from the underneath to give it body. Flipping her long blonde locks over, she puts the brush back in her bag and uses her fingers to finish smoothing them out.
Removing the lid to her lipstick, she twists the bottom of the tube, pressing the color out through the top. Looking at her mouth in the mirror, she starts with her plump bottom lip and spreads the color over it, then moves to her top lip and repeats the process. Rubbing her lips back and forth together to make sure the lipstick is applied evenly, she replaces the lid on the lipstick, gives herself the once over in the mirror and smiles. Holy fuck, it’s Taylor! In the mirror, it’s not me, it’s Taylor! But how? Opening the bathroom door, she exits and heads back to the bar.
When Gage reaches his office, Kat is sound asleep on the couch. She looks so peaceful he decides not to wake her right away. Sitting behind his desk, he watches her sleep. She is so beautiful he can’t take his eyes off her. Something inside him stirs every time he sees her, thinks about her, or is near her. He wonders what it is about her. Why she affects him so much differently than any other woman he’s ever been with. And the number is considerable. Mind racing, he wonders just what in the hell is going on with her. He wants to trust her. He wants to believe her. Aw hell, he just wants her. But how could she know about the safe? How was she able to open it without being able to recite the combination? Is she lying to me?
Sitting straight up and struggling to catch her breath, Kat violently awakens. Panicked and not able to breathe, tears roll down her cheeks and she starts flailing about, trying to get herself in a fully upright position.
Seeing her in distress, Gage jumps over the desk and makes his way to her side. “Kat, it’s okay. Calm down. You’re hyperventilating.” Sitting down beside her, he takes her in his arms and gently strokes her cheek, her hair, and her arms like he would with a small child. “Come on baby, it’s alright. Breathe. Take a deep breath and exhale it slowly. That’s a girl,” he softly croons. “Now come on baby, do that a few more times until you’re breathing normally again.”
She does as he has instructed and it helps. Frantic to tell him what has happened, she starts, “Gage, I have to tell you…”
“We have time to talk after you’re feeling better, Kat. Now is your breathing better?’
“Yes, but…”
“No buts.” Handing her a tissue he says, “Here, dry your eyes.” She does. “Can you stand?” He takes her hand to help her up. She collapses in his arms.
“I feel weak. Sick. So sick to my stomach. Oh my god, I think I’m going to vomit.”
“Just take a few deep breaths. If you’re going to be sick, I’ll carry you into the bathroom. See that door on the other side of the room? It’s right through there.”
“Oh god, how embarrassing. I don’t want you to see me that way.”
“Kat, that is so not a big deal. Stop thinking about it. Now, do you need me to bring you in there?”
“No, I think I’m good. I just need something in my stomach. Where’s the rest of that protein bar?’
Gage hands it to her. “It’s right here.”
“Thanks. I know this sounds weird, but I could really use a drink.”
“I’ll grab you a water.”
“No, I need something stronger. It seems to settle me after I feel like this.”
“Alright, if you’re sure?” Picking up the same bottle as earlier, he pours the clear liquid into her glass and hands it to her. “Just sip it until you’re sure your stomach can handle it.” She nods in acknowledgment.
After several minutes pass, she informs him, “I feel fine now. I really do. Please, come sit down next to me. I have to tell you what’s happened. What I saw.”
“What you saw?”
“Yes. Now I know this is going to sound strange, but it really happened. While you were gone, you were being followed. Spied on. I watched as you were being stalked. You’re in danger, Gage. Your brake lines were cut on your motorcycle. I was there when it happened. If you get on that bike, you won’t be able to stop. You’ll be hurt or worse. I couldn’t take it if anything happened to you.”
“O…kaaay. “
“I’m not joking, Gage. It’s true. I saw it happen. I was there when it happened.”
“Katrina, you’ve been up here asleep since I left. It was just a bad dream, baby.”
“No! It wasn’t! Please do not patronize me, Gage. You have to listen to me.” Holding up her hand before he could speak she pleads, “Please, just listen. I saw you downstairs talking to different members of your staff, handing out a set of keys to someone, overhead you instructing them on how to close up. I followed you and watched people stop you to say hello, to shake your hand, to come on to you. I saw you unlock the door and head back upstairs.”
Gages eyes widen with astonishment. “But how could you know that?”
“I’m not sure, but when I’m finished, I’ll venture a guess okay? Now as I was saying, I saw all of that happen. When you left to come back upstairs, I did not follow you, but instead exited the club through the back emergency door and headed over to your motorcycle. I took a pair of wire cutters out of my purse and when I realized what I was about to do with them, I tried to stop myself. I tried to drop them on the ground, but couldn’t because I couldn’t make my hand open. I tried to scream and couldn’t make any sound come out of my mouth. Then, I just knelt down beside the bike and cut the brake lines.”
Clearly puzzled, Gage reiterates, “Kat, I know you believe all of this is real, but you could not have done that. You were in here asleep the whole time. I know you were. You were lying right here on the couch, out like a light when I returned from downstairs. I sat here watching you sleep, thinking how beautiful and peaceful you looked lying there. Don’t you see…you would have had to have been outside cutting the brakes on my bike at the same time I arrived back in the office? At the same time I watched you sleeping. It’s just not possible. You could not have done this. It had to be a dream.”
“No, you’re right, I didn’t do it. Taylor did!”
Beyond confused, Gage gapes at her, shaking his head. “Taylor? What does she have to do with this? I don’t understand Kat. You just finished telling me that you did it. You followed me through the club, you cut my brake lines. Now that I pointed out that you couldn’t have done those things, that you were right here asleep on the couch the whole time, you’re saying I’m right, you didn’t do these things, but Taylor did?”
“Yes, that is exactly what I’m saying. That Taylor did these things. I know she did, because after your brake lines were cut, I reentered the club and went into the ladies room to get cleaned up. When I looked in the mirror, it wasn’t my face I saw staring back at me, it was Taylor’s. Somehow, I saw all these things happen through her eyes. It was like I was inside of her. Trapped inside her body while she thought and did these horrible things and as much as I tried, there was nothing I could do to stop her. While it was happening, I thought I was the one doing it. I couldn’t understand how I could care for you so much and do something so terrible to you. Try to physically harm you. Then I saw Taylor’s reflection in the bathroom mirror and I knew it wasn’t me who wanted to harm you, it was her. She did it!”
“You saw these things happen through her eyes? What does that even mean?”
“I don’t know, Gage. My best guess is that I have some sort of connection with her.”
“Connection? As in psychic connection?”
“Yes…No...Aw hell, I don’t know! Hasn’t anything strange ever happened to you Gage? Something that you couldn’t explain?”
Only that I turn into a panther at will.
“Baby, this is starting to sound a bit insane.”
“I understand that, but I can prove it.” Standing, she takes Gage’s hand. “Follow me. We’ll go check out your bike. If the brake lines on the Ducati are cut, then what I’ve told you is true. If they’re not, then I’m crazy as a loon and need to be checked in to the nearest nut house.”
Kissing her hand, he concedes. “Lead the way.”
They descend the stairs and go directly outside through the emergency exit. Letting go of Katrina’s hand, Gage takes a few hurried strides directly over to his motorcycle. Kneeling down, he traces first one brake line and then the other, back to the where they bolt to the calipers. They’ve both been cut.
Enraged, he takes Kat by the shoulders, looks deep into her eyes and says, “I don’t know what is going on here, but you are not crazy. Can you tell me if Taylor is still inside?”
“Just before I woke up, she was sitting at the bar closest to the exit door. She was drinking, celebrating what she’d done.”
“Thanks. Wait for me at a table inside. I’m going to go get this bitch! It’s time we had a little conversation.”
“Oh no, I’m coming with you.”
“No Katrina! This could get ugly. Believe me you don’t want to get involved.”
“A little late for that, don’t ya think?’
As they reenter the club, they both stop and scan the crowd. Katrina spots Taylor first, sitting exactly where she remembered her. “Gage, over there.” Using her head, she motions in the direction of the bar.
“I see her.” Taking a key from his pocket he hands it to her. “Take this, head upstairs, and wait for me. Make sure you leave the door to the stairwell unlocked. I’m going to grab Taylor and bring her up to my office so I can find out what the hell she’s up to.
Gloating, Taylor sits at the bar and orders another drink. Poor Gage. He’s going to be in for a big surprise. It won’t kill him, but he’ll be in a world of hurt.
Stepping up behind her, Gage motions to the bartender and instructs him to cut her off. “She’s had enough for tonight.” Placing his right hand on her shoulder he informs her, “You’re cut off.”
Spinning around on her stool, she opens her mouth to begin to argue. “What? I have not had too much to drink. How dare you!”
Leaning in to her, he places his right cheek to her left and whispers in her ear, “I thought you said earlier you wanted me? Now what fun would that be if you’re too drunk to participate?”
“No fun at all,” she quips as a large smile spreads across her face. “But I thought…”
Heading off her objections, Gage pulls her off of the stool into his arms and kisses her roughly, thrusting his tongue savagely into her mouth. She responds immediately. Revolted at the thought of kissing this bitch who just cut his brake lines; he ends the kiss quickly, leaving her head spinning, which was his only intent. “No thinking.” Taking her by the hand, Gage leads her through the crowd of people to the door that leads upstairs. Thinking another piece of her plan just fell into place and that she’s about to get laid, she gladly follows.
As they reach the top steps Taylor asks, “I thought you said you have a girlfriend. Did you two have a fight? Where is she?”
Stepping through the door to his office, he growls, “She’s right here.”
Dumbfounded, she looks around the small room and finds Katrina sitting on the couch. “No thanks, I’m not into threesomes,” she retorts scornfully. Turning on her heels she briskly moves towards the doorway.
Quickly, Kat jumps up and moves in front of her, blocking her exit. “Oh really bitch, you’re not into threesomes huh, just coming on to anyone I’m with, right? I saw you when I walked in the club, hanging all over Gage and kissing him, you slut. What’s the matter? Fucking Tony the other night wasn’t enough for you? You had to go after Gage, too?” she shouted.
Gage’s head snaps up and he stares at Katrina in shock. This is all new information that he wants to discuss with her. He can hear the jealousy in her voice over what happened between Tony and Taylor and he hates it, but right now he has bigger issues to deal with.
An evil grin spreads across Taylor’s face as she provokes her. “What’s the matter, Katrina? One man’s not enough for you? I didn’t think you’d mind sharing since they both share you with each other. Do you have them on a schedule? I guess tonight is Gage’s turn and tomorrow night is Tony’s? Or do you like them both at the same time? A boy toy sandwich? Answer me this, which one gets your ass and which one gets your cunt? ”
Kat lunges at her. “Shut up, you skank, before I knock that grin right off your face.”
Having had enough, Gage grabs Katrina around the waist and shoves her back towards the couch, breaking up the catfight about to ensue. “Kat, go downstairs. Now!”
“No way, I’m staying,” she hollers back and sits down.
Turning to Taylor, he grabs her by the shoulders and forcefully ushers her to one of the chairs located in front of the desk. “Take a seat and stay a while. We have a lot to talk about,” he says, pushing her down into the hard seat.
“What’s this all about, Gage? I know it’s not over a kiss and I’m sure you’re not upset that I slept with Tony,” she says as she shifts her eyes and glances over at Kat.
“No, I don’t give a shit who you sleep with, but what I do care about is being fucked with. So tell me Taylor, why did you cut the brake lines on my bike?”
Breaking out in a sweat, Taylor tries to deny it. “What? I don’t know what you are talking about.” She stands up to leave.
“Sit your ass back in that chair. I know you were the person who cut my brake lines, Taylor. What I don’t know, is why. So tell me, why did you do it? What do you want from me? Who sent you?”
As Taylor sweats, the smell of her perfume dissipates and another scent starts filling the room. Knitting his brow together, he draws a deep breath into his lungs and sniffs at the air. Looking down at her, his eyes widen and for a split second, the flare of a bright green flame burning inside them can be seen. He’s picked up on that scent before. She is something more than human — an animal, a beast — like him.
Picking up on the glint of recognition on his face, Taylor grins up at him and responds, “I don’t think your perfect little girlfriend can handle the truth of why I’m here. Are you sure you want me to answer that question, Gage?”
Panicked that she is going to reveal the truth about him, he points towards the door ordering through gritted teeth, “Kat, go down stairs I said. Do it now!”
“No! I want to hear what this bitch has to say.”
Gage glares at Taylor with murder in his eyes. She smiles up at him and responds, “Fine. The truth is, nobody sent me and I’m not here for you, Gage.” For a brief moment, he begins to relax.
“I’m here on my own little mission. I’m here for her,” she says, turning and grinning at Katrina. Alarmed, Gage reacts, reaching for Taylor and roughly lifting her out of the chair.
“Get your damn hands off me,” she exclaims.
“If you lay one hand on her,” he warns, then leans in, quietly whispering in her ear, “or paw, or do anything else to hurt her, I’ll rip your heart from your chest and enjoy doing it.”
Glaring up at him, Taylor smiles. “Don’t threaten me, Gage. This is none of your business. I’m here on family business, so I suggest you stay the hell out of it.”
Gage and Katrina turn towards one another with confusion written on both of their faces. Looking like the cat that just swallowed the canary, Taylor focuses in on Katrina. “I have every right to be here. I’m Kat’s sister.”
That’s all, for now. Watch for the story to continue, questions to be answered, and new mysteries to ensue in The Queen of Swords, Book 2 of the Tarot Series.
Thank you all for reading The Tower. I hope you enjoyed it! The next book in the Tarot Series will be out soon.