Emily
Daniel kept his word. He stayed. He didn’t leave my apartment without making sure I was safe wherever I needed to be. When I was going to be alone, it was either him or Taylor with me. He got his gang to follow me on their bikes on the way to work and on the way back. When I stopped at the hospital, I would wave at them—and only then could I do what I planned.
But he didn’t make a nuisance of himself, either. He stayed in the apartment with us, but there was no reason to complain. He pulled his weight. He paid for his food. He even helped clean.
“If his brother is half as good as he is, I’ll take him,” Sarah said one morning while Daniel was in the shower.
“Maybe Taylor is a slob,” I said.
Sarah rolled her eyes. “Daniel is housetrained. Did you see him wash the dishes this morning? Next time you have a trauma case coming in, call me. I’m willing to help the hot relatives.”
I chuckled. Sarah was loving the extra guest, the drama, and everything that created the intrigue. She didn’t know what was going on, of course. I didn’t want to involve her in business that had nothing to do with her. The less she knew, the better.
###
The night of the great launch arrived. Daniel went back to his apartment to get ready. Sarah and I stayed behind to pretty ourselves up. Sarah wore a black sequenced dress that was way too short and she rocked it, making it look spectacular anyway. Her hair was curled behind her head up and off her neck, and she wore bright red lipstick to finish off the look with high heels that were so high I didn’t know how she could balance in them.
I wore something a little less daring. A red dress that flared from an empire waist with black wedges, and I had my hair half-up, half-down. The dress came to just below my knee and crossed over the front.
Black jewelry and dark makeup with it and we were ready to go.
“Look at you, all power-dressed,” Sarah said, coming out of her room.
“And look at you, all prowling.”
We laughed together. There was a knock on the door, and when Sarah got it, the boys walked in.
Daniel looked dashing in a pair of faded designer jeans, a shimmery black shirt, and square toe shoes that I didn’t even know someone like him could own. I tilted my head up and kissed him.
“You look stunning,” he said.
“You clean up really well, too.”
We smiled at each other. Sarah groaned, and I looked at her. She stood next to Taylor who was fidgety and nervous. He had none of the swag Daniel rocked, but he looked really good, too. His darker hair and faded eyes stood out against a blue shirt that was the exact shade as his eyes, and he wore a black pair of jeans and heavier boots.
“We are going to be hottest couples tonight,” Sarah said.
Taylor blushed when she said “couple.”
We went to the bar together. There was already a crowd outside. We slipped around the back and unlocked a back door where we slipped in. The inside was stunning.
“Oh, my God, Sarah. This is fantastic,” I said turning around, looking at everything. She’d gotten the perfect combination down, a mix between retro vinyl and modern chic. The walls were all paneled wood, except for one that was a deep red. There were modernist paintings of old stars on the walls, and old records had been broken and reassembled to carry through with the abstract idea.
The bar was polished and gleaming. I glanced at Daniel, and he was already looking at me, and judging by the dark look in his eyes, he was thinking about the same thing. He winked at me, and I blushed.
“I’m just going to make sure the bouncers are ready, and then we’ll open the doors,” Sarah said and disappeared through the back again. I turned to Daniel.
“Thanks for coming to this thing with me,” I said. “I really appreciate it.”
“I wouldn’t miss a chance to see you dressed up,” he said and smiled.
“And thanks to you, too, Taylor,” I said to the little brother, who leaned against the bar looking out of place.
We waited. The time ticked on.
“Shouldn’t Sarah be back by now?” I asked. “She’s been gone for a long time now.”
Daniel looked around. “I’ll go check it out.”
He disappeared through the back, too. I looked at Taylor. He looked very relaxed, leaning against the bar. I was nervous. Seemed like I was the only one.
Daniel came back a moment later.
“She’s not out back. Don’t you want to try her cell?”
I pulled out my phone and called her. The line was busy all three times I tried.
“Maybe she’s doing last minute arrangements.”
My phone rang just as I said it, and it was Sarah’s number.
“Thank God,” I said and answered. “Where are you?”
“Hello, Emily,” a voice said that I didn’t recognize. It was rich and silky, and something about it was sinister.
“Who is this?”
“I’ve got your friend, Sarah. If you want to see her again, you’ll do as I say.”
“What? Who is this?”
“Bring Daniel. I’m going to send you an address. The two of you are going to meet me alone if you want nothing to happen to Sarah.”
I looked at Daniel. He must have seen my face because his features became serious. The line went dead. A moment later a text came through with an address.
“She’s got Sarah,” I said. My voice came out in a croak, and my throat was so dry it felt like sandpaper when I swallowed. “She’s got Sarah.”