Kade, p.6
Kade, page 6
“Nah, I’ll be back.”
On wobbly legs, I walk past the bar and the leering eyes of the drunken old men. The five-inch platforms on my wedged sandals do nothing for my ability to get there in a straight line. I avoid eye contact at all costs, hoping not to disrupt the herd and wishing I’d changed into jeans before going out. A couple of harmless whistles ring out as I pass, but I make it to the bathroom unscathed.
The lights in the tiny room flicker as they come to life. The place is dank, and the lock on the door is busted. I hover over the toilet to do my business, holding onto the sink to keep from falling over.
Drinking before I ate was not a smart idea. I only had a beer and a half, but with my stomach so empty, the alcohol went straight to my head in a bad way.
I stand up, still clutching the sink for support. The beer sloshes around inside my belly, and my reflection swims in front of me. I splash some cold water on my face hoping to revive myself before making the trek back to the booth. My hands blindly feel around the room looking for a paper towel, when I hear the door click open and shut.
“Jen, I said I’m fine. You don’t need to hold my hand.”
“I’m hoping to do a lot more than hold your hand, darlin’.”
The gravelly voice strikes a chord of fear deep in the recesses of my gut. Too frozen to turn around, I raise my head toward the filthy mirror in front of me. The man’s hair is greasy and combed straight back off his red forehead. He’s more than a few days past shaving, the silvery strands of wiry hair standing out bold against the remaining black ones on his muddy face. The whites of his eyes are yellow, and his teeth are gray with rot.
“I saw you lookin’ at me, darlin’. I was watchin’ you in that cute lil’ mini dress, shakin’ your way up here.” The way he slurs the word “darling” makes my skin crawl. It reminds me of something you’d hear on Dateline. His back is against the door. My desperate mind races, trying to think of a way to get past him, but he advances upon me too quickly.
His hand runs up the back of my leg, and I cower, cringing from the odor of bourbon and decay on his breath. “I’m sorry if you thought I was looking at you, but I’m really not interested. Please just leave me alone.”
My voice trembles. He blocks me in on either side, gripping the edge of the sink in front of me. My plea does nothing to halt his attempt to seduce me. He buries his nose in my neck, smelling me like a flower.
With my shoes on, we’re the same height, but he’s stocky and thick. The man looks like he’s spent a lifetime poisoning his body with God knows what. He grinds his pelvis into my backside, and I whimper with fear. “Yeah, you like that.”
“Get away from me!” I want to scream for help, but I’m buzzed and terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought. The only thing running through my foggy brain is fight or flight, and flight isn’t an option.
With all my might, I elbow the drunk in the side. He winces and stumbles, but his grasp on the sink tightens. I’m still trapped, only now I pissed him off.
“Oh, you like it rough? It’s your lucky day, darlin’, so do I!”
My back and head smash against the dirty tile with a heavy thud as he swings me against the wall. Tears stream down my face both from the pain and sheer terror that this man is going to rape me in this disgusting bathroom while my friends sit fifty feet away.
He locks my wrists above my head. I kick and cry, but his hold on me is strong and unyielding. Finally finding my voice, I scream, “Let me go!” I’m stuck here. My only hope is that someone notices I’ve been gone too long and comes looking for me.
His knees brace against the wall, holding mine open as grimy fingers inch up my skirt to the waistband of my panties. There’s a knock on the door, followed by a low voice saying my name. Salvation! “Kade! Help me!”
The door flies open, and I hit the ground. The next few minutes are a blur of arms and fists, and the sickening sound of cracking bones and skin smacking against skin. Blood splatters across my face as I lie helpless on the floor, crying in a heap. Water shoots from pipes where the sink once hung, now on the floor next to the guy’s lifeless body. I don’t know if my attacker is alive or dead. All I see is a crumpled mess lying in a pool of his own blood.
Kade lifts me off the filthy tile, cradling me in his strong arms, and runs out of the bathroom. He carries me through the restaurant, out the door, and onto the bus, finally sitting me down on the counter in the bathroom. “Are you hurt? Do you need a hospital?” His hands skim my skin looking for signs of damage, but the only thing marred is my psyche. I’m covered in blood, but none of it is mine.
A knock raps against the door, and I leap into Kade’s arms, shaking like a frightened puppy. “Kade! What the hell happened? Where’s Ainsley?” Jenny’s shrill voice is more piercing than I’ve ever heard it. Kade literally carried me out of the restaurant without a word to the others still sitting in the booth in the back. The mess in the bathroom must have scared the hell out of her.
“She’s fine, Jen. I got it.” The voice rumbling in his chest vibrates across my cheek. I cling to him for dear life as his protective hands stroke my crud-covered curls. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if he hadn’t been there.
“Ainsley, are you okay?” Jen’s voice is thick with concern. There’s no way she’s going to leave me unless she’s heard from me directly, and I don’t want to worry her any more than I already have.
My breath stutters in a failed attempt to sound collected before answering her back. “Yeah, Jen. I’m okay.”
“All right, lovie. I’m right here if you need me.”
Her footsteps retreat from the door, and the sound of sirens in the distance bring my worst nightmare back to the forefront of my mind. The feel of his blood on my skin is just as foul as his breath. I need to get every trace of that man off me.
Kade steps away long enough to start the shower but comes right back. Steam clouds up the tiny bathroom as he hikes the dress over my head and drops it into the wastebasket next to the toilet. Even if it weren't splattered in blood, I’d never wear it again. He lifts me off the counter, places my feet on the tile, and then removes my bra and underwear.
When he looks up from his position on the floor, he doesn’t have the same lust-filled eyes I’ve grown accustomed to. Right now, I see worry staring back at me in his soulful gaze. This isn’t about sex for him, not this time.
Rising from the cool tile, he takes my hand in his, helping me into the shower. The water pelts my skin but doesn’t ease my wounded soul. It runs off my body in pink trails that disappear down the drain. I huddle under the spray, holding myself, quivering despite the scalding temperature. I have nothing more to fear, but I don’t want to be alone.
Kade fills the space in the tiny stall shower. I recoil at first, still skittish over the feeling of a presence behind me. Fresh tears begin to fall, and I melt into his body, allowing his warmth and strength to wash over me like the water from the nozzle above. “I’m sorry, Ainsley. I should have gotten there sooner.”
“It’s not your fault, Kade. You saved me.”
“As long as I’m around, no one is ever going to hurt you again.”
***
Vic’s hummingbird rap on the accordion door is more irate than usual. “There are police everywhere, Kade. You need to come out.”
At the word police, I spring up like a Weeble. This is bad. Jenny and I are supposed to be here to keep Kade out of trouble, but I’ve done the exact opposite. I caused trouble.
Kade’s lips drop to my head as he pushes himself off the edge of the bed. “Try to get some sleep. This might take a while.”
“I’m going with you,” I argue, standing up with him.
“No. You’re staying here. I’ll handle this.”
I continue pulling on my shoes and throw a sweatshirt over my T-shirt. “Kade, be serious. You’re in a butt-load of trouble because of me. Besides, the police are going to want my statement anyway.”
“A, I don’t get in trouble. I make the trouble. The cops aren’t gonna do shit to me.”
And the cocky asshole returns.
“Whatever. I’m going with you anyway.” I roll my eyes and walk out the door.
My pulse races as I make my way past the row of pods and into the cool night air. Being wrapped in Kade’s embrace offered a false sense of comfort, but out here in the parking lot, surrounded by police and a gaggle of onlookers, my inner wounds begin to fester. I feel vulnerable, like any one of those people could come out of nowhere and hurt me again. Just like he did.
A hand grabs mine, and I practically jump out of my skin. “Relax, sweets. It’s just me.”
Kade’s presence kicks the lifeless mob into a frenzy. Policemen guard the lines of yellow tape that now barricade the area, keeping the crowd from rushing the crime scene. Oh my God, I’ve created a crime scene!
“Mr. Black, Ms. Daniels.” Two men in blue uniforms approach us as we stand together in the lot. “I’m Officer Stranz, and this is Officer Fairchild. We need to ask you a few questions.” Officer Stranz opens up his little notepad and continues. “In your own words, can you tell me what happened here tonight?”
I swallow hard, trying my best to keep my composure before rehashing the whole terrifying story. The officers make notes and nod along as I tell them in gruesome detail the events that occurred earlier that night. Kade’s hand squeezes mine as I recall the way the man talked to me and how he reacted to my telling him no.
“Okay, so just to reiterate: Butch Robinson followed you into the bathroom, made an unwanted advance, and then proceeded to become aggressive when you told him no.”
Hearing the slimeball's name for the first time gets my hackles up. It’s just as sleazy as the man himself. “Yes, that’s right.”
“At what point did Mr. Black intervene?”
“I guess I was gone a while. Kade came to see if I was okay...” Maybe I should let him handle this. I don’t want to implicate him and make things worse. My gaze rolls in his direction as I wait for him to tell his side, but his murderous scowl doesn't budge. His jaw clenched, and nostrils flared, he squeezes my hand so tight, my fingers grow numb.
“Ms. Daniels?” the policeman urges.
“And I did what I had to do,” Kade counters.
The policeman looks up from his notepad without moving his head. “So you admit to having assaulted Mr. Robinson in retaliation?”
“I did what I had to do,” Kade repeats in a sinister tone.
Officer Stranz stands straight, crossing his arms over his chest trying to look oppressive. If I wasn’t scared out of my mind, I might have laughed. Kade wins in the intimidation competition by leaps and bounds. He’s built like a brick wall. The sleeves on his T-shirt threaten to tear each time his arms flex. Not only that but, considering his erratic behavior, he probably has lawyers on standby in every city he ventures into. “If you aren’t going to cooperate, Mr. Black, I’m going to have to bring you into the station.”
The corner of Kade’s mouth curves into an arrogant grin. “You gonna cuff me, too? I love the feel of cold metal against my skin.”
What’s he doing? He’s actually goading the cop into arresting him! I stand there stunned as the cop grabs Kade by the arm and attempts to pull him toward the squad car.
Kade stands firm and drops a kiss on my mouth that sends my thighs up in flames. “Tell Vic to take care of this. I’ll see you in an hour,” he whispers before allowing himself to be escorted to the black and white vehicle.
The crowd goes berserk. I’m rooted to the spot as he ducks into the backseat. Camera flashes pop, the red and blue lights blink, blinding me as I watch the car drive away. I turn and run back to the bus to talk to Vic as Kade instructed.
Later that night, I lie in bed alone waiting for Kade to return. Vic seemed little more than annoyed that Kade had been arrested, giving me hope that he would be able to take care of it just like Kade said. Vic may be a total harpy, but I’m beginning to see why the band keeps him on. It seems like he has connections in every state.
The creaking sound of the accordion door startles me awake. “It’s me, A. Don’t be afraid.”
He pulls off his clothes and slides into bed next to me. “It took you longer than an hour.”
His rich chuckle comforts me in a way I haven’t felt all night. It’s smooth, carefree. I love the sound of it. “Yeah, well, a few of the guys downtown were fans.”
Snuggling in next to him, I breathe in the spicy scent of his skin and twist my leg up over his. “Is everything going to be okay?”
“Yeah, sweets. It’s all good. No worries.”
His arms wrap around me as I melt into his warm body. He always feels hot. As if his blood is rocketing through his veins at a furious pace at all times. It’s cozy, like cuddling up next to a fire that smells divine.
“So what happens now?”
“Now we go about our business as if it never happened.”
Chapter 8
Despite my late night, I wake up early, finding it hard to sleep on a moving bus. Kade lies beside me sleeping like a log. In the serenity of the morning, I allow myself to take in the tiny parts of his face that usually go unnoticed. Long, beautiful eyelashes rest along a slight row of freckles that sweep across his cheeks and onto his straight nose. Dark stubble sprouts on his chiseled jawline. His tatted-up muscles seem less severe as he rests there peacefully, but the bloody scrapes on his knuckles are a stark reminder of what he’s capable of.
I climb out of bed and slip from the room, closing the door behind me. The bus is quiet, save for Jenny on her cell phone with what seems like a business call in the kitchenette. She spots me coming toward her and greets me with the raise of her index finger.
“Okay, thank you so much. Yes, I’ll be in touch with details.”
She trades in the call for a series of swipes. “Mornin, Ains. How ya feeling?” Her distracted tone is followed by the rapid clicking of her thumbnails against the screen of her phone.
“I’m better, thanks. Busy morning?” I move about the tiny space preparing myself a cup of coffee from the Keurig as the relentless click-click-click of Jenny’s texting continues behind me.
“You betcha.” The room goes quiet. Jenny sets her phone on the table face up and stretches, releasing a groan that leads me to believe she’s been sitting there a while. “I’m trying to spin this crazy story to work in your favor instead of Kade looking like a crazed baboon.”
The lights on the coffeemaker flash when I close the lid with the pod inside. I smack the middle button, having no idea what size my cup is, and hope for the best. “What story? What do you mean?” The machine whirs to life. I tear my eyes from the trickle of brown liquid filling the mug to see Jenny back on her phone.
“Seems you and Kade are trending today.” With the simple nudge of her finger, the phone glides over the smooth tabletop toward me. Top story today: Kade Black, Hero or Heavyweight?
“Yikes! Jenny, this can’t be good.” I flop onto the bench seat, my coffee long forgotten and no longer needed. With eyes wide, I scroll through the articles, one after one. Some paint him out to be a hotshot who came to the rescue in my hour of need, while others just claim he’s a maniacal monster who beat the guy up for fun. When I come across one that actually has my name in it, I almost choke on my own tongue. “How did they get this information so quickly?”
“From a lot of places. People at the restaurant, or onlookers that were crowding around as he was arrested. It’s more likely the information came from a mole, though.”
I look up from the phone. “Mole?”
“Yeah, a mole. You know, a rodent, a rat...someone at the police station probably leaked the story. Reporters pay top dollar for stuff like this.”
She slides off the bench and saunters up to the Keurig for another cup of coffee. How can she be so calm? This is a disaster. My name is plastered all over the internet. A wave of nausea crests in my gut as I imagine Bob sitting down over croissants in Europe, poring over the news only to find grainy cell phone images of my face staring back at him. Standing next to Kade Black of all people.
“My personal favorite is the article that claims you’re a tranny Kade picked up on a street corner.”
Disgusted, I fling the phone back to her side of the table. “So what’s your plan?”
Jenny places my coffee in front of me as she scooches into her side of the bench at the table, but the thought of drinking it now makes my stomach twist. “I’ve been on the phone all morning. Music Buzz is squeezing Kade in tonight for an interview to tell the real story about what happened. He’s going to need a red cape and friggin’ set of tights by the time I’m done spinning this shit in his favor.”
So much for forgetting this ever happened.
Music Buzz is the number one celeb news show. I’ll be humiliated on national television when Kade tells the world he had to save my drunk ass from getting raped in a dirty bar bathroom. Everyone is going to know my business. Bob... my parents...
Shay.
How am I going to look my innocent daughter in the face and explain this to her? What's going to happen when she returns to school and everyone knows her mom is some groupie for a rock band? This isn't a disaster — this is life-altering. Nothing will ever be the same after this.
“Ainsley, lovie, you look like you’re going to faint.” Jenny’s impassive tone grates on my nerves. She’s about to destroy my life, and she’s so damn composed while I sit in this kitchen having a mini panic attack.
“Does he have to do this? Can’t we just let this go? It was bad enough I had to live through it once, why would you make me do it again? Where’s your sense of loyalty?” The octave of my voice grows shrill as I come to the end of my rant.
“Loyalty? You made this mess and now I have to clean it up in a way that suits my client. I’m sorry if you don’t like that, but it’s business.”
