An Illicit Gentleman II

                                              Chapter Fifteen

            AJ held Eve in his arms as he walked into her room, thankful she lived in an apartment and the bedroom was down the hall. Her lips were soft and gentle on his neck, the buzz from the hit they took just moments before still rushed through him and the way she was making him feel made the sensation stronger.  He walked them over to her bed and laid her down as their lips drifted to each others.  For weeks now he sat at the club watching her, waking up from dreams wanting her, and now here she was under him, his for the taking.  By the way she pulled his shirt off he knew she wanted him too.  Her finger tips drifted down his chest and abs as he held himself up above her, kissing her. 

Then something jerked him off her and as he fell back, almost falling off the bed, he watched as Eve was pulled off the bed and across the bedroom floor. He hurried off the bed and dove for her, for a second he felt her fingers skim across his but he couldn’t grab them.  She was pulled into the hallway and the door slammed shut on him.  Getting to his feet he grabbed the knob and swung the door open, he ran out into the hallway but stopped dead.  In front of him was the hallway of Eve’s house and the front door was wide open.

“Alex!” He heard her scream again but he couldn’t see her anywhere.  Running down the hall AJ burst out of the front door and again stopped dead when he saw the vast sea of sand around him.  He turned around quickly and the house was gone, he turned back around and still nothing but sand.

“Eve!” AJ yelled as he spun around, there was nothing but sand and desert, no Eve anywhere.

“Eve!” AJ shouted as he sat up. He looked over to her side of the bed, empty.  Quickly he got up and ran out of the room, he rushed into the living room only to see the officers Detective Ozwith left here to monitor the calls.  They looked at him confused for a moment as he stared at them.

“Everything alright?” One of the officers asked.

“Yeah” AJ replied as looked away and turned to walk down the hallway but stopped when the door bell rang.  He looked back to the officers quickly and they were already standing up and heading to the window.  Slowly AJ walked over to the door and looked out the peep hole.

“Do you know him?” The officer asked.

“Yeah” AJ said with a light smile as he pulled back from the door, unlocking it before opening it.

“Hey man.” Kevin said as he saw AJ.  He stepped back and let Kevin into the house.  “Where’s Nick?”

“I think he crashed in Eve’s office, she has a futon in there.” AJ replied as he closed the door and locked it back up.

“What’s with them?” Kevin asked as the cops sat back down.

“They’re here to monitor the calls.” AJ told him.  “Come into the kitchen; just put your bags down.”

AJ walked over to the coffee maker and turned it on and then sat down at the table as Kevin joined him.  “So where do you want me to start?”

“How about how you went from ‘I don’t want to talk about her’ to Brian calling me because your back together with Eve.”

AJ began to tell him about going to the restaurant and what an ass he was, then he told him about him going back, apologizing to her and then what happened next.  AJ was surprised when his friend didn’t speak up about Rachel but he considered himself lucky and continued.  He told him about how they had talked about what lead them there and how they both made mistakes.

“I know me being so angry was because of her but everyone else thought I was drinking again so I just went with it.” AJ said with a shrug.  “I didn’t come out here to get back with her and despite what Brian and Nick think I didn’t bring Rachel out here to hurt Eve.”

“Then why did you bring her?” Kevin asked.

“I hoped it would take my mind off Eve, I didn’t want to see her because I figured it was over and if I saw her, it would just make it worse.” AJ told him.  “But you know me, I can’t leave well enough alone and I had to go see her.”

“And then make out with Rachel while in Eve’s restaurant?” He asked.

“Rachel started that.” AJ replied quickly.  “I dunno maybe I felt like I had too, she would know something was up.”

“So what lead to tonight?” Kevin asked as AJ stared at his soda can.  He took a deep breath and let it all out.  The text message, what happened at the restaurant and then what happened tonight.

“We’re not even sure it’s Mats yet.” AJ told him.  “And that scares me, what if it’s not him, who else could it be and would we find her.”

“They’re calling so they want something.” Kevin assured his friend.

“They’ve called once and cut the phone off as soon as I heard her.”

“What does the Detective say?”

“Ozwith? She thinks its Mats, she believes that’s why they haven’t called back, he wants me to stew a bit, worry, be scared, panic, and go fucking insane.” AJ said with frustration.  He let go of the can before he crushed it and rubbed his head. 

AJ looked at Kevin his eyes fell with worry.  “What if something happens, I wasted two years without her, fuck I wasted five years without her.”

“You can’t think about the bad, you gotta just stay strong and believe the police will find her.” His friend told him as he placed his hand on AJ’s arm.

AJ lightly smiled, it was nice having Kevin here, it made him feel a little better.  They sat around the table talking, AJ told him about how well Eve’s place was doing until the explosion.  They talked about the recording a little and other things as they both tried to keep AJ’s mind off the situation at hand, if only for a little while.  But then the phone rang and AJ shot up from his chair and ran into the bedroom.  He grabbed the phone from the bed and answered it.

“Hello?”

“Still awake?” The familiar voice asked.

“Yes” AJ replied as he walked out of the bedroom and down the hallway.  “I want to talk to Eve.”

“And what gives you the right the talk to Eve.” The person asked.

“I want to know she’s ok.” AJ replied with some frustration.

“She’s fine, we’re taking very good care of her.” The voice said and even though it was robotic he could hear the sarcastic tone.

“Please let me talk to her.” AJ said sounding almost a little defeated.

“No” The voice said and he found himself getting angry.  “But if you’re good you can see her.”

“What?” AJ said quickly.

“No time to explain come too the restaurant, I’d say alone but I’m not stupid but tell your friends not to do anything stupid, being stupid gets her killed.” The voice ended and then the line went dead.  AJ hung up the phone and set it down on the table by living room doorway and headed to the front door.

“Where are you going?” Kevin asked.

“To the restaurant, they want me to meet them there.” AJ said as he grabbed Eve’s keys.

“Alone?” Kevin asked.

“I’m not waiting for the cops; they said she’s going to be there so I’m going.” AJ told him as he opened the front door.

“Alex” Kevin said grabbing his friends arm.

“Let go!” AJ shouted and pulled away.  “Don’t stop me; they want me to go so I’m going.”  He turned away and headed right to Eve’s car in the drive way.  Quickly he unlocked the door and climbed in.  When the car was running he put it into reverse, peeled out of the driveway, and flew down the street.

When he got to the main road he slowed down, not wanting to get pulled over on the way there.  He fought through the frustration of hitting every red light and about twenty minutes later he was at the restaurant. When he pulled into the empty parking lot he didn’t see any cars parked out front and the place looked dead inside and out.

He got out of the car and closed the door, making his way to the front of the building.  His nerves started to over come him as he thought about what was inside.  When he pulled on the door he was surprised to see it open and made his way inside.  Letting his eyes adjust to the even darker room than the night sky out side he looked around.  Something near the bar made him concentrate over there.

“Hello?” He said half shouting.  No one answered and the shadow didn’t move.  Slowly he made his way over to the dark object, reaching out making sure he didn’t trip over anything.  Finally his eye started to adjust and he saw a person sitting on a chair by the bar.

“Eve” AJ said a little relieved but also scared.  She wasn’t moving and her head hung forward.  Quickly he made his way to her, stepping over debris and chairs.  When he got to her he knelt down and lifted her head up.  “Evelyn?” AJ said to her as he removed the gag around her mouth.  He placed his two fingers on the side of her neck, feeling for a pulse and he sighed when he found one.  “Evelyn, sweetheart wake up.”

“She’s out cold.” A voice echoed around the room and AJ stood up and spun around.  “Eve here couldn’t stay calm so she went for a little nap.”

“I swear when I find out where you’re hiding, you fucking coward!” AJ shouted as he continued to look around the room for any type of movement.

“Such big words for such a has been.” The voice said mockingly.  “The groups gone down hill, no one cares about you any more and you’ll never be nothing more than a fad, to be seen later on VH1.”

“Fuck you” AJ replied as he looked to where the voice last came from.  “At least I’m not playing call boy to some loser in lock up.” AJ snapped.

“You mean Mats?” The voice asked and then started to laugh.  “Mats was about revenge, me, I’m about getting rich, and quick.” 

AJ’s face fell in confusion until something jumped at him from his right.  He fell to the floor hard; an arm came around his neck and pulled tight.  Then another thick cotton cloth covered his face.  Recognizing the smell right away AJ grabbed at the hand that held it against him and pulled with all his might.

“And even as a Boy Band wash out you’re worth way more than she is.” He heard the voice say as he slipped into unconsciousness.