PROJECT: nkotBSB

By Dottie

Copyright 2012

Chapter 27

When the elevator reaches the ground floor, Nick leads me to the bar and asks for a private, corner booth.  Once we’re sitting down, he says, “Still want that coke?”

I nod, wishing I could relive this day and do things differently.  After we have our drinks, he puts his arm around my shoulder and whispers, “It’s ok, Jessi, we don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. But don’t shut me out, ok? Please.”

I snuggle against his side, laying my head on his shoulder.  Under the table, I swing my legs up till they are over his.  We snuggle and kiss for quite a while.  It’s nice.  There’s no pressure to talk.  I wouldn’t know what to say if we did. 

Nick has his forehead pressed to mine and his hand high on my thigh when I hear Hanna Jo calling me.  We break apart and I look up, seeing her coming at me like a freight train, AJ in tow.  I know it’s bad. She looks scared.  Staying close to Nick, I ask, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

She holds out my phone. “You got a call. I think we need to talk about it. Alone.”

I check my phone and when I see the number I just shake.  Thad? Why would he call me now?  It’s over. I look up, seeing concern etched on Nick’s face.  I touch his cheek. “This is really important. Can you give us a minute?”

He nods, kissing my cheek before whispering, “You can tell me. I’m not running away.”

I sigh.  “I know.  Just…why don’t you guys go back to your hotel and we’ll meet you there for dinner?”

Nick nods. “I’ll be back if I haven’t heard from you by 6:00.”

I smile.  “Thanks Nick. For everything.”

After they leave, Hanna Jo sits across from me.  “All the guy said was he was Thaddeus West-something-or-other and to tell you they found out what we were doing and we’re being hunted. We’re in trouble. Jessi, who is this guy?”

I hit redial on my phone and say, “Hanna Jo, take a deep breath. This isn’t about anything YOU did.  OK?  Just…give me a minute.”

Thad answers on the second ring. “Jessica, where are you?”

I look out the window. “In a bar. What’s going on Thad? I thought it was a slam dunk.”

I can almost see him shrug.  Some lawyer he is.  “Well, we had an airtight case.  Until Oakley remembered bumping into a blonde at a coffee shop on his way to work. Security cameras have your car there.”

I sigh. “Who knows, Thad? How bad is it?”

He grunts.  “All the major players through the bank.  Three of the men you granted favors to are with the mob.  When they go down for what they did to you, not to mention money laundering, you’re gonna be in even more danger.  They are actively looking for you Jessica.  You have to stop using your name, your money, everything.”

I groan. “Thad you know I have to have that money. I can’t just stop using it. How can we live on nothing?”

He swears under his breath. “Dammit, Jessica, you have no choice. We’ve the dummy account in the name we agreed upon at the beginning. Remember?”

I sigh. “Yes, I remember.”

I hear papers rustling. “You’ll have $500,000 in the account.  Remember, THIS money you have to pay back so don’t touch the other account again!”

I nod and sigh. “Thad, how long will this take?”

Silence fills the air. “The trial isn’t scheduled. Probably 6 months or better.”

I close my eyes, fighting the tears. “I understand. Next time, just text and I’ll call you back.  Now I have to explain all this to Hanna Jo.”

I hear the shock in his voice. “She doesn’t know?”

I look at her, watching me with complete confusion on her face. “No, she didn’t know.”

He whistles. “I’m sorry Jessica.”

I sigh. “I’m not Jessica, remember? It’s Sonja now.”

He laughs. “You’ll be ok. Just lay low. If anything strange happens, text 911. I’ll be on the first plane.”

Grateful for his help, I whisper, “Thanks Thad. I hope I don’t see you.”

In a quiet voice, he whispers, “Me too.”

After I hang up, Hanna Jo pounces. “What? What’s going on Jessi?”

I lay my phone down and say, “Hanna Jo, this is NOT about us robbing the bank so stop worrying.  No one is after you.”

Before I can explain further, my phone beeps.  I look at it.  It’s a text from Donnie.  “Get rid of Hanna Jo. We need to talk. NOW. ALONE!”

I look up at her and whisper, “Hanna Jo, just…go back to our room ok? Please?  I need to think and make one more call. When I come up, I’ll tell you everything. I promise. You’re not in trouble, ok?”

She nods, sliding out of the booth. “You ok, Jessi?”

I smile at her. “I’m ok. I promise. Just go. I’ll explain everything.”

After she leaves, Donnie moves from behind the plant that was on the ledge in back of Hanna Jo. He scoots into her seat and says, “Well, well, well, robbed a bank, did we?”

I sigh. “Donnie, leave it alone.”

He shakes his head. “No way. You called me in heat.  I moved Heaven and Earth and bribed Nick’s security to find you. Now we’re going to have a nice long talk.”

Looking at him with open hostility, I say, “We didn’t rob a bank you dimwit. She just THINKS we did.”

He shakes his head. “Doesn’t matter to me. I’m gonna get what I want.”

I look at him guardedly. “And what’s that?”

He slides around to my side of the booth and pushes his hand between my legs. “You naked in my bed.” He rubs me roughly. “You were so fucking hot on the phone. Does Loverboy know you called?”

I smirk, pushing away from him. “He was sitting there. He dared me to do it. We were playing truth or dare.”

His face turns blood red with anger. “Doesn’t matter. Cause you’re gonna be mine. Or I’ll just make a little phone call to the states about a certain Jessica Todd and her friend.  The bank robbers.”

Panic laces my voice. “Donnie, I swear, we didn’t rob a bank. This isn’t about that. If you tell them where I am, people could seriously be hurt. Including you.”

He pushes my legs apart and continues his exploration. “I wish you had on a dress and not jeans. I bet this is hot.” Before I can speak, he says, “I don’t want anyone to get hurt, Jessica. Just some consideration. From what I heard, you’re Sonja now…meaning witness protection. So, why don’t you ride my bus a while.  We can talk, among other things, and maybe I can get these jeans off.”

I shake my head. “Donnie, please…”

He nods. “Yes, you will say that a lot. Now, do we have a deal? Or do I make a call?”

I sigh.  “I have to talk to Hanna Jo. And Nick. Try to explain…”

He smiles. “Not to worry. Loverboy won’t know I’m doing you. Hell, I may do your friend for kicks.  He’ll just think you’re riding with me to make friends again. When we’re around him, I’ll be good as gold. I promise.”

I close my eyes. “Donnie, I’m sorry for what happened. I truly am. I never wanted to insult you. Please…please don’t make me do this!”

He slides closer.  I open my eyes, staring into his. “Kiss me Jessica. Kiss me and tell me you feel nothing.”

His lips touch mine.  I keep my mind on Nick. Even when he deepens the kiss and causes my heart to beat wildly, I keep my hands firmly clasped together and Nick’s face in the forefront of my mind.

When we part, he whispers, “No Baby, you’re gonna ride my bus for now. I want one clean shot. If it doesn’t work, I back off.  Just one shot is all I want.”

I nod. “Fine.”

I wait a good ten minutes after he leaves, trying to figure out what to do.  When I finally make it upstairs, Hanna Jo is pacing the room frantic. She pounces as soon as I walk in. “What’s going on?”

I sit with her and say, “Hanna Jo, Thad is an assistant district attorney. He was my contact when I went to the DA’s office with the Board of Directors from the bank months ago about Oakley.”

She gasps.  “What? They KNEW?”

I nod. “I was the bait in a trap.  It was the only way to get immunity from what I did, which was take money for sexual favors. Technically it was prostitution, but the Board realized I wasn’t given a choice.”

She falls back, barely hitting her bed. As she scrambles to keep from falling in the floor, she whispers, “So what’s wrong?”

I sit on my bed.  “Oakley was into much more than pimping me out to his buddies, Ho Jo. He was laundering money through the bank, he was connected to the mob. Hell, three of my clients are mobsters.”

She pales considerably. “But he said we were being hunted…”

I nod. “I’m sorry, he thought I had clued you in on what was going on.”

I see anger rising up inside her. “Why didn’t you?”

Feeling sick, I whisper, “Because you were coming out of that bubble your parents put you in. You were stronger, more alive when you thought we were actually robbing that bank. I didn’t want to change that.”

Her eyes grow wide. “We didn’t rob it?”

I shake my head. “No, we didn’t. The million we got away with was my severance pay for helping them nab Oakley and the men laundering money through the bank.  But…they found out and are looking for me.”

Hanna Jo jumps up and hugs me tight. “Jessi!  Oh my God, what are we going to do?”

I sigh. “For starters, I have to stop using my real name and start using the dummy account they set up for me. It’s $500,000.”

She pulls back. “Sonja?”

I nod. “My choice. Sonja Carter.”

Her mouth drops open and we both start giggling. “Jessi…”

I shake my head. “I had to do it. I wasn’t even thinking when I chose it.”  She takes my hand and squeezes it. I sigh and say, “We also have to ride Donnie’s bus.”

Her mouth drops open. “Donnie’s? WHY?”

I nod slightly. “The bastard overheard us downstairs. He’s blackmailing me. Says he’ll call and turn us in if we don’t ride his bus. I’m gonna try to talk him into letting you ride with AJ, but Nick…”

She scrambles to stand. “Nick will FLIP! You can’t ride with him, Jessi. You can’t!”

I shake my head, tears forming in my eyes. “I have to Hanna Jo. I can’t…I can’t let Donnie put you in danger by turning us in.”

She kneels in front of me. “Tell Nick. Tell him what happened. Everything.”

I shake my head sadly. “Hanna Jo, I was a whore.  I never fucked any of those men, but I still sold my body.  Nick can never know that.  If he did…”

She hugs me tightly. “Jessi, he’s not like that. Tell him. He’ll be crushed if you ride Donnie’s bus.  You have to tell him EVERYTHING!”

How can I?  How can I tell Nick what I am, what I’ve done?  Maybe I should run now so Hanna Jo will be safe with AJ and Nick. Nick…it would be so easy to fall in love with him. But I can’t. If I do, he could die. And I’d never live with myself.