Chapter Eleven

Christian surveyed the area as Aja Blue guided him to the club. It was in a part of town away from the water, but restaurants and department stores surrounded it, and it seemed to be hopping. The lot was packed, and he had to park at the far end.

"At least the lighting is good."

Even at this distance from the entry, plenty of streetlights covered every nook and cranny of the lot. People visiting the club would feel safer walking to their vehicles in the wee hours of the morning.

Aja Blue reached for his hand, and he linked their fingers together. It felt right to be with her. He had a good life. He loved his job and coworkers, and he dated. Christian hadn't realized something was missing until he'd met Aja Blue. Being around her made him happy.

People were coming and going from the club, most in flashy clothes and high heels. He and Aja Blue were woefully underdressed but weren't here for the experience.

Christian could hear the din of music from outside. A giant of a man stood guard in an atrium. His beefy arms were covered in tats, and he had enough piercings to open a jewelry shop.

"IDs."

"We need to speak to the manager." Christian took out his CObrA Securities badge and showed it to the man. "We're investigating a missing person."

The man studied the photo and then Christian. He spoke into a walkie-talkie, and when he finished, he told them, "You can wait at the bar. The manager will be there to get you soon."

He motioned for them to enter the club. They thanked him and stepped inside. The music was decibels louder, mingling with the patrons' hoots and hollers. The red lighting gave the club an almost sinister vibe, but the disco balls muted the effect. Even the front of the bar was covered with tiny, mirrored tiles. The flooring was a geometric pattern of squares, and several neon lights with trendy phrases decorated the walls. Tables spread out in front of a stage where a group of three performed a song Christian didn't recognize.

"Honey, you look good enough to eat with a spoon."

Christian was about to agree with the bartender until he realized the man was speaking to him. "Uh, thanks?"

Both the bartender and Aja Blue chuckled.

"What can I get you two?" He fluttered lashes that were about an inch long, and his green eyes were enhanced with thick black liner.

"We're here to speak with the manager."

"So, no drinkie then? Water while you wait?"

"Sure."

He filled two glasses with ice and added the liquid with a soda gun, presenting them with a flourish.

They thanked him as someone called his name. With a wave, he left to take another order.

"Have you been here before?" Christian asked Aja Blue.

She shook her head as she took a sip from the straw. "Not yet. It hasn't been open long. I had planned to see one of Jay's shows, though."

The trio on stage ended their number to applause and catcalls. The music turned down a notch as they sashayed behind a curtain.

"You two were asking to see me?"

Christian turned toward the voice. In drag, he was a beautiful woman with flawless skin and a pouf of auburn hair. The dress looked like one a flapper from the 1920s would wear, with lots of fringe and sequins and a matching feather headband. They slid off the stools. "Yes, we did."

"I'm Charlotta, the manager. How can I help . . . oh, my goodness, Ms. LaLonde! I'd recognize you anywhere." She took Aja Blue's hands. "Look at how gorgeous you are. Those eyes are amazing, and don't even get me started on your hair." She air kissed her cheeks. "Jay talks about you all the time."

Christian might not have noticed the slight wince if he hadn't been so attuned to Aja Blue.

"He's why we're here."

Charlotta blinked. "Is everything okay with him?"

Trying to avoid a public discussion, Christian asked, "Is there someplace we can talk privately?"

"Well, aren't you a tall drink of delectable water?" One of Charlotta's perfectly tweezed brows raised while her gaze raked up and down Christian's body. She mock-whispered to Aja Blue behind his hand, "Honey, you snagged a good one. Even all banged up, he's still divine."

Christian wasn't about to correct her assumption that they were a couple, and his heart fluttered when she didn't either. Aja Blue met his gaze, which was enough to make his body react.

"We can talk in my office. It's this way."

Charlotta spun around and sashayed away, forcing them to follow. Christian took out some bills and placed them under his water glass before catching up with Aja Blue. Charlotta led them through a door and down a hallway. The walls muted the sound, and he could barely hear the music by the time they entered a room.

Charlotta closed the door and sat in a leather chair behind a glass desk. Her perfect posture would make a chiropractor proud. "How is Jay?"

"That's why we're here," Aja Blue told her. "When was the last time you saw him?"

Charlotta tapped her face with a two-inch-long ruby-tipped finger. "It's been a while. He was our headliner for several of our opening events but didn't show up. We'd promoted him for months in print and on television, and I was so angry when he blew us off. We'd paid him an exorbitant amount for advertising fees. I vowed never to let him perform again." Charlotta sighed. "I have a quick temper, but it fades just as fast. I had a change of heart the next day. There had to have been a reason he didn't show up. Jay's very dependable. He wasn't answering his phone, so I called your office and was told he took time off." Charlotta shrugged. "I assumed he'd contact me when he came back."

"I haven't heard from him either."

Charlotta clapped a hand over her open mouth. "You haven't?"

"No. I filed a missing person report with the police today."

Charlotta openly fretted. "Oh, dear. Now I feel positively dreadful for calling him all sorts of nasty names. I hope he's okay."

"Me too," Aja Blue murmured. "Charlotta, did you know he was getting threats?"

Charlotta snorted and waved her hand. "Honey, in our line of work, it's a given. I could fill up the Grand Canyon with hateful messages. People are plum nasty."

"Have you been getting threats specifically regarding Jay?" Christian asked.

"Yes, because we used him as the face of Crystal Galaxy for our grand opening. Again, it wasn't unexpected."

"They didn't concern you?" Christian wondered.

Charlotta shook her head. "No. As I said, they're commonplace. Basically harmless."

"Do you keep them?"

"Oh, no. I don't want that vile poison anywhere around. Bad juju, you know?"

"Have you had any disturbing events like vandalism?" Christian wanted to know.

"No, but we have a state-of-the-art security system, and not many people want to go up against Chopper."

"Is that the bouncer?" Aja Blue wondered.

Charlotta grinned cheekily. "No, that would be Tiny." They laughed with her. The man was a behemoth, so the name was an antiphrasis. "Chopper is a one-hundred-twenty-pound rottweiler. He looks ferocious, but he's a sweetie, like Tiny. He does pack a mean bark, though—Chopper, not Tiny."

Charlotta's smile disappeared, and her brows dipped. "You know, we did have an incident. A group from a local narrow-minded church staged a protest the day we opened. They came with nasty signs and a bullhorn, harassing our customers and even threatening them with physical violence. We called the police, but they were slow to respond. Tiny notified some of his biker buddies, and they ran the protesters off. They haven't been back."

The black phone on the desk beeped, and a voice said, "I'm sorry to bother you, Charlotta, but we have a problem with Lady Royale. She's pitching a fit and refusing to go on stage."

Charlotta rolled her eyes. "Talent," she lamented. "I'll be right there." She stood. "Do you have any other questions?"

"That's all for now," Christian said.

Charlotta clasped Aja Blue's hands again. "Promise you'll let me know as soon as you hear from Jay?"

"I will."

She gave more air kisses, and this time, she included Christian.

"Please come back and enjoy a show. I'll be sure to add you two to the VIP list."

Christian noted that the club had filled even more as they were leaving. Another show was taking place on the stage, and the music was thumping. Aja Blue took his hand, and they walked back to his SUV.

"Jay's not okay, is he?"

No, Christian didn't think he was. "Don't jump to conclusions yet. Let us investigate his disappearance first."

Aja Blue stopped walking, forcing him to do the same. "Don't lie to me, Christian. I want you always to tell me the truth."

He hated to upset her, but he'd do as she asked. "I think there's a good possibility that something bad has happened to him."

Aja Blue nodded, and her eyes filled with tears. Damn it, that's why he didn't want to be honest. It killed him to see her unhappy. He pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry, babe."

She clung to him, and he held her while she sniffed. "He's a good person and a gentle soul. He'd do anything for anyone. Jay didn't deserve the hate that was directed toward him. He only wanted to live his life. He always said it wasn't his decision, that he was born that way, like the Lady Gaga song."

"I know, babe. People suck sometimes."

"They do," she agreed.

He clutched her tightly and let her pour out her grief. He'd absorb every bit of it and spare her of the pain, if it were possible. Instead, he could only hold her and let her know she wasn't alone. When she gathered herself and stepped back, he almost reached for her again. He loved the feel of her in his arms. She fit perfectly, and her scent entranced him. Everything about Aja Blue LaLonde fascinated him.

Christian had never taken an acting class, so how the hell was he supposed to keep his feelings for Aja Blue hidden from Presley and Kayne when they arrived the next day? As some of the more recent hires, they'd spent hours together and become good friends. He'd be able to tell if one of them had fallen in lo—er, had a thing for someone. People didn't realize the tells they had when the heart was involved. He included himself in that assessment. No doubt, he was giving off all kinds of flashing signs.

The question was, what was he going to do about it?

#

When Christian and Aja Blue returned to the house, they retreated to their rooms to shower and change clothes, agreeing to meet in the living room to review the videos. Aja Blue almost suggested they shower together to save water, but she needed time to take care of a few things, like shaving her hairy legs. How long had it been? She couldn't remember. Her lotion was scented, and she slathered it on. She found a comfortable T-shirt and a pair of yoga pants. It was tempting to forgo the bra. She wasn't overly endowed, so what the heck? Throw caution to the wind.

Christian was seated on the sofa, setting up his laptop, when she jogged down the steps. His light hair was wet and slicked back from his chiseled face. He'd shaved, and when she dropped to the cushion next to him, she got a whiff of his aftershave. If she hadn't already been sitting down, she would've swooned. It was so masculine and appealing . . . as if he needed anything to enhance his virility.

"Which do you want to watch first?"

You getting naked.

Aja Blue mentally slapped her inner harlot and cleared her throat. Having to relieve the tasing incident didn't appeal. "The one from my shop."

"Good choice."

He tapped keys and then held the screen so she could watch. It allowed her to scoot closer to him, and his body heat sucked her in. She'd never fully understood the phrase, but she did now—her head swam. Oh, my, the man was potent.

"We don't know the timing, so I'll fast forward until there is action."

He was talking, but she had a better idea for those kissable lips. Pull yourself together, Aja Blue. What was wrong with her? She focused on the computer as the video sped up. Car lights flashed in a long blur, and Christian stopped the feed each time a person came into view.

"There." Aja Blue pointed to the edge of the screen, almost out of camera range.

A person with a black hoodie, mask, and sunglasses propped a scooter against a trash can. He might as well have held up a sign that read: bad guy. He'd undoubtedly dressed the part. Who wore shades in the middle of the night?

Christian paused the film and zoomed in to get the company's name from the scooter. "The QR code is too small to read, but I'll have my office see if they can enhance it to get the identification number. Then I'll have them trace who rented it during that hour."

He captured a still shot of the scooter and then opened an email program, where he typed the request and attached the photo before hitting the send button.

Once he finished, he returned to the video and tapped play. The person glanced around and took out a can of red spray paint. He kicked over both potted ferns, causing them to crash to the ground and break. Then he ripped the wind chimes proclaiming peace and love from a hook and threw them to the concrete, shattering them. Another glance around, then he shook the can and began to leave his vile messages.

Christian stopped the video and zoomed in. "Look at his hand."

The guy had thought to camouflage his face completely, but not the rest of him. The letters e, v, i, and l were inked on his knuckles. Classy. "That should make it easy to identify him."

"Yeah, especially if we get his name from the scooter company."

Christian took more still shots of his hand and then resumed the tape. The guy finished and scurried back to the scooter, disappearing from view.

"He was in and out in less than five minutes," Christian noted.

"That was so much destruction in a short amount of time."

Christian agreed. "It makes me think he'd scoped out the place or executed a dry run."

"You mean he's tried it before?"

Christian shook his head. "Not necessarily. I think he'd driven by your office enough times to know where to target."

It repulsed her to know he'd been stalking her workplace. "What about the footage from the parking lot?"

"Coming up next."

#

Christian switched to the other video and rewound to when they had arrived at the store. Aja Blue parked and walked inside, and then he was there to pick her up and wait for the perp. Fifteen minutes later, Johnny Cash would roll up. Christian checked the time on the video. "Look for our guy any minute now."

"There."

Aja Blue pointed to where Johnny was getting out of a black sedan. Christian couldn't tell the make, but he thought it might be a Lexus. Another car rolled to a stop nearby, eerily similar to the first one.

"It's the nurse," Aja Blue realized.

"And the vic," added Christian.

"Vic?"

"Sorry. Victim."

Aja Blue shook her head. "I knew that. I watch a ton of police dramas."

Christian clenched his jaw when Aja Blue slid out of the vehicle. The kidnapping might not have happened if she'd stayed put like he'd told her to, but he didn't blame her. Her actions had been noble, thinking she could help him.

He stopped the video. "Look. She's pointing you out to him."

The man took a circuitous route to grab Aja Blue. They watched in silence as the rest of the video played. They'd already seen this much from the recording Aja Blue had tracked down. It was harder to see the nurse inject the man from this view. When she stood and announced he'd died, they watched as she backed into the crowd and then slid into her vehicle and drove away. He tried to get a view of her license plate, but she had a shield over it that made it impossible to read. Not a coincidence.

"Interesting that they arrived together," Aja Blue murmured once he hit the stop button.

"It is. She killed him to keep him quiet."

"Are you going to send this to Detective Herbert?"

He shook his head. "It wasn't obtained legally. If the local authorities are any good, they've already requested copies. If not, I'll suggest to the detective that they do."

He'd planned on scanning the victim's fingerprints, but he hadn't had a chance before the rogue cop arrived and arrested him. Detective Herbert would be able to get an identification soon.

Christian closed the lid on his laptop. "We should have more information about the guy who vandalized your shop tomorrow. There's nothing else we can do today. What?" he asked when she kept staring at him.

"Your poor face. Your chin is bruised, your cheek is scraped, and your eyes are still bloodshot."

Damn, he must resemble a ghoul. It was probably like passing an accident where you didn't want to look but couldn't turn away.

He flinched when she reached out to trail a finger close to his injuries.

"Does it hurt?"

"Nah. Looks worse than it is."

"Good." Then she leaned over and kissed him.

All rational thought fled at the feel of her lips. He deepened the contact, drinking her in. Her taste was like ambrosia, and he couldn't get enough. Christian surged up and scooped her in his arms, absorbing her gasp of surprise.

He could pretend all he wanted that this wasn't going to happen. He'd known from the moment they'd met—when she'd kissed him much like this—that they would end up in bed. Christian was helpless to resist.

Aja Blue wrapped her arms around his neck and held on as he carried her up the steps. He didn't know about her mattress, but his was comfortable. However, her room was closer, so he detoured in there and kicked the door closed. Letting her go wasn't at the top of the list of things he wanted to do, but they needed to be naked for what he had planned.

Christian released her legs and let her slide down his already-aroused body. She purred her satisfaction as she encountered the part of him dying to be inside her. Light filtered through the window, allowing him to see her beautiful face. He held her gaze as he removed her top, leaving her bare, and he greedily drank her in. Her pants were next, and he took her underwear down at the same time, leaving her blissfully naked.

Lord have mercy. She was exquisite. He would not last long.

"Not fair," she whispered. "You're fully clothed."

"Don't care," he retorted, capturing her lips again as his hands molded her breasts. She moaned into his mouth, and he backed her up until her knees hit the bed. He followed her down, covering her body with his.

She felt perfect beneath him. He knew that as soon as he removed his clothes, it would be over too soon. There was nothing he could do to stop the freight train that was only gathering speed. It'd be crashing off the rails soon.

"Need these off you," she panted, tugging at his shirt. He reared up and yanked it over his head, tossing it over his shoulder.

"These too," she said, working the button and zipper on his pants.

He had to stop her before she injured him. He was aroused to the point of bursting. His only option was to slide off the bed, and she whimpered, reaching for him.

Christian made slow work of dragging the cargo pants down his hips, reveling in her reaction to his massive erection. She made him feel ten feet tall.

He dove for her when she reached for him, knowing it would be all over if she touched him. Their lips melded as their limbs tangled. Christian rolled so that she was on top. A miscalculation on his part. She sat up and filtered her hands through her mahogany hair, letting it fall across her shoulders in a silken curtain. She looked like a sea nymph, tempting him with her beauty. Her pert breasts drew him like a magnet, and he tweaked her nipples, eliciting a gasp.

He wanted to go slow and worship her magnificent body, but he was too close to the edge. Surging up, he wrapped his arms around her and twisted until she was beneath him.

"Now, Christian," she urged.

One brain cell functioned, and he grabbed a condom from his discarded pants, making quick work of rolling it on. Then he was back, gathering her legs in his arms and spreading her wide. When he surged forward, her back arched, and she let out a silent gasp.

"Oh, so good," she breathed.

He couldn't have spoken for any reason. His hips pumped like a piston, and he knew it was too soon, but he felt her let go, so he did, too, cresting the hill and free-falling into exquisite ecstasy.

Christian wasn't sure how long it went on, but it seemed like forever and simultaneously not long enough. He wanted to revel in feeling connected to her in the most intimate way possible. She was hot and snug, and she cradled his body.

"What just happened?" she gasped, her chest rising and falling.

"Perfection," he answered.

Every molecule in Christian's body wanted to stay where he was, but he needed to discard the used condom. With great reluctance, he pulled out of her and got to his feet. The trip to the bathroom was quick, and he was back, sliding in behind her and gathering her close.

"Christian, wait." She touched his arm. "What happened?"

"Burn marks from the taser."

Aja Blue's eyes started to well, so he quickly kissed her, not wanting her to be sad after the most explosive night of his life. "I'm fine. It doesn't hurt, and the marks will fade."

"No pain?"

He shook his head. "No pain, honey."

She rolled over and cuddled against him. "Never felt anything like that," she murmured as she nestled her heart-shaped behind against him, causing him to rise to the occasion. He thought she'd drained him, but apparently not.

Time for round two.