Chapter Nine
Kate felt like she was on a covert mission as she left the bathroom. Her goal was to sneak out of the bar before Sebastian was able to spot her. She fully understood the mature thing to do would be to say goodbye and tell him she wasn’t interested. However, she never claimed to be high up on the maturity ladder. As she made a sharp left, she slithered around the perimeter of the bar. She could spot Sebastian from her vantage point and he didn’t appear overly concerned about how long it was taking Kate to return from the bathroom. In fact, he seemed to be checking out a pretty blond dancing a few feet from him. This assuaged Kate’s guilt somewhat and she was certain Sebastian would move on quickly from her hasty exit.
Taking in a greedy gulp of fresh air, she pushed through the bar doors. It was a relief to breathe in something besides body odor, cheap perfume and desperation. A headache had started to form and she knew she’d have a wicked hangover tomorrow. Feeling eyes boring into her back, she turned around and saw a couple of guys smoking cigarettes and eyeing her up as they leaned against the outside of the building. She prayed she wouldn’t end up murdered out here.
“Hey sweetheart, need a ride?” the larger of the two men asked. He was huge and every piece of visible skin was covered in tattoos. Kate easily imagined the guy making someone his bitch in prison.
She realized it was probably not the smartest move to wait out here alone in a dress that screamed wannabe hooker. The crowd had died down and it was eerily quiet outside. She didn’t even have any mace in her pocketbook.
When she didn’t answer, the guy gave her a devilish smile and nudged his friend. Kate promised if she lived through the night, she would take this skanky outfit and burn it. When the two guys began to approach her, she felt frozen in place. Their position put them directly between her and the door back into the bar. It didn’t take a psychic to know they were thinking very bad thoughts about her. She thought about running, but realized she wouldn’t get two steps without tripping in her heels. Although looking at the heels, she probably could use them as a weapon if the need arose, gouge out an eye or two.
“What’s the matter, honey? I’ll give you a good ride, I promise,” he said lewdly and the guy next to him started to cackle hysterically. They continued to slither in her direction until they had managed to crowd into her personal space. Kate held her breath as the instigator breathed into her face. “Ain’t you a hot piece?”
Kate was about to give a retort, but found herself frozen like a deer in headlights. Her obvious fright seemed to amuse the two men and they snickered as they watched her squirm.
“Do we have a problem here?”
Kate could have died from gratitude right then and there when she heard Jared’s threatening voice behind her. A mixture of panic and drunkenness made her fail to notice when he had pulled his car up next to her. Daring a peek behind her, she saw him giving the two men a deadly stare. His furious expression made him appear just as scary as the drunken burly guy.
All of a sudden, she felt the man’s meaty palm wrap around her waist. The urge to hurl all over him grew strong as he replied to Jared, “No problem, but I suggest you don’t show up here and try to cock block me. Me and the girl were having a private conversation.”
Untangling herself from his grasp, she skittered behind Jared. Jared grated out, “Touch her again and I will hurt you. I have no problem laying your fat ass out on the pavement right now.”
The men looked ready to gear up for a fight, but seemed to think twice of it when the bar doors opened and a smattering of drunks were being escorted out by a couple of oversized bouncers. They turned their backs and retreated over to where they were standing before.
Her harasser called out to Jared. “Next time your girl goes out for the night, tell her not to dress like such a whore if she doesn’t want anyone to hit on her.”
Jared lurched to go after him, but Kate decided she better intervene. Grabbing him firmly by the arm, she pulled him back. “Forget that jackass, let’s just go.”
Letting out an angry breath, he led her to his black BMW. Kate guessed this was his personal car and the Crown Vic he only used while working. Jared didn’t handle her gently. Instead, he dragged her to the passenger’s side and practically tossed her into the vehicle. Grateful all limbs were inside as he slammed the car door shut, she noted his sour expression as he peeled away from the curb. “Wow, you don’t look happy to see me at all.”
His jaw clenched. “We’re not talking right now. We are going to get some coffee in you to help sober you up and then I’m taking you home.”
He used a flat monotone Kate had never heard from him before. She was seriously beginning to regret her decision to call him. He looked rumpled and tired in a t-shirt and track pants.
Giving her a hard look, he commanded, “Put your seatbelt on and try to refrain from vomiting in my car.” When she didn’t make a move, he reached across her chest and buckled her seatbelt.
“Just let me out, I’ll walk home,” she retorted. “Some friend you turned out to be.”
“Don’t push it, Kate,” he warned and she silently stewed.
She had no idea why he was suddenly angry with her. It was strange to see him in such a thunderous mood and she missed the easy way he usually smiled at her. Despite his foul temper, she couldn’t help but be thrilled to see him. Even in his unkempt state, he was dreamy looking. It appeared as if he hadn’t shaved in a couple of days and Kate had the urge to run her hand over the scruff on his chin.
After a couple of minutes of silence, it didn’t sound like his anger had assuaged as he spat out, “What were you thinking, Kate? Why would you be waiting outside a bar alone in the middle of the night in an outfit I should arrest you for wearing?”
“Hey, that’s borderline sexist. You’re telling me that since I wore a certain outfit I deserve to be accosted by a couple of a-holes?” she demanded.
“I didn’t say you deserved it but, Christ, I’m a cop. I can’t be getting into bar brawls. How would I even begin to explain why I’m there picking you up?” he countered with frustration.
He pulled up to the Dunkin Donuts drive-thru window and ordered two coffees. “And two chocolate frosted donuts,” Kate called over his head. He looked annoyed, but said nothing. Handing her a coffee and her bag of donuts, he pulled into a spot in the empty lot.
She gave him the most sincere look she could muster in her drunken state. “Sorry I called you. You must be beat from Cori’s case. I know when you said we should be friends you didn’t mean being my chauffeur after a night of drunken debauchery or rescuing me from sexual predators, but I appreciate it. Just please don’t be mad at me, ok?”
His strain eased at her words. “I’m not mad at you. Guess those fuckers got me a little riled up.”
“You were amazing with your whole ‘do we have a problem here?’ I was waiting for you to pull out your gun and cap them in their kneecaps,” she laughed.
“I was tempted, believe me. Why were you alone? On the phone you said your friend was too drunk to drive you home, but she couldn’t wait with you? Did she need a ride?” Jared questioned.
“Julie and her boyfriend left early because she was feeling sick. Gage’s friend Sebastian was supposed to take me home, but I sort of…bailed on him.”
Kate shifted in her seat and wondered how much she should confess about her night with Sebastian. Her inebriated tongue might end up revealing too much to Jared and she could find herself admitting how she couldn’t stand to kiss Sebastian because she was falling for him.
Jared seemed to speculate her discomfort could be over some sort of impropriety on Sebastian’s part. She saw his muscles tense as he said, “Kate, please tell me I don’t have to turn this car around and murder this Sebastian kid.”
She shook her head. “No, it was fine. I guess we were kind of on a date. I just wasn’t comfortable with how much he had to drink and where he wanted to take things.” She gave him a dazzling smile befo
re continuing with her explanation. “See, you saved me in more ways than one tonight. My mother is the queen of thank you notes. So, don’t be surprised to receive one from her that displays her appreciation for keeping her daughter’s body and chastity safeguarded.”
He gave her a long look and she began to guess at how terrible she appeared. She hadn’t checked out a mirror in a long time and Sebastian’s moves on her probably made her resemble someone who recently had a roll in the hay.
“I should get you home,” he said at last. He pulled out of his reverie and began to drive out of the parking lot.
She sank back into the leather seat and relaxed into the moment. Riding in his personal car in the middle of the night seemed to heighten the intimacy she felt developing between them. She still felt a buzz from the alcohol and his closeness was doing strange things to her. Something was nagging at her and she questioned whether she should disclose anything to him. Her tongue felt loose and she allowed the words to spill out of her mouth. After letting out an exaggerated sigh, she whispered, “I had a vision about you.”
It was silent for a long moment. His voice didn’t reveal much as he inquired, “You did?”
“It was your first day of kindergarten. You were dressed in Transformers stuff practically head to toe. You were calling yourself Optimus Prime.” She giggled loudly as she visualized Jared as a punk kindergartener.
His silence provoked her to go on and she shut her eyes to recall the vision. “I saw your mother and she was…” she trailed off before saying, “beautiful. Like amazingly so—with not one single flaw. You look like her, you know? Your father was there, too, and he was snapping pictures of you and her. You were nervous about school and she got down on her knees and told you to not worry. Just close your eyes and she would be there holding your hand.”
Finally opening her eyes, she shifted to face him. “It felt like she sensed that she would die young. Jared, she wanted you to remember she’d always be there for you.”
Kate swallowed hard when she saw how upset Jared looked. His features were tight and the dashboard illuminated moisture in his eyes. “Jared, I’m sorry…” she started, but her sentiment trailed off when he pulled the car over to the side of the road suddenly. Looking around, she realized they were at the end of her street.
He jumped out of the car and placed his hands behind his head. She watched him pace in front of the hood of the BMW for a minute before she slowly exited the vehicle. Approaching him cautiously, Kate asked softly, “Jared? What’s wrong?”
He produced a half laugh and half sobbing sound. “I don’t know, Kate, everything’s wrong. I mean, what are you doing here?”
“What do you mean?” she asked leaning against the hood.
Jared rarely seemed to lose his cool and it made her apprehensive about how he could be feeling. Was he agitated because of the vision? Or was he feeling something for her and he didn’t know how to deal with it?
“I like you, I do, but maybe we’ve been spending too much time together. It’s probably not a good idea for us to be as close as we’re becoming,” Jared said without meeting her eyes.
“I’m sorry I told you about the vision,” she apologized. As she positioned her body closer to him, she raised her voice in agitation. “I warned you this would happen. You’re obviously freaked out that I saw such a cherished memory of your mother. I would’ve never gone into your head if I could’ve stopped it! My visions are usually horrible, I only wanted to share with you that you gave me one of the best ones I ever had.”
“Kate, it’s not about your vision. It’s freaking incredible that you were able to see my parents as if they were still alive. I thought it would be fine for us to be friends, but…”
“But you know I want you?” she asked in her most seductive voice. The way he was protesting made her confident that he was finding it as impossible as she was to fight off their attraction. Putting her hands on her hips and sticking out her chest, she was hoping her sudden loss of inhibitions would pay off with a kiss from him.
Jared stood in front of her and grabbed her by the shoulders. His eyelids were lowered and he moistened his lips. The pull was undeniable and it felt completely natural to close her eyes and move to his mouth for a kiss.
Suddenly, his grip tightened and he said in a husky voice, “Kate, no.”
Her eyes flew open and she sent him a confused look. “Why not?”
“Kate, nothing can happen here…” he stammered. “It’s immoral. I’m with Nikki and I’m just… not the right guy for you.”
“Can you honestly look me in the face and tell me you feel nothing? It sucks that you have a girlfriend and I’m not usually the type of person to try and poach someone else’s man, but there’s something here. I know it’s not only on my end. If it was merely a silly crush, I could walk away and not tell you how I feel, but it’s not that. I have this strong need for you and can’t imagine not being with you,” she confessed as he put more distance between their bodies. It was difficult for her to display this vulnerable side to him, but she didn’t want him to dismiss her without knowing exactly how much she cared about him.
“Kate, would you really want that kind of guy? The type that cheats on his girlfriend? Leaves her when her sister is missing?” She looked away from him as he went on speaking. “You’re going to find someone and he’ll be the perfect one for you…”
Her quick temper rose to the surface. “Don’t you dare! Don’t you even think about giving me the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ speech.”
She began to stomp away from him, but he took her arm. She pushed him away. Never in her life had she felt like a bigger fool. She had basically thrown herself at him and he had passed on the offer.
“Please, listen to me. I would never purposely hurt you. I wanted us to be friends—I really did…” he begged. This was almost as hurtful as him pulling away from her kiss. He was basically telling her he couldn’t even be friends with her either. She felt like a complete reject and wished more than anything she had never met him.
Beginning to cry, Kate felt her chest tightening. It was hard to breathe, no less talk. She tried to pick up the pace to arrive at her house while wishing he would stop trailing her. It was humiliating for him to witness how much he had affected her.
She lashed out at him. “Stay away from me! It’s your fault I can’t find Cori. You’ve gotten into my head and now all I see are these stupid visions of you!”
“How can I make this right? What can I do to make you understand?” He looked ill and she hoped he was feeling even a tiny portion of the pain she was experiencing. Her devastation made her comprehend how much she had really fallen for him.
“Leave me alone!” she yelled as she arrived at her front door. She was startled when the door suddenly swung open and her mother stood partially hidden in the shadows of the house. Her inebriated rage had potentially woken up the entire block. Instinctively, her mom reached out for her and Kate collapsed into her arms.
“I am so sorry for all of this,” Jared said and Kate didn’t know if he was apologizing to her or her mother.
Kate sobbed, “Please, just make him stop.”
“Detective Corbett, you need to leave…now.” She had never heard such ice in her mother’s voice. Her mother practically wrote the book on social graces; it was good to see a lioness appear when it came to her daughter.
Jared let out an audible sigh. She knew he wanted to say more, but thankfully her mother’s presence made him think better of it. Kate heard his footsteps retreat. Squeezing her eyes closed tightly, she wished she could disappear.