Cherishing Shay

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Drew walked through the night club, his eyes constantly scanning the occupants. The blaring, pulsing music grated on his nerves. The strobe light wasn’t helping with his vision but he ignored it all. He’d been trained in some of the harshest conditions. Learned to push through distractions and pain. He focused on a single goal. Find out where the buy was going down.

All he had was an address. Greg and Barry looked it up on their way over. Good thing it was close by or they’d never have enough time to get there before the buy went down.

Drew studied the layout before entering. There were three floors. The main was the night club. There were apartments and offices upstairs and a basement downstairs.

Logic said that the illegal stuff was downstairs rather than up. Since they didn’t have a chance to get a lay of the area before Barry and Sam were checking the back. Nick and Daniel were covering the side entrances. Lastly, Jack was doing surveillance from a van just down the street. All the entrances were covered.

Drew knew Greg was somewhere in the building. They’d made sure to arrive separately so they didn’t draw attention, but he couldn’t spot him through the massive crowd.

“Wanna dance?” A woman asked appearing in front of him wrapping her arms around him like a boa constrictor.

“No thank you.” He politely declined, disentangling himself and walked around her.

The last thing he wanted to do was dance. He wasn’t a bad dancer. Far from him. Not to toot his own horn but he was a pretty good dancer, but there was a time and place for it and now wasn’t it.

Drew went to the main bar that had the best view point of the club. “Scotch on the rocks.” He ordered. He would look out of place if he didn’t at least look like he was a patron.

The bartender nodded and few seconds later slid the drink to him. Drew paid what he felt was highway robbery for a simple drink but forked it over. He turned back to the crowd looking at faces instead of the bumping and grinding happening on the floor.

He’d never understand people and that thumping, annoying music. There weren’t even words to it. Just noise. If he had to listen to just music, he preferred jazz to this racket. He couldn’t wait to get out of this place. The middle east in the heart of Taliban

“Report,” He said before he took a sip.

“No activity on the East door.” Nick replied quickly.

“No activity on the West door.” Daniel reported.

“Nothing in the back.” Came Barry’s reply.

Drew checked his watch. It had been fifteen minutes since the text went out. Either people were waiting for the last minute or they were already in the building.

“Do you see anything, Greg?”

“No,” Greg’s voice came over loud and clear through the ear piece. “I’m making my way to check downstairs.”

Drew spotted someone head toward the stairs that went up. They showed a thin black wristband to one of the bouncers and they were let up. “Looks like some activity could be upstairs. Need a wristband to get up there. A good place for buyers to be waiting. I’ll check it out.”

He just needed to find someone with a wristband first.

Two men walked up next to him talking in low tones. How they could hear each other over the din Drew didn’t know. There was something about them that seemed out of place for the night club.

Drew had been in this business too long to spot people like this. These weren’t night club patrons, but here for something else.

It was a nice night club and most wore dress shirts and slacks but these guys were in full suits and they didn’t appear cheap looking but tailored. They were about eh same height, about six-foot. One had a buzz cut and the other was completely bald.

The bald one ordered a drink. His hand reached out and Drew caught sight of a think black band. This guy was his ticket in.

Drew took another sip of his scotch while he leaned back causally against the bar, appearing to be looking out at the crowd. His ears strained to hear the conversation next to him.

“We need to get upstairs, its about to go down.” The buzz cut one said.

Drew had a feeling what it was. The buy.

“In just a minute, I’m waiting on my drink.”

“We’re going to be dead men if we don’t get there before it happens.”

“Relax, they’re already bringing my drink.” The bald one said unphased.

“You dumb s**t,” The mass hissed. “If we miss the buy we will be killed.”

The buy. That was all the confirmation that Drew needed.

Drew tossed back the rest of his drink took a step before stumbling back into the bald guy causing him to spill his drink.

“What the f**k man.” The bald man snapped.

Drew rolled his shoulders forward and stooped to make himself look smaller and harmless. At six-foot-six that wasn’t an easy feat. He made sure to lean to one side, practically using the bar to support him.

“Shoory,” He slurred, sounding like he’d had too much to drink. “Wasn loogin where I washe goin.”

The guy looked at him disgusted. “f*****g drunk. This is going to stain.” The bald guy used his drink napkin to wipe off his jacket.

“Le me help,” Drew used his hand but the man batted his hands away as if afraid Drew could give him cooties.

“You’ve done enough.” The man growled and started stomping off.”

“Where are you going?” His partner shouted.

“To the bathroom to clean up.”

“But we have…” He looked at Drew realizing they weren’t alone. “We have somewhere to be.”

“You go on ahead. It won’t take both of us.”

The buzz cut guy didn’t look happy but stomped off heading for the upstairs. Now was Drew’s chance. He followed the bald guy to the bathroom. The music was muted back here. His ear drums were thanking him for the reprieve. His gaze scanned the spacious bathroom. Luckily, they were the only two in there.

The guy was near the door using a wet paper towel to wipe off his shirt. He glared over at him when he heard the door open. “What do you want?”

Drew stumbled forward. He needed to get close to the guy.

He eyed Drew suspiciously when he kept coming forward. The guy turned to face him fully and tried to puff himself up. “Leave while you still can pal.”

Drew held his hands up in surrender unfurling himself to his full height. “I came to apologize.”

“Oh yeah, for what?” The guy taunted.

“For this.” Drew brought his fist up and clipped the guy in the jaw. The guy fell like a sack of grain.

He dragged the guy to the farthest stall and set him on the toilet. ‘Let’s see who you are.” He patted down the guys pockets, not shocked to find a g*n. He was shocked to find zip ties and duct tape.

Why would this guy have these for a d**g buy? These were tools for a k********g not a d**g buy. The guy didn’t even have more than a hundred dollars on him. Not near enough money for a d**g deal. Things weren’t adding up.

Drew took a picture of the guys driver’s license and sent a text to Jackson. “Jackson, I just sent you a text. See what you can dig up on this guy.”

“On it.”

Drew found the guys phone. Turning it on he saw that it was fingerprint protected. Not a problem. “Hope you don’t mind if I borrow this.” He grabbed the guys right thumb and put it over the sensor. “Hope this is the right one.” He muttered to himself.

He sighed in relief when it opened to the home screen.

He opened up the messages icon. Drew’s eyes widened seeing the laded of information at his fingertips. This guy believed in the power of the fingerprint lock. Everything was in here. He pocketed the phone, hopeful Jackson could open it again. He didn’t have time to go through it now.

He removed the wristband and put it on himself.

Leaving the bathroom Drew made his way back through the crowd headed for the stairs. His steps faltered when he saw the buzz cut guy standing on the bottom stairs next to the bouncer looking around the dance floor.

What were the chances he’d recognize him? Drew had made his presence known. He was going to have to find a way to sneak past him. And he needed a plan quick. He was out of time. Hopefully Greg was already up there and in position.

Drew stepped back narrowing missing a woman and her flying hair when he walked right into a woman. His hands reached out and grabbed her before she could fall to the ground and pulled her close. Even over the dim of the people shouting and the music he heard her sharp gasp. A sound that went straight to his c**k.

His hands tingled where he touched her bare skin. He tried to ignore how soft it felt. Like satin. She was just a few inches shorter than him. A rarity for his six-foot-six frame. He bet she had legs for miles. The club was too dark to see what color hair she had. It looked blonde but it was hard to tell. He hoped it was, he was a sucker for blondes.

His fingers curled as he imaged stroking his fingers through the silky looking strands. What the hell was wrong with him? There was a d**g deal about to go down and he was salivating after a woman. One he hadn’t even seen her face yet. But he could smell her. He inhaled a deep breath. Jasmine.

The woman looked up at him and it was like being punched in the solar plexus with a two by four. Stunning didn’t even come close to describing her. High arched eyebrows, wide eyes, a cute button nose and pouty big lips that he imaged claiming as his own.

“Are you alright?” He asked, looking her over head to toe. She looked damn fine to him. He was surprised he wasn’t salivating.

She was dressed in a white halter top dress that just showed her cleavage and a hint of the swell of her breasts. It flowed down to her narrow waist before flowing to the ground. He caught a glimpse of her bare leg through a slit in the side pf the dress.

The woman looked over her shoulder then back at him l*****g her lips. It appeared more a nervous gesture than a seductive maneuver. “I’m fine, thank you.”

Drew glanced up in the direction she had. The number of bouncers on the stairs had grown. They were all looking around frantically. For her?

“Dance with me.” It came out more a demand than question. One he found himself unable to deny as she wound her arms around him and swayed against his body.

Against his will Drew found himself wrapping one arm around her waist and the other captured one of hers around his neck and held them to the side as he led them. It wasn’t to the thumping music playing overhead but more a tune he heard in his own head. Slow, seductive.

It was like the woman cast a spell over him, a spell he didn’t want to end. It was like everything faded around them. It was only the two of them. They stared into each other’s eyes as they twirled around the floor.

Using his hand on her waist he pushed her away as far as their joined hands would allow before he pulled her back in. A deep groan rumbled in his chest when they ended up pelvis to pelvis.

His mystery woman smiled up at him and he felt like a conquering hero. It made him want to hear her laughter. To see her head thrown back in pleasure. To hear her scream his name. s**t, he didn’t even know hers. And he wanted to.

Drew spun her out again and brought her back. She wrapped both of her arms around his neck. Drew held her close, his fingers skimming over her bare back. Her skin was as soft as it looked.

A couple bumped into them forcing them apart. Drew whirled on them like a bull that saw red. How dare he get interrupted from the best moment of his life, in the arms of a beautiful woman.

“Sorry,” The couple mumbled before disappearing in the crowd.

Drew turned back to his mystery woman when he heard his name.

“Drew,” Greg’s voice came through the ear piece.

Just like that the spell was broken. Reality came flooding back. The buy.

“Where are you?” His voice sounded panicked.

Drew checked his watch. s**t, the buy should already be going down.

He’d really f****d up. He allowed a woman to distract him. That was unacceptable. He knew better. He should have said no like he had the last one.

He looked around the get his bearings when he realized they had danced all the way back to the front of the club. When he turned back to the mystery woman she was gone.

“Drew,” Greg practically shouted.

“Yeah,”

“We have a problem. A major f*****g problem.”

“I’m coming now.” Once he got back through the crowd.

Drew was kicking himself. What had he been thinking. He and women didn’t mix well. This was a prime example of why not. “Any activity outside?”

“A bunch of cars are showing up but no one getting out of the building yet.”

“Drew, you don’t understand.” Greg started to say but he wasn’t paying attention.

Drew pushed himself through the crowd, uncaring anymore if he was being rude when he heard it. The fire alarm. Everyone seemed to realize what it was at the same time and that’s when the sprinkler system turned on dousing everyone. People started running and screaming to get out.

Drew tried to push past the panicking crowd but it was like taking a row boat upstream. It was a loosing battle. He had to turn and go out with the crowd before they stampeded over him.

“Keep an eye on those exits. I don’t have a choice but to go out front.”

Once outside and clear of the entrance Drew looked up and saw the fire and smoke coming out of the second floor in the back corner. Several rooms looked like they were up in flames.

The d**g deal was completely forgotten. Greg was his only concern. He was supposed to be upstairs.

“Greg, where are you?” Please don’t let him be stuck inside.

“I’m out.”

Drew sagged against the wall in relief. Thank god for that. The sound of fire truck sirens could be heard in the distance and coming closer. Soon police would be there. The last thing they needed was their intervention. “Tell me someone saw something. Any of dealers.” Please don’t let this night be a complete waste.

“Sorry man. Everything was total chaos. People were swarmed together which camouflaged the dealers.” Jackson sounded defeated as if it he carried the weight of that fail. It wasn’t. It was on all of them. None more so than him. If it hadn’t been for that woman he would have been upstairs. He might had seen something. Their d**g raid was a bust. Great, who knew how long before they’d get a break like this again.

“Everyone fall back. Jack see if you can find out if they have security footage. Maybe we’ll get lucky. We’ll regroup in the morning.”

Despite Drew’s words he stayed behind. He hoped to hear some chatter about what happened upstairs. If there were any witnesses to the d**g deal. Greg had said he swept the basement so the upstairs was the only other place it could have gone down.

The police and fire trucks arrived moments after he ordered everyone to leave. He kept to the shadows listening. People were telling them their stories each more exaggerated than the next. Drew couldn’t help look around hoping to see the woman in white. He didn’t know for what purpose. The woman had cost him the d**g bust. He should just forget about her. Women were nothing but trouble. Tonight was a prime example of why.

After thirty minutes he stalked away frustrated to his car. No one had seemed to see anything. At least nothing that seemed useful to him and his investigation. It was a long shot there was any security footage. If they were doing d**g deals in the building they would know to hide it.

Drew drove home in defeat. This night did not go the way he hoped. It wasn’t until he was parked in the garage with the door closed that he leaned back in his seat and growled in frustration.

He really wanted to punch something but his car didn’t deserve that kind of punishment. She was a classic. A 1969 black Chevrolet Camaro. Maybe an hour of punching his punching bag would let off some steam. Scrubbing a hand over his face, noting the stubble of his growing beard, Drew picked up a scent clinging to his skin. He took a whiff. Jasmine.

His d**k started to harden remembering. Damn, he just couldn’t escape that woman. He’d have to take a shower. Remove all traces of her as if she never existed. Never had he experienced a woman getting under his skin so easily. He better up his work out to two hours now. It wasn’t like he was going to get any sleep anyway.

Drew couldn’t remember the last time he slept more than a few hours at a time. The nightmares were always there. Waiting for him. Waiting to pull him back under. So many faces. The screams of his friends calling out for help.

Just thinking about it made him break out in a cold sweat.

Drew threw open the car door and stormed out suddenly feeling claustrophobic. The impulse to slam the door rode him hard but he resisted, barely. He raced into the house, the door leading into the kitchen. He found an empty cup next to the sink and filled it to the rim with water. He hated how his hand shook. After taking several deep gulps he took a breath.

Feeling better he set the glass to the side. He was known for his calm and collectiveness. He needed to put that to use now. To think and strategize. After a few hours of working out he’d come up with a better plan.

Before he could head to his room to change into workout clothes he heard something. He c****d his head waiting to hear it again. That couldn’t be right. It was coming from his garage. There shouldn’t be anything in there. He knew for a fact it was closed before he’d come in.

Drew pulled out his glock that had been tucked into the back of pants and walked on silent steps. Tearing open the door Drew ran into the garage ready for anything.

A woman who’d been trying to open the side door to his back yard heard him and whirled around with a gasp. The woman in white. He stood there stupefied. “You?” Was all he could say.

She stared right back at him like a deer caught in head lights. Even from the distance between them he could see her chest rising and falling like she’d run a marathon. Her eyes that had looked at him with laughter looked at him with fear now. Why was that? He hadn’t done anything to hurt her. That’s when he realized he still had his pistol aimed to her.

He tucked it back into the back of his pants and held his hands up in surrender. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

The woman shrunk back at his words. Her back hitting the door she’d been trying to escape out of. Her eyes darted around for another escape route. There wasn’t one unless she went into the house.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” He repeated. He remained rooted in his spot knowing she was in a fight or flight mode. If he approached her now she might react in a way that could hurt herself. “I’m going to go inside. Feel free to come in. We can talk and I’ll even give you a ride to wherever you want to go.”

She hadn’t followed him here and the fact she was in his garage told him she’d hitched a ride with him. She’d been hiding in the back or the truck.

She looked so fragile and lost right now he wanted to wrap his arms around her and promise her everything would be alright. When he turned so sentimental he didn’t know.

It was the hardest thing to do, but Drew stepped back into the house waiting to see if she followed.