Love Me Dead
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS. JUST BORROWING THEM
Chapter 2:
Love in This Club
The Gentleman's Guild was once just a watering hole, a refuge for poor souls looking for something to ease their troubles. That was until the new "suit" came in and took over the joint. Everything from the stage to the bar had been redone and upgraded. It was nice and all, but Vincent Keller didn't like change, especially when that change was named Gabriel Lowen.
"Scotch Big Guy?" JT asked as Vincent slid onto one of the new leather bar stools in front of him.
"Not tonight. I'm working." He said knowing he had already downed two glasses before he had arrived at the club.
"When has that ever stopped you before?" JT dried off the glass with a towel and then set it on the bar. Vincent looked up at his old friend and gave in.
"Ah, what the hell? Hit me." JT smiled and poured the 30 year-old malt into the crystal glass. Vincent grabbed the drink and downed it in one swig. He needed all the liquid courage he could get if he was going to see her again. But he realized as the last drop hit his lips it was going to take a lot more than one drink, or three, could provide.
"Waiting for me?" A soft a silky voice rang through his ears as he placed the glass down on the bar and turned his head. There she stood; an angel of perfection at first glance, but he knew behind those piercing eyes that woman could take your soul.
"You're late." Vincent stared her up and down her black satin dress hugging every curve of her body. He did his best to remain indifferent towards her but she sure was making it difficult.
'You're early." She pointed to the clock above the bar. Vincent looked up and saw it was only a quarter past ten. "I think you've had one too many." He turned back to Catherine, his eyes narrowing in on hers. If looks could kill they'd both be six feet under.
"Hello Ms. Chandler can I get you anything?" JT squeaked out hoping to break up the tension. Catherine turned to the happy-go-lucky bartender and smiled.
"I'll take a Martini, dirty, thank you." Vincent suppressed his remark with a smile. Catherine looked back at him, rolling her eyes.
"One dirty Martini coming up!" JT grabbed the shaker and gin and started pouring. Vincent couldn't help himself and let out a laugh. Catherine smacked his shoulder.
"What?" he said, still trying to wipe the smile from his face.
"Real mature."
"Well if you weren't such a tease…"
"If you're not going to take this seriously..." Catherine grabbed her purse from off the bar and started to turn away.
"Cat wait," Vincent reached out and grabbed her hand, the touch sending an electric surge that had not been felt by either one of them for some time. Catherine stared down at her hand than back up at Vincent. He just looked at her, lost for words but eventually found some. "Dance with me."
"I beg your pardon?"
"They're playing our song. And besides you can talk and dance at the same time can't ya?"
"I suppose one dance wouldn't hurt." She laid her purse back down on the bar.
"What about your drink?" JT asked, slipping the olive into the glass.
"It's all yours!" Vincent shouted back as he led Catherine out into the crowded dance floor. JT smiled and slugged down the drink.
The trombone started the song, soon followed by the piano and the rest of the band. The curtains parted and Tess stepped out into the spotlight in her Sea Green Chiffon dress complemented by the white lily in her hair. She took her place in front of the microphone and began to sing the dulcet lyrics of Stormy Weather. A classic song, filled with longing for a love that once was. A perfect theme for the two the ex-lovers.
"Hold on, this wasn't our song." Catherine said as Vincent wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.
"It could be." He said with a grin, but then went back to business. "So about this gem, any more details you can fill me in on?"
"It was an heirloom, an emerald, which has been in Gabe's family for generations. He believes it was taken by a man who goes by the name Tony Barnes."
"Tony Barnes? New York's own shadowy Crime Boss that no one has ever seen, Tony Barnes?"
"Yes, one in the same." She replied as they swayed to the music.
"He's just a myth, a name other gangsters use to scare off their rivals. He doesn't exist." Vincent slid his hand up her back, applying a little pressure. He gently lowered Catherine supporting her body with his arm and brought her back up only inches from his face. Not expecting that, Catherine said through bated breath,
"He does. And you know I'm telling you the truth." Vincent listened to the sound of her heartbeat, unable to tell if its sudden increase was due to a lie or their close proximity. For him he knew his own was the latter. Instead he followed the truth to her eyes, which could never lie to him.
Vincent broke away from her stare and continued, "So what makes your boyfriend so sure it was this Tony Barnes?"
"As you know Gabriel is an ADA and has put away a lot of bad men. He thinks this is retribution for putting away a member of Tony's crew." Catherine said still trying to regain her composure.
"What's so special about this gem? I mean it's an odd way for a supposed crime boss to send message. A pair of cement shoes or something else in his bed to keep him warm at night seems more fitting."
"I resent that." She said with feigned indignation. Even she couldn't help but smile at his vulgar comment.
"No you don't." A slight flush of red made its way to her face. There was this intense pull between them, no matter how hard she tried she couldn't deny it.
"So how was I?" Tess sauntered up to the couple excited for her first night as the club's new singer. The two didn't even realize she had finished the song and now only the band remained playing some background music.
"Just beautiful honey." Catherine said as she slipped out of Vincent's arms remembering where she was.
"Nice to see again, Tess." Vincent said as he straightened his jacket and placed his hands in his pockets.
"Oh hey Vinnie." The sarcasm in her voice was spilling over into her Brooklyn accent. Tess hooked her arm with Catherine's and pulled her over to the bar. Vincent followed close behind. "What's he doing here?" She leaned over and whispered to Catherine.
"You know I can hear you?" Vincent said as he leaned back against the bar.
"That was the point." Tess retorted. "Cat, doll, you know you're with Gabe right? I mean if he came in here and saw you dancing with your ex like that…I don't care how nice a guy he is, that man would blow a gasket."
"It was just a dance and beside we were just discussing work."
"Sure you weren't working it?" Tess smiled and gave her a wink.
"Tess!"
"Alright, alright I'll stop! Hey TJ what's you say you shake that glass and give this girl a drink." JT's head shot up at the sound of Tess' voice.
"What'll it be?" JT was so far gone that he didn't even correct Tess anymore when she called him TJ.
"Surprise me!"
"You got it Doll-face." JT spun around and started whipping up a new drink to the bar scene but one he was sure Tess would enjoy. Something the beach bums in California called a mai tai.
Vincent just looked over at his love-struck friend and shook his head. "So your boyfriend, when is he going to show?" Vincent still couldn't get over the fact that Cat had fallen for the ADA. There was always something about him he didn't like; something he didn't trust.
"He has a name you know?" Catherine raised her eyebrow realizing Vincent did everything but spit when he said the word "boyfriend."
"Yes and its Gabriel Lowen." The slick ADA strode up in his expensive pin-stripe suit and slipped his arm around Catherine's waist, surprising her, and pulled her close. A simple gesture claiming his territory. "Nice to see you again Vincent." He eyed the man, his face stoic and hard as stone thinking to himself, I wish I could say the same. Vincent just smiled and replied,
"Yes of course. Always a pleasure." The words were like bile on his tongue, unpleasant and sour.
"Sorry I kept you waiting. I was just discussing some club business you understand." Gabriel talked to Vincent like he was above him, better than him. And he really believed that. Vincent was not about to let him get away with it without getting one jab in himself.
"Of course. Catherine was kind enough to fill me in while we were…"
"While we had a drink at the bar." Catherine interrupted. Vincent tore his eyes away from Gabe and looked over at Catherine. Her heart was practically beating out of her chest. He smiled to himself.
"So what do you say? Will you take the job?" Gabe asked. Vincent kept his eyes on Catherine.
"Yeah, I'll take the job."
"Excellent. Well, I have a club to manage and people to schmooze. Catherine, shall we?" Gabe turned his head to her.
"Yes I'll be there in a minute." He leaned in, kissed her cheek and left the bar to go socialize with the money.
"Can I have a word with you?" Without waiting for an answer, Catherine grabbed Vincent by the arm and pulled him to the side leaving Tess to her mai tai and JT to staring at Tess. "This is just about the job, right?" She said in a harsh whisper.
"Of course. Like you said I could use the money." He said keeping his face as calm as possible after seeing Gabe hold her and then kiss her like that.
"Good." She said, simple and to the point.
"Good." He mimicked. Their eyes locked once more, but this time Catherine was the first to tear herself away. She turned and left him there in the corner, stopping once to look back before going to find Gabe. Vincent took a deep breath in and returned to the bar to find JT there alone wiping down the counter.
"Tess leave?" He asked as he slid back onto the stool.
"Yeah. Some guy pulled her away." JT said, a defeated look on his face.
"Sorry buddy." Vincent passed the empty glass back and forth between his hands.
"Hey Vincent you're gonna let me help right?" Vincent stopped the glass in place and looked up.
"What are you talking about?"
"With this case. I can help this time. I swear." JT's face was practically begging him to say yes, but Vincent knew his work was far too dangerous for his old friend.
"No and stop asking."
"But I know things. When people have one too many they get pretty chatty." That peaked Vincent's interest. He wasn't the social type and any information he could get would be helpful.
"What do you know?"
"Let me come along and I'll tell you everything. Come on Big Guy! I got gotta get out from behind this bar and show Tess that I'm a real man of mystery and adventure." Vincent looked at JT with a small amount of pity for the guy.
"You want to help me track down one of the worst crime bosses this city has ever seen and risk your life for a girl?"
"Isn't that what you're doing?" That question made Vincent stop and really think about his motives for taking on this case. JT had a knack for pointing out the obvious, even if it wasn't obvious to Vincent. A little annoying, but it was the truth even if he didn't want to admit it. "Come on! The two us back together. It will be like old times!" Vincent dropped his head and then stood up.
"Fine, but you're not staying at my place."
(The Bromance is back! What kind of trouble will they get themselves into and how will Vincent and Catherine do when they are forced to work together to solve this case? Stay tuned…)