Shudders & Shakes
Chapter Four
Distraction jobs had become routine. Outside, the bars were all different, but inside they were basically the same. Low intelligent overweight beer guzzlers would be playing pool on the right; more of the same would be drinking at the bar on my left. Lester would be somewhere near the jukebox in the back of the room, across from a deeply scarred 6 x 6 dance floor. In between was a smattering of tables and chairs decorated with your basic condiments in color-coded plastic bottles and upright metal napkin holders.
The biggest difference was the person we were there to apprehend. Lately, they seem to be bigger, meaner and uglier. Tonight only proved my observation because The Bull truly ranked as number one on the big, mean and ugly chart.
I struggled to suppress a full-body shudder as I sauntered past The Bull, directing my steps to the front of the jukebox. I trailed my fingernail down the list of golden oldies seeking my theme song, I've Got You, Babe, careful to ignore the look of mirth on Lester's face, who was as usually leaning against the jukebox, his long legs crossed at the ankles. I found the song, it was – F8.
Lester stretched his grin into a full flirty smile as he slipped the necessary coin into the slot. "Boss says to remember the little phrase your were chanting in the car."
I felt him take in the shortness of my skirt, felt the way his eyes traveled up and down my bare legs. I knew he was laughing somewhere inside, the bastard. As soon as I got home, I was going to burn the damn thing. My finger missed F8 and hit F9. An old Motown song started rumbling through the tired speakers and I shot a murderous glare at Lester. He backed away with his hands in the air, but his eyes fixed tightly on my cleavage.
The words to Sugar Pie Honey Bun sprang from the jukebox and a large solid object landed on my shoulder turning me around.
"Let's dance." The Bull demanded without further introduction and started moving me in time with the music. I suppressed the urge to throw up and grabbed on tight going along for the ride, all the time chanting my mantra.
Halfway through the song I started a conversation that would hopefully lure him outside. "Sure you wouldn't rather go outside? Maybe grab a smoke?" I pleaded.
"Don't smoke and I like this song." I had to admit, for his size he was a really good dancer.
He picked me up and swung me to the right and then to the left. I knew without a doubt that I was mooning everyone in the place. Not to mention I really hated his hands touching me.
"Put me down!" I hissed in annoyance.
He did just that and then twirled me into a fast spin out and back. I could feel the bile rising in my throat. Not only was my ass still hanging out, but now I was flashing my boobs as well. Someone nearby clapped his hands and in seconds a dozen other patrons joined in, cheering us on and demanding an encore. My humiliation was complete. Thank God these places didn't have security cameras, otherwise, one of the worst days in my life would probably be uploaded onto YouTube for the entire world to watch before I got home!
Cheered on by his buddies, The Bull lifted me again and swung my body over his head like I was a rag doll. A wicked smile morphed his ugly face into a hideous mask. My feet hadn't touched ground for the past two minutes and I prayed for the end of the song. I wouldn't be lying when I asked him again to go outside for some fresh air.
Gravity won as he suspended my body over his head and the skin-tight strip of denim gathered around my waist. At least this upside-down direction would disguise any imperfection on my ass!
Only Jersey girls were born with the ability to run in five-inch heels and believe me, if my feet ever touched the ground again, I'd be heading for the hills… maybe even the Jersey pier. As embarrassed as I was, I could probably swim all the way across the Atlantic. Maybe start a new life.
Finally, the song ended but before my feet could touch the wooden dance floor the opening beats of I've Got You, Babe started… damn you, Lester!
"Even better," The Bull yelled enthusiastically, wrapping me inside his meaty arms. His shovel-like hands planted firmly on my butt.
I shuddered at the close contact to his repulsive body.
"Like dancing do ya, Babe?" he asked while groping my exposed ass cheeks.
Babe? Did this piece of trash just call me Babe?
Rescue arrived in form of Lester. I nearly shrieked when he tapped The Bull on the shoulder and very politely asked if he could cut in.
Ugly face growled his reluctant acceptance at Lester's patient insistence, not without uttering a condition that sent shudders down my spine. "One song. She's mine tonight!"
Lester gave an acknowledging nod and pulled me to the center of the dance floor. He wrapped me in a gentle embrace and swayed us to the beat of I've Got You, Babe. The perfect sway of his body felt really nice and I began to relax. Lester certainly wasn't Ranger, but he was very nice on the eyes, funny and he'd come to my rescue more than once. My gratefulness disappeared when he opened his big mouth.
"Do not bend over, do not shake your boobs…" his warm breath tickled my ear as he chanted.
"You shit," I hissed and raised my hand to smack him up the head.
He laughed and caught my hand easily in mid-smack, somehow making it part of the dance moves. "Calm down, Bombshell."
With a tenderness I hadn't expected, he lifted the hand that had tried to smack him and kissed each fingertip.
"Aerosmith is up next, not easy for a big man to dance to."
"Ohmigod. Thank you!" I almost wept with relief. "This guy obviously wants me dizzy and worn out before he agrees to go someplace else!"
"No worries, Beautiful, he'll follow you like a puppy once he's jealous enough." With that Lester put an exaggerated movie kiss on me that lasted way longer than the rest of the song.
A jumbled chorus of undecipherable words bounced off the closeness of our earpieces. I didn't have the mental energy to worry about what was being said, not something I wanted to deal with right now anyway.
The last chords of I've Got You, Babe faded into a quiet space that was filled with a menacing growl before the next song started.
"You're mine! Get the fuck off him!" The Bull wrenched me from Lester's arms.
My head felt like it was ready to spin off my shoulders. "Wait… I'm Stephanie. What's your name?"
"They call me Bull." He was having a little trouble finding a beat that his largeness was comfortable with.
"Could we go outside?" I was at the point where I didn't care if Ranger and the others were ready or not, I really needed air. "Please." I risked a full eye-to-eye plead.
"Sure, sweet thing. Come on." He looped his extra large arm over my shoulders and made for the door.
The first smack of fresh air almost dropped me to my knees. For the first time tonight, I was glad big, bad and nasty was hanging onto me as I stumbled down the two makeshift steps to the parking lot.
As soon as my stiletto heels settled on the parking lot's graveled top, a powerful swoosh of intense air at my back left me standing unsteadily on my own. Whoa… that seemed a little rude.
"You okay, Steph?" Tank was standing by my side with his hands on his hips, watching as Ranger took all of his anger out on The Bull.
"Guess so… sorry it took a little longer than usual."
Tank laughed, "No problem, we'll blame it on Lester and his foolish act of antagonism."
I bent my neck back as far as it would go and looked up at the man standing so close to me. Did Tank just say a five-syllable word?
Shit, this night just had to end. I started making my way back to Ranger's car, leaving the clean up of the apprehension to those behind me.
My feet were having trouble working in synchronization with my legs. My steps listed from side to side as I made my way to the Porsche, the heels of my shoes slipping between the rocks causing me to stop and tug my foot free every third step.
The world around me started spinning and I couldn't gather a full breath.
I zeroed in on one of the large black SUVs parked in front of the Porsche and prayed I'd reach it so I wouldn't be left behind.
I didn't bother stopping to collect my shoes as I concentrated on reaching my destination. My feet acted as if they'd each had two shots of tequila and didn't want to leave the bar yet. I struggled onward.
"What the hell did she drink?"
"Nothing."
The sound of heavy running steps behind me made me hurry. Maybe I wasn't thinking too clearly, but I knew one thing… I did not want to spend any more time with The Bull.
I was almost to the SUV when my ankle turned and my body's balance flew me forwards, my head smacking sharply into the passenger door. Oh joy. Bands of darkness clouded my vision and I didn't have the stamina to fight the comfort it would bring; truthfully, I welcomed the peace and quiet.
My knees had barely touched the ground when I felt the rescuing strength of someone's hands protecting me from crashing headfirst into the passenger door of a SUV. The sound of a gun being fired echoed inside my head.