Club Ryde That Night…
"How did you get this meeting anyway?" Van asked as he pulled up to the curb in front of Ryde. It was nearly midnight in LA and the crowd outside the club was itching to get in. He glanced over at Billie and realized she was continuing to be tight lipped about what was going down tonight. Her eyes remained on the crowd beside them, the people standing outside staring at the Aston Martin that had just pulled up and wondering who was in it.
Van didn't like it. There was just something about her surprises that made him cringe. They were never good, and the one case that Van couldn't forget was the Gavin West case. He'd brought it up earlier, and for good reason. Since then, he'd never really been able to trust Billie when it came to the information she gave and withheld. Not only had she withheld information about the case, but also about herself. When Capt. Parish had come in to talk to them about her heroin addiction, Van realized there was much more to Billie than he first thought. What made it worse was the fact that he and Deaq were sent in to spy on her because Parish didn't trust her either. From that moment on, Van knew he needed to keep an eye on her. It sucked that he couldn't trust his own boss, but what could he do about that now after she'd given him no choice?
"Fine, be the cold, heartless bitch, but when it comes back to bite you in the ass, don't come crying to me," Van said as the valet opened the door for him and his "partner." He slid out of the driver's seat and walked over to Billie's side of the car to take her arm and walk her to the door. She was still rigid and mute as the bouncer waved them in without a second glance. It made his skin crawl that he needed to act like they were friends, maybe even lovers, just so the case could go smoothly. But what bugged him the most were her reasons for doing it. He could never figure them out.
"I'm not a cold, heartless bitch," Billie finally said in her defense once they were inside, the pulsating trance music nearly drowning out her voice. She ripped her arm away from his and made a beeline for the bar. After a car ride like that, Billie needed a stiff drink. Van was one of the most annoying men on earth, she realized. He just wouldn't shut up! How Deaq could put up with him after all these months and not kill him baffled Billie.
In her mind, the evening started out quietly enough. Van arrived at the Candy Store around eleven, dressed in a dark blue tailored suit and a stripped button down shirt. He seemed ready for a confrontation with her as he pushed through the door, a scowl present on his handsome face. But the moment he laid eyes on her as she leaned back against her desk waiting for him, he stopped. His face softened in a look of awe.
Billie knew it was the dress, a beautiful Robert Cavalli number she'd borrowed from the Candy Store cache just for that evening. It was black, with a sheer mesh top that showed off her well toned abdomen and arms, and strategically places hand sewn flowers that barely covered her breasts. The bottom was made of luxurious black velvet, a flowing train finishing off the masterpiece of fashion design. It showed just enough skin to tantalize anyone, man or woman. With Van, it was pretty obvious. His facial expressions said it all. Just one look in those grey green eyes told her what he was thinking; he wanted her. But in the moment it took for her to see it, the lust was gone, replaced by embarrassment and anger.
"Come on, we have to get going," Van had told her as he grabbed her arm, his eyes looking straight ahead, trying to avoid staring at her. He knew Billie had seen the look in his eyes. It was a moment he wished hadn't have happened. But she'd caught him by total surprise, and he wasn't able to help himself. From that point on, his focus had been on how he wanted to handle everything, what he expected out of the meeting, and how he wanted to play everything. He went on and on about it as they drove through LA.
'Typical,' Billie thought as she sat silently listening to his grand scheme. 'Men: so overbearing and egotistical.' She just shook her head, knowing the moment Abney arrived she'd have all the power. She was the boss, and therefore the leader. Billie wasn't about to take orders from anyone else, especially one of her own men. Control was her, and nobody else was allowed to have it.
Now, as she set her purse down on the bar and sat on one of the cushy bar stools, Billie smiled. There wasn't much Van could do or say to get to her. It was just his way of trying to prove he wasn't some robot she'd created. He was his own man, she gave him that, but while he was working for her, he was her man and had to play by her rules. When he broke them was when she got angry, or when he brought up any of the mistakes she'd made, like Gavin West. Whenever Van brought him into a conversation or argument, it was another painful reminder of her past that she just wanted to forget.
Billie's smile turned into a frown as the bartender took her drink order. "A Manhattan, pleased," she said, making herself comfortable.
"A Manhattan?" Van asked from behind her. Billie swiveled around and glared at him. " Manhattan's are so girlie." He slid up to the bar and took a seat beside her just as the bartender came back with her drink. Billie picked up the glass and downed it without a problem, slamming it back down on the bar as the bartender stood there, him and Van looking on in amazement. "Damn… and I thought you weren't much of a drinker."
"You continue to underestimate me, Van," Billie retorted as he ordered a Scotch on the rocks. When the bartender returned with his drink, she gabbed it from him and downed it as well, all the while Van sat there, completely dumbstruck by the woman that kept defying logic in his mind.
"Point taken," Van replied. He was getting ready to stand up when the bartender came by with yet another drink. But before Billie even had a chance to snatch it, Van had already grabbed the glass. "Uh-uh, you've had enough already," he said, and made a quick exit before she could respond.
"You don't know that!" she shouted behind him, but the music drowned out her voice as he disappeared amongst the crowd on the dance floor. Billie ordered her third drink in less then fifteen minutes, except with this one she took her time. "He doesn't know my limit," she mumbled to herself as she took a sip of her second Manhattan. Her eyes scanned the dance floor looking for her partner. 'Ha! My partner!' her mind scoffed. 'That no good, stupid little prick…' Billie took another gulp of her drink, her senses having dulled significantly after the first two shots. Her body was a little more relaxed now that it had been earlier. Van always brought the stress out in her.
Hopefully now she'd be able to handle herself, and him, a little better, but as her eyes fell upon the crown and noticed Van getting pretty chummy with some blonde wearing a short, low cut red dress, Billie became furious. She grabbed her purse, told the bartender to put the drinks on her tab, and made her way through the throng of people until Van was just a mater away.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Billie's slurred, angry voice carried over the throbbing music and startled Van, making him turn towards her instantly. The blonde he'd been dancing with slowly peered over his shoulder to gaze at her, at which point Billie shot her a nasty look. The woman backed away and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Van and Billie to yell at each other in peace.
Van, noticing the woman was gone, quickly shouted back, "What did you think you were doing with all that alcohol? If you think you're going to yell at me for dancing with someone while we wait for Abney, you've got another thing coming!"
"Oh, really, Van?" Billie sarcastically remarked. "What other thing? I'm your boss, remember! I make the rules! I do whatever the hell I want and you do what you're told! You have absolutely no say in the decisions I make."
"So getting drunk before meeting a mark is okay, but only for you?"
Van was ready to jump on her at that moment, but she quickly cut him off by saying, "And sleeping with one is?" His eyes narrowed at her, knowing exactly who she was talking about. She'd just hit his sweet spot. Billie leaned in and hissed, "That's for bringing up Gavin West." Her nails dug into his arm as she added, "Never bring that name up again." She let go with a violent shove, but he grabbed her arm again before she could turn and walk to the bar.
"Stop drinking," Van's voice made it obvious he was being serious. "You need a clear head when we talk to Abney. I'm not about to let this case go down the drain by allowing you get drunk." He pulled her flush against his body and began to dance with her. "Is drinking a problem for you? Because if it is, I seriously suggest going to AA. They have a great twelve step program."
"Fuck you," Billie retorted, finally surrendering as their bodies moved with the crowd on the dance floor while the song changed.
La
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
The night I laid my eyes on you
Felt everything around me move
Got nervous when you looked my way
But you knew all the words to say
And your love slowly moved right in
All this time, oh my love, where you been
Billie couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face as she listened to the song. It had always been one of her favorites. A long time had passed since she last heard it. Unconsciously, her body swayed with the music as it pulsed through her all the way down to her soul. She didn't realize how close she'd gotten to Van until their cheeks touched. It sent a jolt down Billie's spine, one that she couldn't figure out.
Mi amore don't you know
My love I want you so
Sugar
You make my soul complete
Rapture tastes so sweet
"You're actually a pretty good dancer," Van commented, his right hand falling against the small of her back and pulling her against his chest.
"There's a lot you don't know about me," Billie replied with a sly smile as her arm wrapped around his neck. She continued to sway with the music, not caring about what was going on between her and Van. At the moment, he was just another man on the dance floor.
Mesmerized in every way
You keep me in a state of daze
Your kisses make my skin feel weak
Always melting in your heat
Then I soar like a bird in the wind
Oh I glide like I'm flying through heaven
"You're not that bad yourself," she added.
"Why, thank you," Van sincerely replied, daring to get a little closer. They were now a breath apart, their bodies almost melding into each other. It was strange how a song could bring two people so close together.
Mi amore don't you know
My love I want you so
Sugar
You make my soul complete
Rapture tastes so sweet
Mi amore don't you know
My love I want you so
Sugar
You make my soul complete
Rapture tastes so sweet
Billie could feel the heat of her body mixing with his in an intoxicating embrace. It was the first time she really noticed the way Van moved. He was like a panther, slow, graceful, careful. She closed her eyes, savoring the moment as it passed slowing into oblivion. Her mind began to wander onto things she never could have dreamed; his lips touching her flesh, slowly kissing her neck. Appalled, Billie quickly shoved the image out of her mind and opened her eyes again.
La
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
Mi amore don't you know
My love I want you so
Sugar
You make my soul complete
Rapture tastes so sweet
Van noticed Billie's closed eyes and absent mind as he gazed down at her, his body leading them through the crowd. They appeared to be like all the couples around them; infatuated with each other and lost in the sounds and brightly colored lights of the dance floor. He couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking. His own mind raced with possibilities, but never really got too in depth. The song was almost over, and he only had a few more moments left before Billie reverted back into bitch mode.
Mi amore don't you know
My love I want you so
Sugar
You make my soul complete
Rapture tastes so sweet
La
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
(La la la la la la)
(La la la la la la)
What Van failed to notice was the group of men that had just arrived at the club wearing expensive, well tailored suits and carrying some very heavy firepower beneath their jackets. They stopped to stare at the couple dancing on the floor, oblivious to their entrance. When the song faded out and the lyrics of another began to blast over the speakers, the leader of the group, a tall man with piercing blue eyes, a sharp nose, an even sharper chin, and sporting the best Armani suit money could buy, simply stated, "Bravo!"
Van and Billie immediately stopped and turned around to face the unexpected guests. The look in Billie's eyes as she glanced at Van was one of anger, but when she turned her head to the other man, she was all smiles, extending her hand as she said, "Mr. Abney, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Billie, and this is my associate, Van."
"The pleasure is mine," Abney replied in his thick and sophisticated French accent. Unlike Rousseau, the accent fit his lean, well manicured body and handsome face. He was a stunning specimen of the male species, with his dark, almost jet black hair cut just long enough so she could filter her fingers through it, and his impeccable taste in clothing. Now Billie could see how Van managed to fall in love with many of the female marks he was sent to take down. But unlike Van, Billie knew where to draw the line and how not to fall in love. She was the ice queen, after all, a name that perfectly suited her. She didn't mind the name at all, taking it as a compliment. It allowed her to keep from getting hurt.
"Everyone who I asked about you told me you had the goods and the best price, but they failed to tell me how beautiful you were," Abney added, making Billie blush as he continued to hold her hand.
While Billie and Abney stared at each other, Van took the time to glance around Abney's crew and see what they could possibly be dealing with. That was until his eyes fell upon Rousseau. He needed to do a double take to make sure he wasn't seeing things, but those sharp facial features, badly trimmed facial hair, and cheap looking suit were unmistakable. Their eyes met for a quick second and Rousseau smiled at him. 'Shit,' Van thought, 'We're in trouble.'
"Uh, Billie, sidebar?" he asked, tapping her shoulder and pulling her out of the trance Abney put her in.
Billie immediately made her anger at him clear as she shot him a dirty look for taking her away from a potentially important moment between her and their mark. "What, Van?" she seethed once they were out of earshot.
"We're in deep shit," he urgently replied.
"Of course we are. You just pulled me away for a sidebar. That isn't gonna look good to them!" Billie nearly shouted at him as she tried to make her way back to Abney and his men, but Van held her back, his hand clamping down on her shoulder as she started to walk away from him. Again, he got that death look from her.
"Well, that's not gonna matter much because I've just been made!" Van shot back. He was getting frustrated now. How could Billie not understand the gravity of the situation?
"Van, are you fucking delusional? What the hell are you talking about?" Billie retorted, getting angrier by the second. She couldn't believe he was acting this stupid. But then in a moment of clarity, she realized what he was talking about. Glancing back at the group, she saw that Rousseau was there, standing behind Abney and whispering in his ear. "Oh, hell," Billie said under her breath. She knew she had forgotten something.
"That guy in the cheap polyester suit… Well, I busted him a couple years back for drug possession," Van vainly tried to make his case to his boss. "We need to pull out now. He's probably telling Abney everything about us at this very second."
"Van, I know," was all Billie said. He looked at her in confusion. "Rousseau is my snitch."
Van continued to look on in disbelief. He didn't know if he'd heard her correctly. "Did you just say Xavier Rousseau was your snitch?" he repeated her words, still trying to wrap his head around them. "Great… Just fucking great. Was this the big secret you were keeping from me?"
"I don't have time for one of your hissy fits right now, Van, so if there's anything else you wanna say, I'm not listening," Billie turned around and walked back towards Abney, a smile present on her face.
It stunned Van to see how quickly her mood could change. It was like night and day with her. 'She must be bi-polar,' he thought to himself as he walked behind her, feeling defeated.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Abney," Billie quickly apologized as she stepped up to him.
"Please, call me Drayden," he replied, a smile tugging at his luscious lips.
"I'm sorry, Drayden," she repeated. Billie needed a reason for that sidebar, and as she glanced around the crowd of people, she noticed that there was a uniformed officer standing at one of the back exits of the club. "My associate feels that this isn't the best place for business. Why don't we head upstairs where it's less crowded and quieter?" she suggested, taking Abney by the arm and leading him towards the VIP section of the club.
Van and the others followed behind. He had become instantly suspicious of Rousseau's motives for helping them, knowing all too well the wolf that was hiding in sheep's clothing. Rousseau wasn't the type of person just to follow along. Billie had to have him between a rock and a hard place if he was being cooperative with the LAPD. But that didn't mean he trusted the bastard.
Once upstairs, Van, Billie, and Abney sat down in their private VIP suite as the other four men stood behind them, military style with their feet slightly apart and their eyes averted from those doing business. Billie and Van took seats beside each with Drayden opposite.
"Your operation checks out, Drayden," Billie opened up the floor. "I know you'll be good for business. What are you looking for?" She was surprisingly sober now, Van noticed. She really did have a high tolerance for alcohol.
"I would first like to see what you have to offer," Abney answered.
Billie nudged Van's shoulder and he quietly stood up, moving behind the chair to retrieve a large aluminum case that held one of the guns from the Super G bust a few months back. He placed it on the table between the two parties and opened for Abney. A look of satisfaction came across the man's face as he looked over at Billie again.
"I need high powered rifles, armor piercing bullets, and possibly a few shoulder mounted rocket launchers," Abney answered, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a piece of paper with several numbers, including the quantity of each weapon, a dollar amount and an address. "That is my offer," he said, handing it to Billie. She read everything slowly, making sure she filed away all the information in her mind before handing the slip to Van. But when she got down to the address, her eyes nearly popped out of her head.
" Aspen," she replied, looking up at Abney with inquisitive eyes. "That's a little far, isn't it?"
"I like Aspen. I have a house there, and I like doing most of my business there as well," he said. "It reminds me of my home in the French Alps."
"There's no place like home," Billie countered. She knew almost immediately that this was going to be no easy case, especially if they had to go to Aspen and finish it. There was so much she needed to do, and so little time to do it in. The address needed to be checked out, the authorities in Aspen needed to be called and informed about what was going on, the weapons needed to be accounted for and marked with radioactive dye, and cameras needed to be installed so Deaq could be their extra set of eyes in case something went wrong.
"Do you accept my offer?" Abney asked, becoming somewhat impatient.
Billie handed the paper over to Van so he could take a look at it as well. The worry about the case was present in his eyes as well. He didn't want to head all the way to Aspen, where the potential for problems increased ten fold, but what could they do? Their only option was to follow this guy wherever he led them and not bitch about it. "Sounds good," Van finally replied as he looked up at the man in front of him.
"Good. I will see you in Aspen on Friday." Abney smiled and stood up, extending his hand to his new business partners. "It was a pleasure doing business with you," he told them, first shaking Van's hand then reaching over for Billie's. He placed a soft kiss on top and started to head towards the door.
"You too," Billie called after him, a little dazed.
As Abney made his way out of the club with his men, he turned to Rousseau and said, "It is unfortunate the brunette is a cop. She's quite stunning, you know. I guess I'll just have to kill her last."
"You can have her all to yourself. I want the other one," Rousseau replied, wringing out his hands in utter delight. Now, after two years, he'd finally get his revenge for that fateful night. He'd make Van pay for everything he'd done to him.
After Abney and his crew were out of earshot, Van turned to Billie and nearly yelled, "How many times have I told you I don't trust snitches! Remember what happened the last time you decided to use a snitch? YOU ALMOST GO KILLED! What the hell were you thinking when you brought Xavier Rousseau into this!"
"I was thinking it would be good for the case!" she shouted back, wondering why she was defending her reasoning to Van yet again. "Besides, if the bastard thinks he can pull a fast one on us, he's got another thing coming."
"But that's just it! He doesn't give a shit! He'll screw over his own mother just to get out of trouble!" Van tried to reason with her, even though he knew it wouldn't work. Billie was one hell of a stubborn woman, and the only way to make her see his point was after the fact. He could only hope that this would be one of those times where she'd listen to him.
No such luck… "Don't you think I already knew that?" Billie snapped. "I've done my research on Rousseau, Van, and where I have him right now, there is no way he'd ever think of screwing us over."
"Well, when he does, I'd hate to say I told you so," Van retorted as he walked out of the room and made his way back to the bar. He now needed a stiff drink if he was going to deal with Billie again. She knew exactly how to piss him off in the worst of ways. This had to have been the absolute worst. There was no doubt in his mind they were in deep shit already. He could feel it in his gut. This case was on its way down, and all he could do was hope for the best.
I'm sooooo sorry for psyching you guys out yesterday! I thought I'd posted the right version of the next chapter, and when I started to read it over, I realized it was the wrong one, so I had to delete it before I really screwed you all up. Soooo sooooo sorry! But I hope this makes up for it. Anyway...
prplerayne: I'm so glad you love to see Van in pain, especially at the hands of Billie. That's just too funny to me too. I know you feed off me, which is why I'm giving you this offering. Don't want you to become a blood sucking vampire or something, hehehe. Thanks for reviewing!
Avillie: All in due time, my dear, all in due time. Sorry if I'm keeping the suspense going. I know it's tough, but you'll see what happens soon enough. Thanks for the review and keep writing that story!
fan4fastln: Aww, thank you! I'm so glad I wrote this story too! And guess what? There's another one in the works! Cept this is the holiday fic I have planned for around Christmas/New Year's. As soon as I finish this story, I'm gonna start working on that one. Sorry to keep Van in the woods again. He can fend for himself just a little while longer. I'll get back to him soon, tho. Don't you worry about that.
simbagirl: I was wondering where you got off to! There you are! So glad to see you posted a review. Hope everything is going well with you. Is everything okay? I've seen some of the comments you've been posting on your story and I'm actually a little concerned. I know how tough life can get. I've been through so much this year myself with two of my friends. If you need to talk, just email me. I'm glad to listen.
nina: Hello again! I don't mind the english one bit! You've actually got it down better than some of my cousins do. Go ahead and write more! I can understand it! I actually helped teach a couple of people how to speak and write better english while I was out of the country this summer. But thank you for your review! I really appreciate it.
And of course, this is a shout out for all of you who are reading but not reviewing. I just want to let you know that I am greatful that you're reading and that please drop me a line sometime. It can be a private message if you like. Just shoot me an email or whatever. Thanks again! More story soon!