Author's Note:
Hi Everyone, Thanks again for all of the wonderful comments and feedback on this story. There will be one more chapter after this one plus a possible epilogue. Please read and review!
Chapter 9
"Hello Lulu" Delores said as she held the gun to Dante's temple.
"Get away from Dante!" Lulu cried. This could not be happening.
"You killed my husband, now I'm going to kill yours. Only I'm going to make you watch." Delores threatened. Dante was trying to tell her something with his eyes. He motioned to the bureau where his service pistol sat unnoticed by Delores. She just had to get it without drawing attention to what she was doing.
"Don't hurt Dante. You are mad at me. Kill me instead!" Lulu pleaded. Dante shook his head violently and tried to speak through the tape when she said that indicating he did not want Lulu to die in his place. She couldn't let this bitch kill her husband. As Lulu talked she very slowly moved towards the bureau a tiny step at a time so Delores wouldn't notice.
"If I killed you, then Dante would be the one to live with the pain of losing you. This way you have to think about how you cost me my husband and I cost you yours every single day that you live without him." Delores taunted.
"If you kill me then you can have Dante all to yourself. That's what you wanted isn't it? A chance at getting him into bed?" Lulu was almost to the bureau and she really hoped Dante's gun was loaded.
"He would be a good lay but I want you to suffer more than I want to get off." Delores sneered.
"If you hurt him, I'll spend every day of the rest of my life hunting you down to kill you. Your husband was a woman beater and you enabled him. You are a disgrace to women everywhere." Lulu said trying to distract her.
Dante never took his eyes off of her as she slowly slid her hand onto the bureau and grabbed the gun.
"You shut up! Those strippers deserved what Jared did to them. They were out there taking their clothes off for money. They were worthless whores!" Delores spewed.
"The only worthless whore I see is you. No woman deserves to have a man put their hands on them like that." Lulu defended her friends.
Lulu nodded at Dante and he fell forward getting out of the way as Lulu took her shot. She hit Delores square in the shoulder and she fell back, dropping her gun. Dante quickly grabbed it with his taped hands and held it on her so she wouldn't run. Lulu picked up the phone and calmly called 911 and then slowly made her way over to Dante and took the tape off of his mouth and hands. When she was done she couldn't stand anymore and sat on the couch.
"I love you Lu. I'm so sorry. She came up behind me and knocked me out. Next thing I knew I was taped up in the chair. You just saved my life." Dante said as he kept the gun trained on Delores.
Lulu sat there staring as Delores held her wound applying pressure on it and glaring at them but didn't say anything. It was eerily quiet in the room except for Delores' heavy breathing.
The ambulance and cops arrived within minutes and quickly took Delores out of there to get her medical attention. She had passed out by that point but the EMTs said she would be fine and after they patched her up the police would take her to jail. Lulu sat on the couch staring straight ahead while all of this was going on. Dante pried his service pistol out of her hands and gave it to Ronnie for evidence. Ronnie took a statement from Dante but Lulu was unable to speak. She just stared at him when he asked her questions and eventually Dante had to intervene. He promised to bring Lulu down to the station to give a statement once she had processed what happened. Ronnie gathered the evidence and bagged it up.
"You saved your husband's life Lulu. You are a hero. You come on down to the station and give us your statement as soon as you feel ready. This was a clear case of self defense so there will not be any charges filed against you. Delores however, is going to jail for a long time." Ronnie said as he left.
Once the mess was cleaned up and everyone was gone, Dante sat down on the couch and forced Lulu to look at him. "Baby, it's over now. You saved my life!"
"She could have killed you." Lulu finally spoke.
"She didn't because you saved me. You saved yourself and then you saved me. Any other person in your situation may not have been able to do what you did. You are the strongest woman I know." He pulled her onto his lap and held her close as she started to cry. "Baby, it's okay. We're okay and it is over."
"She could have killed you." Lulu said again as she sobbed into his chest. "I can't live without you."
"You don't have to because you saved my life. We are going to have a long and happy marriage. We're going to have a family. We are going to have all that because you saved me. It's all over now." Dante said as he kissed the top of her head.
"I'm sorry. I just realized how close we came to missing out on all of that for the second time this week. I'm relieved it's over." Lulu said as she wiped her tears away.
"We're safe and we are going on a damn honeymoon. You tell that paper you need two weeks off. I'm calling Mac. We are going somewhere warm and we are leaving as soon as you have healed." Dante said as he rubbed Lulu's back. "Do you feel okay staying here after what happened? My mom will give us a room at the MetroCourt if you want."
"No. I'm not letting that bitch run us out of our home." Lulu said firmly. "I need some pain pills and a nap in our own bed."
"I think that can be arranged." Dante got her a glass of water and handed her two pills. Then he picked her up and carried her to bed. Once she was settled and asleep, Dante went to take a shower and then decided to join her. He was exhausted from the trauma of the last few days.
A few hours later, Lulu woke to find Dante on his side staring at her. She reached out to stroke his cheek. "What?"
"I'm in awe of you. You managed to get yourself out of handcuffs, take down two people and get out of an exploding warehouse. Then, even though you are hurt and in pain you still managed to save my life."
"It's because of you." Lulu said as tears filled her eyes. "When I was in that warehouse, I knew I had to get back to you so I did what I had to do. When she had that gun on you, I had to save you. I can't live without you. I need you here with me. There is no me without you."
"You're amazing." Dante said as he leaned forward to give her a gentle kiss.
"Will you hand me the phone? I need to call the paper." Dante handed her the phone and she sat up to dial.
The receptionist answered. "Lulu oh my god! We heard what happened! Are you okay?"
"I'm okay. Better now that this is all over. I'm going to take a couple of weeks off to be with my husband. Can you transfer me over to the boss?"
"Sure thing. Glad you are okay! See you in a couple of weeks!" The phone clicked and then Preston answered.
"Young lady you are a hero to this town and quite a sensational news story."
"When I started this job I never intended to become part of the story." Lulu lamented. "I need a couple of weeks off to recover and spend time with my husband."
"It's going to be tough to go without our best reporter for two weeks. Especially since we are already down a man. I'll tell you what. You write a first hand account of what happened and I'll publish it as a series while you are gone. If you do this, the paper will pay for your vacation, anywhere you want to go. Revenues are up drastically since you joined the team and I think you deserve some of the rewards."
"That sounds like a deal to me. I'll have something to you by tomorrow." Lulu said with excitement.
"Great. Just call our travel agent and make whatever arrangements you need. I'll let them know you have approval. Talk to you tomorrow." Preston hung up.
Lulu looked at Dante with a smile. "I have the best news."
"Tell me!" Dante said, her grin was contagious.
"The paper is going to send us anywhere we want to go on vacation. All I have to do is write a first hand account of everything that happened and they are going to publish it as a series while I'm gone."
"Anywhere?" Dante asked incredulously.
"Anywhere. He said that revenue is up so drastically since I joined the team that I should benefit from the rewards. So babe, the world is our oyster. Where should we go?"
"We need to find a place that's warm so I can see you parade around in skimpy bikinis or nothing at all. Someplace where we can be alone but still be pampered."
"I have heard of this place called Turtle Island in Fiji. It is where all of the celebs go when they want privacy. It is supposed to be amazing and each place has it's own private beach. We would never be able to afford it on our own but since the paper is paying, now is our chance."
"Sold! Let's book it."
Lulu called the newspaper's travel agent and she said she would get started on the arrangements. They wouldn't leave for a few days so Lulu could heal and finish her story.
Lulu got out her laptop and started writing her story. Before she knew it she had 10 pages of every detail of what happened. She called all of the dancers for comments on the conclusion of the story. Every one of them thanked Lulu for figuring it out and told her they finally felt safe again. Later that evening there was a knock at the door. Dante went to open it and found Johnny on the other side with a huge bouquet of flowers. Dante stepped aside to let him in.
"Hey Lulu. I heard about everything that happened. Are you okay?" Johnny asked as he handed her the flowers.
"I'm fine, thank you. These are so pretty." She said as she gave the flowers a sniff. "It's been a rough week but I'm okay. Dante is okay."
"I just wanted to come by and say thank you for bringing attention to this story and cracking the case. The girls can finally feel safe again at the club." Johnny said.
"I'm happy I could help. I've really enjoyed getting to know those women." Lulu said.
"Are you going to keep working at the paper?" Johnny asked.
"I am. I think I finally found a career I'm passionate about." Lulu responded.
"I'm glad. I think you are really good at it and this town needs people like you digging out the truth about things."
"Thanks Johnny." Lulu smiled at him. "I am going to take a couple of weeks off to go on a honeymoon with my new husband. The truth will have to wait for me to dig it up when I get back."
"You guys deserve it. I have to get back to the club. I just wanted to stop by and say thank you in person"
"Thanks for coming by Johnny." Lulu said.
Dante opened the door for him and said a polite goodbye as he left. He doubted he and Johnny would ever be friends but he was grateful that Johnny stepped up to the plate to help find Lulu when she was kidnapped.
After Johnny left, Lulu got back to writing her series of articles. While she was writing, Dante called Mac and asked for the time off. Mac gave in easily after everything that happened. They agreed to find Dante a new partner when he returned.
Later that night after they climbed into bed, Lulu rested her chin on Dante's chest and looked up at him while he stroked her hair. "I never thought I could love another person as much as I love you. I know you keep saying that I saved myself but that's not really true. You saved me. I knew with every fiber of my being that I had to get out of there and back to you. It was the only thing keeping me going when I wanted to give up."
"I don't know what I would have done if you didn't get out of there. When that building went up and I thought you were inside it felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest. I have never known such unspeakable pain as that moment. I love you doesn't seem like enough to convey what you mean to me. You're my heart." Dante said with tears in his eyes.
Lulu leaned up to kiss him softly and then she rested her forehead against his. "You're my heart too."
"I can't wait to spend two whole weeks alone with you." Dante said as he leaned his face up to kiss her again.
"I know! I can't even believe we get to go on such a fancy trip. Two weeks alone with you in a fabulous beach villa. Fruity cocktails, white sand beaches, you in those cute swim trunks - I couldn't ask for anything more." Lulu said and then she yawned.
"You should get some rest. It has been a long few days." Dante said as he tucked Lulu into his side.
"It has been a long few days." Lulu leaned up from the crook of Dante's arm to give him one more lingering kiss. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight baby." Dante said as he rubbed her back. Lulu fell asleep finally feeling safe and happy.
The next couple of days were a whirlwind. Lulu finished her story and turned it in. The first part was published the following day and already TV reporters were calling the paper to get her on the evening news shows. The paper politely declined on Lulu's behalf and let them know she was leaving on her honeymoon. Dante was his amazing self through it all, making sure she took time out from writing to rest and that she took her pain medication and took baths for the sore muscles. She felt a million times better already and her bruises were healing quickly. She vowed to thank him for it during the honeymoon.
Lulu went down to the PCPD to give her statement. Mac took it himself and apologized to her for not seeing Delores for who she really was. He thanked Lulu for exposing the story and ridding the PCPD of such a bad apple. He assured her that they would be going after Delores for all of her crimes and for helping Jared.
A few days later they were packing to leave. Lulu packed her tiniest bikinis, her sexiest lingerie and a few sundresses. She tossed some shorts, t-shirts and bathing suits into the bag for Dante. This was going to be an amazing vacation.