Chapter 7
"Good?" He asked, switching gears.
"Yeah."
She put on her seat belt and relaxed back into her seat as Sid drove them down the street, turning left at the next set of lights.
"Where's Jonah?" She finally asked.
"Why?" He asked.
"Well, I guess, not where is he, but he's okay, right?"
She admitted what she really wanted to know making him curious enough to glance at her, confused, before looking back to the road.
"I just wanted to make sure Jackson didn't do anything to him.."
"What would you do, if he did?"
"It's pretty clear there's nothing I can do, but I'd like to know that he didn't.. I don't know."
Sid didn't try to hide a smirk as he looked over at her again.
"Jonah is fine, Ari. Jackson is about the only thing standing between dad and Jonah from ripping each other apart." he answered, leaving Ari surprised to hear that after her interaction with Jackson.
"I wouldn't have guessed." she answered almost to quiet for him to hear.
"So, you saw Jackson again." Sid stated.
"Just a few minutes ago, inside. I think he was trying to scare me." Ari replied, thinking back.
"I guess it worked." He said sounding a little disappointed.
"Not exactly, actually. I called for your dad. He's the scary one, but he seems to like me today." Ari answered, making Sid laugh.
They pulled into what Ari thought was a strip club, next. It wasn't a nude strip club, but more of a bikini bar, she found out when they got inside. The girls on stage wore bikini outfits and super tall high heels, and the waitresses dressed in slightly less exposing outfits, some had a theme. A devil, a referee, and Ari had to hide her excitement when she saw a girl with cat ears and a tail.
As they walked by the customers and girls, everyone greeted or nodded towards Sid, ignoring Ari. They must have assumed she was a new girl, because when Sid stopped in his tracks due to one of those girls attempting to attach herself to him with a pouty look, Ari was pulled backwards by an older guy who wanted to take the first peak at the newest girl..
He laughed, reaking of alcohol, holding on to Ari's backside while trying to reach up her shirt. She stomped on his foot and when he cried out, Ari stepped away into a defensive stance. Another guy jumped up with his hand up to hit her, but it collided with Sid's chest instead, leaving the guys face in complete terror.
"I didn't mean too. She hit him! That bitch-"
Sid grabbed the guy by the throat, squeezing tightly, staring at the other guy who was still holding his foot.
"Have more respect, gentlemen. This one could probably kill you in a second flat. I say this for your own safety, of course." Sid smiled, letting the man go and straightening his tie for him, before walking Ari to the back. The two minorly wounded men remained speechless.
They went to the back, followed by the pouty girl into the employee only back door where the locker rooms and office was.
"Siddy! Wait!" the girl called.
Sid stopped and turned around quickly to glare at the girl. Ari wasn't shocked what so ever by his reaction. Even she was annoyed by the whiny, pouty, my life is over if you don't talk to me attitude.
"Amelia. Back off." Sid snapped.
"But-" Amelia tried to speak.
"No." He interrupted her.
Amelia glared over at Ari, who backed away from Sid, and shook her head at Amelia. She wasn't going to let this girl think it was because of Ari he was uninterested.
"Ugh!" She stomped her giant heel and walked back out to the floor.
Ari looked over at Sid wide eyed.
"I can't believe she just called you Siddy. Are you gunna be okay? I can refer you to a great psychiatrist to talk about what you're feeling."
Sid looked back at Ari with a grin. It was bad enough to him when he was referred to as 'Mr. Holland' earlier. That was more his dad's name.
"Shut up." Sid said and Ari laughed.
He glared at her as he knocked twice and they walked into the office. Her laughter turned into a satisfied smile.
"Sid. Nice to see you."
There was a man standing next to one of the dancers, it looked as though they were having a conversation during her shift. She crossed her arms over her chest when Sid and Ari walked in and bit her lip. She had curly short brown hair and she was dolled up as a Mermaid. She looked gorgeous, fake shell bra and all.
The man looked around Daniels age, slim face, light brown hair slicked back, very skinny, tall guy. He was wearing a black tailored suit. Leaning against the office desk, where he was talking to the mermaid girl.
"Harris. Everything okay?" Sid questioned
Harris nodded. "Caitlin, tell Sid what you just told me."
Caitlin frowned and shook her head. She tried to leave, but Sid gently stopped her as she tried to pass. He pulled her in front of him and she was trying to cower away from him. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms, to try to calm her.
"Caitlin. Look at me." Sid watched her closely as she slowly looked up at him nervously.
"Tell me." He said quietly.
"Um.. Emmett.. He's been coming to my apartment and hanging around outside lately, but now I think he's following me too, I was getting worried so I just wanted too.... Well.. I'm sure it's nothing."
She tried to play it off as nothing, but even Ari felt from Tony's comment about Emmett, that he wasn't someone who did 'nothing'. Ari looked concerned.
"I thought maybe you could drive her home at the end of her shift tonight, and I'd like you to ask Daniel to provide her with protection outside here and home." Harris told Sid.
"No! I'll be fine on my own tonight, I promise. Really, it's nothing. Please." Caitlin pleaded.
Ari didn't understand why Caitlin was so afraid of Sid when she's more than likely met Daniel, who was clearly more frightening.
"What time does her shift end?" Ari spoke.
"2 hours, and I need her back here at 6pm tomorrow." Harris replied.
"We'll be here, and Ari will bring her in tomorrow."
Sid answered and turned to Caitlin, who was still nervous, but relaxing more and more. Sid had let her take a step back when he knew she wasn't going to object to the plan any longer.
Ari looked at Caitlin with her attempt at the 'Sid serious face' look.
"Don't go outside. I will come in to get you."
Caitin nodded, staring at Ari. Even without her heels on, Caitlin was taller. But seemed comfortable if Ari was around, more than with just Sid.
Harris got the deposit, a sealed bag again, and handed it to Sid. He put it in his own pocket this time.
"Anything else?" Sid asked Harris.
Caitlin quickly moved passed Sid and hesitated at Ari, placing her hand on Ari's arm with a soft glance of sympathetic thanks. Ari touched her hand back with a small smile as Caitlin went back to work, closing the door behind her.
"I'll have another deposit for you tomorrow when you drop her off, please come in to see me before you leave." Harris said standing up.
Ari nodded, and with a quick hand shake between Sid and Harris, they left for the car.
They stopped at a few more of Daniels different businesses to collect deposits of cash. Ari found out while talking with Sid that its a weekly collection someone does. The companies collect cash income all week and all the money goes to Daniel, who deals with and distributes it accordingly.
An hour and a half later they pulled up in front of the redesigned hotel they live in, parking the car. Sid and Ari got out and walked through the front door and went straight to Daniels office.
Sid knocked, when he heard a response he opened the door and they both walked in. Jackson and Jonah were in there too. Jonah smiled over at Ari as Sid went behind his dad's desk to put the deposits into a drawer.
"Everything go alright?" Jonah asked.
"Yeah." Sid responded.
Ari hung back, keeping quiet.
"Dad, you remember Caitlin? Pretty Burnette?" Sid asked.
Daniel nodded, seeming uninterested.
"She's worried about that guy Emmett. He's been following her and hanging outside her apartment. Harris asked we make sure she's accompanied anytime she's outside of the club and her home for now." Sid said.
Daniel sighed. "Everyone in this room needs to coordinate a schedule between yourselves, until I find someone else."
They all nodded.
"We're picking her up in half an hour to take her home. Ari is going to drive her back in tomorrow."
"Ari and I can go pick her up now." Jackson said, looking over at her.
Daniel nodded, looking over at his son's before telling Jackson. "Go."
Jonah said nothing, Sid looked over at his dad trying to decide if it was worth a disagreement, but Ari had already started to walk out the door with Jackson, so Sid remained quiet and tossed Jackson the keys to his car.
"I'll bring her back in one piece." Jackson said.
"The car too, Jackson!" Sid responded.
Jackson looked back with a smile.
"I was talking about the car."
And off he took Ari to go pick up Caitlin.