All That Remains (Nolee Lacroix)

"Boss, there's someone new in the club."

Paul looked up from his book as one of his boys spoke. He smiled and beckoned him closer, patting his lap. "Come tell me more about this new person. Are they spending money? Do they look out of place?"

The smaller male moved over and took a spot up on Pauls' knee. It wasn't out of the ordinary for Paul have them sit there when they were talking, it created a bond between the boys and Paul. Although he was strict with his boys he didn't push them to hard nor ask of them to do things that they felt were unfair. All he ever asked was a monthly std test to make sure they were clean and when it came to tips, anything they made outside of the agreed upon price they got to keep. He footed the bill for clothes, and if anyone of them had a problem he did go out on a limb to help them.

Though Paul was a nice guy, he did have his breaking point and if one managed to get on his bad side they rarely got a chance to come back from it. He didn't put up with stealing, lying, or violence towards any of the other boys in his employ.

"Well, she's just sitting in the back of the club looking around. Kinda shady if you ask me."

Paul nodded and jotted it down on a scrap piece of paper but didn't really give it much thought. He was always getting new business in the club and it was more than likely a newly divorced house wife looking for a good time. He chuckled and patted his boy's thigh. "Go on Dirk, go make her feel at home. Treat her like a VIP, she's more than likely needing it."

"Gotcha." Dirk vacated his bosses lap and after leaving a kiss to one round cheek he left, shutting the door behind him.

Paul laughed, it was one thing he loved about his boys; they always looked out for him because he looked out for them.

The word cop was thrown around like it was a dirty word in New York City. To Nolee Lacroix, it was an honor. Her brother was a cop, one of the most praised in the city. Since he had raised her, she had always wanted to be like him. But lately something had happened and her brother had been more and more busy. She didn't mind, it gave her more time to do things like this. Looking for the bad guys in their natural habitats.

So here she was, in the back of a club that she had heard other members of the force talk about but she had never been in it. Rumor was that it was ran by Paul Wright, a pimp in the city. She rolled her eyes. Pimps, they were all the same. Thought that sex, that love was something that could be easily sold and bought. Problem was she wouldn't know at all. She had never been in love, had never had a puppy crush as a teenager. From a young age she learned that work was what got you by in life. The only relationships that you needed were family and a few friends.

Sipping her drink, a Jack and coke that some boy at the bar had bought her, her sky blue eyes scanned the bar for any sight of something that just didn't fit.

Paul finished up his books and decided to take a stroll on the floor. He loved to interact with his patrons and strike up conversation. Near the bar Dirk stood talking with a pretty young thing and Paul stopped and inquired about their night then ordered a round of drinks for them.

As he was leaving Dirk touched his shoulder and pointed to the table near thr back where a lone woman sat; her eyes moving around the room. With a nod Paul grabbed a tray with two drinks and headed over, smiling as he reached the table.

"Goodevening my lady. Welcome to Show Place. My name is Paul Wight, owner of this fine establishment. Mind if I have a seat?"

Paul got an odd vibe from her but pushed it to the side, he liked to give people a chance before making any sort of judgement.

Nolee couldn't believe her luck. Paul himself was sitting at her table, offering her drinks. She tried to smile, to look like the coy girl most men seemed to enjoy. She extended a hand for him to shake, "Nolee Lacroix. I'm new to New York." she lied. The first rule about cops was that if guys knew you were one, they wouldn't give you the time of day.

"Hmm, new you say?"

Paul didn't know whether or not to believe it; he'd been around the block before and even though he was from Tennessee he could tell when one was native.

"Well that makes two of us Ms. Lacroix." He picked up a glass and tilted it towards her. "Here's to new beginnings."

He lifted the glass to his lips and drank, smiling over at Nolee. He had to admit she was a pretty little thing and if he could get a good bead on her he'd offer her a spot on his staff. One of his boys past and he flagged them over; looking over at Nolee with a grin.

"You hungry Ms. Lacroix? I assure you we have some of the best food in the city."

Even though it might have seemed as if he was just treating her like someone who just a met a new person would; Paul was watching her every move for some sort of clue as to what and who she really was. Last thing he needed was an undercover trying to blow the lid off his operation.

Nolee smiled, "Starved. I've been working myself through college and as a waitress you don't earn to much money." She reminded herself to talk to the boys in the lab later about her new cover. She'd pick something fun as a cover of course, like theater or photography. Things she was actually good at. She took a sip of her drink.

Paul was a big man, dwarfing her in size. But he was very attractive. Even Nolee thought so. And he was kind. It was easy to realize why men would rather work for him than for someone like Wade Barrett.

Paul nodded in understanding. "Well tonight dinner is on me. Choose anything your heart desires from the menu Ms. Lacroix." He smiled as he got his feet. "And if you anything at all you just send one of my boys to me. I hate to meet and run, but unfortunately this place won't run itself." He took her hand gently in his and brought it to his lips. "Until we meet again Ms. Lacroix."

Paul then move through the crowds, greeting regulars and new patrons the same before making a return trip to the main office. As he tallied the tabs that were due this week his mind kept wandering back to Nolee and he wondered what the real reason was she was there. Though her accent clearly spoke of southern roots, her demeanor spoke of something else entirely. Paul just wasn't sure what.

Nolee smiled as the bigger man claimed that dinner was on him. It was nice of him to do such a thing when he didn't know her from Eve. She smiled as he walked off, yawning a bit. She was tired but she wanted to make sure that she looked like a real patron/got a bit of information on the place so that she could write it up in a report. As she nibbled on a piece of salad, she thought about the man. Paul. He had a voice that reminded her of home, something she didn't get very often here in New York City.

Closing time was always his favorite of the night and this night was no different. Paul stood at the door and thanked everyone that left for coming and invited them back again. It might have seemed very odd, but Paul was raised by an older southern woman that placed the highest regard on manners.

Once the patrons were gone he started his boys on the clean up and said when they were done that they were free to head home. With his books done and stored in the safe Paul closed up and left the rest of the cleaning overseeing to his main boy, Dirk. With a wave and a laugh he was gone.

The walk to his car was short but still long enough for his mind to drift back to Nolee Lacroix. Even her name sounded exotic and he made the mental note to fire up the computer when he got home so he could find out everything that he could. Even southern women had wrap sheets and they were the most dangerous ones he's ever come across. Paul believed in being ready for anything and thay meant playing detective from time to time.

As the night went on, Nolee felt that she had not only had her fair share of food as provided by Paul and his boys but that she had overstayed her welcome. She had managed to leave and go home without being stopped for anything, be it by Paul whose boys had figured out who she was or by the occasional street walker to have her bring them back to her place.

She finally made if back to her one bedroom apartment, tossing her stuff on the couch and checking the messages on her answering machine. She had a few from telemarketers, one from Carter about needing to borrow some money, and that was it. She sighed, making sure to call him back in the morning.

Nolee found herself plopped down in bed, her mind racing back to Paul. He didn't seem like most mob men and she made note of that. Maybe she had found the wrong guy to tail.

Paul sat on his computer until at least four in the morning looking for information on Ms. Lacroix and what he'd come across wasn't a surprise. She worked for the PD and was often sent in undercover. With a smirk he took a sip of his rum and coke; sitting back in his chair and looking at the different pictures that were stored on file.

"So, Ms. Lacroix, a newbie to the city huh? Liars never prosper."

He felt hands on his shoulders and he tilted his head back, smiling up at his best boy; Kane, whom was looking down at him with a sort of smile on his face.

"You're still awake."

"Yeah. But I'm heading to bed now." He patted Kane's hand and got up, kissing his cheek and sending him on his way to his own room. "Goodnight, we have a busy day tomorrow. The health inspector is coming and we need to make sure the Show Place is up to code."

Kane nodded and headed to his room; leaving Paul to make sure that all the doors and windows were locked up tight for the night.

Nolee had a fitful sleep that night. She often did when not in a liquor induced sleep. When most saw her, they saw someone who was bright and cheery. Someone who looked at the world like it was her oyester and her life was her pearl. But that wasn't the case. In reality, Nolee was alone and often insecure. She didn't like the way that things had affected her over the years, especially family. For such a young girl she had an awful lot of demons.

When she woke up the next morning, she showered and changed, deciding to go shopping before tonight's visit to Show Place. She wanted to look her part after all, to look like the sweet southern girl who had long since died. She stared at herself in the mirror and when she deemed herself fit, she began that days activities, simply counting down the time until Show Place opened.

Morning was a rushed affair with Paul doing a white glove inspection on every counter in the club. He ran a tight ship all the time anyway but it never hurt to keep things extra clean. There had been a sort of scuffle between Kane and Dirk over whom was going to be running things while he was speaking with the inspector. In the end Kane was put in charge while Dirk was given the night off.

The inspector was one that Paul had dealt with before and the actual visit went well. With a good review he opened the bar for his boys and let them have a good time before the doors opened for the night.

As the time grew nearer and nearer he wondered if he'd see Ms. Lacroix again. Part of him did while the other part was a little upset that she's lied though he understood why. He was curious though as to why she was trailing him though.

Nolee smiled as she arrived as Show Place, the bouncers letting her through and from what she could tell they were even watching her as she walked inside. Taking up her place at the same table she had sat at the night before, she ordered a shrimp cocktail and a glass of cheap wine. She hadn't eaten anything real good all day and was looking forward to the food that would be served.

Her eyes scanned the crowd, it looked like the same people who had been there the night before. She made a few notes such as who was dancing in the back of her brain. But soon she found herself lonely and hoping that Paul would come by the table.

Paul made his normal rounds, spending a few moments with each person and even setting up a few 'dates' with a couple of his boys. As he made the circuit around the room again he seen that Nolee was once again holding court. With a grin he started heading over, stopping and taking a rose from one of the vases that adorned the tables.

"Well, hello again Ms. Lacroix. Didn't think I'd see you again so soon." He placed the rose by her elbow and grinned down. "Do you mind if I take this seat? A lovely lady like yourself shouldn't be spending the night alone."

Nolee smiled as she saw Paul and her smile got even bigger when she saw the rose that he had brought over. No man had ever brought her flowers or looked so happy to see her that it almost threw her off guard. "Well...I guess you can sit with me. As long as your friendly." she laughed.

Paul laughed as he took a seat, calling one of the waiters over and ordering them a drink. "Friendly? I don't know about friendly now. I'm a lot of things but I don't know if I'm friendly." He grinned as he leaned back against the seat, if Nolee wanted to play games then he'd play them. "I mean, most people see a man with a lot of good looking boys and a thriving bar and they think that illegal things are going down. But what do you think Ms. Lacroix? Does any of this look like illegal happenings?"

Of course as he fell silent one of the boys was escorting a John to the second floor for some 'alone time' and Paul made sure to keep his eyes away from the retreating couple. The John was a regular in the club and was known to leane good tips even if he was a bit rough with the boys. He made the mental note to check on the boy later and make sure that all was ok.

Nolee gulped down worry along with the sip of beer she had just taken. He didn't know did he? No, no he couldn't. She'd done jobs like this before and while Paul was one of the smarter men she had trailed, he certainly wasn't good enough to realize that she was undercover. After all, she looked and played her part exactly right. She knew what part she was to play, never faltering from it. She hadn't let anything slip this time.

"Well I don't think so," she lied as she saw a boy leading a John upstairs from the corner of her eyes. "I mean, I don't think I've seen anything illegal going on here. Except for the shirmp cocktail perhaps. Damn things are so addicting they should be illegal."

"Well I'll be sure to pass the information along to the chef that prepares them. He takes great pleasure in creating each one. Wants to make sure that those at the Show Place get the best." He laughed as finished his drink.

From across the room Dirk caught his attention and waved him over to the bar. Paul nodded his head and stood, looking down at Nolee with a smile. "Ms. Lacroix, I have some business to attend to but I'd like it if you'd join me so that we can continue to talk. Surely you have captured my attention and I'm enthralled. It must be the reminder of home that I hear in your voice."

He had to admit that he was laying it on thick but then again he wanted to know exactly what Nolee was trying to dig up on him. He had no trained killers on his payroll, he didn't wage war with other Pimps in the neighborhood; in fact he really just stuck to his Brothel and made sure his boys were on the up and up. As running an illegal Brothel his was probably the most legal of them all. Although he had to admit that if he was suddenly put into a the position to do so, he'd have no remorse going after the one that threatened his business or his boys.

Bingo. Nolee had the invitation she needed to be able to continue her investigation. She smiled, standing. "Ah a fellow Southerner. Are you from Tennesse as well? I was born and raised there myself. I have to say, I only heard a slight accent in your voice."

She put a hand on his arm, laying the charm on, "Mind if I hold on to this? It's a very crowded place, I don't want to end up getting seperated from you."

"You Southern ladies, all sugar and charm." He smiled as he placed a large hand over hers on his arm. "I don't mind one bit Ms. Lacroix, I'd hate for you get lost here." They started walking through the crowded room and he bent his head down close to her ear so she could hear him. "I am from Tennessee. Knoxville to be exact. It's been a long time since I've been home so I'm not surprised you can't hear it."

They reached the bar and Paul smiled at Dirk after helping Nolee up onto one of the high bar stools. The boys face was worried and he kept biting his bottom lip; reminding Paul of the errent school boy that had gotten into a fight and didn't want to fess up to it at home. It kind of worried him, Dirk was one that didn't hide anything from ever and he cleared his throat as he pinned Dirk with a stern look.

"What's wrong?"

Dirks eyes flicked back and forth before he opened his mouth to speak. "Can we speak in private Mr. Wight?"

Paul looked over at Nolee with an apologetic smile. "If you can forgive me, I have something to tend to privately it seems. It shan't take too long Ms. Lacroix. Your drinks are on the house."

Paul waved over one of the other bartenders and gave him the instructions and then led Dirk to the back, wondering what was eating away at him.

As they walked, Nolee found herself standing pressed up against Paul's side in order to keep from bumping into other patrons. At least that's what she told herself. In all actuality, she liked being close to the bigger man. There was something soothing about his hand being on his arm and his nearness. "Knoxville huh? I'm from Nashville myself."

When they reached the bar and he helped her sit down on one of the tall stools, she flashed him a smile of thanks before sitting down. Noticing the looks between Dirk and Paul, she knew something was wrong. She could just feel it. "That's quite alright. I'll still be here unless of course I have to use the restroom. Then I'll be there and back in a jiffy."

As she watched them walk off, something in her soul seemed...well...wrong. She looked down at her drink. Get a hold of yourself girl she thought as she looked into the glass of scotch that was handed to her.

Paul sat and listened to Dirk spill what was eating at him, and under normal circumstances it was nothing, but tonight was one of their busiest nights and he didn't need the fight of an ex lover and a patron at the bar breaking out.

"Take the rest of the night off. Get it sorted it out Dirk. You can't let your personal life impact your job. Got it?"

"Yes sir Mr. Wight. I'll even come in early tomorrow to make up the lost hours."

Paul waved him away with a head shake. "Don't worry about it. Things happen, just don't make a habit of it."

Dirk nodded and he scurried away to get changed, leaving Paul wondering if he was even a pimp anymore but a bar owner. With another head shake he headed back out to the bar and noticed that Nolee was gone, something that didn't bother him as he took a seat. What did was the fact that the man that had taken one of his boys upstairs was taken another one; and that he seemed to be sporting a few scratches.

Standing again he headed through the crowd and put on a scowl as he tapped the man on the shoulder. Scowling even harder when he seen the teeth marks on his neck.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Wha..an just in the blue hell are ya?" The man slurred; his words interspersed with hiccups from too much alcohol consumption and he was weaving unsteadily on his feet.

"I'm the owner and I'm asking you to leave."

"I don't have too if I don't want too."

Paul's scowl deepened as he moved forwards and yoked the man up by his neck, dragging him through the crowd and tossing him unceremoniously out into the middle of the street. The man hit the ground hard, his face sliding a few inches in the concrete before coming to a stop. He stumbled a bit as he tried to get up and Paul gave directions to the bouncers not to let him back in.

He dusted his hands off and headed back inside, taking up residence again at the bar and ordering himself drink first then sending one of his other boys upstairs to check on the first one that the man had taken up there.

Nolee had decided to use the restroom before heading back to the bar. That's when she saw the commotion. Her first instinct as a cop was to whip out the badge and the cuffs, telling the man that he was being arrested for public intoxication and disturbing the peace. Then she realized she couldn't. Then, as Paul picked the man up by the throat and tossed him out of the bar, she realized she didn't need to.

Putting on a smile and taking a deep breath so as to calm herself, she headed back over to the bar where Paul was sitting. "Sorry about that. Had to use the ladies room. I saw what just went on...your very protective of the men who work here, aren't you?"

Paul nodded. "I am very protective of them. Most of them don't have any family and have been abused most of their lives. It's my job to keep them safe and keep them from trouble. Sure I guess dancing and servings drinks can be misconstrued, but they're all good boys." Paul stood and offered Nolee his hand, nodding his head out to the dance floor. "Care to twirl around the floor with me Ms. Lacroix? I promise not to step on your feet."

At the nod of his head the band started to play a waltz type dance and he grinned. He'd been ball room dancing since he was 12 years old and knew how to make a girl spin like a princess when they were with him. Not to mention it put them in close proximity for questions and maybe, just maybe he'd be able to get more out of her.

Not to mention that the feel of such a lovely young lady against me is something that all men like.