~Paige~
Of all the places to break down, why here? I reached into my purse desperately searching for the phone I turned off and swore I wouldn't touch again, but I've gotta call a cab. The moment I thought of a cab, the thought left my mind. Nicole would kill me if I didn't call her first. She was my best friend, really my only friend; we were roommates in college and she remained my roommate after college, until I made the horrible decision of moving in with the very man I'mrunning from.
I called Nicole and it went to voicemail after a few rings. I then got a text, "Hey Paige, sorry I'm about to leave work now. I had to work late, are you still coming to my place? I left a key under the doormat for you just in case I don't make it there before you do."
I sighed and scrolled through the other texts I had ignored from Vince. "Where are you fucking bitch?"…"you turned your location off?!.".."I WILL find you."..I held back tears and went back to Nicole's text, and replied, "I was on my way and my car just stopped idk why I'm no expert but if I had to guess I'd say maybe the battery, I can call a cab" and hit send.
It's getting dark and I'm not too familiar with this side of town, but from the looks of all the pubs and Karaoke bars I'm in the party zone. It's unfamiliarterritory for me and I'm way too antisocial to ask some drunk to jump my car, if that'll even work.
Nicole texted back "send me your location. I'll be there right away." I sent my location, and started to look around to make sure Vince wasn't tailing me. I didn't notice him or any of his goons in the crowds surrounding the club or outside of any of the pubs, so I'm in the clear for now.
Nicole responded, "I'll be there in 10 minutes, we can grab a drink and a bite to eat before we head home, I'll call a tow truck for the car."
I let out a sigh of relief and texted back "thanks Nicole, you do too much for me I can't thank you enough."
She responded, "You're like a sister, I'll always have your back, about to pull up."
I put my phone back into my purse and put my jacket back on as it's mid-October and I'm too cold-natured to go anywhere without a jacket. I saw Nicole's truck pull up and jumped out of the car eager to hug her for saving my ass.
Nicole squeezed me and said "I'm so proud of you for finally getting away from that asshole. Did he hurt you?"
"I left before he made it back from work. Hedidn't realize I was gone until about an hour ago." I glanced around just to be sure he wasn't around. "I turned off my location but he knows my car."
"Don't worry. The tow truck is already on the wayand he doesn't know my truck. You're safe, I promise, and you can stay with me as long as you want. I just want you to be safe."
I looked down at my feet not knowing what to say about all of this. I'm still half in shock that I left. I'm afraid of how bad he'll hurt me if he finds me.
Nicole seemed to have read my mind. She lifted up my face and looked me in the eyes. "Hey, now.I promise you will be safe, now let's get a drink over here so we can watch for the tow truck from the windows."
I nodded my head to agree and followed Nicole to the door. It was a little warm inside, too warm to be wearing a leather jacket but I was hesitant to take off my coat. We found a seat at the bar, and ordered Jack and Dr. Pepper, the drink combo I turned Nicole onto back in our dorm days.
"The food here sounds good. I haven't had fried pickles in years," Nicole said with excitement.
"You know I love fried pickles!" I couldn't lie, pickles are my comfort food and fried pickles sounded perfect.
"Sweet, let's get some for an appetizer until we can figure out what else to order."
Nicole's excitement was contagious. We used to both be silly all the time but over the past year most of that silly part of me seemed to dissolve. Being in bad company will do that to you. I tried to leave the man I thought I loved a month after living with him. That's when his true colors really started to show. He drank more and more and eventually became comfortable slinging me around, which escalated into full on beatings. He would dress me like a doll and punish me as if I were a slave.
He believed he could buy anyone, and he got off on having control. But he never left marks on my face. He wanted to show me off in public and unleash the monster he truly was in private. The thought of him gave me chills, and I shook my head to escape from the dark thoughts.
"You okay, girl?" Nicole said with concern.
"I'm fine. The drink is strong — perfect," I giggled, hoping she would believe I was truly okay.
"That's the tow truck. Wait here and order us another round. I'll go out and take care of this. Save me some pickles!" Nicole skipped off and greeted the tow truck driver outside the bar. I took off my jacket and ordered another round when the appetizer came out. The bartender was a cheerful older fella that looked like Doc Holliday, from Tombstone. I grinned at the thought and Nicole was back before I knew it.
"I'm glad you're cheering up. I don't know if it's the drinks or the pickles but it's nice to see you smile again," she teased.
"It was the pickles for sure," I giggled.
"I see a dart board over there. Think you can still kick ass like back in the day?" she asked, sipping her drink.
"It's been a while but I like a challenge." Weclinked our pickles and said "Cheers." back to being our silly selves again. After we finished our pickles we ordered some wings and fries and headed toward the dart boards for a little action. Thankfully the dart boards were clear and most of the attention was on the pool tables, so no pressure if I mess up. Nicole wasn't so bad herself but darts came as easily as breathing to me. Nicole always teased that I was a prodigy but the truth was I just had a lot of practice from playing as a kid at my dad's old bar. I remember beating grownups and thinking I was so cool for it. The memories brought a smile to my face. I narrowed my eyes at the target and bam, bullseye.
"I thought you would be rusty. I don't stand a chance," Nicole said. She took a gulp of her drink and tossed the dart. She got incredibly close too."Damn," she said with a laugh.
"Blame it on the alcohol," I said. The club across the street had to be having a good night. There was a line out the door and we could hear the music from inside the bar.
"I can't believe people will wait in a line that long just to get inside," I said, shaking my head.
"Could be worth it. It must be, since the line is that long," Nicole answered.
"Looks like our food is ready," I said, trying to change the subject.
"Ooo yippie," Nicole said with excitement. One thing we always had in common, food makes us happy. I laughed a bit and sat to watch, and wow— the wings were amazing. I made orgasmic noises eating the wings, and Nicole just had to make a joke.
"Cheers to the first orgasm you've had in a year," she said with laughter, holding out a wing for a toast. I held a wing out and we both let out a "clink!" noise and laughed. The guy a few seats down choked on his drink at what he heard and we just looked at each other and giggled.
"That is a tragedy," he said as another man joined him at the bar. I could tell Nicole liked him by the way her face lit up when he sat beside her. She smiled and said,
"I'm sorry — totally inappropriate. We didn't realize anyone could hear us."
I nodded agreeably while covering my face with a bar nap in case any wing sauce made it to my chin.
"Your secret is safe with me, my dear. I have impeccable hearing and I'm sure no one else heard a word." He laughed and gave her a wink. The bartender brought him his ticket, and he finished his drink in one swallow.
"I'll be covering the ladies' tab as well, sir." He turned to Nicole. "If that's alright?" It was the first time I've ever seen her blush.
"Yes, uh…thank you..." She looked up at him as if she forgot what she was going to say next and he answered as if he could read her mind.
"I'm David, and this is Adrian." He gestured toward the man that was sitting next to him, thesame guy that choked on his drink. He was too perfect to be real. He had black hair, dark skin, electric blue eyes and tattoos on his neck that plunged down his chest beneath the buttons on his shirt. He must have caught me staring, because he gave me a devilish grin. I felt my cheeks growing warm. Dammit! I was blushing!
"I'm Nicole, and this is Paige," she said, batting her eyes and blushing even more than before.
"Beautiful," he said, kissing her hand. "Justbeautiful." If you ladies won't mind joining us we are about to head just across the street to The Obsidian." The man that was sitting next to him got up and locked eyes with me. I smiled and put my head down and looked at my glass.
"I'm not sure if we can…Paige has kind of had a long day, and that line may make it longer," she said as if it hurt to turn him down.
"I assure you, we won't have to wait," he said with confidence.
She looked at me hopeful and before she could turn him down again I decided she deserved some fun.
"Nicole, maybe a little fun is what we need," I said to keep her from turning him down again. I knew she liked him, and I wanted my best friend to be happy.
"Are you sure?," she asked as a huge smile covered her face.
"Yes. Maybe it'll take my mind off of everything...else," I said.
"Sweet!"
David held out his arm to escort her like a proper gentleman, and Adrian said nothing, just held his arm out to escort me. I didn't like feeling like a third wheel or like he was obligated to escort me to be a nice guy, so I looked down and stood up and grabbed my purse and jacket.
"Thank you, but I'll be okay on my own," I said trying to avoid eye contact.
His brows wrinkled.
"I insist. This neighborhood can get crazy at night, but, if you like, I'll walk with you until you make it inside the club, and I won't bother you at all once you arrive safe," he said looking slightly depressed.
"You won't bother me...I just don't want to be a bother to you," I said with laughter walking towardhim and taking his hand into mine. I walked with him out the door to make sure we didn't lose Nicole and David who were already heading outside lost in conversation.
Adrian smiled. "Don't be ridiculous. You couldn't bother me if you tried, it will be an honor to be in your presence."
I could feel myself blushing. I tried to look at my feet so he wouldn't notice.
We followed Nicole and David across the street to the club.
David and Adrian led us straight to the front of the line, the security guard gave them a nod and let us in. I looked back at the crowd of pissed off partygoers waiting in line as we walked inside. David flipped them the bird as we walked insideand it took great effort to hold in my laughter.
The club was unlike anything I have ever seen.
The lights, the fog, the people.
The music was mesmerizing, instrumental rock with a twist of classical. I could feel the vibrations of the music in my feet, tempting my body to sway.
If I weren't so shy, this is the music I would dance to.
People were dancing all around me, some attempted to dance on me.
I felt so out of place, but I followed Nicole and David and tried to pretend I was having a good time.
We were led to a beautiful black velvet couch in the club just above the dance floor.
"Would you like a drink, or do you wish for me to leave you alone?" Adrian asked with a smile. He was charming, I gave him that, and beautiful man, and I'm a sucker for tattoos. He has the smile, and dimples, that I just couldn't say no to.
"If you don't make me drink alone," I answered. We locked eyes and he kissed my hand.
"I wouldn't dream of it," he said. He waved for a lady to come take our drink orders and she seemed to be very flirty with Adrian, or just fishing for a good tip. Either way it made me slightly pissed.
"We're gonna go dance!" Nicole said to me.
"Will you be alright?" she added.
"I'm fine, Nicole. Go have fun," I said.
They made their way to the dance floor just as the waitress brought back our drinks.
"That was fast," I said.
She was still standing there, staring at Adrian. She then gave me a death stare that he must have noticed.
"That will be all, Claire," he said, waving a hand gesturing for her to leave. She stood there a second longer before she walked off looking pretty pissed.
"You seem uncomfortable. Have I bored you already mon cheri?" he asked. His voice was like silk, his accent made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
"Not at all, I just don't get out much, and I've definitely never been here before," I said, stirring my drink without taking the first sip.
"I would have noticed if you had been here before," he said with a half grin.
He was flirting and I tried to contain my excitement.
"You're a regular then?"
"You could say that. My brother and I are business partners; this is our club.
We own the bar across the street as well, but I actually prefer it there. It's more relaxed than this,"he said, waving a hand toward the dance floorbefore setting his glass on the table.
"So David is your brother?" I asked, then glanced over to Nicole on the dance floor having the time of her life.
"He is, but I like to think I'm the better looking one," he said with a wink, giving me a devilish grin.
"Hmm…a bit cocky too," I said, teasing, arching my eyebrow.
"On the contrary, I am simply trying to impress the vixen next to me," he said, scooting closer.
"Impress me? Ha! I promise I'm no one," I said, still amused that I was called a vixen.
"I saw you when you came into the bar and found it difficult to take my eyes off you," he said.
I felt my cheeks get warm and took a sip of my drink.
"Why didn't you talk to me?" I asked, stirring glass.
"I thought about it, but I didn't want to interrupt the girls' night. But then David took a liking to your friend there so I took my opportunity to get to know you," he said, looking me up and down with a half grin.
I felt heat rising in me the closer he got to my face. My legs began to shake and he laid his soft cold hand on my thigh as if he could feel them shake. His lips softly kissed mine and I felt the heat between my legs grow more and more wet. He pulled his lips from mine and with his forehead pressed against mine he locked eyes with me.
"What have you done to me?" Adrian whispered, and our lips came crashing into one another. My body was aching for his, my panties were soaked, and my thighs trembled as he moved his hand further up, finding its way into my dress. A buzzing called from my purse that lay on my lap, and I tried to ignore it. Then again, on and on. Adrian pulled his lips from mine, with a low growl.
"Perhaps it's important, do you need to check?" he said, running his hand down a loose strand of my hair.
"Not likely important. Nicole is already here and…"
A chilling thought came to my mind as I reached into my purse and pulled out my constant buzzing phone.
"Fuck!" I hit the ignore button. It was Vince!
I had forgotten to turn my phone back off to avoid him contacting me.
Then he sent a text, and I shouldn't have opened it:
"I told you I would find you, answer the damn phone!" he texted.
Adrian looked concerned, watching my expressions towards my phone.
"Is there a problem?" he asked.
I looked up from my phone and my eyes searched the club looking to see if I could spot him in the crowd.
I don't want to pull Adrian into this and get him hurt.
"Is something wrong, mon cheri?" he asked, his accent getting heavier.
"I, um…" I kept looking around and the phone kept buzzing.
"I need to go!" I said, trying to hold back tears from my eyes.
"May I?" he asked, looking angry and gesturing toward my phone.
I shook my head.
"I don't want you to get mixed up in my mess," I said, my voice now shaken.
"Are you in danger?" he asked, looking more angry.
I nodded slowly, as the phone kept buzzing.
"Well then...I
insist," he said with anger in his voice.
He took the phone from my lap and answered it.