AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That sounds really lonely,” she says sympathetically. “I think you need tonight as much as I do. I’ll see if Bones and Hex will at least sit at a different table than us or something.”
“Thank you,” I tell her earnestly, grateful to finally feel like there’s someone on my side. Someone who knows everything about this messed up situation and is willing to help me in a way that I want to be helped. “Do you want to just meet me here? James . . . Bones isn’t going to let me leave by myself anyway. I’d rather drive with you than him.”
“Of course! Eight p.m., right?” she asks, pulling out her phone and setting a reminder.
“It’s a date!” I say.
A weight is lifted off my shoulders as I walk into class and wait for the other students to arrive. Not only is everything fixed between Juliana and me, but I’m hopeful that tonight is going to feel at least somewhat normal. It would be a thousand times better if James . . . I mean, Bones wouldn’t come at all. That’s going to take time to get used to. But at least I can go out with a friend and dance away all the drama from the last few weeks.
As I’m walking my students through a complicated step, another plan hatches in my brain. Bones is probably going to be distracted by Hex, and if we go to a particularly crowded club, it will be impossible for him to keep his eye on me all night. I could simply get lost in the crowd and go home. I’d have at least some time to myself before he figured it out and came back. Even then, I could make him sleep in the hallway or something, so at least I could enjoy my apartment in peace.
When Juliana picks me up a few hours later, I feel a little guilty about what I have planned. She’s been nothing but nice to me, and I hate that I’m going to use her to get away from Bones for a little while. I especially hate that I can’t tell her, but I know she won’t be able to keep it from her husband and it’s like she said. He’ll definitely tell Bones, and then all my plotting will be for nothing. No, if I want to get any time to myself, she can’t know what I’m planning.
The club is packed tonight, but Juliana gives her name to the bouncer and we’re let in immediately without having to wait in the long line. This must be one of the perks of the motorcycle gang. If I didn’t resent Bones so much right now, I might enjoy it a little more. When we get inside, I see that he and Hex are seated at a table, and when they spot us, Hex waves us over. Juliana shoots him a look, though, and he puts his hand down and shrugs.
He seems like a nice guy. I only know him in the context of Charlie, but I bet if I had more time to get to know him, I’d like him. I like Juliana a lot, and I can’t imagine she’d put up with any man who isn’t amazing. But there’s the fact that he and Bones are close, and I don’t think I’m ever going to forgive Bones when this is over. Being around him is way too hard.
I lead Juliana out to the dance floor and we both lose ourselves to the beat. A waitress comes around with shots and I grab two off the tray. It’ll be easier to do this if Juliana is also a little tipsy. She leaves me alone for a few minutes to order more drinks and I see my opportunity. I text her that I’m heading to the bathroom so she doesn’t get worried, and I scan the crowd for my bodyguard.
He’s there with Hex, lost in conversation. He’s not even looking at me. Perfect. I head toward the bathrooms, but I know there’s a back way out of this club through the stockroom. I’ve had to use it before after a bad date. For a second, my stomach clenches and I think that there’s no way it could be this easy, but I’m through the door in seconds and no one has tried to stop me. I breathe in the sweet smell of freedom and victory, and hail a cab.
I have probably half an hour until they figure out what’s happened. The club is so busy, they’re not going to be able to easily search in that crowd. A taxi stops and I get in, relaxing against the soft leather of the seat. I give the cabbie my address and close my eyes, appreciating this feeling of being alone. It’s hard to believe that there was ever a time I didn’t want to be alone. This feels amazing.
I’m almost disappointed when the cab stops, because I know I’m on borrowed time. I pay him for the ride and get out, staring up at my building. I should have gone to a hotel or something. At least I’d have more time to enjoy this feeling. C’est la vie. I walk up the steps and pull out my keys to open the door, but I don’t get the chance.
Someone grabs my arm, and I turn around to tell off Bones, but it’s not him. It’s a man I don’t recognize.
“I hear you like to fight,” he says, pulling out a cloth and jamming it against my face. Everything goes black.
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
Everything about this place gives me a headache. The music is too loud, the lights are too bright, the people are all too close. It’s hard to keep track of Melissa in this crowd. It occurs to me that I haven’t seen her in several minutes. A knot forms in my stomach and I start to panic. Where the hell is she?
“Hex, shut up,” I say to my friend who’s blabbing on about something Charlie’s done. “Do you see Melissa anywhere?”
Hex straightens and he starts scanning the crowd as well. I stand up and can see the top of Juliana’s head. She’s holding two drinks and looking just as confused as I feel. She spins around several times and pushes her way through people, and it’s immediately clear to me that she’s looking for Melissa too.
I put my hand in the air and wave it a few times to get her attention. She catches my eye and moves through the people back over to our table, setting the drinks down. They’re fruity, frilly things that she clearly intended for herself and Melissa.
“Everything okay?” she asks cheerily, unaware of the storm that’s brewing in my head.
“No, everything is not fucking okay,” I growl, earning me an annoyed look from Juliana and a, “Not cool, dude,” from Hex. “Where’s Melissa?” I ask, a tight edge in my voice.
“I was just looking for her,” Juliana says, oblivious. “If you hadn’t called me over, I probably would have found her.”
“Chill, man,” Hex says, seeing my increasing frustration looming. “We’ll go look for her, she’s got to be around here somewhere.”
Juliana nods and we each get up from the table, heading off in separate directions to look for her. I stand at least half a foot above most of the people here, and Melissa is nowhere to be found. It’s not the thumping bass or the flashing lights getting to my head. She isn’t here. I’m not sure how she did it, but she’s gone.Shit, shit, shit!
I go back to the table and wait for Juliana and Hex to get back. It’ll do no good for us to lose track of each other. When they finally get back to the table, I’m breaking out into a full-on panic. My palms sweat and my breath comes out in shallow spurts. The room starts to spin, and it’s only Hex’s hand on my shoulder that grounds me back to earth.
“She couldn’t have gone far, right?” Juliana asks, grabbing Hex’s hand and squeezing tightly. “Maybe she wanted to go to another club.”
“She wanted to get away from me,” I say, hanging my head in irritation. “I should have just given her space tonight.”
“Hey, you’re just trying to protect her,” Hex says calmly. “We’re going to find her, she’ll be fine.”
“And if she’s not?” I growl.
