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Twenty
EVELYN
Being out with Violetta and Claude is a lot of fun, but it isn’t enough to stop me thinking about Raoul and what he did to me before I came out. I know how much he likes to taunt me, but he’s never made me suffer for a whole night before. Kendra meets us out and just as I expected, she blends in with everyone perfectly. I try to focus on having a good night, despite feeling Raoul’s touch all over my body and being furious at myself for being so distracted in Vi’s room that I never asked him why he was at the ranch earlier.
“You having fun?” Kendra rests her arm on my shoulder and knocks back the last of her champagne. “You know, your man’s bodyguard is kinda hot.” She winks across at Ludo, who has his trademark misery all over his face.
“Really?” I laugh. “He’s old enough to be your father.” I look at her and then back at him again. “And he’s so grumpy.”
“Some girls like a mature man,” she says. “Speaking of which, where’s your man tonight?”
“He’s not mine” I remind her, watching Vi get up on one of the tables and start to dance. Ludo shakes his head and starts making his way across to get her down. The guy has no idea how to have fun.
“I’m going to get more drinks, stay here, so I can find you, this place is packed,” Kendra tells me before heading off toward the bar.
“Sure thing,” I promise, watching from across the room as Ludo wrestles with Violetta to get her down. The girl really is a force to be reckoned with.
“You look nice.” I spin my body around when I hear a voice I recognize speak into my ear, and the breath catches in my throat when I see Fabian standing in front of me.
God, I’m not ready for this.
“What are you doing here?” I look around the room for Kendra.
“It’s a free country, isn’t it?” He shrugs, and I can tell straight away that he’s buzzed from the red rims around his eyes.
“Where’s your Burlusconi boyfriend?” Taking my arm, he squeezes me tight.
“Get your hands off me.” I look up from where he’s got me gripped, suddenly realizing how much I hate him for what he did to me
“You’re holding me too tight.” I try not to sound afraid and will for Ludo to turn around and notice what’s happening. But he’s far too busy dealing with a Violetta tantrum. The place is so busy, I can’t even see Kendra or Claude.
“Me and you have unfinished business,” he drags me closer to him. “You never did tell me why you left me. What did I do, baby?” he whispers, spreading his tongue over my cheek and making my stomach roll.
“You put me on the internet, you bastard.” I struggle to get free. “And don’t deny it because I saw it for myself.” I push hard at his chest with my free arm but he hardly budges.
“I wouldn’t deny it. You’re so pretty when you get fucked Evelyn, why wouldn’t I want to share it?” His words agitate me and since no one is coming to rescue me, I guess I’ll have to take things into my own hands. Lifting up my leg, I slam my heel into his foot, and the shock of it forces him to release me, but it only takes a few seconds for him to catch me and pull me back.
“You don’t get to just walk away from me,” he warns. “Nobody makes a fool of me like that.”
“Leave me alone.” I struggle to get free again and when I turn my head to try and get Ludo’s attention, it’s Raoul I see, barging his way through all the people that are in his path. And knowing what’s coming is going to be ugly, I close my eyes and wait for the chaos.
“Get your fucking hands off her.” Raoul follows up his words with a hard slam of his fist onto the side of Fabian's face, one so forceful that it takes the man off his feet.
The huge crowd of people around us step back and make a circle as Raoul continues his assault, slamming his foot into Fabian’s stomach and cursing words in Italian at him. When he’s satisfied that he’s kicked him enough times to take the breath out of him, he reaches down and pulls him up by his collar, throwing his fist into his face over and over again, until Ludo and one of the other men that appear from nowhere drag him back.
“Not here, Raoul,” Ludo warns him, trying to simmer him down. But Raoul looks too angry to be tamed, the look in his eyes is brutal, and so I do the only thing I can think of that might calm him down. I run at him and I wrap my arms around his waist, pressing my head against his chest. His heart is beating like it’s going to explode, and I cling to him so tight that I feel mine start to match its rhythm.
“Take me home.” I look up at him, my eyes filling with tears as I realize how far Raoul would actually go for me. He’s threatened it plenty of times, but seeing him like this proves he doesn’t bluff.
“Please, Raoul, just take me home,” I whisper.
“I have Rhett’s driver waiting for me outside,” he tells Ludo, the anger still in his tone but his muscles a little more relaxed. “You make sure she gets back safe,” he gestures his head across the room to where Vi and Claude are standing watching in shock.
Taking my hand in his, he leads me through the path of parting bodies out to the white limousine that’s parked at the entrance.
“Take us home,” he instructs the driver, taking his place beside the door and holding it open for me.
“I’m sorry,” he says, once we’re both inside and the door is shut. I like this car much better, there’s a partition between us and the driver which makes it much more private.
