Playing Pretend Box Set

by Natasha L. Black

  But we all knew a new relationship would take over Cami’s life for a while, as it did all our own. Mel, having been single now for nearly two years, was thoroughly sick of any of us out at the club to pick up boys, and she wanted to put an end to Cami’s flirting before it had the chance to truly go somewhere.

  “I’m going to go get her!” she announced loudly, ever the cock block. She took a couple of steps toward the edge of the dance floor when another dancer backed into her, causing her to spill her blue martini down the front of her white blouse.

  “You idiot!” she shouted. “What the hell? Watch where you’re going! Moron!”

  “Uh-oh, you better get over there and break that up before she gets us all thrown out,” I said as I looked over my shoulder. In a sense, we all looked up to Teisha as being the leader. Though we were all far beyond high school, she was the one who had brought us all together.

  She’d been friends with me the longest, while Cami and Mel had known each other since college. The three of them had met at work, and Teisha had become fast friends.

  It took some time for me to get used to the idea of the two of them being around so often, but they grew on me. They were still very much like freshmen in college despite the fact they were in their late twenties, and Teisha was often the one to pick up the messes they left behind.

  “Come on, Mel, hold your liquor!” Teisha muttered. I couldn’t hear the words above the noise of the club, but I could read her lips like a pro. It was something we’d done since we were kids. We could carry on entire conversations across the room without ever saying a word.

  “I’ll be right back, honey, don’t you go anywhere,” she said over to shoulder. I gave her the thumbs up to show that I’d heard, then I started to make my way toward the corner of the floor.

  When I was alone, I didn’t like to be in the middle of the sea of people. I felt exposed, and I never knew who was going to come up behind me. More than once some stranger had started to grind on me without my consent, and I’d since learned to do my part to keep that from happening.

  I stationed myself where I could still see what was happening with my three friends, but then I returned to the beat. It would be a great time to try to practice Teisha’s moves without her there to add pressure.

  Let the music move through you, I thought, remembering her advice. I closed my eyes and tried to cut loose, just letting my body move to the sound of the beat. It was loud enough to drown out the stomping of the other dancers on the floor, and for the brief moment I could almost imagine I was the only one in the room.

  It released a lot of the pressure I felt, and I started to get the hang of things. Teisha would be so proud when she returned. Which would hopefully be soon.

  With a grin, I opened my eyes to see how the peacemaking was going. But, my heart sank and I froze in the middle of my dance. I couldn’t see Teisha or Mel, but standing right on the other side of the floor was my ex.

  He was looking at me with his usual sadistic grin, and as soon as he saw me noticing him, he started toward me. My heart raced as I briefly panicked, and I wished more than anything Teisha would show back up. I didn’t want to deal with Brandon on my own. Not in the middle of the club, not with a couple of drinks in my stomach.

  “Look who decided to finally get out and have some fun,” he said as he stopped much too close to me. “And I tried so many times to get you to do this, and you wouldn’t.”

  “Go away,” I said fiercely. “I don’t want to talk to you.”

  “We don’t have to talk, just dance,” he replied coyly. He tried to move behind me and get around me, but I took a step forward and whirled around to face him.

  “I’m not going to dance with you, and you better get out of here before my friends get back,” I snapped. “They hate you as much as I do, and I’d hate to see how that’d turn out.”

  My heart continued to pound, and now I was also cursing Mel’s clumsiness.

  Teisha needed to get back, and soon.

  “That’s no way to talk to someone who cares so deeply for you,” he replied with the same sadistic smile.

  “I’ll call the cops,” I threatened.

  Brandon laughed. “You really think anyone on the force is going to do anything to me? Come on, they all looked up to me, and most of them still do.”

  “Fuck off,” I said. I wasn’t going to stand there and take it any longer. With my nose in the air, I turned on my heel and walked to the other side of the floor, hoping if I were closer to the bar I’d be able to get the attention of the bartender or bouncer if Brandon were to bother me again.

  I tried not to let my heart sink when I still didn’t see any of my friends. They should have been over there, but they weren’t anywhere to be found. I wanted to pull out my phone and text Teisha, but I hardly dared be distracted with Brandon around.

  Once again, I tried dancing, this time in full view of the bar. I was keeping my eye on the bathrooms, hoping they had gone in there to clean up. It wasn’t long, however, before Brandon came back over to my side, once again making a point to stand much too close to me.

  “Come on, let my buy you a drink. Where’s the harm in that?” he cooed.

  “I don’t want another drink,” I snapped. “Go away!”

  I was done. I knew things were only going to get worse, and I was more than ready to go home. Things had taken a turn, and I was beginning to wish that I hadn’t gone out at all. I could have been home studying, but instead I was alone in a club, unsure of where my friends were, and being harassed by my ex.

  Without another word, I turned once again and walked off the floor, this time on my way to the bathroom. I hoped it would be enough to give Brandon the hint. I had walked away from him twice, and if the bartender or bouncer were paying attention, then he’d be asked to leave.

  Then again, it was Brandon, and I knew he had a way of buying off people. It wouldn’t be below him to slip both the bartender and the bouncer some money if they were to leave him alone for the night. Knowing the kind of people they hired at this club, it also wouldn’t surprise me if they were to take the bribe.

  “Come on, Teisha, where are you?” I muttered to myself as I scanned the room. There were more faces than I could count, and with the alcohol swirling around in my head along with the anxiety Brandon caused, it was hard for me to pick out any one face from the others.

  It certainly didn’t help that the lights were so low, either. If they could just turn them on for a few seconds so I could find my friends, I could move past this and not let Brandon ruin yet another night in my life. But I knew they wouldn’t do something like that. I just had to deal with it.

  I decided to check the bathrooms. It was the only logical place that made sense. Mel had drink all over the front of her, and if Cami had stopped talking to that guy, she would be back at Mel’s side. Teisha, ever the mother of the group, would of course take them both to the bathroom to clean up and regroup.

  Refusing to look back, I slipped through the crowd to the wall and made my way toward the hall. I hated the bathrooms in this club. Not only were they often in need of being cleaned, they were off to the side and positioned in the dark.

  It wasn’t something those who were under the influence thought much of, but I never let myself get too far gone when I was in public. With bile in the back of my mouth, I rounded the corner, hoping panic wouldn’t cause me to break into a run to get to the door just down the hall.

  He’s not going to do anything when you’re in public. Settle down and just find Teisha. Tell them you want to go home or to another club and leave. You’re fine.

  I had just about gotten myself calmed back down when I was suddenly roughly grabbed from behind. A large hand clamped down on the back of my neck, grabbing both my dress and a fistful of my hair.

  My hands flew behind me as I cried out, but I already knew the music drowned out any noise I made. Brandon could do whatever he wanted to me and get away with it.

  He always did. />
  5

  Drake

  “You finally going to make a move?” Trey asked with a grin. I didn’t answer as I left him standing by the bar. We had been watching the women dancing as well as those who were just talking to friends along the walls of the room, and though I had only been half interested in what was going on with any of them, there was one couple in particular who caught my eye.

  Many of the couples on the dance floor were either grinding against each other, flirting, or openly making out. But this particular couple stood out from the rest.

  At least they did to me.

  The woman seemed to want to be left alone. Everything about her facial expression and body language told me that. But the man, on the other hand, almost seemed to be getting satisfaction out of harassing her. Whatever he was doing, he certainly wasn’t taking the hint.

  She walked from one side of the dance floor to the other, looking around the room with a pleading expression on her face. Clearly, she was looking for someone, but not seeing them. The man, on the other hand, had a predatory look as he watched her walk off, and though he waited a couple minutes before making another move, it wasn’t long before he was heading her in direction once more.

  Trey seemed oblivious to everything that had transpired between them. He was trying to get the attention of a scantily clad, large breasted woman with ebony skin and dreadlocks. She wasn’t necessarily encouraging his advances, but she wasn’t discouraging them, either.

  As my friend seemed more optimistic than most of the others in the club, I felt he wouldn’t miss me if I were to follow the couple and see what went down. After all, not even the bartender or the bouncer seemed to be noticing what was going on. Not that I blamed them, with the bar swarming with patrons, it had to be difficult to keep an eye on the dance floor while trying to make sure no underage clients made it to the bar itself.

  With the woman closer to me, I had to admit, I was rather stunned by her beauty. She wasn’t anything like Anna Marie, which I felt was a good thing. But I still found her simply gorgeous. There was a subtle confidence about her that was currently overshadowed by exasperation and annoyance, but I could imagine a smile from her lips could break hearts.

  She was delicately built, and there was a dignity about her that commanded the room. Though she wasn’t interacting with any of the other dancers that I could tell, it was clear to me she didn’t have any competition on the floor. The tension was clearly escalating between the two, with the man still obviously enjoying his sadistic game. I had a knot forming in the pit of my stomach, and I wanted nothing more than to walk over to him and lay him out.

  If there was one thing my father taught me before he passed, it was how to treat women. He treated my mother like a queen, and I’d done the same for my wife as long as I could. Seeing a man treat a woman like this man in front of me made my blood boil.

  The scene didn’t last long, however, as the woman suddenly turned and walked off of the dance floor altogether. There was a part of me that felt sorry for her. She was clearly trying to have a good time but couldn’t with that asshole in her face.

  She’d given up on the situation, and I had a feeling I’d never see her again.

  That is, until the man’s expression changed. Though he still had as straight of a face as he could manage, there was no hiding the fury that filled his eyes and twitched at the corners of his mouth.

  Standing in front of me was a man who clearly didn’t like to be told what to do – including a woman telling him she didn’t want his attention. I didn’t know the situation between the two of them – whether they were complete strangers or man and wife, but it no longer mattered.

  As the man stalked after her, my military instincts kicked in and I went on high alert. There was a tension to his body language that told me he was going to do something to her. What? I wasn’t sure, but I wasn’t going to stand by and let it happen.

  It didn’t help that she was on her way to the bathrooms. I knew that hall. It was where many women had issued complaints of being assaulted and mistreated, sheltered from the cameras.

  I told Trey I’d be back and walked off, leaving him to his attempts at wooing.

  The woman continued to look around the room as she headed toward the toilets. Clearly, she was looking for someone, and the desperation in her own body language was growing. I could read her like a book even from several feet away and in the dim light, and I had a feeling her assailant could, too.

  She rounded the corner first, and as soon as she was out of sight, he quickened his pace. In turn, I quickened my own.

  I rounded the corner just in time to see him grab her by the back of the neck, and I’d had enough. With a swift, smooth motion I punched him right in the side of the head, hitting him hard. I would have preferred to have struck him in the face, but with his back to me I had to make the most of what I had to work with.

  He fell to the ground, clearly shocked and even more furious than before, but with my arms poised for another attack, he rose and quickly backed off.

  “This isn’t over, Hannah,” he growled at her before giving me another leery look. I didn’t say a word as he stalked off, then I turned to the woman, quickly checking to ensure she was okay.

  “I’m fine, thank you, I’m fine,” she insisted. She had one hand on the back of her neck, the other on her stomach. She was incredibly pale, and I worried she was about to faint.

  “Care to have some fresh air on the patio?” I asked. “Hannah?”

  She gulped and gathered herself for another moment, then she nodded. “Thanks.” she looked at me questioningly.

  “Drake,” I said. “Come on, let’s get you some air.”

  Together, we walked outside into the cool, night air. She sat a reasonable distance from me and looked over the town.

  “Friend of yours?” I asked.

  “Ex-boyfriend,” she replied dryly. “Can’t accept that it’s over, been stalking me relentlessly. You know how it goes.”

  “Can’t say I do,” I replied. “Go to the cops maybe?”

  “He’s an ex-cop, and one who knew how to work the force. Sorry, my situation is a little messier than I care to explain, just trust me, I’ve tried,” she turned away from me slightly, continuing to look out in the distance. I wracked my brain for the right thing to say, but nothing came to mind.

  I felt a growing attachment to the woman already. There was something about her that was so captivating, I wanted nothing more than to protect her. It wasn’t just her beauty I found so awe-inspiring, but the way she carried herself was like no one else I’d ever met.

  “I could pretend to be your boyfriend to get him off your back,” I joked. I didn’t expect her to even entertain the idea but was shocked at a nonchalant reply.

  “Hell, if you’re going to do that you may as well pretend to be my husband. That’s probably the only way he’d really get the message.”

  I couldn’t see her face in the dark, so it was hard for me to tell just how serious she was. But, at the same time, a hundred different emotions ran through me. I couldn’t explain why I wanted to help her so much, but I knew it was going to eat at me until I knew she was safe.

  Knowing that this man had connections on the police force made me uneasy. If she couldn’t trust the cops, then who could she trust? I certainly wouldn’t trust anyone to take care of the situation besides myself.

  Not to mention, if I were to pretend to be her husband, there would likely be a chance that I might get to stay with her, at least sometimes. I didn’t care what kind of apartment or house she had, as long as it got me out of the hotel room a few nights a week while I looked for a place of my own, I’d be happy.

  “I wouldn’t be opposed,” I said with a shrug. In the dark, the silhouette of her body turned toward me more than before. She was clearly looking at me, letting the pale light from the club illuminate my face. I still couldn’t see her features, but she was obviously studying mine.

  My heartrate picke
d up, and I wished I could hear what she was thinking. Perhaps she was trying to decide if this really was a good idea, or maybe she was just as uncertain whether I was serious about my offer.

  “Really?” she asked at last.

  Again, I did what I could to read her tone. It was difficult to know what she was thinking, especially since I couldn’t see her face. But I was going to take the chance and run with it. If she was just kidding around, she’d be sure to cut it off before things went too far.

  “Yeah. I mean, that guy is a real creep and it makes me uncomfortable thinking that he’d do that to you in a public place. If he was so willing to grab you like that in a crowd of people, what would he do if he were to get you alone?” I said with another shrug.

  “You don’t want to know,” she replied. She turned away and I had to bite my tongue to keep from prompting her to give me some sort of answer.

  “Well, he better not come near you again while I’m around. He’ll be really fucking sorry,” I said. “If you’re alright now, I’ll be heading back inside.”

  She nodded, and I turned to go. I hadn’t even taken three steps before she stopped me. “You know what? Fuck it. If you’re serious about what you said, I’d be down to give it a shot.”

  I turned slightly toward her. “Really?”

  “Yeah,” she said. “You want to get out of here and go somewhere quiet where we can work out the details?”

  I smiled the first genuine smile that had crossed my lips in a long time. Though it was the last thing I ever thought I’d do, it had to be fate. My friends were just telling me that I should do it, and there was a woman making the offer.

  There was only one thing to say. “I’ll call a cab.”

  6