by Imogen Wells
The music that was playing is now replaced by panicked cries, and it’s difficult to hear anything. Suddenly, I hear someone calling my name, and I turn to look around for the source.
“Jamie. Jamie. Fuck, where are you?”
I try to call back, but my words get lost as the fire alarm rings out, and an acrid smell assaults my nostrils as smoke seeps down from the ceiling. Panic turns to dread as those around me see and smell what I do. Their efforts to get out triple, and with it comes a heightened sense of self-preservation that ensures anyone in their way will be trampled.
I’m spun around as people rush past me, pushing and shoving their way out, and when I’m clocked in the face from an errant elbow, my efforts to stay on my feet are lost.
My vision swims from the blow, and my feet are swept out from beneath me, hitting the floor with a thud. I quickly curl into a ball with my arms over my head as feet scurry past, and I begin to feel like the hedgehog in the game of croquet from Alice in Wonderland as I’m kicked from every side.
I need to get off this floor before I get trampled on. Before I get the chance to move, hands latch onto me, pulling me to my feet.
“Jamie. Shit! Are you okay?”
Relief thunders through my body. “Alex. Thank god.” I snatch a hold of his jacket as his arms wrap round me.
“Come on, this way.” He grabs my hand and begins pulling me through the crowd. I grip his hand so tight that I’m sure I’ve left half-moon indents from my nails.
As we reach the other side of the bar, someone calls out behind us, but I don’t get time to check who it is before Alex yanks me through a door into a dark corridor.
I pull on Alex’s arm to stop him. “Alex, someone was calling me. It must be Jasper. We can’t just leave him behind.” I look back to the door we just came through to see smoke whirling underneath it and creeping towards us.
“He’s a big boy, Jamie. I’m sure he can find his way out, and besides, I bet he’d rather I get you to safety, yeah?” My brow furrows as I consider his words. “Shit! Fine, I’ll go back and check, but you, you’re going to keep going and out that door at the end. Do you hear me?”
I nod, giving him a hug before he turns back toward the door that is now barely visible through the smoke. I call out to him, telling him to be careful as I begin to worry that I’ve made a mistake sending him back for Jasper.
When I can no longer see him, I hurry down the corridor. Reaching the door at the end, I turn back, but I can’t see anything and let out a cough as smoke invades my airway. I’m torn between waiting for him or doing as he said, and as the smoke thickens even further, I push through the door, hoping they are both okay.
The chilly night air hits my lungs, almost stealing what little breath I have, and I continue to cough between taking deep breaths. As my lungs fill with cleaner air, I take a look around and realise I’m in the back alley of Rosco’s. I hear sirens and shouting coming from the front of the bar, but there doesn’t seem to be anyone else back here.
The door closed behind me and smoke now billows out from beneath it, whirling up into the night sky. I race toward it, searching for the door handle, but of course there isn’t one. I begin banging on the door, calling out to Alex, and cursing myself for not keeping the door open.
I’m so distracted and making one hell of a racket that I don’t hear the person behind me until it’s too late.
Twenty-Two
Jamie
A hand slips over my mouth, silencing my cries, and I’m shoved against the door. I freeze instantly as fear slithers down my spine, and I can hear my heart pounding in my ears. Thump, Thump. Thump.
His hand covering my mouth smells of engine oil and ammonia, and my stomach roils at the combination of the two.
“Hello, Jamie. You’re a lot sexier in person. Hmmm.” He groans as he sniffs my hair, and every hair on my body stands to attention. “Alas, I’m not here for that, although I wouldn’t mind a couple of hours to see what you can do with that hot little body. Ice makes me horny as fuck.” He grinds his hips into my arse, and I can just about feel his pathetic cocktail sausage dick through my jeans.
The fear that held me captive at first is slowly replaced with disgust and anger, but I know I need to wait. To lull him into a false sense of security and play the frightened little girl until the time is right.
“You are a sweet little thing, but I’m getting off track again. I have a message for you, and this time be sure to pay attention. You tell that cock-sucking father of yours to pay the fuck up.” My dad? What the hell does he have to do with this? “Time is running out, and he’s getting very impatient waiting.” He curls the hand covering my mouth, squeezing his fingers into my cheek and shakes my head side to side. His body shifts, pulling back, and I know this is my chance.
My hands are balled into fists in front of my chest from where I was pounding the door, and as his pressure on me loosens, I prepare to slam an elbow into his ribs, but before I can, the door I’m leaning against is shoved opened, and we are flung backwards.
His hand leaves my mouth, and I land in a heap, half on my attacker and half on the ground.
Smoke pours from the open door, making it impossible for whoever is coming out to see where they are a going. I shout out, warning them and hoping like fuck it’s Alex.
“Watch out!”
“Come here you little bitch.” He makes a grab for me as I roll to the side, but he misses, and I scramble to my knees.
I hear my name and recognise the voice. It’s Alex. “Alex. Look out!” I hear a grunt, and as the smoke clears, I see Alex and the other guy fighting.
Climbing to my feet, I watch as the two men go at each other. My attacker is holding his own considering he’s a scrawny piece of shit, and Alex is almost twice the size of him.
Feet pound the pavement behind me, and I spin, ready to face them. Only it’s not this guy’s friend, it’s Jay. I don’t have time to question what he’s doing here, and instead scream at him to do something.
“Do something, Jay! For fuck’s sake, help Alex.” Jay skids to a halt, looking between me and the fight going on in front of us.
Jay steps forward to intervene as Alex and the other guy crash to the ground, fists flying everywhere. At the same moment, the door behind them opens, and once again the alley is encased in a cloud of smoke that makes it impossible to see.
More grunts and fists hitting flesh echo in the empty alley way, and then everything stills for a split second. I think it’s over, but a second later a loud, piercing pop rings out. It bounces of the walls and pings down the whole alley.
Jay grabs me, throwing us to the ground. I look up and through the haze of smoke as it drifts up off into the sky, I see a figure lying on the concrete. They’re not moving. Standing above them, cast in shadow and smoke, is a man with a gun. I scramble to my knees, crawling towards the prone figure, only to be held back.
“Jamie, we need to get the hell out of here.” As if the sound of Jay’s voice broke the spell, the guy with the gun, slowly turns, raising the gun directly at us. “Move. Now. Up on your feet and fucking run.”
I can’t move as I look down the barrel of the gun. Rooted to the spot and hands shaking as adrenaline replaces the blood pumping through my veins. I flick my eyes to the figure on the ground, and I know who it is.
A scream bubbles up from the deepest part of me and bursts free, shattering the deafening silence.
“Aaaaaahhh! No.” Arms grab me, lifting me up into a fireman’s carry. “Alex. Alex!” I scream, and I can’t take my eyes of him as we race away. Tears fall, and the cold air burns them as they roll down my cheeks. “Stop. We have to go back. We have to help him. Alex,” I call out his name again, and my voice breaks. My pain turns to anger, and I begin thumping Jay in the back. “Put me the fuck down. We have to go back. You can’t just leave him there to die. Jay!” His steps falter, and he flinches as I land a punch to his kidney, but he doesn’t stop.
Jay doesn’t stop ti
ll we reach his car, and even then, he still won’t put me down until he has the car open. Then he dumps me, unceremoniously, into the back seat.
At first, I wonder why the back and not the front, but when he shuts the door and I immediately try to open it again, the reason is clear. Child locks. Fucking child locks!
He knew, given half a chance, I’d be running back down that alley to my friend. And that thought knocks ten bells of shit out of me. Hitting me like a speeding train.
Jay begins to drive, and I slump back in the seat. I sob. I bawl. Tears run together in a stream down my face until there’s not a dry patch of skin left.
I hear Jay talking, but I don’t know if he’s talking to me, himself or someone else. Instead, I let the tears continue, raw and plain to see, while inside my body is a deadly silent storm. A mass of building emotions waiting to be unleashed.
The car stops, and I look up to see where we are. Through puffy eyes and blurred vision, I see we’re at Rick’s house. Why would Jay bring me here? I don’t want to be here. I drop my head and stare at my hands resting in my lap. I hear a door open and close before raised voices, muted slightly inside the car, reach me. I shut the noise out and just stare out the window.
I see Alex. I hear his voice, his laughter, like he’s right beside me. He smiles, winking at me. He reaches out a hand, touching my cheek, and I nuzzle into it, letting my eyes drift closed at his touch.
A chill covers me, and I shudder. It’s enough to bring me out of my thoughts. Opening my eyes, I’m met with caramel ones, that seem heavy with emotion and swirling with gold flecks.
“Jamie?” His voice is soft, questioning. He’s tentative as he moves closer to me. “Let’s get you out of the car and inside. Can you walk?”
My throat is tight when I try to answer, and all that comes out is a squeak. I give him a nod instead. He hesitates before moving back from the door to let me climb from the car.
I step out of the car, but as soon as I’m up, my knees buckle. Strong arms catch me before Seb picks me up. I wrap an arm around his neck, resting my head on his shoulder as he carries me into the house.
I watch my feet swinging as he walks, and I realise I’m missing a shoe, and my bare foot as several cuts that, at one point, have been bleeding.
Seb places me on the sofa, and I cling to him a beat longer, not wanting him to go.
“I’m right here, Jamie, and not going anywhere,” he whispers in my ear, and I reluctantly release him. Then he does something I wasn’t expecting.
Crouching in front of me, he grabs my face in his hands and looks into my eyes, searching for something.
“I’m so sorry, Firefly,” he says before leaning forward and placing a chaste kiss on my lips. He lets me go before standing up and telling me that he’ll be right back, and then he leaves the room.
I touch my fingers to my lips. He kissed me. Kissed lips covered in snot and tears. Such a strange thing to think right now, but my mind is scattered.
I can hear voices in the next room, and I listen as they become more heated.
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”
“Ha! Are you fucking serious right now? Tell you? Tell you what? That your daughter was getting threatened and was suspended from her job? I’ll tell you why he didn’t tell you. For the same fucking reason that we haven’t told Jamie about you, Mr Morgan!”
“Seb, that’s enough. Dom, you have to understand we weren’t sure if the two were connected, and the same confidentiality rules apply to Jamie just as much as they do to you.”
“That’s bull and you know it. I’m her father and have every right to know what is going on with my daughter. Including the fact that your partner here thinks he can lay his hands on her.”
I can’t see my dad, but I know from the tone of his voice there’s a sneer on his face, and it raises my already building anger at him. I haven’t forgotten the words the guy said to me. That this is a message for my dad.
I hear Seb laugh. “You have no idea where my hands have been.”
I shake my head at Seb’s cocky jibe and get to my feet, wincing from the cuts on my bare foot and sore ankle. I kick off the other shoe before gingerly walking towards the kitchen.
By the time I reach the kitchen, the raised voices have become shouts and rounding the corner, I’m met with the sight of my dad and Seb toe to toe. Both red faced and fists clenched at their sides.
Seb has some balls going up against my dad. He may only run a local newspaper now, but he was once a Commanding Officer in the army.
“Stand down, Soldier,” my dad commands.
Seb leans forward a little. “Screw you. You have not authority here, so get off your high horse, Officer.”
Jay sees me first and moves to help me, but I shake my head. Moving further into the room, Seb’s eyes land on mine. His eyes narrow as he watches me limp toward them, and I watch as his nostrils flare. This time I know it’s with anger and frustration.
My dad turns as I reach them, eyes going wide as he takes me in, and I can only imagine what a mess I look.
“My god, Jamie.” He takes a step forward, arms out to wrap me in a hug. I inch backwards out of his reach, not wanting or needing anything from him right now except answers.
His face falls in surprise and hurt, but his pain at my rejection of his fatherly affection is inconsequential to my own. He goes to speak, but I cut him off, not interested in what he wants to say.
“No.” I hold my hands out, warning him away. Seb edges toward me now, but I square my gaze on him, stopping his advance too. I know that I’ll never be able to say what I need to if either one of them invade my personal space. I’m struggling to hold it together as it is. I turn to Rick, who is watching cautiously, waiting to see if he needs to intervene. “Is he dead?”
The deep inhale and tic of his jaw tell me the answer before the words even leave his mouth. “Yes.” He doesn’t offer anything else, and I’m grateful for the straight-forward, no-dressing it up answer.
Facing my father, I only have four words for him.
“This is your fault.” His throat bobs as he swallows. “My oldest friend is dead because of you.”
“Jamie,” Rick warns, but I ignore him.
“Whoever you’ve pissed off now has decided I’m their best target, and you have the bare faced cheek to stand here criticising Rick, who I assume has been helping you, for not telling you my business, when all along you’ve been keeping secrets of your own. And if you bothered to return my calls, I could have told you.” My words are measured, but the pain, and the, rightly or wrongly, focused rage I feel towards my dad lies just below the surface silently urging me on. Seb moves again, only this time he ignores my warning to stay the hell away, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into him. My arms stay hanging limp at my sides, but I notice for the first time that I’m shaking.
As he holds me, I feel my resolve weakening, and I hate he can do this to me.
“Jamie,” he breathes in my ear so only I can hear him. “Don’t do this now. Don’t say something you’ll later regret.”
“I need to shower,” I say, looking at Rick, who gives a nod. “When I come back, you’re going to tell me just what the fuck is going on, and why my life has been turned upside down and my friend is dead.” It’s not directed at any one person, but I see my dad drop his head before a barely heard ‘okay’ leaves him.
I let Seb, lead me away. I don’t have room to think about what it means that he’s calmed me, is here comforting me, caring for me. There’s no sign of the cocky guy I first met, or the broody arsehole that gets me hot all over. This is a whole other Sebastian Roberts. And I’m afraid that I might just like this side of him as much as I like the other two sides.
Twenty-Three
Seb
I lead Jamie upstairs to the room that’s mine when I’m here. She pauses as she notices my belongings scattered around but doesn’t say anything and follows me as I enter the en suite. I push thoughts of the other
times we’ve been in the shower away and pray my dick behaves as she begins undressing.
I switch the shower on, testing the temperature, and when I turn around, she’s standing there naked. Oh shit. This might have been a bad idea. She’s looking off into space, and I unashamedly rove my eyes over her curves, her full breasts. When my eyes finally reach her face again, she’s looking at me with a knowing smile on her face. Busted.
“Did you get a good look, Seb?”
I step toward her, almost chest to chest. “I could look at you all day, but now is not the time, Jamie.” A flash of hurt sparks in her eyes. “Hey.” I lift a hand, sliding it along her neck and gripping her hair. “You’re hurting and angry, and I’m not so much of an arsehole that I’d take advantage of that.” Speak for yourself my dick announces. “But you need to get in the shower and get some clothes on because I’m trying to be a gentleman here, but I can only take so much before my dick wins this argument.” She lets out a small laugh, and then she reaches out a hand, stroking over my crotch. My dick, which is already hard, throbs painfully at her touch, and my eyes roll in their sockets as I take a deep breath and try to keep control.
“Feels to me as though you already lost.”
I grip her hand, stopping her strokes. “Firefly,” I warn, needing her to hear what I’m saying. “I would gladly take you right here, right now, but we both know that’s not what you need just now. You’d hate me after, and despite what you think, I really wouldn’t like that. My dick definitely wouldn’t like it.” I tighten my grip on her hair, pulling her face to mine. “I want you. But not like this.” I kiss her.
It’s like no kiss I’ve ever given to a woman before, and I hope she feels the truth of my words, and the unspoken ones too.
