Tag You're Mine

by T L Osborn

  When the taxi arrives, Gavin and I head out to BlueDreams, a bar I love that serves my favourite cocktail: a purple fairy. I order a wine and Gavin orders a beer before finding some seats to sit on. Gavin sips his beer while looking around the room.

  Will he be taking anyone home tonight?

  “How’s the book writing coming?” he asks.

  “I haven’t done any for a while. I’m not really feeling in the mood for writing.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “So, any women catching your eye tonight?” I ask Gavin, then take a sip of my drink.

  “One, but I don’t think she knows I exist,” he replies.

  “Pfft, a strapping guy like you. What happened to what’s her name? The one you were dating.”

  “Oh her? We broke up a few months ago. She decided I wasn’t outgoing enough for her.”

  “Don’t waste your time on someone who doesn’t want you. Now, tell me more about this one you have your eye on?”

  “Well, actually, it’s you.”

  Huh?

  I stop sipping my drink through my straw, and turn to look at him. “Gavin, that’s umm…really sweet, but I’m not interested in getting into a relationship right now.”

  “I know. I shouldn’t have said anything. It was silly. Can you forgive me?”

  “Absolutely, we’re mates.” I sip my drink, unsure of what to say now.

  “Want to dance?” Gavin asks as I’m finishing my wine.

  He stands and holds out a hand for me. I take it and he leads me out onto the floor.

  The atmosphere is alive, the people are full of energy and alcohol and I’m pushed into Gavin who ends up wrapping his arms around me.

  “Sorry,” he murmurs, though he holds me longer than I would like which leaves me feeling rather uncomfortable. I don’t really want to be held by anyone other than James.

  “I have to pee. I’ll be back shortly.”

  “Sure, I’ll grab us another drink and find a table,” he says.

  I head to the ladies quickly, and look at myself in the mirror.

  I need to get out of here.

  Gavin is trying to put the moves on me and I’m not interested.

  When I return I find Gavin patiently waiting for me at a booth. I sit opposite him.

  “You took your time,” he says, sliding my drink over.

  “Queues for the ladies are long like always,” I reply, taking a sip of my drink.

  “Why do chicks take so long in the bathroom?” Gavin complains.

  I shrug, not really wanting to give away any female secrets. I take a few more sips of my drink, though I’m starting to feel a little dizzy.

  Wow, I’m a lightweight tonight. One glass of wine and two sips of another and I’m tipsy. That’s what I get for drinking on an empty stomach.

  “Hey… I’m going… Oh…” I sway, and lean against the table.

  Gavin stands, wrapping his arms around me, but I don’t want him to.

  I push him away. “I don’t feel so good.”

  “Come on, I’ll get you home,” he says, gripping me tighter.

  The taxi ride home is a mixture of me trying not to throw up, and attempting to get Gavin away from me. When we arrive at the apartment, I try to make a dash for my room, but he’s quicker.

  “Do you know how pretty you are?” he asks, running his hands all over me.

  “Gavin, you have a girlfriend.”

  “Had. I broke up with her not long after moving in here. Then I found you, but you went for the wrong man; a man who has more money than sense and who used you. I’m a good man, Riley.”

  “I know Gavin, but like I said, I’m not interested.”

  “You’ll go back to him. You can’t even give me a chance.” Gripping me by my shoulders he pushes me towards his room. Yanking my clutch from my hand, he throws it to the floor. “You’ll see. You deserve so much better than James.”

  “Like who, you?”

  “Now you’re finally seeing the light. When I made Poppy sick and she died, I was so sure you’d blame James because I made sure he was the last one to feed her.”

  His words ring in my ears.

  He hurt Poppy.

  My precious Poppy.

  “How could you be sure he’d do it?”

  “Because I told him he should feed her so you could sleep in since you didn’t have any clients in the morning.”

  “How do you know what clients I do and don’t have?” I ask, pulling away from him.

  His eyes darken, as a sinister smile crosses his face. “You really need to learn not to use the same password for everything.” He slides his fingers onto the tips of my hair. “You will be mine tonight, Riley. You’ll see I’m the Prince Charming you’ve been waiting for. I can be like the guys you write about.”

  I doubt it. I need some way to get away from him. My heart hammers inside my chest, my palms are sweating and my pulse skyrockets. I’ve got to get to my phone. I push him backwards and race towards the lounge.

  “Oh, no you don’t.” Gavin grabs my arm and I swing around slapping him across the face.

  I’d have punched him except I never learned how to do it properly and the slap achieves what I need it to. He’s momentarily distracted, and lets me go.

  I race towards my clutch, fumbling to get it open and manage to grab my phone. He pulls at me and I kick him in the shin, then elbow him in the stomach. Racing into the lounge, I drop my phone onto the floor, sending it sliding over by the coffee table.

  Damn it.

  He grabs me and pins me down on the floor, widening my legs with his thighs.

  I can’t fight him off, he’s too strong.

  “Shhh, Riley. Everything will be fine if you calm down,” he says.

  “Get off me!”

  “Not a chance, baby. We’re going to make love and you’re going to enjoy it. It’ll be great,” he says, then I hear the unzipping of his pants.

  He crushes his lips to mine and using my teeth, I bite down on his mouth, tasting blood. He screams, then slaps me hard across the face.

  I crawl across the floor, feeling myself losing the fight.

  He grabs my ankle as I dial the first number I find.

  Come on. Pick up. Pick up.

  James

  It’s been three weeks of not working, weekly therapy sessions and a lot of downtime. So much downtime that I’ve read all of Riley’s books. They’re very good. I wasn’t so thrilled about all the dirty sex scenes, but the stories were great.

  Checking my watch, I notice it’s almost time for the guys to arrive for Simon’s stag party. All he wants is a quiet night in, playing poker, eating whatever the fuck he wants and drinking a lot of whiskey. The room is set up, the bar is ready to go. Might as well pour myself a whiskey to get the night started.

  My front door opens and Simon, Jake, Toby and Roger walk in.

  “I invited Roger to play poker with us tonight,” Simon says.

  “Someone else to attempt to kick your ass.” I chuckle as he picks up the bottle of whiskey and pours himself two fingers.

  He offers the bottle to Roger who shakes his head. “I’m remaining sober. Someone has to drive you lot home.”

  “I’m already at home.” I laugh as we sit down. Toby and Jacob grab themselves a whiskey and join us. “Right, so who’s prepared to kick the groom’s butt tonight?”

  “You’re the lousy poker player,” Simon replies, taking a seat.

  “We shall see.” I deal out a hand of cards and we play. A few rounds later and both Simon and I are losing to Roger.

  “Would you stop trying to look at my cards?” Toby growls at Jake.

  “Not hard when you’re practically laying them on the table in front of me.” Jake laughs.

  “You’re just trying to cheat,” Toby grumbles.

  “All right, if you want me to beat you at something fair, let’s do a push-up challenge.”

  “Pfft, I’ll win hands down,” Toby says.

  I turn to
Simon. “They sound exactly like us.”

  He chuckles. “Why do you think I like them,” he replies. “All in,” he calls and the table turns to look at him.

  “You think you’re going to beat me?” I chuckle.

  “Well, I did win the sperm race in the beginning.” He chuckles.

  “Yeah and I got stuck with you as my brother.” Turns out he does win the bounty in the middle of the table and we step outside to have a cigar.

  “You doing okay?” Simon asks as I light mine.

  “Getting there, though I’m getting extremely bored at home. I made a decision that I’m going to build a family home in Whiteman’s Valley.”

  “What made you decide that?”

  “I don’t want to be living in an apartment forever and I enjoyed having Poppy around, but this is no place to have a dog. I want a home somewhere I can raise a family.”

  “With Riley?” he asks.

  “If I can get her back.”

  “You will, you’ve taken the right steps.”

  “I’m going to go and see her tomorrow; see if we can talk. I think we’ve had enough time apart to think about things and for me to screw my head on properly.”

  He slaps me on the back. “Best decision I’ve heard you make in a while.”

  Toby comes out. “Hey, your phone’s ringing.” He hands it to me and I notice Riley’s name flashing up on the screen.

  “Hey, I was just–”

  I hear her scream, the sound of scuffling, followed by a slap.

  “You bitch!” Gavin roars.

  “James… Help…me,” she yells before the phone line goes dead.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  James

  “We really should ring the police,” Simon states as we head towards Riley’s place, which is where Roger pinged her phone with the help of his many contacts.

  “Uh, isn’t that his job?” I demand, pointing at Toby who’s in the front seat with Roger.

  “Oh, yeah, right?” Simon chuckles.

  I shake my head. “Of all the bloody sperm in the world, it was you who had to win the race.”

  “Someone had to.”

  “Right, when we go inside, I’m going to stay back. Roger and Simon, I want you two to go around the back. The chances of him running are high, so I want you to head him off. James, you’re only thoughts are Riley got it? She needs you right now. Don’t go after him. Just focus on her. Also, I need to ring for backup; since I’ve been drinking, I can’t be seen to be arresting him, or face an internal investigation,” Toby tells me as he pulls out his phone and dials a number.

  Fuck it.

  If I get to Gavin first, I’ll beat the living fucking crap out of him.

  Roger pulls the car up the drive and I’m already out of it before he’s even stopped. I kick the door in not even bothering to see if she’s behind it. I should have in case I hurt her. Immediately, I see her lying on the floor, blood pooled around her head. She’s pale and I can’t tell if she’s breathing.

  “Please, baby, it’s me.”

  Gavin’s kneeling over her with a horrified look on his face.

  “What the fuck have you done?” I growl.

  “Nothing, I swear! I never meant to hurt her.” He stands, holding his hands up as Roger, Toby and Simon enter the house.

  I run over to Riley and kneel down beside her. She’s breathing lightly, still alive. Simon’s dialing an ambulance while Toby’s calling in other police teams to arrest Gavin.

  The ambulance team arrives and I don’t want to leave Riley’s side. I’ve already done that once and look what happened. Simon grabs me by my shoulder, assisting me to my feet. “Let them work, bro.”

  I sit on one of the dining table chairs and watch as they do their best for her.

  Come on, baby. Please be okay. I can’t live without you.

  The ambulance team announce they need to rush her to Wellington Hospital and I stand, ready to go with her.

  “No. James, you need to stay here for a bit and talk to my colleagues,” Toby informs me as a team of officers arrive.

  They escort us outside considering the house is now an active crime scene and I tell them everything I know.

  When we’re finally done, Roger’s driving us to the hospital where I’m told Riley has been taken to ICU with massive head injuries and I won’t be allowed to see her until tomorrow. I drop my head into my hands.

  “Bro, it’s going to be okay. They said you can see her tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, but that’s not soon enough for me.”

  “Let’s go back to my place. We can sleep, eat breakfast in the morning, then return here first thing.”

  I nod, leaving reluctantly. I glance over my shoulder at the doors and shake my head. “Just take me home. I want to be as close to the hospital as possible.”

  “All right,” Simon says. I know he doesn’t want me to be alone tonight.

  When I finally get home, I head into the kitchen, quickly downing two glasses of whiskey before I head into our room and flop down on the bed. I grab the book she made me and I lay for the longest time, just staring at her face.

  Please be okay, baby. I can’t live without you.

  Riley

  I come awake, feeling warm and with the sound of beeping all around me.

  Opening my eyes, I stare at the white ceiling above and slowly turn my head seeing Torrie sitting beside me feeding Eva.

  “Hey,” I say my throat sore and scratchy.

  “Welcome back,” she says. I try to sit up. “No, you stay lying down, missy. You’ve been through hell and back.”

  “Oh, Riley you’re awake, thank heavens,” my mother shrieks through the room, causing my head to ring.

  “Mum, shhh,” Torrie says, pointing at Eva, though I know she’s really trying to protect me.

  “Is James here?” I ask.

  “He hasn’t left for three days, or at least until the hospital staff practically kicks him out every day.”

  “I’ve been asleep for three days?”

  “On and off. The doctors wanted to make sure you didn’t suffer any major damage to your brain. You did hit it pretty hard by the looks of things.”

  I’ve always hated that table. I look down at my arms; they’re covered in black and purple bruises, and as I shift my legs, they ache. My head begins to pound hard and I turn to look at Torrie who places my niece on the bed beside me. She moans and gurgles as her little fist comes out to touch my face.

  “I can’t believe I didn’t see Gavin was like that,” I say aloud.

  “When Courtney rang to say you were in the hospital and that Gavin had attacked you, we were all in shock. I’ve only met him a few times, but he didn’t seem crazy.”

  “I lived with him and never noticed it.”

  “You were lucky James found you when he did,” Torrie says.

  “Yes. Why was he your first call? You should’ve rung the police and not your ex-boyfriend.”

  “Mum!” Torrie says through gritted teeth. “She obviously rung the first number she found.”

  “Your mother and I have been speaking, Riley. Due to all this stuff happening, we’re not happy about you moving back into that house, nor do we want you living alone either. To aid in your recovery, we want you to move back home with us,” my dad says, squeezing my hand.

  “Temporarily,” my mother interjects.

  I’m surprised when my dad glares at her. “For as long as you need.”

  “You will be expected to do housework while you’re home and I expect you to cook dinner at least two nights a week,” my mother says and I roll my eyes.

  “Thanks, that’s great of you. Now, if you all don’t mind, I’d like to be left alone. I’m feeling pretty sore and tired and I’d like to rest.” Just as I say it, a nurse enters the room and checks my vital signs, gives me more pain relief and a sleeping pill. After taking the medication, I begin talking to my niece, my eyes becoming heavier as the pills take effect.

  I’ll
nap for a while, then I’ll continue with my story.

  James

  Pulling my car into the hospital carpark I’m on day four of being here and I really hope today is going to be the day I finally get to see Riley.

  I grab the purple teddy bear I’ve carried with me for the last three days off the seat beside me and make my way inside. Following the usual route up to her room, a nurse is exiting as I’m arriving.

  Panic rises inside me.

  Is something wrong?

  “Are you here to see Miss Fields?” the nurse asks.

  “Yes. Is everything okay?”

  “Since you’re not family, I can’t tell you much, but she is awake and would probably welcome the company,” the nurse says before walking away.

  I step into the room and peer around the corner of the curtain. Riley’s sitting up in her bed, a tray of food in front of her and she’s sipping her drink.

  As if sensing I’m here, she looks up at me and her face brightens immediately.

  “Hi,” she says.

  “Sorry if I’m interrupting, I can come back later.”

  “No, please sit,” she says, her voice weaker than normal. I sit down in the seat next to her.

  I chuckle with nerves as I do what she tells me. “How are you feeling?”

  “A little sore all over, but it’s mainly my head. The doctor says I hit it pretty hard. I’m lucky.” She holds out a hand across the bed and I reach across, gripping it in mine. Looking into her eyes, they glisten as tears spring into them. I hold the purple teddy out for her and she cuddles it close.

  “It smells like you.” She inhales, closing her eyes, then opens them again to look at me while her eyes continue to fill with tears. “I’m so sorry for walking out on you.”

  “You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for. It’s me that needs to be sorry; for the way I hurt you and for hiding the truth. I love you, Riley. It’s something I should’ve told you months ago. Instead, I pushed you away.”

  I take her in. Her head is bandaged, covering a gash. Her arms are bruised with fingerprints. If I hadn’t told her to leave this wouldn’t have happened.

  “Stop it,” she says with a squeeze to my hand. I look at her. “I know that look. You’re blaming yourself and this,” she swipes her hand over her body, “is not your fault.”