Delicate Scars

by Alta Hensley

  I swallowed hard. Quinn’s long hair flowed more than halfway down her back. Her jeans hugged her body, and she wore a pair of worn leather boots. Her magenta-colored blouse clasped around her neck, backless except for the bottom part that clung securely around the small of her tantalizing back. Quinn Sullivan… was anyone more captivating?

  I put the rim of the Jack bottle to my mouth, taking another small swig. Originally I had wanted to be careful not to drink too much, and wanted to stay clear of the blow for at least tonight. My friends, Teddy and Knox, would make up for me when it came to the cocktail and drug consumption. They always did. I wanted to make a good impression on Quinn. I found it hard enough to keep my senses intact around her as it was. But I fucked that up, and now I was already down the rabbit hole.

  I leaned into Knox’s ear to shout above the loud, booming music. “I’ll be back. There’s someone I need to go see.”

  Knox acknowledged me with a nod. “I’m going to go get a drink. You want one?”

  “I’m good, thanks.” I held up my bottle of Jack, still half full.

  Walking in Quinn’s direction, I recognized the short raven-haired girl holding a cocktail with Quinn as her friend from last night, Felicity.

  As I approached Quinn, I could feel my heart pick up tempo and my gut clench. Despite my efforts to quiet my nerves artificially, I felt completely on edge. It surprised the hell out of me. I prided myself on my confidence with the ladies. Control at all times dictated my demeanor. One look at this woman changed all of that.

  I walked around behind her and moved in closer. She smelled wonderful, giving off a gentle floral fragrance. Not suffocating or unbearable like some of the women’s perfume I was used to smelling. No stench of alcohol, no stale cigarette smoke, no sweaty-club-atmosphere-odor present. Everything about Quinn refreshed my senses. My old self had become stale, and she gave me a renewed awareness.

  I hungered to wrap my arms around her tiny frame and hold onto her like she belonged to me. Instead, against my will, I eased closer and talked in her ear. “Hey, I’m glad you decided to come.”

  Quinn spun around, nearly spilling her drink all over me. Her expression went immediately from startled, to embarrassed, to welcoming. Her smile beckoned like a lighthouse. “Yeah, I’m glad, too. What a great place. I had no idea it would be so crowded.” Her smile continued to draw me in. “Felicity was really excited when I told her we were invited. Thank you.”

  I couldn’t get over how stunning she looked. If I stared at her every day of my life, it would never be enough. The word “captivating” was created for this woman. “I had no idea your hair was so long. Last night you had it pulled up and… you have beautiful hair.”

  Quinn paused for a second. “Thank you.” I noticed she avoided eye contact again, reminding me of last night. Her eyelashes actually appeared to rest against her cheekbones, the blush rising underneath.

  I cast my eyes over her shoulder at the sex scene going on behind her and asked, “Are you liking what you see?”

  She instantly looked into my eyes and then back down at the ground, clearly embarrassed by the question. I had seen just enough of her eyes to see she was high, which for some odd reason was like a sucker punch to the gut. I didn’t want my perfect, innocent, Quinn Sullivan doing drugs like all the others. She had been sober last night, but tonight she wasn’t. “I uh, Felicity uh… I don’t normally…” But now I could see. This wasn’t normal for her. It was obvious.

  It was easy to see the conversation made Quinn uncomfortable, and I was afraid she would want to run off. I had no intentions of letting her run away again. Not this time. I glanced at her glass. “What are you drinking?”

  She smiled timidly. “I have no idea.”

  “What? You don’t know what you’re drinking?”

  She laughed. “No clue. Felicity handed it to me. It’s good, though.”

  Quinn’s smile somehow had a calming effect on me. “Well, would you like another drink of ‘I have no idea’, or would you like to try ‘beats me?’ ”

  She laughed even louder. “Ooh, I love ‘beats me!’ That drink’s amazing.”

  I found her sense of humor refreshing, especially since she seemed so shy. The contrast only added to the hold this woman had on me. Whatever the magic was, I was spellbound.

  “Um, Axel,” she said, once again looking at the ground. “I’m sorry. I’m a little out of it right now. This is so not like me.”

  I nodded and put my hand softly on her arm. “It’s okay. I think everyone in this room is a little out of it.” I leaned in. “Are you feeling okay?”

  She looked up and gave another one of her captivating smiles. “I feel really good. Almost too good.”

  I chuckled. “Well good. Let me go get you that drink. I’ll be right back.”

  I quickly ordered the drink, never taking my eyes off of her. I was happy that the bartender served me instantly so I could return to her as quickly as possible. “Here you go.”

  Quinn reached for Felicity’s hand as the scene in the room had come to an end. “I haven’t introduced you yet. This is my friend, Felicity. I just moved out here a few days ago from San Francisco, and she’s been kind enough to let me stay with her.”

  I nodded. “Yes, I’ve seen Felicity around.”

  Felicity’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “You have?”

  I nodded again. “Let’s just say you may have a secret admirer.”

  “What? Who?” Felicity reminded me of a little girl at Christmas.

  “Sorry. My lips are sealed.” I wasn’t about to tell her that Knox had been eyeing her for quite some time. He thought she was hot as fuck but hadn’t made his move yet.

  Quinn gave a playful wink as she took a small sip of her drink. Felicity looked as if she were about to speak when another girl who had just made her way to where they stood, pulled her away.

  I decided I had had enough of the Jack and placed the bottle on a table nearby. I watched Quinn intently. Her body was so small, but she looked so strong. Her perfect pout begged to be kissed… almost demanded. The demand was more powerful than any command a Dom in this club could issue. My loins constricted as I pictured me kissing her. Obsession at its highest.

  “So, did you come here alone?” Quinn asked.

  I looked toward my friends in the center of the room. I had to. If I stared at her any longer, I feared I’d cause her to seek the next exit. I felt like a crazed stalker or something.

  “No, my friends are here somewhere, working the room, earning their money.” I turned back to Quinn. “Someone needs to earn our paycheck.”

  She sipped on her drink again. “What exactly is it you do?” Quinn held my gaze for a moment and then smiled, making my heart skip.

  “Do you really not know?” I asked.

  She blushed and looked down at the ground. “I guess I do.” She looked up into my eyes. “Do you like dealing drugs?” She cleared her throat and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “I’m sorry. That was a stupid and nosey question. Like I said, my brain isn’t really working right now.”

  “It’s okay. And to answer your question—not really.”

  “You don’t like it?”

  I shrugged. “It pays the bills. It just really isn’t who I am.”

  She smiled again. “Who are you?”

  I stood there, enthralled with every word and every move Quinn made, wondering how I could answer her question, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Knox. “Hey, we’re going to take off.”

  I looked at Quinn. She seemed so small and delicate and incredibly vulnerable. Or I was just going to use that as my excuse for wanting to stay with her. “I’m going to stick around. Her friend left, and I don’t want to leave her alone.”

  Quinn smiled at me. “Go ahead, I’m fine.”

  “I’m not going to leave you here by yourself. I’ll stay with you until Felicity gets back.”

  Quinn grabbed my hand, and pulled me into the crowd of dan
cing bodies. “Come on, let’s go look for Felicity so you feel comfortable going with your friends.” She smiled softly at me, making my heart melt even more—if that was even possible.

  As we made our way across the dance floor, one of Jillian’s friends tried to stop me. “Hey, Axel, where’s Jillian? She was supposed to be here tonight. Didn’t she come here with you?” Her eyebrows arched, and she peered at Quinn. I kept walking, pretending not to hear.

  “Is Jillian your girlfriend?” I could feel Quinn try to let go of my hand but I only tightened the grip.

  I shook my head. “No, not at all.”

  We continued to make our way through the club, no sign of Felicity appearing. Knox caught up with us, looking a little irritated.

  “Axel, come on. Let’s get out of here,” Knox insisted.

  Quinn still held my hand. I looked at her apologetically, and then turned to Knox. “Give me a sec. She needs to find her friend before I’m comfortable leaving.”

  Quinn smiled, finally looking deep into my eyes. “I’ll be fine. Go ahead. Don’t make your friends wait because of me.”

  It took all my willpower to not lean over and kiss her, but the last thing I wanted was for anything to happen tonight that would scare Quinn away. She seemed timid, and as much as I found it sexy as hell, I didn’t want to come off as too aggressive.

  “Oh, hey,” I said, addressing Knox. “This is Quinn. Quinn, this is my friend, Knox.”

  Quinn blushed slightly and said hello in a tentative voice. I knew Knox assumed she was just some girl I’d picked up at the club for a quick hookup.

  We all made our way to the exit, where Teddy stood with arms crossed, waiting. Quinn couldn’t find Felicity at all. She had tried to send her some texts, as well as calling her several times, with no response.

  Quinn frowned at her phone. “Something wrong?” I asked.

  “Can we leave? Do you mind taking me home?”

  “What about Felicity?” I asked.

  “I’ll send her a text letting her know I got a ride home. Felicity sometimes hooks up with a guy and forgets about who she came with.” Quinn shrugged. “I just don’t want to be here by myself. Can I get a ride with you?”

  I stared at her for a second, delighted to have more time with her. “That sounds like a good idea. You definitely shouldn’t be here alone… feeling a little off.” I gave her a playful wink.

  I finally let go of Quinn’s hand. I placed my palm on her lower back and escorted her out of the club to our awaiting limo. I helped her into the seat and sat down next to her, reaching for her hand immediately. Both Knox and Teddy studied my actions, no doubt shocked to see me give anyone affection, something I never did. They did… but not me. It was a definite change of pace having them leave the club empty handed, but with me having someone by my side.

  “Have the driver drop us off first,” Knox said, motioning toward Teddy. “Then you can take Quinn home.”

  I smiled, relieved Knox made it easy for me to have some alone time with Quinn. I wasn’t ready to say goodnight to her yet. I could always count on Knox to help a guy out.

  4

  Fucked Up Resume

  Quinn

  Listening to the ringtone while I sat in the limo, heart pounding, I waited for Felicity to answer. The fresh air, and leaving the loud music of the club helped sober me up. I felt relaxed, and really good. But I no longer felt I was so high that I needed to crawl in a ball up against a wall. The edge was gone, and for that I was grateful.

  “Hello?”

  “Felicity?”

  “Quinn, I’ve been looking for you. Where are you? Are you okay?”

  “I’m with Axel. I couldn’t find you, so I decided to get a ride home with him. Are you on your way home?”

  “No, I met a friend and we’re going to go to another club. Do you need me to come get you? Do you want to come?” Felicity asked.

  “No, I’ll have Axel take me home.”

  “I can’t believe you are with Axel Rye! You’re living the dream, girl.”

  Her words made my heart beat even harder. I bit my lip.

  I decided to ignore the comment. “I’ll see you when you get home. Be safe.”

  “Is he right there next to you?” Felicity whispered, as if Axel might hear her.

  I giggled. “You have fun tonight.”

  “You have to hook up with him! And I want to hear all about it.”

  I laughed nervously, my face suddenly warm. “Felicity!” I whispered. “I’ll be fine. Bye.”

  “Let loose! Give it a shot; you might surprise yourself.” Yeah, the last time I listened to her and let loose, my body felt it was going to melt while I watched a man perform acts I never knew possible.

  My pulse sped up. Felicity didn’t help my already strained nerves. “I gotta go. Have a good night.” I hung up the phone, trying not to notice Axel watching me.

  After dropping everyone off, Axel turned to me and smiled. That smile. It was unlike anything I had seen. It was soft, sensual, and alluring. I shifted in my seat, trying not to appear anxious, but I found it nearly impossible to control my nervous energy. Why was I having such a hard time breathing now?

  “Are you hungry?” Axel asked.

  I let out the breath I was holding and nodded.

  “Good, because I’m starving.” He leaned forward to the driver and muttered some instructions.

  We picked up some food at a small coffee shop and headed to the beach, eating along the way in the back seat. I hadn’t realized how hungry I truly was until I bit into my sandwich. Everything about the meal and the company was perfect. Axel had a way of making me feel warm, comforted, and relaxed. I ate more than I would normally and talked more about myself than I would ever do. I guarded my past, my present, and my future. I opened up to very few, and had found it was easier that way. It wasn’t like I had anything exciting to really open up about. My insecurities always had me thinking before that people were judging me for being so boring. I did, however, open up slightly to Axel. I felt comfortable enough to discuss my likes and dislikes. I had told him my favorite color, my favorite food, what music I liked, what movie last made me cry. It must have been that little pink pill, but I was talking a mile a minute.

  I took the last bite of my sandwich and leaned back against the leather of the limo seat. “I’m so full, I could explode!”

  Axel smiled warmly. “From the looks of it, you could add a few pounds to that frame of yours.”

  I blushed. “Yeah, I tend to skip meals. I get caught up in work and forget, I guess. I lose track of time.” When I’d write, hours would fly by.

  Axel raised an eyebrow. “Bartending?”

  Crap! I had almost given away that I was a writer.

  I just shrugged casually. “I needed the sandwich. I feel so much better. My brain seems to be coming back.”

  “What exactly did you take?”

  I knew I was blushing. I shouldn’t feel weird for doing drugs. Axel was a drug dealer for Christ’s sake, but I totally felt like he would judge me. “I don’t know. It was pink.”

  “A pink pill?”

  “Yes.”

  “You just took a pink pill and didn’t know what it was?” His eyes darkened, and he didn’t look as jovial as he had been before.

  “Felicity gave it to me.” I shrugged. “I trust her.”

  He nodded slowly and his expression seemed to soften. “Well you need to be careful with that shit. I didn’t sell it to her, so who knows where she got it. It could be dirty.”

  I laughed. “As opposed to clean drugs? Are there such things? If she would have bought the pink pill from you, would it then be good for me?”

  He stopped for a moment and then let out a deep and hearty laugh. “Good point. Fine. Drugs are bad, little girl. Stay away!”

  We laughed until a silent calm washed over us as we both just looked at each other. Axel’s eyes were soft and gentle. He casually had one arm slung over the back of the seat, giving off a sense o
f comfort and a perception of ease. I realized we were both staring at each other, and I began to grow uneasy.

  “So where are we going?” I asked to change up the mood.

  Axel took a moment to continue to stare. “To one of my favorite places in the city. Believe it or not, the clubs are my least favorite part.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “They aren’t me.”

  I almost laughed. “You do realize you are Axel Rye, right? Your name alone represents these clubs.”

  Axel frowned. “I know, and I hate that.”

  I smiled softly and straightened my back. “Then why do you do it?”

  Axel’s face grew serious. “That’s a good question. I guess I’m searching.”

  I took a deep breath to attempt to soothe my nerves. “Searching?”

  Axel reached across the seat and lightly grabbed my hand. He didn’t say anything, but his soft touch made me feel calm and relaxed again. He gave a gentle squeeze before pulling his hand away.

  Axel and I sat in silence again. I noticed how easy it was for both of us to sit and be content in each other’s company. We both could stare into each other’s eyes, taking the time to observe. I liked how Axel’s eyes would light up when he smiled. I liked how he was confident enough not to look away. I liked how he had a way of holding my stare, demanding my eyes stay connected with his. I liked… well, I liked Axel.

  “So, tell me something about you. I feel you have the upper hand because you know so much about me. I feel like I haven’t stopped talking this whole drive.” This was my chance to start building my story.

  “I have no secrets. What would you like to ask?”

  “I can ask anything?”

  Axel smiled. “Yes, you can ask anything.”

  I took a moment to think of a good question. I wasn’t sure if I would get this opportunity to ask anything of my liking again. I also wanted to be careful not to come across as a reporter or something.

  “Okay, so why is a good-looking man, like you, not in a serious relationship?” I blushed at how forward I sounded but continued. “You have to give me honesty, nothing simple or general.”