Escaping Trouble

by Dee Bridle

  “I’ll never be drunk enough for that,” returned Zac.

  Noah continued to lean against the wall, his hands now in his pockets as he watched me. I eyed him warily, not knowing what he was thinking. He still looked a little angry since Sean’s departure.

  “I’ll do a strip joint,” said Zac.

  Ava hit his arm and said, “Not with me!”

  “Why not?” he asked.

  “Why would I want to see my boyfriend getting excited over a girl that’s not me?” exclaimed Ava.

  Noah stepped away from the wall.

  “I’m going home. I’ve got class in four hours.”

  I watched him move away and head back through the club without me. I had fucked up. Somehow.

  “Let’s go home,” said Zac taking Ava’s hand.

  Ava went to grab my hand, and I shook my head and said, “You go.”

  She stopped and said, “You’re not coming with us?”

  I shook my head.

  “Oh, Ivy, you have to.”

  “He’s pissed with me, and I always fuck things up.”

  “He’s pissed because he wants you,” said Zac.

  I folded my arms across my chest, feeling unsure over the entire situation.

  “And you had an ex-boyfriend all over you just before. You’re lucky he didn’t break Sean’s nose.”

  My eyes narrowed, and I asked, “How do you know his name?”

  Ava giggled drunkenly and said, “Zac and Noah know everything.”

  I didn’t miss the dark look Zac gave her before he led her away from me. Annoyed at the whole situation, I didn’t follow them. I walked the other way, back into the now throbbing club. I couldn’t deal with this.

  I saw Sean doing shots with his friends and went straight over to him. He cocked an eyebrow as I reached him, scanning behind me. I felt like telling him that he didn’t have to worry, Noah wasn’t here anymore. I wordlessly grabbed his shot on the table and gulped it back. His friends cheered, so I did another one. My heard swirled, part alcohol, part anger, and mostly confusion. I did one more, looking Sean in the eyes defiantly. His lips curled, seeing the old Ivy that he knew.

  I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, feeling the music vibrate through me. A hardcore DJ was still doing his set and bringing the crowd together as one. Death metal remixes always got me on the floor with the anger, the growling, and the deep dark beats. I left Sean standing there and headed into the crowd, flitting between the jumping bodies, and getting into the middle of the floor where it was the hottest.

  Bodies bounced around and heads shook as the music vibrated around the walls. Everyone was lost to the heavy beat, dancing in their own worlds as I joined them. I started to jump and fling my arms around, letting it take over my soul. With every jump, with every shake of my hips, I let the numbness take me.

  I shook my head back and forth, my hair swinging in people’s faces. No one cared. They were all here to get lost in the beat. I felt the anger, through me, through the music and started to release it. My heart thumped in time with the fast beat, spreading the alcohol around my limbs, making me see nothing but a haze of bodies around me.

  I kept dancing, a small smile creeping onto my face as I let it all go. Old habits die hard, and I had missed the feeling. I wanted to keep drinking myself into oblivion and just lose myself. No more pain, no more hurt.

  A guy appeared right in front of me, now dancing with me as his hands went around my waist. I reared back from him, not wanting anyone touching me. This was my dance and mine alone. I just wanted to shut my brain down and feel free for however long the beat lasted.

  I felt his hand on me again and I swiped it away. This guy obviously needed to get a clue. I wanted to distance myself from reality, not have a tattooed horn bag ruining it all. He kept dancing in front of me, not taking the hint. His lip ring was shining under the lights as he grinned.

  It wasn’t the face I wanted to see. Or the grin.

  Suddenly annoyed with myself, I shoved him back and then moved away. I felt sick. The only good thing in my life was now probably safe at home, and I was here trying to numb my problems. It never used to work, so I had no idea why I thought it would now. Morning would come, and I would be sick, feeling like death, and my problems would still sit heavily on my shoulders, dragging me down and suffocating me.

  I stopped dancing. I stood still in the heaving mass of dancers, feeling wretched. My heart thumped, but it also ached. I knew where I suddenly wanted to be. It wasn’t here. Fear struck me at the thought of him maybe not wanting me to come back to a place I now referred to as home.

  Someone bumped into me. It was the lip ring guy again. I rolled my eyes and stuck my finger up at him. He only laughed. Anger returned in full force, making me grit my teeth. Why did every guy think he could do whatever he wanted with me?

  Before I knew it, his hands had returned and he was pulling me against him. Losing touch of the small slice of sanity I owned, I pulled his wandering hands off me and then angrily shoved him again. He laughed once more, his hands returning.

  My fist clenched and before I knew it, I was hitting him in the face. Pain shot up my arm and I took note of his shocked face as he staggered back. I felt emotionally charged as I watched him check to see if his nose was bleeding before glaring at me angrily.

  I had seriously lost my mind and all feeling in my hand. I turned to disappear into the crowd, just in case he wanted his revenge. That’s when I came up against a muscled wall of chest. It was instantly familiar, and I looked up to the face that I did want to see.

  Noah’s mouth was set in a firm line as he swiftly pulled me behind him and then shoved lip ring guy back so hard, he landed on the floor a couple of meters back. The crowd parted between them as lip ring guy got up from the floor. Noah gave a smirk and motioned for him to come back to him for more. He was poised for a fight, ready to wipe the floor with him.

  I didn’t want him to fight over me. I truly wasn’t worth it, anyway. I pulled at him.

  “Don’t! Let’s just go,” I shouted over the music from behind him.

  He either ignored me or didn’t hear me over the music as he stepped towards lip ring guy. Their faces were suddenly inches apart as they glared at each other.

  “Stop!” I shouted, trying to pull them apart.

  We were going to be kicked out of the club any minute now by security.

  Sean appeared beside me and then pulled lip ring guy away suddenly. He said something in his ear and then kept moving him away. The crowd soon lost interest and went back to dancing. The space was now eaten up by moving bodies again.

  I tugged on Noah’s arm, feeling his tension. He was still ready to fight, and I needed to get him out of this place.

  His arm went around me and he pulled me against him. He placed his other hand behind my neck and into my hair.

  “What the hell are you doing, Rocky?” he shouted over the music, his eyes blazing into mine.

  I looked into his angry eyes, liking that he was still using his nickname for me. All I could think about was kissing those fine lips of his, right here, in the middle of the crowd. His hold on me was dominant, but welcome. I had to process that in my head for a moment. This guy broke all my rules.

  “Let’s go, bad ass,” I shouted, moving out of his arms.

  I couldn’t get clarity while I was in his embrace. He didn’t let me get too far from him before he grabbed my hand and pulled me back. But it was only to take my hand and lead me through the crowd, towards the entrance. He was taking control, and I somehow liked it.

  We made it outside the club and walked to the shop front next door. Before I could do anything more, his lips were on mine. His lips were firm, taking all control from me as his hand grasped the back of my head and kept me in place. I could feel his tensed muscles under my fingers as I trailed them up his arms, taut shoulders, and then corded neck. I swiped my tongue into his mouth as his hand tightened in my hair, hurting me.

  He walked
me backwards into the shop alcove until I was up against the cool darkened glass door. I felt him start to calm down, his strength and focus now were on kissing me. A new type of tension was filling him, as he devoured my mouth.

  This was all I needed. And wanted. Right here. This tower of muscle and strength, who would protect me and drive me wild all at the same time. His hand went above my head, on the glass, enclosing me in as his tongue dominated mine. I was crazy with lust as I arched my body into his, wanting to feel him. I had visions of tracing his body tattoos with my tongue. I had definitely had too much tequila.

  I didn’t know if he had left the club and decided to come back for me, or if he’d stayed in the club the whole time. But he was here now, and I suddenly wanted to go home with him. There was nothing I wanted more.

  “Hey, fighter boy! Let’s see how tough you are now,” said a voice behind us.

  Noah’s fingers released my hair, and I felt the cool breeze as he stepped back from me. I looked around him and saw lip ring guy with two other guys, standing there.

  “Fuck,” I gasped.

  Noah took my chin and smirked before he kissed me once more.

  “Later, I promise,” he said with meaning.

  My eyes widened, taking in his cool stance as he leaned back from me again and turned to look squarely at lip ring guy.

  “Not so tough now when you’re outnumbered,” said lip ring rolling his shoulder in preparation.

  Noah only chuckled.

  I was going to vomit.

  “What’s so fucking funny?” asked lip ring.

  “That you had to go and get back-up to fight me,” returned Noah, now standing fully in front of me.

  “It doesn’t matter, because when we finish with you, your little girlfriend is next,” said lip ring.

  “See, that’s where you’re wrong,” he said calmly. “When I finish with all of you, I’m going to make sure she gives you some more special attention to your face with her fist.”

  I panicked behind his back. What the hell was he doing, spurring them on like this? I pulled out my phone, my fingers shaking as I opened my contacts. Did I call Will or Zac? How far away were they now?

  “Rocky,” he said under his breath.

  I glanced up in fear, barely hearing him.

  “I move, you run.”

  “No,” I gasped softly. “Don’t do this.”

  “Do it,” he demanded, louder this time.

  I put my phone back in my pocket and said, “Okay.”

  “Let’s go, fighter boy. Time to get hurt.”

  Noah stretched his neck to the side and stretched his fingers. I tried to breathe as I focused on him. He was going to get hurt. I would run back to the club and get security to put a stop to the fight.

  “Let’s go fuckers,” he said taking a step further away from me and towards them. “Let’s see what you pussies have got.”

  I wanted to groan. He was relentless, and I wondered if he had a death wish. I knew he could fight, but the last time he was with Will, and not so ridiculously outnumbered.

  “Run,” he demanded softly.

  I heard the first fist hitting skin as I dived out of the shop alcove and ran as fast as I could towards the club. I gripped the door and swung it open, breathing heavy as I shoved my way in.

  “You have to help. There’s a fight outside!” I shouted to one of the security guards who seemed to be closing the register area down.

  “If it’s outside, it’s not my concern,” he said, without even looking up.

  “It’s three against one! You need to help!” I screamed, pulling my phone out and calling Will.

  “Yeah?” answered Will.

  “Noah’s in a fight, and he’s going to get hurt. It’s three guys outside the club and no one is helping me,” I said in a panic.

  “I’m at least fifteen minutes away, but I’m sure he’s got it under control.”

  “There are three guys, Will!” I screeched.

  “Yeah, but it’s Noah. Where are you? Just stay out of the way, and he’ll be fine.”

  “How can he be fine?” I exclaimed, shoving the door open and stepping back outside.

  I looked over in trepidation and saw two guys already on the ground and Noah fighting the last one. I ended the call to Will and ran over to them, not even thinking straight.

  Noah looked at me running toward him and got punched in the face for his troubles. I mindlessly pulled at the guy, kicking at him and then jumping on his back and trying to put him in a choke hold.

  “Ivy, get off him!” shouted Noah as the guy turned sharply and shoved me off.

  I lost my balance and hit the ground hard. I heard a fist hitting skin, a crunching sound, and then the guy was hitting the ground next to me.

  I scrambled up, and then Noah was pulling me up, checking me over.

  “You okay?” he asked with concern.

  “I’m fine. You?” I asked seeing his bloody nose and needing to wipe it with something.

  “I had it under control, Rocky. What were you thinking?” he exclaimed, still checking me over.

  “I guess I wasn’t thinking,” I replied.

  I found a napkin in my pocket that a guy had used to write his number on earlier in the night. I wiped at Noah’s nose and he took the napkin from me, not missing the number written in thick black marker.

  “Who the hell carries a black marker around in his pocket?” he asked.

  My nerves were shot as I threw my hands up.

  “I don’t know, maybe he does graffiti in his spare time! He was a loser who had no chance. Fuck, Noah, who are you? A freaking superhero?”

  He could see I was about to lose it and pulled me to him.

  “I’d say yes, but I’m not wearing Spandex for anyone,” he said about to run his fingers through my hair until he saw his bloodied knuckles.

  “How can you joke at a time like this?” I asked, pulling away from him.

  This is why I didn’t care about people. It just hurt too much if they were hurt or in danger. I only had enough in me to worry about my own dangerous life.

  “Ivy,” he said, reaching out to me, but then stopping and withdrawing his hand. “I’m a fighter. I know what I’m doing.”

  I could see that. Amongst the panic and nerves, I could really see that. I watched him throw the bloody napkin to the ground, and then he pulled his T-shirt off. He used it to wipe at his nose and then his knuckles. My eyes glazed over the perfection standing in front of me—muscles tight and still ready to fight.

  One of the guys moved and groaned.

  “Let’s go,” he said.

  I followed him in complete disbelief, watching him put an arm out for a passing cab. Speechless, I watched the muscles in his torso flex under his inked skin. Who put three guys to the ground and then looked so in control and sexy afterwards?

  He opened the back door of the cab and motioned for me to get in. I climbed inside and watched him get in and shut the door. He told the driver his address, and then he set his eyes on me.

  I was aware of the adrenaline pumping through his system, and aware he was in his element when he was fighting and winning. I leaned into him as he put his arm over the back seat. I was feeling things for this guy. I knew without a doubt in my mind that he would keep me safe from the world.

  That idea alone could be addictive.

  He could make me lose myself.

  His other hand moved to his pocket and pulled his vibrating phone out.

  I saw Will’s name as he answered with a “Yeah?”

  “All good? Ivy was concerned you were outnumbered,” said Will.

  “All good,” he said ending the call.

  His eyes landed on me as he asked, “You called Will? So he could come and save the day?”

  “Well, I didn’t know at the time that you were a superhero,” I mumbled.

  I didn’t know if he was joking or really pissed at the idea. This fighter role was obviously a serious part of his life. He kept his a
rm over the back seat behind me, but looked out the side window. He was still amped, and I saw a muscle tick in his jaw.

  “It looked like you had it under control after I had called him. I was scared you would get hurt, that’s all.”

  “I told you I’ve got this, Ivy. I will always keep you safe. I had the situation sorted. I just needed you somewhere else, away from them and safe. Next time, stay out of the way so I can focus.”

  “There’s going to be a next time?”

  “Guys always want to prove how big their cock is by fighting me. Now I’ll also have guys wanting what’s mine,” he said leaning his head back on the head rest.

  “So, I’m still yours?” I murmured.

  “You want me to prove it, right here?” he asked, setting his piercing eyes on me.

  I suddenly wanted nothing more.

  I didn’t wait any longer as the burning need I had for this guy made me lean into him and kiss him hard. His arm moved from the back of the seat and came around me, pulling me towards him as he returned my kiss.

  I felt unhinged as his mouth plundered mine, not caring in the slightest that the cab driver could be watching. I felt hungry for him, like a starved person. I had tequila, fear, and adrenaline running through my veins, and I didn’t know what to do with it all.

  He pressed me back into the seat as he kissed me hungrily, his tongue almost fighting with mine. His hand gripped my thigh, pulling it closer to him and I knew if I didn’t take a breath, I would end up straddling him.

  The cab driver’s voice interrupted us, stating the charge of the fare.

  We had arrived.

  I tucked some hair behind my ear and got out of the cab as Noah paid him. I felt dizzy as I started to walk down his driveway, trying to breathe. I was lightheaded with lust and each step took me closer to his front door and the looming possibility of him wanting more.

  I only hoped I could hold the poorly stuck pieces of myself together for him to have more. I needed to be numb and shut myself down to do anything and Noah had already opened something up within me. This entire night was fraught with danger, for all of us.

  He was soon behind me, leaning over to unlock the front door, but not touching me. Whether he could feel my anxiety or not, he didn’t say anything as we walked inside. I watched him head straight to the bathroom and then heard the taps running and the splash of water.