Page 28 of Rider Forbidden
“Fucking bitch.” One of them says and throws a pint of cider all over me. I'm drenched and mortified. What have I done to these girls? Absolutely nothing. Girls can be mean. I’ve had it all my life. They decide I look a certain way and judge me before they even know me. Mum says it’s because of how I look - who knows. I shove past them and make my way to the table. I don't get far, Jack has seen the whole thing and is striding towards me. He grabs my hand and walks over to the women, not saying a word to me.
“You fucking bitches. I saw what you just did. Do you want me to get you thrown out of here?”
The blonde instigator steps forward. “Come on Jack, it was an accident.”
He scoffs, “No, it was a fucking accident putting my dick in you - an accident that will never happen again - over my dead body. You don't like that I'm with someone else then fuck off to another club.”
They don't say a word. Jack doesn't give them more than a few seconds before he places his hand in the small of my back and guides me away. “Come on, I’ll take you back to the hotel.”
I shake my head, smoothing my dress down. I'm drenched, it's in my hair, on my face, my make-up is probably slowly melting away, it's gone on my dress and my chest, a full pint - I'm soaked. “Its fine Jack, you go back to the guys, I’ll go back to the hotel. I’ll get a cab.”
“I'm coming with you, no arguments - I was ready to head back anyway.”
I nod and he guides me outside. The warm air hits us, it's quite a welcome change from the cold air-conditioning of the club. “I can't believe that just happened.”
“I'm sorry about that, some women, well, they can't take no for an answer. She’s always messaging me, every time I see her out, she comes hanging around me - I can't get rid of her.”
“You must be quite a shag.”
He looks at me surprised. “Well . . . stick around, you might find out.”
I groan “Oh my god, women don't fall for these lines, right?”
He shrugs “You'd be surprised how many love them.”
We both laugh.
We get outside and there are no cabs to be found anywhere. I turn to Jack “Come on we can walk - its only ten minutes.”
He raises his eyebrows. “In those shoes?”
I laugh “Oh no, they're coming off.” I bend down to unbuckle my shoes and slip them off, immediately I wonder if it’s a good idea, I was already shorter than him but with no heels on he makes me feel tiny. He reaches down for my shoes and gets hold of them by the straps for me. “Thanks. I don't suppose you have a tissue or anything do you?” I doubt he will, but I'm seriously bothered what my face must look like.
He shakes his head, “No, but here . . . use my t-shirt.” He lifts his t-shirt up by the hem, showing me his stomach and abs. I try not to look but I'm only human.
“Like what you see?” he smirks
I roll my eyes. “I’ll ruin your t-shirt.”
“It's black, you won't be able to see anything on it, and sweetheart, you really need to wipe your face right now.”
I groan - I don't even want to know what I look like. I grab his t-shirt and bend my head down so that I can wipe my face while he’s still wearing his top. I wipe under my eyes, to wipe the mascara off.
“Better?” I ask him.
“If that was possible . . . yeah.” He stares at me and looks down to my chest, which is glistening with beer. “You know, I bet you taste out of this fucking world right now.”
I bat his arm and link him to start walking. I wonder if I'm being too familiar, but I kind of need his stability - I’ve had lots to drink and he’s hardly had any. I think those shots are the only thing I’ve seen him have, and one pint of lager, the rest have been soft drinks - which just shows me even more how committed he is, because it must be hard not getting hammered when everyone else is.
“So . . . apart from what just happened, are you having fun here? With us?”
I look up at him, god he’s tall. “Yeah I am. I'm missing Eli, but it's nice getting away on my own. I feel freedom for the first time in a long time.” I realise how bad that sounded. “I don't mean I want freedom - I wouldn't change having Elijah for anything - but just for a couple of nights . . . it's nice. I do feel like I might be drowning missing him with alcohol a little - it kind of goes away when I'm drunk - which is not really a healthy life decision.”
He chuckles and then we settle into a comfortable silence. We just walk together in the balmy air. All I can smell is the cider I'm covered in.
“Can I ask you something?” He says quietly
“I guess . . .”
