Page 17 of Crush (Deadly Hearts 1)

ChapterNine

Ramsey

I’m supposed to be on the door already. The bar is full. It won’t turn into a club until 11PM, but there are still dickheads getting pissed up drunk, and disorder often ensues. They’ll never learn. I’m not a big drinker, never was, never will be. One beer after work with Benn and that’s it for me. But right now, I’m settling into panic mode, so the shot of whiskey in front of me is to calm my anxiety.

Layton should’ve been back ages ago.

He was supposed to drop Ruby off, see her into her home and then come back here. I’m bordering on terrified that they got ambushed and Ruby has been abducted or worse. Not many can get past Layton but it’s not unheard of. No one is infallible.

“Is she back yet?” David asks, hurrying over to me and cozying in between me and the bloke next to me. He ignores the filthy look and gives me one of concern. “I can’t reach Ruby or Layton on their mobiles.”

“Me either,” I reply, my blood running cold. This is getting worse. I reach for the shot glass and down it in one gulp, feeling the burn as the peaty alcohol slides down my throat.

“Hey,” Layton’s voice sounds behind me.

I spin and grab him by the coat. “Is she okay?” I ask desperately.

“She’s fine,” Layton says. “Sleeping. David,” he turns to the smaller man.

Sleeping?

“Yeah?” David says.

“Ruby fired me. She asked if you can get the other guy to come in…Andy, is it? If he can’t start tonight, then Ramsey is to fill in.”

“Fired?” David asks, scrunching up his nose. “Why? What did you do?”

His suspicious look fires up my own paranoia. Something isn’t right here.

“Just go,” Layton says, “It’s getting late.”

“Sure,” David murmurs and disappears into the after-work drinking crowd.

“We need to talk,” Layton says and gestures with his head for me to follow him.

I follow him cautiously. He’s going to tell me that they got jumped on the way home, and that Ruby is in a bad way. That’s why she’s sleeping. It has to be.

He leads me into a quieter corner near the gents’ toilets, where no one wants to stand and socialize unless they have to.

“Look, mate. I’m going to come right out and say this,” he says. “Ruby and I had sex in her home tonight. I know that I’m a bastard, you don’t have to tell me. I know how you feel about her, but man…there is something about her…”

My stomach twists into a knot so fierce, I feel like I’m going to throw up. “I’m in love with her,” I interrupt him. “You know that. I brought you into her life. How could you do this to me?”

“I know,” he says, looking away. That’s how I know he feels guilty. He doesn’t break eye contact for anything. But it doesn’t make up for the pain he has caused me.

“That’s why she fired you?” I ask quietly as the pieces slot into place. “She wants to be with you?” I’m dreading the answer, but what else can be the reason?

“Not exactly,” he says with a sigh. “It’s complicated. I give her what she craves. You don’t need to know the details.”

“I need to know the details, you prick. I want to be with her, you have literally just whisked her out from under me. I told her a few hours ago. I was hoping she would come around. I know there’s something between us and you’ve just fucked that up.”

“No,” Layton says, shaking his head, his eyes hard. “This was her decision. I tried to put her off, but it turns out she…” He trails off, a look of desire in his eyes that burns my heart.

“Turns out she what?” I grit out.

“She wants what I can give her. She needs it. I don’t know what her situation is, but she was into the darkness, mate. She isn’t the right fit for you.” His voice has gone soft, almost pitying.

“The fuck?” I spit out. “How do you know what the right fit is for me?”

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