Page 4 of Written in the Scars

“You’re back, what can we get for you tonight?”, his blue eyes dropping from mine to my chest. Clearing my throat, they jump back up. “Two Manhattans, please”. Pulling out my card, he waves it off. “Your drinks have been added to a tab tonight”, he says and confusion hits, as I look around for any inclination who’s tab it could be, but no one gives up. Leaving a tip, I take the glasses and make my way back to the booth, the guy talking to Selene has taken a seat at this point, it could be his tab.

Taking a less crowded route, careful to not spill our drinks, I continue glancing around, and spot a group of women, the kind of women you hear before you see them. They seem to becelebrating something or other having arrived and taken over the dance floor, men gather around watching as they gyrate with each other, every now and then letting out a “Wooo!”. Not exactly the spot you would expect to encounter a group of woo girls, but who am I to say where woo girls go out?

My glasses smash to the floor as I feel a hand ride up my dress and grab my bare ass cheek. My body jerks round, ready to slap the owner of the hand, when my eyes meet with the tiger's eye gemstones I met this morning. He stands there holding some other guy by the front of his shirt. “Are you ok, Ace?” he asks sincerely, his eyes filled with rage as he clutches the man, I presume he's the one who grabbed me. “I… I’m sorry, I was just fooling around, I didn’t realize she was your girl, the wandering hand owner blurts out in a rush of nerves and panic. “I’m not…” he interrupts my correction as I watch the snake covering his hand dance with the tension of his muscles beneath the skin. “I think you should leave now, keeping your hands to yourself as you do”, he lets the guy go, giving him a push towards the exit, the frightened dude stumbling on his feet, as he makes a swift exit.

A waitress appears next to me, cleaning the broken glass around my feet. It's then I notice how people have created a circle around us, not paying us any attention, but I feel like there’s all eyes on me. “Thank you!”, my nerves pick up, as he closes the space between us. “Are you sure you're ok?”, he whispers, the snake coming towards my cheek as his thumb slowly glides across my flush skin. “I’m fine, thank you, again!”, flashing him a smile, as I step to the side, heading back towards the bar. I can’t return to Selene empty handed.

Yet, he follows, staying close to my side. Waiting for the bartender to get to me, I turn to face him, my entire body burning from his heated gaze. “Really I’m fine, I really appreciate your help, but you should go back to enjoying your night”. He watches me intently as I talk, his hand making a waving motion towards the bartender. “Who’s to say I wouldn’t enjoy the night spent with you?” his voice deep and seductive, I can spot a playful glint in his eyes. The heat coursing through my body is near unbearable, I turn to order my drinks when I see they’ve already been made and placed on a tray.

He reaches out, picking up the tray. “Show me the way!” he says, lifting his chin away from the bar. “Orion!”, he whispers in my ear, the feeling of his breath on my skin sends electricity down to my core. I go to respond when he interrupts “Reagan. Yes, I remember.”, he gives me a cheeky grin and, my God, it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever witnessed.

We reach the booth, Selene’s gaze shifting from her company straight to me “What took you…” she stops when she sees Orion come from behind me, her jaw dropping. “Oh, Reagan, you found yourself a treat!”. My cheeks go red hot and I can only imagine I’m the shade of a tomato. Sitting down, I see there are already fresh drinks on the table, as Orion places down the tray. “A waiter showed up, soweordered.” She shifts her gaze between me and Orion, as he glides in next to me, a childlike grin plastering her face. “Orion. Reagan encountered a little trouble on the way back, thought I would return her in one piece to you.” Selene reaches her hand out, her delicate fingers wrapping across the snake on his hand, and I feel a sudden jolt of jealousy. “Selene, the flat mate and best friend. Very knight in shining armor of you to saveourgirl”, Selene flashes me a wink andI slowly sink into the back of the booth trying to hide all my embarrassment, as I tip the glass to my mouth.

Orion

That scumbag got off easy. If it wasn’t for being in a crowded bar, I’d have dismembered his hands with a butter knife for thinking he could get away with touching her, then remove his sunken eyes for looking at her in a way no man would ever get away with again. I’d make her watch too, so she can witness the man she is turning me into. A man willing to go to any lengths to protect her, protect what is his, coating her in the blood of other men, as I take my claim on her. She will have no choice but to accept it.

Whether I have to show her the lengths I will go to destroy any man for her.

Or destroy her for myself.

I’m still surprised to see Reagan in this place, she doesn’t quite fit in with the regulars here. Walking towards her booth,neither does the redhead. But who’s the guy? He seems way too interested in her, to be here with Reagan.

I slide onto the bench of the booth, inching myself closer to Reagan and admiring the goosebumps rising across her skin as I get closer. I felt forced to introduce myself to Selene. I’m not interested in making nice with others, especially when she is currently being felt up under the table by some random bloke, who is obviously only out for one thing. I wonder if Selene has noticed the shadow of a wedding ring on the sleazebag’s finger and would she be put off by it.

“This is Michael”, Selene continues to flick her gaze between myself and Reagan. “Or so he says.”, the words slipped out before I could stop them, fortunately in a hushed whisper. Reagan lets out a slow chuckle, I can feel it hum through her body next to me, so I know she heard me. The air seems thick as we all sit in awkward silence, though the noise from the rest of the bar seems to ease some of the tension.

“So, Ace, what brings you to Crawl? Not the sort of place I’d expect to find a journalist of your standards”. I give her a wink as I shift my gaze from her jeweled eyes to her plump lower lip, which again is tucked tightly between her teeth. I’m using all my strength to not take it into my own, imagining how sweet she tastes. “She’s investigating some top-secret story her boss stuck her on”. Selene gives me an all-knowing look, I’m pretty pissed she interrupted. “Wait, if you guys just met, how did you know Reagan’s a journalist?”, her words seeping with confusion but digging for the gossip, she eyes Reagan with a look of disappointment. It’s not exactly the sort of place you’d discuss your day-to-day life.

“Actually, we met this morning, I accidentally bumped into Reagan on the way to a meeting.” Her mouth opens in response when finally Reagan joins the conversion, watching me intently as she does. “He knocked me straight on my ass, all was forgiven when he tracked me down to return my ID and replace my coffee, though.” She lets out a soft giggle, a noise you’d expect to hear from a nervous teenager. Sweet and innocent. Our gaze stuck on each other as we reminisce on this morning’s events, we both shoot our eyes to Selene as she scoots to the edge of the booth with Micheal. “How gentlemanly of you, well I can see you’re in safe hands, Reagan. We are going to dance.” She leaves with a wink, and they disappear into the crowd.

“So, what’s this top-secret story then, Ace?” Doesn’t seem like the kind of place to have anything more than illicit affairs and backroom business deals, from what I’ve read of your work, they don’t seem like the kind of stories you would cover.” My voice is filled with intrigue, especially since I’m a day away from buying this place, I want to know what I’m getting myself into and what she could know that I don’t.

“Oh, so you’ve been researching me. You’re not a stalker, are you? Would explain how we happen to be in the same bar, especially after our abrupt meeting this morning.” She smirks as she continues, “Unfortunately, I can’t discuss the stories I’m currently working on, plus for all I know you could be the man behind it all.” She flashes me a wink and takes a sip of her cocktail, taking the chance to break eye contact. I lean closer to her, my chin stroking the top of her shoulder, I raise my lips to her ear. “Ace, me stalking you should be the least of your concerns.” Nipping at her lobe before sitting up right, a hushed growl rumbles in my chest, as I pull myself away from her, theabsence of my skin touching hers leaving a cold sensation on my chin.

A red blush coats her cheeks, her teeth reach for her lower lip and before she can nip at the coral painted skin I reach up, my thumb slowly soothing the bitten skin. “Ok, you can’t talk stories, but can you tell me if your boss is more than your boss?” Her eyes shoot to mine in record time and scream at the intrusion, maybe I hit a nerve here. “My boss is just my boss, not that it’s any of your business.” She’s pissed, I definitely struck a nerve. However, she sounds fucking beautiful with rage filling her voice. Downing the rest of her drink, I give her a moment to cool down. She obviously doesn’t have the best relationship with this guy, but he’s too high up for me to go knocking down doors without more information first.

“And what the fuck is with the nickname? I mean, Ace? What is that about?” She blurts out at me.

“Firstly, Ace, you are my business, whether you know it or not.” I shift closer to her, pinning her in the back corner of the booth. “Secondly, how about I explain your nickname tomorrow, we can meet here around seven?” I know it will be quieter tomorrow and I know she will be here anyway. I need to do more digging into this place, if there’s some deep secret, I need to know.

Reagan

I appreciated Orion’s help before, but where does this guy get off in thinking that I owe him anything? “Look, Orion. I appreciate your help with the handsy arsehole, but I’m not interested in anything at the moment. I spend all my free time working.” Glancing around the room, I’m trying to convince myself that turning him down is a good idea, ignoring my impulses to push him under the table and have him feast on my throbbing slit, I shift trying to ignore the sensations building.

I watch his face, trying to get an idea of what he is thinking. This guy is stone, no expression on his face. I notice a shift in the colour of his eyes. They’re darker, the gold blending more with the deep browns. I can only imagine how they would look if I were kneeling in front of him, needy and begging.Reagan, stop!

“Not interested in what, Ace? I’m offering you some company while you work and some light-hearted conversation.” There’s a seductive look in his eyes. “I’m not proposing Ace, but you intrigue me, and I think I’d rather enjoy your company again.” Iblush with the feeling I’ve read too much into our interactions. Of course I have, he leans over to me again. “Don’t get me wrong. I’d happily bend you over this table and show this entire room of people who you belong to, but all in good time, Ace”. His voice low and deep, my mouth immediately feels like the Sahara Desert. My body is frozen in place, a warm pool of excitement forming between my legs.

I muster up the strength to turn to face him, he’s still so close I can feel his breath across my cheek, his scent is a mix of cedar and vanilla. His eyes are staring at my parting lips as I go to speak, yet I let out a low moan as his hand grazes up the inside of my thigh. I’m stunned at the connection of his skin on mine. I look down to see the snake flexing as he grasps at my tender skin. “Orion…” his name comes out unintentionally and in more of a moan. “My name sounds sweet coming from your lips”, his tone is darker now. “Please!” I don’t know if I’m pleading for him to stop or to carry on, I can’t form a fucking sentence or gather thoughts beyond what he is doing to me.

His lips crush into mine, his tongue fighting into my mouth, he’s like a man starved. His other hand reaches to my neck pulling me deeper into him, our tongues twisting in an endless fight for control. I hadn’t noticed his hand had gone so far up my thigh until his fingers began to stroke the thin wet material between my legs. I jump in fear, I can’t do this here, not full of people, anyone could see. I’m not like the regular women who come here.

What is this guy doing to me? I don’t do this, I don’t let men I don’t know touch me like this, not until I have a good idea of who they are.

“Orion, I can’t, I can’t do this here.” I force the words out between our bruised lips, my tongue already missing the taste of him. I look at him through heavy eyes, as he begins to shift from the booth. Of course that’s all this was, I feel like a frigid teenage girl, embarrassed I wouldn’t put out.

“Come on, Ace.” He grabs my hand and in one quick motion, I’m out of the booth and we’re walking towards the exit. He leans down to my ear, the warmth of his breath teasing my skin. “Let her know you are leaving and safe.” Letting him guide me as I drop Selene a message, she wouldn’t realize I was gone for a while yet, that woman loves to dance.