Chapter 8
Chapter
Eight
My head pounds and my stomach somersaults. I had way too much to drink last night. I remember turning down Wrath in the corridor, but very little after that.
Part of me is pleased that I turned him down, I was too wasted to make a good decision or to enjoy it. But there is a part of me that wishes I’d just let myself go. I have no reason to fear him. While his size alone is imposing, he gives off a safe vibe. That’s one of many things my grandad taught me, to trust my own instincts. He said I was a natural at understanding people, and their intentions. It’s helped me a lot over the years, more so when I’ve actually paid attention to my gut feeling.
Besides all that though, I was in a clubhouse full of people I know I can trust. They wouldn’t have let me do anything too stupid, and they would never have let anything happen to me.
I didn’t see Wrath again after I turned him down. When I got back to the bar, the girls had the music turned up and had moved the tables out of the way so they could turn the middle of the room into a makeshift dance floor. I remember downing shots of tequila and bouncing around the room with Juggler and Griff then waking up in my own bed.
I throw on a pair of shorts and a hoody then head downstairs, for water and a painkiller. Halfway down I hear noises coming from the kitchen and the smell of bacon turns my stomach. I slowly slide down taking a seat on the stair and placing my head on my knees. I need a minute to pull myself together before I can move. If I move too quickly, I might actually empty the contents of my stomach, which I’m pretty sure at this point is only the remains of liquid from last night.
I hear a deep laugh, raising my hand I give Griff the middle finger. I cannot deal with him right now.
It takes almost ten minutes for my stomach to settle enough for me to be able to finally move. By the time I make it into the kitchen, there is a plate with bacon, eggs and toast, a cup of tea, a glass of water and some painkillers on the table waiting for me. I gently ease myself into the seat and look up to see Griff watching me, a smirk playing across his face as he tips his cup to his lips.
“I can’t imagine what you’d be like this morning if I hadn’t cut you off when I did. It’s not like you to lose control like that. You wanna talk about it?”
I blow out a breath as I look at the food on the plate. Grabbing the tablets, I swallow them down along with half of the water. I give my head a small shake then instantly realise my mistake. Planting my head in my hands I stay like that for a few minutes before looking back up.
“It’s been a rough couple of weeks, I just needed to blow off some steam.”
“Jesus, Flex.” He takes a seat opposite me, his eyes focused on mine. “You know how dangerous it is letting yourself go like that?—”
“Griff. Fucking hell, calm down. Being part of that club has made you paranoid. Not everyone is a bad guy. And I wouldn’t have drank so much if I’d been out on the town. I knew I was safe.”
He gives me a half smile and nods, before getting up and placing his empty cup on the side next to the sink.
“I’m glad that you feel safe enough at the club to let yourself go like that, but don’t make it a habit. I have to shoot, I gotta go to work.” He walks over to me placing a kiss on the top of my head. “Eat, even if it’s just a slice of toast, you need something to line your stomach. I’ll call you later.” He doesn’t wait for me to respond, just grabs his coat and leaves. I stare at my plate for several minutes wondering if I could actually manage to eat anything.
I sit on the sand watching the waves crash over the shore. I’d managed to eat some of the breakfast that Griff has made me before crashing for another two hours. When I woke, I needed some fresh air, and a swim. It may be summer, but the temperature is low. Not that it bothers me, I like the cold and I love nothing more than jumping into the cold sea.
Stripping down to my swimwear, I dump everything on the sand and head into the water. The breath catches in my throat as the shock of the cold hits me. I give my body a minute to adjust before moving further in then diving under the waves. The water instantly soothes me, a sense of calm washes over me. I feel like I can breathe. My headache is gone and my stomach settles. I swim out about fifteen feet, the water deep enough to cover my shoulders and then swim side to side until I can feel myself just starting to tire. Making my way back to the beach I dry myself off and sit down, the swim was exactly what I needed. I feel so much better. The beach is where I feel the happiest, the beach, the sea. Being here gives me a sense of peace.
I stay for over an hour, by the time I get up to leave, the sun is starting to set, the temperature has dropped even further, and the smell of imminent rain is in the air. As I head back to my car, the distinctive sound of motorcycles has me looking down the street, I see five Harley’s riding toward me. They stop about twenty feet ahead of me, right outside Griff’s studio. I unlock my car, throw my towel inside grab a spare hoody out of the boot and throw it on.
My eyes raise, moving over to where the bikes stopped. Juggler grins and then gives me a salute before heading into the shop. I watch the others follow him inside then realise that Wrath is leaning on his bike watching me. I give him a smile then climb into my car. Staying there watching me drive away, until I turn the corner and can no longer see him.