21
Taking careful steps down the stairs, making sure I don’t slip or roll my ankle in my pair of heels, I find Alec at the bottom of the stairs with his hands clasped together in front of him, dressed in a jet black suit, a crisp white button-up shirt with a matching tie.
The sight of him takes my breath away.
He looks like James Bond.
His eyes widen when he sees me, taking in my red floral peplum top with tie waist. The sleeves are three-quarter length, so it hides most of my scars. My skin-tight washed black jeans hug every curve. They’re high-waisted so the waistband comes up high enough not to irritate the scar on my abdomen. My hair is pulled into a high ponytail with tendrils of hair framing my face. It feels weird wearing makeup again, but luckily, I managed to hide the scar on my face the best I could underneath a layer of foundation. I lined my eyes in black, using my favourite red lipstick to finish off the look.
I admit, a part of me dressed for Alec. It’s the first time I’ve felt even remotely sexy in weeks and it feels good to dress up, and the way his eyes look me over, I know it’s worked.
A small smile touches his mouth. “You look beautiful, princess.”
I smile. “You look as handsome as ever, but you can’t wear that.”
He frowns, glancing down at his outfit. “What? Why?”
“The suit. Absolutely not. Alec, we need to blend in. If you go in there dressed like that, it’ll draw too much attention to us.”
He thinks for a moment. “You’re right. Give me a minute.”
He brushes past me and disappears upstairs, coming down a minute later. Still wearing the white shirt, he’s ditched the tailored jacket and swapped out his suit pants to dark jeans and changed into a pair of black boots.
“Do I meet with your approval now, Ma’am?” he jokes with a smirk.
“Very much so.” I beam before we head out to the car.
It’s a short drive into town and I can’t help but admire the view as the sun begins to set. The sky is a watercolour of reds, pinks and oranges, the glow of the late sun glistens off the water as we drive along the coast.
When we pull up into the small parking lot of a bar along the harbour, he rounds the car and opens the door for me, giving me a helping hand out.
“So what should I say if a man approaches me wanting to buy me a drink or asks for a dance?” I ask.
His eyes darken. Slamming my door shut, he backs me against the car, bracketing me in with his hands either side of me. “You tell them your boyfriend is buying your drinks, and if he sees anyone’s hand on you except his own, he’ll snap it off.”
I swallow thickly, my heart racing. “So that’s what you are, tonight? My boyfriend?”
A look crosses his face, one I can’t work out. “Just tonight. Come on.” He steps back, keeping his hand firmly on my lower back as we head inside, the gesture protective, possessive.
The music is loud, the air thick and humid, and I’m suddenly glad I didn’t bother with a jacket.
We walk through to the bar, and despite it being rammed in here tonight, there are two bar stools free in the corner. Alec places himself on the corner, a position in which he can keep watch over the entire bar. Taking a seat on the stool beside him, he grips it and drags it closer so my knees are positioned between his spread legs.
“What can I get you folks?” the young barmaid asks.
“Vodka and coke, please,” I say.
“I’ll have an orange juice, thanks,” Alec replies.
I turn to him. “Alec, seriously? Have a beer for crying out loud.”
“I’m working, Sierra.”
“One beer is not going to kill you. You’re allowed to enjoy yourself too, you know?”
“I don’t have to have alcohol to enjoy myself. I find good company much more enjoyable.” His eyes hold mine as he speaks and my belly does a flip.
The bartender brings us our drinks a minute later, placing them on the smooth bar top.
“My uncle got in touch today, asked if I was free tomorrow to go and see him,” Alec tells me.
“That’s great! Did you say yes?”
He nods. “I’m kind of nervous.”
“Now that is one thing I never expected to leave your mouth. What are you nervous about?”
“It’s been years. The way we ended things wasn’t great. I see now everything he said and did was to make me into a better person, but I didn’t see it back then.”
“A lot can change in sixteen years, people grow. The fact that he wants to see you is a good thing. But if you need someone to hold your hand, mine’s available.”
He breaks out into a smile, which is apparently infectious because it makes me smile too. “I might just take you up on that.”
The lights in the bar begin to flicker, the music playing through the speakers crackling and the football game on the flat screen turning to static.
The lights come back on for a few seconds before we’re plunged into total darkness, the music cutting out as a collection of gasps fill the room.
“Don’t worry folks, backup generator will kick in soon,” someone says, probably the older guy I’ve seen working behind the bar.
No. No. No. No. No!
My monsters reside in the shadows, the memory of sinister laughter echoing through my mind.
My heart thuds in my chest as I search for Alec through the dark, clasping his hand in a death grip. “I don’t like the dark, Alec.”
I feel him lean closer, wrapping an arm around my waist, his touch instantly slowing my racing heart as his lips graze my temple. “It’s alright, the lights will be back on soon.”
“B—But they come for me in the dark. The monsters.”
He squeezes me tighter, placing delicate kisses to my forehead while his hand rubs slow, soothing circles on my back. “I won’t let anything hurt you. You’re safe, princess. I’ve got you.”
Just as the words leave his mouth, the generator must kick in and everything returns to normal as the bar fills with sighs of relief.
“See? You’re absolutely fine. You don’t need to worry about anything when you’re with me,” he reassures, not making any move to let me out of his hold.
“What was all that?” Alec asks the barmaid.
“Apparently there’s a storm rolling in from the north, it’ll last through the night and be gone by morning,” she says before a customer calls her over.
“Do you want to head home?” Alec asks me, and it’s only now I realise I’m still squeezing the life out of his hand.
I let go, shaking my head. “No, I’m fine. Let’s finish our drinks, no need for them to go to waste.”
∞∞∞
“I’m just going to the restroom,” Alec announces about an hour later. “I won’t be two minutes.” He leans in close to my ear, his warm breath moving my hair. “Don’t move.”
His low voice sends chills through me and I watch as he slides off the stool and disappears down the hall.
I turn back to face the bar and take a sip of my drink. It’s not so bad in here.
I take in a group of girls on the opposite side of the bar, dressed to the nines in dresses shorter than the ones I used to own, and even they were pushing it. They look beautiful, and I see myself in them—well, the old me.
A warm body presses against my back as a hand skims my arms, it’s barely even a touch, but my body goes rigid. “Hey there, babe. Can I buy you a drink?”
A man comes into view to my left. He’s not much older than me, late twenties at most. Two months ago, I’d have considered him attractive, hell, I might have even taken him up on his offer of a drink, but as I stare up at his perfectly normal, handsome face, all I see is them.
He’s too close.
My bones lock up, and my eyes flick down to see his hand still resting on my arm. He’s not hurting me, or squeezing too tight, it’s a perfectly innocent gesture, but it’s one that has my body paralysed, unable to move.
“I—I…” My throat has closed up, like someone has their hand around my neck, squeezing hard enough that I can’t breathe.
“Did you want a drink?” he asks again, frowning, clearly confused by my reaction. “I’ll get you whatever you like?”
I search the bar, looking for the one familiar face that will put me at ease.
Alec, where are you?
“P—Please, just let go.” My voice comes at croaky, barely even audible over the music and the voices that surround me.
“What?” he asks.
I’m shaking now, tears pooling in my eyes as his hand skims up my arm.
“Are you okay?” He sounds genuinely worried, but all I can focus on is his touch, his close proximity, that distinctly masculine scent that sends me right back to that basement.
I swallow around the lump lodged in my throat. “I—I have a boyfriend. Please let me go.”
I stifle a sob.
“Where’s your boyfriend?”
“I’m right here.” Alec’s voice has relief rushing through me. His eyes find mine briefly, his face hardening when he sees the tears swimming in my eyes. “I suggest you take your hand off her arm and take a step back before you lose it.”
The man turns to face Alec, his face white as a sheet as he cranes his neck up to meet his eye. “I’m sorry, man. I—I didn’t mean to make her uncomfortable. I wanted to buy her a drink and she started freaking out.”
I can’t hold back my tears as I bury my face is Alec’s chest, clawing at his shirt to get closer. He holds onto me, his arms secured tightly around my waist. “It’s okay, princess. I’ve got you.”
“Is she okay, man?” the guy asks.
“Sierra?” he mumbles softly into my hair, his palm stroking the back of my head.
“Get me out of here,” I tell him, my words muffled in his shirt.
“Come on, princess.” Without another word or backwards glance to the guy, Alec leads me out to the car, his hold on me so tight it’s like he’s worried what will happen if he lets go.
It’s spitting with rain as we reach the car, the sharp wind whipping up my ponytail. He opens the passenger door, helping me in before slamming the door behind me a little too hard.
I watch as he rounds the front of the car, but hesitates with his hand on the driver’s door handle.
“Fuck,” he grits out, fisting his hair, pacing in front of me. “Fuck!” he roars, smashing his fist into the wall beside the car, the action making me jump, only for him to do it again.
“Alec, stop!” I cry, hoping he can hear me from where he paces outside the car.
His eyes find me through the car window. All that anger that was there moments ago is gone as he climbs in beside me. He leans across the centre console and takes my face in his hands, swiping away the tears from my cheeks. “I’m sorry.”
I sniff. “It’s okay.”
He sighs heavily. “I’m gone two minutes and you’re already causing trouble,” he jokes, a soft smile playing on his mouth. He leans in and presses his mouth to my forehead and I fall into his touch, getting lost in it. “Come on, let’s go home.”