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Blinking, I glanced around the bathroom, admiring the cleanliness of the place. I'd heard horror stories of men's bathrooms, and I had to admit, this one was as plush as a posh hotel. The sink surfaces were marble and the basins were stone. The huge, black-rimmed mirror hung over the sink, surrounded by a warm white glow of light. There were a few urinals, tucked in the corner, and even they were moulded from a heavy black stone. If the men's bathroom was so elegant, I wanted to see what the women's was like.
“Are you okay?” Finley asked, bending down on one knee in front of me.
I shifted to cross my legs, consciously pulling at the hem of my dress as his nose drew near to it. His palm cupped my calf as he wiped the tissue over the skin on my ankle. Small smears of blood streaked across the white of the tissue, shocking me into reality. I was so drunk, I couldn't feel the wounds from the glass.
“I'm fine,” I said, reaching down to take the tissue from his hand.
He knocked me away, snarling up at me as I stood upright. “Let me take care of you.”
Licking my lips, I stared down into his dark dark eyes. They were full of fire, burning into me as he stared right back. The tension heated between us, and I cleared my throat. “No one's ever taken care of me before,” I whispered.
Growling, Finley launched to his feet and pushed me against the sink counter. I grabbed hold of his shoulders as I slipped, almost toppling over. His hands gripped the edge of the marble beside me as he brought his mouth close to mine.
“You're a sweetmorsel that hasn’t been set free yet.” Running a finger down my cheek, he brushed the tip against my lips.
A shudder knocked his finger from my skin, giving me a second to breathe. Laughing nervously, I pushed his shoulder. “I’m not quite sure what you mean,” I said, swallowing when he stared into my eyes, “but we need to get back to our friends.”
A deep chuckle vibrated from his chest as he leant against me, pushing me back into the mirror behind the sink. My spine curved as the pressure of his weight almost crushed me. Flailing, I grabbed hold of his jacket, all the while laughing as if he’d told a silly joke. Inside, my nerves were on edge, a quiver making my stomach churn.
“Don’t pretend that you’re not looking for someone tonight.” His eyebrows raised as he moved back, pulling me with him.
Shaking my head, I waved a hand in dismissal. “A simple flirtation doesn’t mean that you automatically get… I don’t know, what is it exactly that you want?”
I was way out of my league, playing a game that I had never encountered before. Finley was a man of power, that much I could tell. Clearly, he had frequented this place often. Did that mean that every female he’d spoken to wanted to bed him? What was it with men and their entitlement? I thought the world had started to open their eyes to fairness but maybe not.
“Play with me,” Finley whispered.
His lips descended to my neck, puckering as he kissed slowly down my collarbone. An unwanted spark shot over my skin as I placed my hands on his hard chest, confusion making me pause for just a moment. That moment was enough of a green light for Finley. His hands slipped up my sides and over my breasts, groping as he lifted his head to press his lips against mine. As the scent of him, unfamiliar and dark, filtered up my nose, I froze before my strength returned and I shoved him, no longer laughing or even smiling.
A snarl curled his top lip as he ran a hand through his pristine hair, dishevelling it. “You want to play that game?”
My chest rose and fell as I pushed away from the counter and moved with my back towards the exit, keeping him in front of me. His bright red cheeks puffed and his eyes flared with a fierceness that made me shiver. I had never seen a man so enraged. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. Not even close. I had just chosen to block out those memories. Seeing Finley so full of fury made my muscles shake. The bulging of his eyes was a reminder of the man who had driven me to self-harm. The man who was supposed to take care of me.
“I’m not playing any games,” I said, holding out my hands in surrender. “I don’t know you. I don’t want this and neither do you. There are so many girls out there, on the dancefloor, wanting what you have to offer. I’m just…”
Tears filled my eyes unexpectedly and I quickly swiped at them, trying to keep my composure so that he didn’t feel my weakness. I knew that showing weakness made me an easier target. It made it easier for the abuser to pray on his victim.
“Broken?” His simple one worded question made the skin between my thighs burn.
It had been a while since I had felt the need to self-harm, but the more he pointed out my flaws, the more drawn to the idea I became.
“Don’t look at me like that,” he said, his breath rasping, “I need to rescue you. I can see the pain reflecting in your gaze and it’s pushing me over the edge.”
The fear that shook me gave way to curiosity. The guy was attracted to my vulnerability. It was kind of sick.
“I’ve never needed rescuing,” I muttered, glancing down at the black lino floor. “Just leave me alone.”
Turning, I took two steps towards the door before his hand gripped my elbow and he turned me roughly, slamming me into the wall. His body trapped me hard, blocking my way out by force. His hand gripped my chin, keeping me still as he slowly lowered his head, claiming dominance in such a simple manner.
Opening my mouth to scream, I inhaled. Before the sound could erupt from me, the door opened, and several security guards rushed in. Finley was hauled away from me and I slumped to the floor, my energy draining straight from the soles of my feet as relief flooded me. One of the bodyguards put a gentle arm under my shoulders and lifted me to my feet, urging me out of the bathroom. Finley’s screams cut off as the door closed behind us. Two of the security guards were still inside, clearly teaching my attacker the lesson he so clearly deserved.
My brain stalled as the security guard marched me through the crowd, only pausing when Elissa came at me from the side, asking all the questions and glaring at the security guard as he escorted me to the exit of the club.
“What’s going on?” Elissa shouted as the man walked me towards a waiting taxi and ordered me to get in.
Too dazed to refuse, I climbed in, huddling in on myself as the cold darkness of my memories rushed into my brain, whirling and chilling me to the core. Elissa was beside me, gripping my hand and trying to get me to talk. I couldn’t, I was too frozen, too afraid at what might happen if I allowed myself to process what had just happened.
“Take them home,” the security guard ordered, throwing a wad of cash to the driver, “and make sure they get inside.”
