Skin of the Night: Book One of The Night series

by Claire D. Bennett

  Shocked by how blunt she was with me, I blushed crimson. I hardly knew her, and yet, I did appreciate it. She was authentic, real – and clearly a bit drunk, but then at least her heart was in the right place.

  “Just give it a thought,” she repeated and sent me a wink before she headed towards the door. When she opened it, she eyed me over her shoulder. “Oh, and this conversation never happened. He’d break my neck.”

  I swallowed the massive lump that had gathered in my throat and nodded. As soon as the door shut after her, I propped my hip against the counter and felt my pent-up breath leave me. She and William really were eerily similar. Perhaps that was why I found myself slightly attracted to her as well.

  Turning towards the mirror, I studied my reflection. I’d gone for smokier eye makeup than usual, but it looked good. I hadn’t overdone it. According to Jason, it didn’t look like somebody had tried to punch me to death, which he had said as he drooled after my figure sauntering down the hall. Like his brother, Jason was terrific at offering compliments. His body language even more so. I’d felt like a million quid when I’d left our flat today, confident in my strut.

  When another lady walked into the room, I was dragged back to reality. It was time to step outside again. I was quite confident that a certain someone had been counting the seconds I’d spent in here, and for each one that had ticked by, I imagined his overbearing character becoming increasingly impatient and concerned. So, with my chin raised, I returned to the bar, where I saw that a group of men had replaced William and Andy, and they were all chatting with Elisabeth.

  Scouting the room, I eventually located William and Andy by the bar. A herd of girls surrounded them now, circling the two lads like vultures. There were six of them, and they looked slightly older than me.

  William’s eyes caught mine across the room, so with haste, I averted my gaze and decided to be Elisabeth’s moral support. Surrounded by three strangers, she was visibly uncomfortable. I was certain she’d already informed them she was engaged, but not everyone respected boundaries.

  “Hi,” I said when one of the men looked over. He wasn’t particularly handsome. He had a pointed nose and mouse eyes, with thin lips and a narrow head, but his gawk made up for it because it boosted my ego.

  Turning my attention to Elisabeth’s desperate eyes, I gave her a fond smile. “Gorgeous girls only, or am I allowed?” I asked and gestured towards the only vacant seat.

  The lad that had noticed me first immediately stood to grab the chair for me. “Please,” he said and cocked his ginger head towards the seat. While smiling at him, I allowed him to help me into it.

  “I’m Lewis,” he introduced himself. “Those things over there are James and Francis, but you shouldn’t mind them,” he continued as he sat.

  “What the hell, mate?” James complained. “Killing the competition already, are you?”

  “Like a true capitalist.”

  “Christ,” Francis moaned.

  I giggled.

  “Can I buy you a drink?” Lewis asked me, brown eyes intense, like he wanted to suck out my soul.

  “She’s already got one,” Elisabeth interrupted and pushed a gin and tonic towards me, which I recognised as the one William had placed on the table earlier. He’d bought it for me?

  “Alright, then. I’ll still be here for the refill, hopefully,” Lewis responded, amused.

  I sent him a wry look while I raised the refreshing beverage to my lips.

  “So, what’s your name?” he queried.

  “Jessica,” I lied. It was just so amusing. I couldn’t shake off the habit. From the corner of my eye, I saw Elisabeth struggle to repress a smile.

  “And how was work, Jessica? Do you work?”

  “Does it look like I don’t?”

  “You look like luxury, so no, it doesn’t.”

  Slick.

  “Got a taste for the finer things in life, have you?” I teased back.

  His thin lips tucked up into a smug smile while a ravenous gleam entered his brown eyes. “There’s not a doubt in my mind.”

  I soon realised that I had become Elisabeth’s entertainment for the night. She laughed nonstop while I teased the men accompanying us, and as though my attention was in short supply, they fought for it until they nearly surrendered their dignity. For a good two hours, I kept them on their toes while they ordered round after round for Elisabeth and myself.

  In fact, I had forgotten all about William by the time he demanded my attention, so when he suddenly placed his large hands on my bare shoulders, I nearly spurted my latest sip. Only one touch could make me feel this way, so I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. Besides, after a shy glance at his handsome hands, I had enough proof to be certain. Those beautiful long fingers had once caressed my skin, and they had done it so well that I couldn’t ever forget their appearance, much less the pleasure they had provided.

  Nevertheless, I tilted my head back to look up at him, but he didn’t meet my gaze. Instead, his eyes resembled two blue flames as he glared at the men around me.

  “Gentlemen, I’m afraid I’ll have to steal this one away from you. Considering how many drinks you’ve bought her, I doubt she can walk in a straight line anymore,” he said, voice composed, and squeezed my shoulders.

  He did have a point. I felt positively drunk by now, but I wasn’t completely off my face, either. Although I doubted that I’d be able to walk in a straight line, I could probably make some fancy zigzag pattern for him.

  Lewis frowned up at him. “I wasn’t aware she had a boyfriend.”

  “You don’t strike me as being aware in general,” William brought himself to reply before he dragged my seat out with surprising force. I gasped at his insolent comment, shocked.

  Meanwhile, Elisabeth pursed her lips so as not to laugh, but when James and Francis started guffawing, she lost control. Her laughter rumbled out of her until she snorted, and it made me giggle to hear it, so much so that I barely noticed William’s hand around mine while he dragged me away.

  He didn’t stop until we’d reached the bar where Andy stood waiting. Once we did, he released my hand to glower down at me, but he said nothing.

  Drunk as I was, I swayed a little under his glare. “What?”

  “Cara, not in front of me. Please,” he begged.

  Beside us, Andy sighed and shook his head while William’s jaw clenched rather hard. Was he suppressing his anger? It looked like it.

  My heart squeezed upon hearing his fears. Was that why he’d been unsure about whether to show up tonight? Had he been afraid that he might witness me go home with a stranger? “What? I wasn’t even thinking of it. I was only trying to help Ellie out.”

  After summoning the bartender’s attention, Andy asked, “Sorry, could I have a bottle of still water, please?”

  “What happened to all the girls?” I asked and looked around. Had they left?

  William merely continued to stare at me. Why wasn’t he taking his eyes off me? It unnerved me. Folding my arms, I leaned against the counter and turned my side to him.

  “Thank you,” I heard Andy say before he walked to stand between William and me. After undoing the cap, he handed me the bottle. “Drink. You’ve had more than a barrel of gin by now. It’s going to hit you any moment,” he ordered.

  I scoffed. “Christ, Andy. I’m not a child. I can manage my intake. But thanks anyway,” I muttered and raised the bottle to my mouth. He gave me a fond smile. Then, looking towards his best friend, he sighed and raised his hand to pat his shoulder.

  “Calm down, Will. She’s fine.”

  William shot him a glare. Meanwhile, I saw his Adam’s apple ascend and fall. The same moment I did, it dawned on me that I’d read him wrong. He wasn’t angry. He was anxious, perhaps even worried – for me. But why? Because I was intoxicated?

  “Cara!” Elisa
beth called then, having left the table. When I looked over, I found her waving me forward. Right. The club.

  I had hardly moved a step when William clasped my arm to drag me back, and he did it with such force that I nearly dropped the bottle I was holding when I crashed into his chest.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” he questioned, annoyed.

  Awfully confused, I frowned into his chest. Why was he so overbearing?

  “Ellie and I are meeting Brian at a club. I’ve got to go,” I explained, slurring my words.

  His eyes flickered in Elisabeth’s direction before they landed on mine again, and they were searing. “Given the state you’re in, there’s not even a slim chance I’ll let you head to a club. When the drinks kick in, you’ll be up for grabs.”

  “Excuse me? You are not my boss!” I fired back. “Fuck,” I mumbled as soon as I heard what I’d said.

  His eyebrows arched, and his head tilted while slight amusement swirled in his eyes. “Actually, Cara, I am.”

  “That’s not what I meant. I meant you don’t get to decide that.”

  His chest expanded against me with his deep inhalation. “Fine,” he snapped. “Then I’m coming with you. Andy?”

  With his hands tucked into his pockets, Andy shrugged. “Sure. But we aren’t appropriately dressed for that.”

  “I’m sure they’ve got a cloakroom,” William countered and proceeded to tug me towards Elisabeth.

  She blinked confusedly once we reached her, and it made me sigh. She wasn’t an idiot. If William didn’t change his ways, it was only a matter of time before she would realise the true nature of our relationship.

  “Mind if we join you, Ellie?” Andy asked affably.

  A grin took over her mouth. “Of course not!” Always so cheerful. I wished she’d said no. Then again, I doubted that William would have listened.

  22

  CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

  Amatory in its beats, the pulsating music of the club pounded against my eardrums – the sort of music that would transform even the most sensible person into a lustful animal. The place resembled a strobe light illuminated jungle, where the wild creatures unleashed their primal core. Still, there was a level of class to it. The guests weren’t casually dressed. However, what they had in common was the lack of much clothing to cover their glistening skin. Spread over three floors, the whole area was quite impressive.

  William and Andy had left their waistcoats and ties with the cloakroom staff. While they still looked somewhat out of place, they weren’t a lost cause. Looking at William, I saw that he had already rolled up his sleeves, which was a nice touch of casualness. All that was required was a little tweak. I put theory into practice by raising my hands towards his collar, but when my fingers gripped it, he clasped my wrists. My breath hitched upon the contact of our skin and the ensuing current that charged through my bloodstream. For a moment, I wondered whether the same electricity was the reason for his defensive response. Had he felt it, too?

  As he glared at me, his grip tightened around my wrists. “What are you doing?”

  From his tone, I was almost sure that the same current was bolting through him as well.

  “Damn.” I smiled. “Who let you out of your cage today?” I asked as my hands reached to undo his top button.

  Hearing me, charming laughter spilled out of Andy’s mouth. “I didn’t,” he said. “I’d rather he stayed in it all the time.”

  “That makes two of us,” I joked back.

  William was not amused, and I could tell because his glare shifted onto Andy instead. After undoing a second button, I retreated a step to judge my artistry, and I immediately regretted it. Like this, he looked edible. Unexpectedly, the sight of him even made my vagina throb, and when I felt it, I nearly sobbed. How on earth did I manage to resist him? I deserved an award.

  “Decent,” Andy commented and moved to copy my work.

  “Thanks, love,” William murmured to me as he tucked his hands into his pockets, and his casual stance only made him more appealing. Still, something prevented him from looking at me.

  “That colour really suits you,” I told him sincerely.

  He scoffed. “Hardly as much as you do.” Taken off guard, I gaped and stole a glance at Elisabeth to see if she’d heard him, but her face was buried in her phone. Relief closed my mouth again.

  “Cheeky, Will,” Andy remarked approvingly with a crooked smile.

  I was about to reply when Elisabeth exclaimed, “He’s texted me. He’s in there, far end!” She pointed into the crowd. A heartbeat later, she’d caught my hand and was guiding me into it.

  Countless bodies ground against each other, and mine. Numerous eyes glanced in my direction, and most of them looked faded, drugs lifting them high above the clouds. Going in had been like sinking into quicksand – the more I shifted, the deeper I got. Andy and William had charged after us, but the moving crowd had swallowed us up until they were no longer in my view.

  “Fuck,” I said to myself. William was not going to like this. “Hey, Ellie!” I called and jerked her hand. “We lost the others!”

  “They’ve got my number, and they know where we’re headed! We’ll be fine!” she yelled back and continued warring through the crowd.

  Suddenly, a pair of arms hooked around my waist. Tugging me into a warm embrace, they successfully broke my hold of Elisabeth’s hand. Whirling around, I stared up at a face I had never seen before, so I pushed him away somewhat harshly before turning towards Elisabeth again so that I wouldn’t lose her, too. Glimpsing the twists of her mane, I charged after her. To my relief, she had stopped, eyes searching for me.

  “Cara!” she yelled as soon as she spotted me, and when she extended her hand, I grabbed it firmly.

  “Don’t let go!” she ordered and turned around again to guide me through the crowd until we reached a bar at the far end. Among the people around it stood a group of five men. One of them met my gaze before his eyes darted to Elisabeth’s person, and then to the man in front of him. As he cocked his head towards us, all five of them looked over.

  The smile of one of them caught my immediate attention because it mirrored the warmth of Elisabeth’s. Beaming over at us, he spread his arms apart to welcome Elisabeth’s arriving figure, and once she reached him, she swung her arms around him and planted a firm kiss on his waiting mouth.

  I couldn’t hear what they said to each other, but while they embraced, his friends blatantly ogled me from head to toe. Feeling out of place, I gave them a wave. Elisabeth pulled out of Brian’s arms and motioned towards me. Eventually, he yelled, “Nice to meet you, Cara! I’ve heard lovely things!”

  Since there wasn’t much room for conversation above the pounding music, introductions were swift, but I was too drunk to remember the names of Brian’s friends. When one of them dragged me towards the dance floor, I glanced at the bar, hoping to locate William, but I couldn’t see him anywhere. I faced a dilemma, because while I wanted to find him and Andy, I didn’t want to be a spoilsport, especially since the initial plan had been to spend time with Elisabeth tonight. So, with some reluctance, I allowed myself to get dragged away.

  Like William and Andy had warned, the drinks suddenly kicked in. The room spiralled around me while I danced against this good-looking stranger. We danced until we were glistening with fresh sweat. Even though we were out of breath, the music hypnotised us into continuing.

  I had to give it to him: he was a remarkable dancer. Did he have a single stiff bone in his body? I could feel a stiff muscle, but it contained no bones.

  We’d danced for some time when I sensed his mouth beginning to search for mine, clearly hoping for some action. Three months ago, I wouldn’t have minded a random snog, but something prevented me now, and the reason wasn’t present. I’d lost him some time ago, and he still hadn’t found us.

  It was quite bizarre,
but ever since I’d met William, random one-night stands had lost their spark. The idea of them didn’t ensnare me. I was too preoccupied with Will, and Aaron already satisfied the little of my libido that was left for anyone else. Besides, I felt terrible for being the reason that William had come here in the first place, and then I had just abandoned him. Though I hadn’t asked him to join us, I still felt partially at fault. I knew he had his best friend by his side, but it didn’t relieve my conscience much. So, the last thing on my mind was to kiss a random stranger.

  I continued to avoid Brian’s friend’s lips until my bladder became an imminent concern.

  “Sorry, I need the loo!” I shouted to him and escaped out of his hold. Staggering towards the edge of the crowd, I searched desperately for the toilets. I could barely hold it in. When I found them, I rushed to join the queue and begged myself to last until it was my turn.

  Once I saw my chance to pee, I reeled in a deep breath, determined to breathe only through my mouth to avoid the stench of the place. I hurried to finish because I despised toilets in clubs and pubs. Thankfully, there was still a little soap left that I could wash my hands with.

  Returning outside, I leaned against the wall. I was so drunk, and the thought of having to find Elisabeth again made me want to go home. It seemed so impossible a quest. While standing there, I got the eerie feeling that I was being watched, so I scouted the crowd for a presence, but I didn’t register any familiar gazes.