“So it’s okay for Bo to go out but not me?” I asked, sounding like a spoiled brat.
“It’s different, Ivy, and you know it.”
I stood up and got right up in Jaxson's face. “I’m going out with Kammy and you can’t stop me!”
“WATCH ME!” he shouted, as he walked out of the office and slammed the door behind him. I immediately ran to it and tried the handle, but it wouldn’t move, and the door refused to open.
What the hell had he done? I had no idea you could lock this office from the outside. I pulled the handle harder, still with no effect, and screamed with frustration. I kicked it several times before I heard Jaxson holler through the door, “If you break this door, you’re going to have to answer to Dad!”
“IF I BREAK THIS DOOR YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO PRAY I DON’T CASTRATE YOU!”
I heard the security guys laughing and I kicked the door a few more times, making it rattle, but the only result was a sore foot.
Dammit! Surely Uncle Paul wouldn’t let Jaxson keep me locked up in here all night. But if I called him, I’d have to explain why he locked me in here in the first place, and I didn’t want to go through that. I knew he would side with Jaxson.
I had told Aunt Suzy what had happened with Bo, of course, but the only thing Uncle Paul asked me was if I was okay and if he needed to beat anyone. I’m sure my aunt had filled him in on the details though, but I still didn’t want him to know I wanted to go out tonight and find someone to get Bo off my mind.
I paced the office with my arms crossed over my chest, looking around for a way out. I had spent a great amount of time in here during my life, but I never thought about having to escape from it.
There was one window to the outside, and it would be easy enough to pop the screen. The security system shouldn’t be a problem either since it was usually disabled while a manager was here. Usually either Jaxson or my uncle. The problem was the ten-foot drop to the sidewalk once I got out. Manageable, though. If I landed right, it shouldn’t hurt too much. If I landed right.
The absolute only other option out of this office was an air-conditioner vent in the wall. I could pop the metal vent cover off and shimmy through the duct that connected to the bathroom next to the office. But even if I escaped the office and made it to the bathroom, I’d still have to get out of the building without my cousin or any of the security guys seeing me.
I shook my head at the ridiculousness of this situation. I had to become a fucking ninja in order to escape. This seriously was my life now.
I debated my options and decided the window was the best. It was one of those windows that slid to the left and right instead of up and down. I could easily fit through it and perch on the ledge before making the jump to the sidewalk.
I slid the window open, and with a screwdriver my uncle had stashed in his desk, I popped the screen out without letting it fall to the sidewalk. I set it on the floor and leaned it against the wall before looking out the window to make sure no one was watching or walking below. I braced my hands on the side of the open window and stepped up, balancing on the ledge.
Letting one foot dangle out the window, I rested my butt on the ledge before kicking my other foot out and letting it hang down. All I would need to do now was to push off the ledge, and I would be free. I looked down at the sidewalk ten feet below me and silently thanked the stars that I had not worn heels today.
It’s not that far, just relax, you can do it, I told myself in a pep talk. I had inhaled a deep breath and braced my muscles to push me off when I heard the door open behind me. I turned and saw Jaxson staring at me in shock.
“Ivy! What the fuck are you doing?!” he exclaimed from where he stood in the doorframe.
I exhaled, turned back to the outside and pushed off the ledge.
Pain shot up both my legs as my feet hit the concrete, but I had managed to land in a crouched position. The shock of the landing quickly receded, and I stood up and took a few steps to assure I hadn’t hurt myself.
“IVY!” Jaxson hollered down from the open window. “GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!”
I looked up and flipped my middle finger at him before running to my car. I jumped in as several of the security guys flowed out of the store and watched me as I took off down the street, free from their overprotection. The last thing I saw in my rearview mirror was my cousin with his cell phone to his ear, shaking his head at me.
Screw you, buddy, I thought. I can take care of myself.
Chapter Eight
I assumed Jaxson would send the calvary to my house, so I called Kammy and told her to meet me at her apartment. I didn’t have any clothes with me that were appropriate for going out, but I figured I could borrow something of hers.
An hour and a half later we were shaved, polished, powdered, and working on a good buzz. We were passing a fifth of vodka between us and I had found something in her closet to wear. It was something I would never have bought for my own wardrobe but it was the perfect thing for a night of mind-numbing irresponsibility. It was essentially an ice-blue halter dress, but calling it a dress was being generous. It hung around my neck and had two thin strips of fabric that covered my breasts before connecting with a thin band of material big enough to cover my ass and the important bits in front. And that was it.
From the back it didn’t even look like I had a top on, and from the front you could see enough side boob to make you wonder if the fabric was going to stay in place. Kammy said she had never had the guts to wear it out, but tonight I didn’t care. I just wanted to drink and forget about Bo.
Kammy had curled my hair to perfection, and I raided her jewelry box. I added a massive pearl necklace that hung down to my breasts and some dangly earrings. I stole some heels that matched my dress from her closet, and we checked ourselves out in the full-length mirror in her bedroom. Even with immaculate makeup and a spectacular outfit, I still looked hollow. I tried not to think of the reason why, but like every other aspect of my life, Bo was simply there. It was impossible not to think about him.
She touched my arm. “You all right?”
I nodded and looked down. No, I was not all right, but I was not going to admit that.
“Are you sure you want to go out tonight? We could stay in and watch that new zombie movie,” Kammy said.
Pain sliced through me. She had unknowingly suggested one of Bo’s favorite movies, and it made me want to be watching it with him right now. I wanted to curl up in his arms and have him hold me and tell me he loves me. I wanted to go over to his place and tell him I changed my mind and beg him to love me. But I knew he wouldn’t accept that. He thought I didn’t love him, and he would never accept that I simply changed my mind. He deserved to be loved with passion, not as an afterthought.
“We’re going out.” I told her and downed the last shot.
The taxi we ordered arrived in front of Kammy’s, and we hopped in. The driver was a young man, and his eyes roamed over my chest as he asked us where our destination was. I told him to take us to Crunch. It was the hottest, skankiest, sweat-filled club in Vegas. His eyes roamed over my chest again, but he just nodded and began to drive.
“Crunch, Ivy? Really?” Kammy asked quietly. We had only been there once before. Just long enough to walk in and realize the clientele was way below our standards and then walk out. But from what I remembered, they had a huge dance floor and a bar. The two things I needed the most.
The taxi driver stopped at the line outside Crunch. We paid the man, and he wished us a good night.
Catcalls and whistles erupted from the line as we walked past, and I smiled and looked coquettishly at the men. As always, the bouncers let us in without any problem and we made a direct line to the bar, getting my ass grabbed three times as I weaved through the crowd.
“SHOTS!” I shouted to the bartender when I finally reached the bar.
“What kind?” the bartender shouted back.
“You pick!” I really did not give a shit right now.
&
nbsp; A man grabbed my ass, and I turned to look at him.
“Lemme buy those for you, kitten.” He looked to be about thirty years older than Kammy and me and those thirty years hadn’t been kind to him.
“I won’t argue with that,” I said as ran a finger from my neck all the way down to my belly button. His eyes followed my finger, and it looked like he was about to explode right on the spot.
The man paid for the drinks in a hurry, and we cheered and tossed them back. I slammed my glass down on the bar and was just about to demand another when Kammy grabbed my hand and shouted at the man. “We’re going to dance!”
She pulled me away from the man to dance floor on the opposite side of the club.
“What was that for? He would have bought us drinks all night,” I said as we cut across the dance floor to find a good spot.
“He was old!! We can find better!” she shouted before turning to me and starting to dance.
The music was perfect club music, and I surrendered myself to the beat. This is what I wanted right now. I wanted bass thumping so loudly and enough alcohol flowing through my veins I wouldn’t be able to remember Bo and how I had lost my best friend.
Kammy and I bumped and ground against each other. Hands from the crowd groped all over me, but I couldn’t care less whom they belonged to. I was a sweaty mess, and in that moment, it helped. For a second, a fraction of the pain was taken away, and I felt better. These strangers could make me feel good, even if Bo couldn’t.
A song came on that pulled me from my daze. It reminded me of Bo, and the pain surged back. I found Kammy and grabbed her hand.
“Drinks!” I shouted at her over the bass.
“Are you sure you need more?”
“DRINKS!!” I shouted louder and stumbled through the crowd toward the bar. Several men fanned out from the bar as I approached, creating a circle around Kammy and me. “Who wants to buy us some tequila shots, boys?”
Wallets flew out and money was placed on the bar. Kammy grabbed my hand, licked the back of it, and sprinkled salt on it. She held my hand up to her mouth and eyed one of the several men who had formed a circle around us. Her tongue flicked out and she sensually licked the salt off me before downing her shot and biting down on the lime. She always loved some mild girl-on-girl action to get attention from men.
“We can do better than that, can’t we, boys?” I placed my hands on Kammy’s hips and licked the side of her neck as she tipped her head back. I held my hand out, and a saltshaker appeared. I applied the salt to her neck, winked at the man closest to me, and began licking the salt off my friend. I could hear the men around me groan, and I pulled away and tossed back my shot. I swallowed it and looked around for my lime, only to discover Kammy had it in her mouth. Naughty girl.
I smiled at her and kissed her around the lime. Everyone in the surrounding area of the bar exploded with cheers. I bit down on the lime, pulled it out of Kammy’s mouth, and spit it on the floor, only to return to her mouth for a proper kiss. We kissed deep and hard, making it as sexy as possible for the crowd.
When we broke the kiss, I smiled at her before turning to see every guy in our general area watching us. I giggled at the attention, loving it, when hands grabbed my hips from behind. I turned to see it was the old man from earlier.
“Hey, I’m supposed to buy your drinks, kitten,” he said into my ear. I flinched away from his close contact and turned to step out of his grasp.
“Oh, that’s okay. You can buy the next round.” Hey, I wasn’t going to pass up free alcohol.
“You still owe me from the last drink,” he said and reached for me.
I scampered back out of his reach and held up my hand. “All right, bossy,” I teased, hoping it would soothe his wounded ego. “One dance!”
“Fuck dancing,” he said, stepping forward again.
I stepped backward again, bumping into the wall. Shit! I hadn’t realized we had moved so far away from the bar. The wall was to my back, and there was a railing to my right. He had me trapped in a dark section of the club, and I couldn’t see Kammy anywhere. Everyone else had their backs to us, paying more attention to the dance floor or the bar to notice us.
The man moved closer, and I tried to skitter away, but he trapped me with his hips and legs. I couldn’t even move to knee him in the balls.
“You’ve been begging for someone to fuck you against the wall since you walked in, and I’m going to be the one to do it.”
Shit! Shit! Shit! I was trapped! I tried to push him off me, but he grabbed my hands and held both of them in one of his behind my back.
I tried to scream but he covered my mouth with his, dulling the sound. He shoved his tongue down my throat, and I gagged. He tasted like tobacco and copper.
I tried to bite down, but he was too quick. He pulled his mouth away from mine and used his free hand to pull the fabric of my dress to the side, exposing my breasts.
“GET OFF ME!” I screamed, but there was no one around that cared.
Panic and adrenaline rose up inside me, burning through my alcoholic daze, and I fought harder against him.
I tried to scream for help, but he covered my mouth with his hand, and licked at my exposed breasts.
I frantically looked around for security, or Kammy, or anyone who would care that I was about to be raped in the corner of a crowded room. But there was no one.
The man moved his hand away from my mouth and started unbuttoning his jeans. He moved his hips away from me long enough to pull his needle dick out of his pants, and I saw my chance.
I brought my knee up as fast and hard as I could and made contact. His eye bugged out in pain a split second before a fist came from behind and clocked him in the side of the head.
The man went down on his back, and Bo jumped on top of him, repeatedly pummeling the man’s face with his fist. Blood spattered everywhere, but Bo didn’t quit.
“Bo! Stop!” I grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled, but he acted like he never even noticed.
I have to say it’s disgusting how no one notices a girl almost being raped in the corner, but the moment a fight goes down everyone in the club wants to see.
Security swarmed around us and pulled Bo off the man and onto his feet. Bo was panting hard, and his right hand and the front of his shirt were covered in blood.
The man writhed on the floor, holding his face with one hand and his crotch with the other.
Bo looked at me. His eyes scanned over me, looking pissed but relieved at the same time. Even in the blackness of the club, I could see the dark circles under his eyes. His face looked thinner and more worn.
Despite the situation, I felt a longing go through me. My heart ached, and I wanted desperately to hold him.
Kammy broke through the crowd and surveyed the scene. It didn’t take her long to figure out what had happened. She came up next to me, adjusted my dress, and wrapped her arms around my waist as a security guard approached us. Behind him, some bouncers were pulling Bo away.
“Wait!” I shouted and tried to follow them.
The security officer stopped me and informed me the police were on the way.
“No! He was helping me! That guy was trying to rape me!” I pointed at the man who was now trying to get up off the floor. He saw me pointing at him, and his eyes went wide. He tried to turn and run toward the exit but the bouncers stopped him and threw him back on the floor.
I couldn’t see where Bo had been taken, but the security officer informed me the police were outside and I needed to talk to them. I was more than happy to speak to them if it helped Bo out.
I was escorted out of the club and immediately saw the police cars out front. I gasped as I saw Bo sitting in the back of one of the marked vehicles. I ran up to the car and Bo looked out at me through the window. He looked down at my tiny dress and then hung his head down, looking at the floor of the police car.
A policewoman approached me. “Ma’am. We need to talk,” she said and ushered me away from Bo.
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A half hour later, I was told Bo and I were cleared of all charges and the other man was going to jail. Technically, I was underage and drinking, and Bo had assaulted the man. But the fact the man had tried to rape me made the cops lenient on us.
I had to wait for paperwork to be processed so charges could be pressed against my attacker. As I waited in the back of a police car with Kammy, I looked out my window and saw Bo being let out of the back of the cop car and his handcuffs removed.
I breathed a sigh of relief and waited for him to look for me, but he didn’t. Instead he went to talk to Jaxson who was waiting for me at the edge of the crowd. I had called my cousin, and after he learned I was okay, he was furious. When he saw what I was wearing, he immediately covered me with his jacket.
Now he and Bo stood together, talking for a short while before he nodded and walked away from my cousin. He got into his car and left without looking back at me, not even once.
Tears formed in my eyes, and I sniffled, pulling the jacket tighter on me. “I’m so stupid.” I said quietly. “I ruined everything.”
“This isn't your fault,” Kammy was quick to say.
I shook my head in reply.
She touched my arm lightly. “You mean Bo?”
I nodded. “He was the best thing that ever happened to me, and now he won’t even look at me.” My breath hitched. “I miss him so much. I have no idea how to fix this.”
“Do you love him?”
I hugged myself around my waist. “I miss him constantly when he's not around. I can't go two minutes without thinking about him. I want to make him happy. I want us to be happy together. Is that love?”
“Fuck yes, that's love. I've been telling you that for ages. Why is it so hard for you to see how much you love each other?”
I was quiet for a moment. “Why would he love me?” I shrugged. “My own parents don't even care about me.”
Christ. I had turned into the girl with daddy issues.
“Is that why you can't tell him you love him? You don't think you deserve him?”
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