Chapter 22 At Bar
Sarah
I shook my head. "No, it's fine. I just need a break from the music and the lights for a minute."
"Don't stray too far from the club." He frowned, and I nudged him lightly.
"I won't, sir." I put on a stern face, but his cheeky grin made me grin too.
I exited through one of the club's side doors. Those doors were closely watched to make sure no one tried to sneak in. I leaned against the brick wall of the club, taking a deep breath of fresh air. The side door was in the middle of an alley. A lone bouncer leaned against the wall.
"Feeling okay?" the bouncer nodded hoarsely, holding a cigarette in his half-open mouth.
I nodded, "Just need some fresh air."
The smell of cigarettes hung in the air, and I wrinkled my nose. My heightened senses were at their peak until I caught a whiff of something unpleasant.
"Sorry," the bouncer chuckled hoarsely, tossing his cigarette to the ground. "Bad habit."
"Well, hello there, my dear, beautiful," another male voice called out, and I watched indifferently as two college-aged guys strolled down the alley.
By the smell and appearance, I could tell they'd been drinking for quite some time. The two approached me with smiles on their faces, as if they were a gift from God to us women.
"What's such a beauty doing here?" The first one gave me what he thought was a dazzling smile: "The party's inside, cutie!"
"Get lost," the bouncer barked, rising from the wall.
"I can handle it myself." I smiled confidently at the bouncer. "Don't worry."
"Just keep them out, go ahead." The bouncer shrugged indifferently.
"See, she can handle herself." The main guy sneered at the bouncer and turned his attention back to me.
The two guys looked like college students. One had short brown hair combed to the side, and the other had a crew cut.
"Why don't you let us in, honey, and we'll hang out with you?" The one with the crew cut smirked. "Or better yet, join us."
I snorted involuntarily. "No, thanks, I'm fine." I suppressed a smile as the bouncer let out a deep chuckle.
Normally, I wouldn't have tormented these two poor souls, but they seemed to be the type who wouldn't take no for an answer. I couldn't help but laugh at the irony. Shawn didn't take no for an answer, and yet he was intoxicating. These two were anything but intoxicating.
"Playing hard to get?" the one with the sleek hair smirked, taking a step toward me.
"Oh, I'm not playing hard to get," I shrugged. "But if I were you, I'd keep my distance."
"Darling, you're the most harmless creature I've ever seen." The one with the hedgehog chuckled.
The one with the hedgehog had made his first mistake. He reached for my hand with a wide grin on his face.
They were both much taller than I, but they were too close. I could easily have landed a few good punches. I grabbed the guy reaching for me by the arm, yanked him forward, and punched him in the forehead as hard as I could.
"No means no." I shrugged, grinning broadly at the giggling bouncer.
The brown-haired man paused for a moment, clearly considering whether to fight the girl. He seemed to respond by lunging forward.
I swung my knee just as the brown-haired man lunged forward, catching my kneecap in a sensitive spot. After the blow, I threw my arm forward and jabbed my elbow into his back, sending him flying into the brick wall.
The short-haired guy came to his senses and raised his fist to punch me, but I was much faster. Aiming for his already broken nose, I lowered my fist and hit him in the throat. After a rather amusing coughing fit, a guy with a short haircut helped his friend up, and the two of them stumbled back.
"Well, that was fun." I shrugged, waved one last time at the bouncer, and headed for the door.
"I hope you kick that bad habit," I shouted, closing the door behind me. UD music pounded in my ears, accompanied by pulsating purple and green lights. The fresh air cleared my head.
I only spent five minutes at the club.
Ten seconds passed before I collided with a solid body. I stumbled back, my heart pounding in my chest as the scent hit my nose. God only knows how I could detect his unmistakable scent in a noisy club, but here I am.
I stared at Shawn, stunned, my stomach clenching at the sheer intensity of his image.
"Are you going to be in trouble again, Sarah?" Shawn raised a dark eyebrow seductively.
Shawn's voice cut through the music, his words too clear to focus on. I couldn't decide which I liked better. Him in his workout clothes or him in his business suit. He wore black trousers that hugged him in just the right places.
A black button-down shirt hugged his chiseled chest, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. My gaze slid over his muscular forearms, noting the prominent veins.
"Eavesdropping?" "I smirked, trying to contain my persistent jealousy. Instead, I wanted to challenge him even more.
"I've learned that if there's a problem within five miles, you'll find it." He pursed his lips, his thick eyebrows still raised.
"What can I say?" I shrugged. "It's a talent."
Shawn's sweet gaze lingered on my face. A deep smirk appeared as his gaze slid over my body. His willpower cracked, his eyes darkening as he slid down my body for a moment, finally meeting my satisfied gaze.
Shawnn froze as I closed the distance between us. His dark eyes lingered on me, wary and attentive. I slowly raised my hand, fiddling with the collar of his shirt.
"Are you free tonight?" I smirked, peering at him from under my eyelashes.
He was silent for a few moments, his dark eyes glittering, looking straight at me.
"No," was all he said, his lips moving softly.
"No," I repeated slowly, smiling at him and biting my lower lip. "It's a shame you can't come out and play."
His pupils merged with mine as he tried to get closer. Shawn's lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes blazing with anger and some other emotion.
I removed my hand from the collar of his shirt, gave him one last timid smile, and stepped aside to pass him.
He jerked his hand away, grabbed my wrist tightly, spun me around, and pulled me close. "You think all these people are protecting you, but they're not," Shawn growled slowly. "Try that again, and I'll take you."