Chapter 51 — Drunken Kiss in the Rain

I stared at the starless dark sky laying in the bed and thinking. What could have happened if I stayed there for seven hours with him? A picture of his sweaty hard muscles entangled with mine under the duvets turned up in my mind. I shut my eyes tight, shaking my head.

Stop it, Ember!

I opened my eyes back, and his eyes came to my mind. They say eyes never lie. I had been noticing those entrancing sea-green eyes since the beginning, and how they were changing. Where before resided only hatred now danced a thousand emotions.

Was it all really not an act anymore? Had he really changed?

I jumped as my phone began vibrating beside me. Drawing it to my ear I spoke, "Hello?"

"Em, how ya doin' girl?" Ana's voice chimed from the other side.

"Alive."

Silence loomed for a second. "Hey, what happened at the hotel?" Her voice softened.

"Nothing. I left."

"What?!"

"What did you expect me to do with the man who betrayed me?"

"Maybe if he's trying to change like Matt said, you could give him a chance?"

I sighed. "I'll think, Ana." I hung up the phone. I didn't want to think anymore for the night as my head hurt. Deciding to hit the sack I got to my feet and lumbered to the closet. Opening the door I walked inside and looked at the endless racks and shelves of dresses and stuff Christian's wife owned. It felt weird using someone's clothes while they fought death in the hospital, but I was helpless and penniless. I had been waiting for the payday, and I would be out of here like flash residing in a new apartment.

I pulled off the first nightwear my hand reached and exited the chamber. Taking the shirt I shook it in case any dust decided to dwell on it when something fell on the ground. I looked down and frowned as a photograph lay on the floor. Bending over I picked it up, my eyes going wide at the three smiling faces posing in the picture. Behind them proudly stood the beige colored building of Stuyvesant High School.

The young and lively features on the students' faces didn't impede me from recognizing who they were. At the left corner stood Christian, beside him stood his wife leaning her hand on another guy.

Hunter.

They looked so happy and close to each other, especially Hunter. The huge smile on his face seemed so alien. They studied at the same school? What must have happened afterwards that led their friendship to such animosity? Christian never told me a thing that night. Only that I wouldn't be able to take it.

But I couldn't stay in the dark no more.

Throwing the shirt on the bed I marched out of the room to Christian's. I knocked on his door and soon came his reply. As I entered he stood up from his desk in a corner of the room wearing a velvety nightwear and his signature smile which faltered as his eyes fell on the photo in my hand.

"Anything wrong, Ember?"

I held the picture in front of his eyes. "I don't care if it hurts me. I want to know."

His eyes stayed wide for a couple seconds before a sigh left his mouth. "Ember..."

"The truth, Christian. Only the truth."

He turned around and gazed at the frame hanging on the wall that occupied a picture of his beloved. "Long ago in Stuyvesant High the three of us were the best of friends and everyone envied us. We used to do literally everything together. Gradually, I began developing feelings for Vienna and ended up proposing to her. She accepted and that was the happiest moment of my life. But,” he turned around and stared me right in the eyes, "since then something changed in Hunter. He started getting possessive over V, keeping her away from me, even feeding her with lies about me."

I frowned.

"When I confronted him about it, he revealed his love for her and attacked me. I somehow got away, but when V confronted him and threatened to end their friendship, he tried to...he..."

For a second the fire lit in my heart and my breathing process stopped. "Wh-What did he do?"

"He tried to force her, Ember." He casted his eyes down.

My hand shot up clasping my mouth as I released a gasp. "No...No, he can't..." I whispered looking down.

Rounding his table, Christian stepped closer and held my arms. "He did, Ember. He was obsessed with her. That's why he hasn't been able to move on. I-I know he hasn't been treating you like a wife should be treated. I know he is divorcing you..."

I directed my eyes back at him as a tear rolled down my cheek.

"I'm sorry, Ember." His eyes held sympathy.

Detaching myself from his hold I grasped my mouth in an attempt to silence the sobs and ran out of his room back to mine or...the one's who had been Hunter's first victim. I fell on the bed enveloping my face in between the pillows and let out the sobs to my heart's content.

I had been loving him like a fool hoping one day I would be able to thaw his frozen heart and propagate love in there for me, but all this time he had just been in love with another girl even after knowing she belonged to someone else. He even tried to...oh God, how could he? How could I have loved such a man?

~~~

The pillows were tear-soaked, the bed messy. I sat on the floor leaning against the bed frame, the golden ring being twirled between my fingers. It felt as if someone was drilling in my head after they had finished drilling my heart to numb. The air in the room grew heavy by every passing second, and the walls seemed to close in on me suffocating my lungs.

I couldn't stay in this room anymore.

Putting the ring in my jean pocket I pulled myself back to my feet and departed the mansion to venture to a place I never thought I would ever set foot in. I took in a deep breath as my hands balled into fists. I couldn't take it all anymore. I wanted to forget and have some fun for once away from everything. I eyed the words glowing in neon lights at the top of the entrance.

Seven Roses Night Club.

Let whatever happen tonight. I don't care anymore.

And in a couple minutes I found myself pushing through sweaty smelly bodies to get to the bar. As I sat myself in a stool a guy appeared at the other side of the counter, his long chestnut brown hair pulled back in a bun and skin marked in tattoos as far as could be seen. He observed me for a moment, one of his brows lifting.

"First time, eh?"

I nodded my head. Even though a little part of me was scared to be in an unknown place, another was excited, and my mind was set.

"Waddya want? Long island iced tea? Piña colada? Mojito? White Russian? Black Russian or," he leaned closer over the counter, "Sex on the Beach?"

I gulped. What the heck were these? List of porn movies? "Whatever makes me forget," I answered.

A corner of his lips went upwards in a smirk. "Just a moment, baby."

I looked behind at the dance floor where people danced like there was no worry in the world or even tomorrow. In one corner a DJ played the music so loud, and the disco ball light that twirled above shooting every shade of the rainbow into the darkness worsened my headache. Second thoughts began developing in my head when a soft thud of glass made me turn around. The bartender guy stood there with a glass full of red liquid.

I eyed the drink and its maker. Am I really doing the right thing?

"Drink away, baby! It'll give you the time of your life."

Well then...

Picking up the glass I chugged it all down in one go, my face contorting from the bittersweet taste invaded my tastebuds, but the warmth that filled my body and the light-headedness that followed subsiding the constant ache in my heart made me crave more.

"Can I get an—”

Another glass was put down before me, a mischievous smile playing on the guy's face. "This one's from me."

Before I knew a smile broke into my face from ear to ear, and the glass was against my mouth devouring the delicious beverage like it was the elixir of life. As I slammed the mug down and glanced at the guy there seemed to appear a set of twins before me. I blinked and turned around, and the world began rotating.

What the heck!

I got down from the tool and as my feet touched the floor I felt like a balloon, weightless and so relaxed. A fit of giggles left my mouth. I glanced at the dance floor, and everyone dancing, grinding or kissing looked so happy. Exactly what I wanted the most right then.

Giggling I began staggering to the spot when a shirtless guy blocked my path, a bottle of bear in his hand.

"Aye baby, wanna dance?" he slurred.

"You bet, boi."

And soon I was right in the middle moving my hips to the music like a puppet on strings, my head mashing so hard my brain is in shut-down mode. There was so much sweat on my body and not all of it belonged to me. The heat was getting unbearable. I took a sip from the bottle I had no idea how reached in my hands and took off my shirt leaving only the black bra on.

Letting out a sound much similar to an ape call the shirtless guy held on my hips mirroring my moves. Another pair of hands slipped around me from behind, but I cared too little to protest as my body moved to the beat like it belonged to the music. I could go like this all night long.

Wait. Something felt odd...The music..."Aye mister! Turn the music back...on right d-dis in'tant," I jabbered.

When nothing happened I glanced at the people slowly stopping their movements and eyeballing something behind me. Turning around I held the two guys for support and squinted my eyes at the direction. Like the sea in Pirates of the Caribbean the crowd parted revealing a stiff figure at the end of the room, his hands balled into fists. Bright light shone behind him casting a shadow over his features.

I tilted my head. Eh?

His feet moved as he, in a menacing manner swaggered towards me, his hands smoothly taking off his coat. He stopped inches away and leaned down until we were face to face. The shades of various lights illuminated on his high cheekbones and those familiar eyes hardened as he draped the coat over me.

"Unt- Untie- Untar—”

"Perhaps it is high time I teach you how to be a damn wife," he hissed bending down, his arm snaked around the back of my thighs sweeping me off my feet and threw me over his shoulder.

A gasp left my mouth as the bottle fell down shattering in pieces. "Nuuu!" I began kicking and punching his hard muscles hurting my own body parts instead. "Leggo ov meh! Leggoo!"

He kept walking until we reached the parking lot when something mischievous popped in my head. His tight, round behind was full on display before me. Drawing my hand back I drove it right on his butt cheek with a slapping sound as another fit of giggles erupted in me. His sturdy built stiffened even more before he put me down back on my staggering feet and pushed me against his car trapping me in-between.

"What the heck were you thinking getting drunk and stripping in a nightclub? Something bad could have happened to you!" he spat.

Now his face in full light brought back all the memories as well the pain I subsided with the help of the alcohol. "Stop actin' like you care!" I pushed him off and wavered away turning my back towards him. "Because you don't..."

Moment of silence passed. When I thought he wouldn't answer he spoke the most unexpected words.

"I. Do."

Frowning I turned around, my head getting dizzier with all the turns my body made and gazed at him. He was looking away, his jaw set.

I let out a heated breath as uninvited tears began rolling down my cheeks. "Stop! Just stop all your lies. Don' you see wat you're doin' to me? You're hurting me even more...Do you even know how it feels to be betrayed by the person you-you...cared the most of?"

A small frown appeared between his brows as the hardness omitted from his face and emotions swirled in his eyes. "Perhaps, I know the most..." Releasing a deep sigh he straightened up. "But I am willing to change," he paused, "For you."

As the words left his mouth the sky rumbled, and it started drizzling but none of us cared enough to seek refuge from it.

"You love someone else."

"No."

"You are divorcing me."

"I'm not."

"Y-You're not?" I couldn't believe my ears, but warmth didn't fail to flood in my system.

He began walking to me, water dripping along the curves of his face soaking his black shirt as the fabric latched to his hard muscles. His hand lifted to my cheek, and thumb drew circles around. "Ember, mistakes happened, lies were told, but this time I am willing to rectify them. I am asking for a chance," he whispered prolonging each word, his eyes darting to my lips.

Like in a trance I began leaning forward to his soft wet lips when he moved away.

"No. You are drunk. I will not take advantage."

I puffed out my bottom lip in a pout letting out a sniffle.

"No." He turned away.

I stomped my foot on the ground giving a whimper of protest.

"Damn you!" He swirled around, and in a flash my back hit the car as a set of warm yearning lips clashed against mine, his hands darted to my hips pulling me closer until there was no space left between us. Our lips molded against each other soft and slow yet with a pinch of demand while tasting the cold drops of rain. I ran my fingers down his spine feeling the beating of his heart against my chest that drove an intoxicating wave throughout me. Soon the world began to fade like I was being transferred to another magical realm as everything turned white in my vision.

Before I was completely gone I heard his deep husky voice caressing my ears like a lullaby.

"Ember..."