The Protector of Skye James

The Protector of Skye James- Part 14

The week dragged on so slowly and I was grateful for the weekend. I switched mindlessly between the tv channels, hoping and wishing something could hold my attention for long enough. It was already 11pm and I felt my eyes getting heavy as I slouched across the lounge, a half-empty glass of whiskey sitting before me. Amidst the quiet of the night, my phone buzzed softly, almost imperceptibly. I grumbled and reached across for it on the table. One missed call- unknown. I dialled for the voicemail, half-listening as I swiped the glass and hastily finished my drink. A quiet crackle and a soft breath quickly enveloped the speaker.

A faint crackle followed by a gentle exhale greeted me through the speaker.

"Sam?" a voice whispered, laden with emotion.

"Sam...please", I heard her beg, her voice trailing off with a sense of longing.

"Please, just call me back. I...need..I need...", her voice hitched with emotion, heavy with unspoken words, before the message abruptly ended, leaving an echo of her desperation lingering in the air.

I sat upright now, my eyes locked onto the screen in my hands.

"Fuck...", I whispered aloud, the realisation sinking in that I had no way to return her call. Suddenly, the phone vibrated in my palms and I hesitated before swiftly answering the call.

"Skye?" I asked, my voice alert and steady.

"Sam!", she yelled loudly, "I'm so sorry, please can you..." I could hear her sobs echo through the speaker.

"Where are you, what's happened?", I questioned.

"It's... Xavier..." her voice came through distorted, slurred with intoxication. I strained to make out her words over the booming bass in the background, but they were muffled and disjointed. My heart constricted with an immediate anger and I tensed my jaw.

"Skye, what's happened?" I asked again, my tone now flooded with panic.

"He...I don't know, Sam..please come", she responded, her breath heavier now.

"Just stay where you are, I'm coming to find you", I pleaded, praying that Skye would actually follow my instructions.

When I arrived at the club, I was wary of the two security guards who stood at the front door, checking ID's. They were different guards to the ones who kicked me out last time, but I was sure they'd have a record to state that I wasn't allowed a re-entry. But that wasn't going to stop me, Skye had called me tonight and I knew she needed me. I also hoped I wouldn't have to punch Xavier in the throat for another 'fuck up' of his but his previous encounters with me hadn't been a positive experience so I had little hope for him. Taking a long drag of my cigarette, I eyed the guards for a few more moments but shook my head as they remained at the door, triple checking every I.D of each person wanting to enter the premises. I remembered there was a backdoor that was guarded by other security when I was kicked out last time, grabbing a one hundred dollar bill out of my pocket, I charged towards the back door.

His palm steadied onto my chest before I could swipe past him.

"Name?" he asked, eyeing me curiously.

I hesitated for a moment then waved the hundred dollar bill in front of his face, "Benjamin?" I responded, a small smirk beginning to rise on my face.

He simply nodded and stepped aside, swiping the bill from my fingers.

Inside, the ocean of bodies crowded the dance floor once again, I rolled my eyes and sighed, "Here we fucking go" I said aloud to myself.

I manoeuvred through the bodies, my eyes scanning each face in search of Skye. The sweat and smell of liquor clouded my senses as I searched and searched for her. I asked a few people if they had seen her, showing a picture from my phone but they all shook their heads. Frustration was growing deeper as I knew she had to be here somewhere, I just hoped she remembered to listen to me and hadn't left the building with him. After an hour and a half, I gave up and headed towards the back door again. Outside, an icy breeze lapped against my face. I pulled my hoodie over my head and started down the alleyway, a slow and steady walk back towards my car. The alleyway was lit by faint orange street lights, barely making visible the road in front of me. The roads were slowly starting to fog over as it neared towards 1:30am. I continued down the long alley when I heard a glass bottle shatter behind me. I stopped and jerked my head around quickly but my eyes caught onto an arm, sprawled out across the gravel. My eyes narrowed and I swallowed heavily.

"Skye?" I asked quietly.

"Oh shit!", I yelled, realising it was her laying helplessly along the road with her eyes closed. I rushed towards her, kneeling down, my breath uneven and heavy.

"Hey!" I said again, this time louder as I grabbed onto her arm and heaved her body up onto my legs. Her still body was heavy against my legs when suddenly the dim orange light hit her forehead, and I noticed a bright red streak running down her forehead.

"Fuck!", I yelled this time, "What happened, come on Skye, talk to me!?" I continued, shaking her.

"Come on, let's take you home", I said softly. Feeling defeated, I lifted her up carrying her towards my car.

I searched quickly through her bag when we arrived at her apartment, Skye laid silently next to me in the passenger seat, her breaths slow and steady.

Inside, I carried her down the dark hallway, memories of the night I watched Xavier carry her and me finding her pill bottle flooded my mind, my breath grew heavy as the thoughts swirled in my mind.

I laid her down gently in her bed, slowly removing her shoes. I grabbed a towel and wet it, dabbing her forehead carefully and watched as the blood faded from her forehead. I sat back in the chair across from where she lay and closed my eyes, listening to her breaths late into the night.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" she hissed, her anger clouding the room. Skye stood above me, glaring down at me.

Anger flooded me immediately, "You called me last night, Skye", I spat.

She shook her head, her face twisted in confusion. I reached for my phone and replayed her message aloud. She stood there, her mouth wide but she couldn't fathom the words.

"Do you want to tell me what the fuck happened or do I need to go and ask Xavier myself?" I asked, my tone menacing and deliberate.

She shook her head slightly and I watched as her eyes drifted, remembering the night.

Xavier brought me to the club, but I was feeling anxious, like I didnt want to be there. I kept nagging him for us to leave but...he gave me something...for my drink. He said it would help calm me down. But when I refused to drink it, he started screaming at me, telling me I'm using him. I got scared and drank it.

"He fucking what!", I screamed, immediately rising up from the chair, she trembled and took a step back.

"What are you doing? Are you fucking scared of me? I'd never fucking hurt you, Skye", I said, confusion washed over me as I saw her reaction. She remained silent, still.

"He fucking roofied your drink, Skye!" I yelled again, taking another step towards her.

"No..no he wouldnt..." she spoke softly, shaking in disbelief.

"Well where the fuck did he go? He left you out there, Skye, on the ground...I found you lying on the cold fucking ground! You could have died out there...someone could have hurt you!" I yelled again, my hand raising to run my fingers through my hair in frustration. But she flinched away.

"Skye...what the fuck is wrong with you? You just flinched? Did you think I was gonna hit you?" I asked, staring deeply into her eyes, searching hard for the truth. She just stood there, biting her lip nervously.

"Does...did...he hit you?", I asked slowly. Her walls were up high now, it would take everything I had to make her vulnerable to me again.

"Did he? Is that why your forehead was bleeding? Did he hit you and you fell?", I asked again. She sighed heavily and I could see the tears beginning to well up in her beautiful eyes.

"I...dont..remember", she finally replied slowly.

I clenched my jaw. "I'm going to fucking kill him", I said sharply.

"No!", she screamed out, her hand now clutching my wrist. I looked down at her hand and my eyes peeled up her body and back to her pleading face.