The Meeting

Chapter 12 - Bad dreams and mysterious men

The lights pulsate around me and the crowd of people pushes me side to side. I try to push against the current so I don’t get washed away. I need to get to Aria. I crane my neck and I see her, talking to a tall hooded man. He turns and a flash of brown eyes and white teeth penetrate the darkness. My breath catches and I struggle even more. She doesn’t know. I yell for her, reaching out through the crowd, and I see her head tilt as a laugh escapes her lips. She reaches out and touches him arm, moving closer to him. She can’t hear me over the loud music.

I scan the crowd. Where’s Damien? I reach for my phone, but it’s not in my pocket. The crowd moves faster, pushing me back against the wall. A man comes close to me. His breath smells like booze and his hair is slicked back with gel. I look to his face and instantly recognize him as the man from the club. I glance to the sides and see that I have nowhere to run. His face parts into a wicked grin as he stalks closer to me, his hands outstretched for me. I scream…

“Zoe!”

I open my eyes and see Damien’s face, hovering above mine, concern in his eyes. The light penetrates the soft material hanging around the bed, taking away the darkness of my dream.  Damien pulls me onto my side and brings me close, muttering softly in my ear, “it was just a dream. You’re okay.”

I sigh and close my eyes, seeing the faces flash behind my lids. I’m going crazy. I’ve wondered how long it would be until I cracked.

“What were you dreaming?” Damien strokes my hair and kisses the top of my head.

“I don’t remember,” I lie, burying my face into his chest. I wish I could tell him, but I don’t want to bring him into this. I hate keeping secrets but it’s necessary at the moment.

“I wish you would confide in me. Something has been bothering you,” he says, tightening his grip around me.

“I can’t,” I whisper so softly that it’s barely audible. He pulls my face up; his eyebrows are furrowed in confusion.

“Whatever it is, I can help you. You should trust me. I would never hurt you.” His eyes search mine and I see they have lost their usual spark and ferocity.

“I do trust you,” I say, running my fingers through the hair on his chest. He breathes deeply and watches me, waiting for me to continue. “It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you about it, because I honestly do. I just can’t because he’ll know I told you, and then you’ll be stuck in it as well.”

“Who will know?” His face hardens and he grabs my hands together in his. “I would gladly jump into it with you. I’m not having some other man come in and mess around with what’s mine.”

“Please. I need time,” I reply, turning away from him. I need to tell him, but I can’t do it here. I feel the hairs rise on the back of my neck and I know ‘M’ is listening.

Damien slides out of bed, obviously upset. “You should get dressed. We still need to stop off at your house before we go to work.” He disappears through a door and I hear running water. I pull myself from the bed and pad over to the en suite bathroom to peek through the open door. He is standing under the torrent of water, not even moving. I walk in, feeling disconnected from him. He doesn’t understand; he’s the only person I feel safe with and I don’t ever want to lose that.

I slide into the shower behind him and wrap my arms around his waist, letting the water stream down onto both of us. I feel him take a deep breath and he spins around to look at me from under his dark wet hair. I push him against the wall, my eyes locked on his shocked face. I run my hands up his chest and bring them around his shoulders to pull his face down to me. I kiss him hard, pressing my breasts against his wet torso and instantly feel his arousal against my thigh. I hear him groan softly and his hands snake their way down my back. He lifts me and spins so I am pressed up against the wall instead, with one arm around my waist and one cupping my ass.