The Searching Secret

Chapter 21

When Jay finally put the car in park, my disbelief grew. "Seriously, Jay, a club!"

"We're going," he stated, as he got out of the car. Since we left the hotel, Jay barely said two words to me. He was still fuming and trying to hide his hurt.

I knew this wasn't something he'd let go of, but I tired anyway. "Let's just go back and get a pizza or something."

He looked at me with a glare on his face again. "That would be safe, Riley. And you don't want that, remember," he said, as he grabbed my hand and pulled me along.

As I looked where he was dragging me, I realized not only were we marching up to an over 21 club, but we were also going right to the front of the long line. "Jay!" I hissed, as I felt all the annoyed feelings, but he didn't listen.

When we reached the door the bouncer raised his eyebrows in questions. I felt his curiosity, but Jay didn't miss a beat. He didn't seem the least bit intimidated by this heavy built man. "We're on the list," Jay stated matter-o-factly.

The man grunted, as he looked as his clipboard. "Name?"

"Let's just go, Jay," I whispered, tugging on his arm, but he just shrugged me off.

"Right there," Jay stated, as he laid a hundred dollar bill on the bouncers clipboard.

The bouncer looked at his clipboard for a moment. He gave a quick nod and shoved the bill in his pocket. "And her?" he asked.

Jay eyed him for a moment, but then reached in his pocket, with a sigh, and pulled out another bill. As soon as he placed it on the clipboard, the bouncer took it and put it with the other bill. "Everything seems to be in order, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin," he said, as he handed us our lime green wrist bands, and motioned us in.

"Jay!" I whispered harshly. "We aren't old enough to be here! Not to mention I'm pretty sure what you just did is illegal!" Jay shook his head, grabbed my hand, and pulled me further in the entrance. This brought us closer to the pounding music. "Jay!" I hissed again. "Stop! What are you doing?!"

Jay snapped quickly around and locked his eyes on mine. With his face now inches from mine, I felt my heart pound in my chest. This time was different. This time there wasn't a gentle, loving look in his eyes. This time he was filled with hurt and jealous anger. I suddenly didn't want to be this close to him. I started to take a step back, but, as if he sensed my movements, his hands grabbed my shoulders and kept me close. "I'm doing exactly what you want. I can be dangerous, reckless even, especially for you."

I knew at that moment he was no longer trying to ignore or push away his jealousy. Instead, he was now using it to fuel him. "But, Jay, I don't-" I tried, but he was already leading me deeper into the crowd.

The emotions exploded on me like a firework display explodes on the sky. Instinctively I tried to pull back, but Jay's grip on my hand tightened, as he dragged me through the swarm of people. Every person I bumped into sent a flash of a memory, or of the person, or of whatever was making them feel what they were feeling, through my head. My vision blurred and the sudden excruciating pain in my head caused me to bring my free hand to my temple, in a sad attempt to take away the pain.

When we finally stopped moving, I realized we were at one of the many bars in the club. When Jay let go of my hand and went to order a drink, I hastily grabbed the counter top and tried to steady myself. After a few deep breaths, I managed to push the majority of the overwhelming emotions to the back of my mind. I turned around and searched my surroundings. I didn't want to stay here, and for my sanity, I didn't believe I could stay here for long. I continued to search the room, but where was the door? The explosion of emotions had made me dizzy and I had lost all sense of which direction we actually came from.

My eyes finally landed on Jay and I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw a smile on his face. Not his normal smile, but still a smile all the same. I wanted to reach out for his emotions, but I knew, if I even tried to, I would lose control again. "Jay," I sighed, when he reached me. I thought maybe he had come to his senses and we would leave, but one look in his eyes told me otherwise.

"Drink?" he asked, offering me one of the cups in his hands. "It's rum and coke."

Remembering what happened the last time I ventured near alcohol, I quickly shook my head no.

Jay shrugged, "more for me then," and downed one cup and placed it on the bar. The deep bass of the loud music only added to my already growing headache, as I watched. He finished the second drink and was ordering another. When he turned back to me, with a full glass in hand, I opened my mouth to, once again, try to convince him to leave. However, I didn't have a chance to speak. "Dance with me," he practically demanded.

I glared at him, as I remembered all the times we had danced together. I shook my head. "No," I said sternly. "There is nothing you could do that would make me want to dance with you when you are like this."

Jay shrugged. "Fine," he said, and with his drink in hand, he took a few steps towards the crowd of moving bodies.

"Where are you going?!" I snapped, when I realized, once again, that he wasn't ready to drop this.

Jay turned back to face me. With a devilish grin on his face, he locked his eyes on mine. "To make you eat your words." With that he pushed his way into the crowd and started dancing with anything that had boobs and a nice pair of legs.