Destined For Them (Story 3)✔

~13~

~Caroline~

I didn't want to be here and by here I meant Samuel Specters over-the-top birthday party at  a lavish cigar bar. It was ridiculous, completely pointless and a sorry excuse for a bunch of adults to get drunk. I didn't know anyone, besides my brother-in-law, and it didn't help that my husband was acting as if I didn't exist. I wanted so badly to find that fucking invitation so he could get over himself and act like a grown man. His accusation still had a heavy rock weighing in the pit of my belly.

I broke off from the group Sol and Sam occupied and walked around for a little while. The small talk I made with a few people only reminded me that I didn't wanna be be here...this was not my thing. The men had too big of egos and the women...don't even get me started. I finally found myself at the bar, ordered a white wine and sat there, thinking. Of course I ran every possible place the note could be over in my head again and when that came up nothing I thought about the closet and the collar.

What an asshole move that had been of Sol. Just what in the hell had he been trying to do? Had there been more to that then him just 'liking' it? My thoughts were everywhere and when I didn't have an explanation for that either I wondered what this person, whoever it may be, wanted from us. Clearly to ruin Sol but why?

I finished my wine and before I could even think about ordering another, the bartender brought me a drink. It smelled like pineapple and was yellow with a cherry decorating the top, floating on cubes of ice. "Oh no, I didn't order this." I forced a smile, catching the guy before he could walk back down the length of the bar to help a woman who had just slid into a stool.

The tender, who was a little dark natured with his actual freakin eyeliner, tossed back a smile. "Nah. That guy did," he replied jerking his head toward the end of the bar before he frowned deeply. I followed his gaze and found that no one was there. Was he losing his mind, like I was? For a minute I was as confused as he was until realization hit hard in my chest. Oh God, it's the person taunting you! He's here! The bartender sobered quickly and shrugged. "Must have gone already." Just like that he left me to wonder.

Or more like panic. My eyes searched the room then, frantically. Chill!, I finally convinced myself. Maybe it was Sol sending me a truce drink or some idiot trying to flirt. Surely. But deep in my gut, I knew better. I stared down at the exotic mixed drink as my heart pounded wildly in my chest still and the condensation puddled on the wooden bars surface. No fucking way was I going to drink that.

Before I left the bar, goosebumps prickling my exposed skin, I ordered another wine and left the drink there for the ice to melt. I tried to ignore the feeling like I was being watched as I went and found Sol. He was sitting with Sam at a private table, my brother-in-law had his arm thrown over the shoulder of his date. They were laughing when I walked up.

"Hey baby," Sol said, looking up at me with his glossed over blue eyes. Great, he was half drunk. My husband took my hand and pulled me down into the booth beside him, my wine sloshing from the glass a bit, like he was all of a sudden interested in me. Save me. "Where have you been?" He asked me quietly, coming in close, smelling of strong liquor.

"Just exploring some." I shrugged and nursed my untouched wine. I decided that now was certainly not a good time to tell him about the drink. Because then he would be on a mission-a drunken one at that- to find the male behind it.

Sol's lips teased at my neck before they went to my ear, "Don't run away like that again." The words were quiet, commanding, so very much dominant. I wanted to roll my fucking eyes. He was on a power trip and I was surprised he hadn't said it loud enough for the entire bar to hear. I wanted to come back with some hot retort but decided against it. He was quite tipsy...there would be no point.