“Yeah. I know, they’re my favorite animal.”
“A butterfly is your favorite animal?” He snickered. “You’re definitely a new-age flower child.”
“Says the man with butterflies on his wall.”
“Touché.”
“As you may know, Ulysses butterflies are considered the most beautiful butterflies in the world. I’m hoping these aren’t real,” I said, pointing to the two dozen preserved on his wall.
“And why not?”
“Butterflies aren’t trophies, Mr. Mallory.”
“Ahh. My dear, but that’s where you are wrong. Anything is a trophy if you’re willing to pay the right amount,” he replied. All of a sudden, I felt his hand squeeze my ass.
“Mr. Mallory!” I jumped back away from him, successfully cornering myself in front of him. His grey eyes traveled up the length of me, stopping for a moment on my chest before looking me in the eye. I knew that look.
Lust.
“Sorry for intruding, Mr. Mallory. I’ll be—”
“You know, most girls grow out of that look, that innocence. But not you. How is it that you are just as beautiful now as you were when you were a teenager?”
I was going to be sick.
“Move,” I demanded sternly, no longer calm and eyeing the exit.
/> “Don’t be like that, Amelia. You have no idea how long I’ve been a fan.”
“I don’t care,” I growled.
As I rushed past him, he grabbed my arm and pulled me back, throwing me against the wall so hard a few of the butterflies fell down around me. Grabbing my throat, he pinned me there, his face inches from mine. He reeked of alcohol.
“You should care about your fans, Amelia. You should be grateful. Unlike your mother, you have the talent to match your beauty.”
“Let. Go!” I yelled through my teeth, my nails digging into his wrist. But he didn’t even flinch.
“Go ahead and fight! You’re only turning me on, sweet Amelia.” He kissed me hard, his mouth all over my face as I kicked and scratched any part of him could as I tried to turn my head away from him.
“No!” I struggled when he started to lift up my dress, but all of the sudden he was off me and stumbling backward.
“You no good fucking son of bitch!” Noah hollered just before his fist connected with Ray’s nose.
“Have you lost your goddamn mind?” Ray screamed, grabbing on to his nose, the blood dripping on to his ascot.
“No, but I’m about to!” Noah yelled as Ray tried to stand up straight. But Noah was pissed and kicked Ray’s bad knee before punching him again and again…and again.
“Noah, stop!” I called out to him. But he didn’t stop.
“Didn’t your mother ever teach you ‘no’ means ‘no,’ you stupid fuck?” Noah yelled, not letting up. Just as I ran toward him, one security officer held me back while the other tackled Noah.
“Let go of me!” I yelled.
“Ma’am, calm down,” he commanded, not letting my wrist go as two other people came in to assist Ray as if he were made of glass or was some type of victim in this situation.
“You’re going to regret this, you little shit,” Ray had the balls to say now that someone was holding Noah back.
Just like that, a perfectly nice evening descended into hell.