This Cruel Love

I hadn’t been at the bar five minutes, when I smelt the overwhelming stench of musky cologne clogging up my airways.

“Beautiful women should never drink alone.”

Mason Lovall squeezed himself next to me, far too close for comfort.

“What’s your poison, princess?” He clicked his chubby fingers at the barman. He was so rude, he made me cringe.

“It’s a free bar. I can order my own drinks.” I side stepped away from him, but he just moved with me.

“I was hoping we’d bump into each other again.” He looked me up and down, flaring his nostrils as he did. “Looks like fate threw me a lifeline tonight.”

I picked up my drink, figuring an evening with Jackson and his mind fuck games was better than spending time with Mason the sleazebag. As I turned to leave, he yanked my arm back, and my wine glass dropped to the floor. I bent down to pick it up, and when I stood up, Mason already had another drink ready for me in his hand.

“You’re clumsy tonight. Here,” he said, holding the glass out towards me. “A couple more glasses of this and you won’t care how uncoordinated you are.”

The barman smirked and I couldn’t stop myself from pouting.

“I’m not clumsy. You knocked me.”

“It doesn’t matter now, angel. Come on, drink up.”

He pushed the glass into my hand, so I took a large sip. I didn’t need encouragement to drink champagne. The bubbles were exquisite, and they seemed to dull the senses quicker.

I think I drank half of that glass before the room started to spin and my vision became blurry.

“I don’t feel too good.” I went to move away from the bar, but I stumbled and almost fell to the floor. It felt like the ground was trembling beneath me, and I couldn’t get a hold on it. My balance was all over the place. I was so confused. My throat felt like it was closing up and my lips and tongue were swelling and numb. I was losing control of myself and everything around me, but I couldn’t seem to speak out to warn anyone. What was happening to me?

“Oh, dear. Early night for you, sweetheart.”

I could hear a man’s voice, but as hard as I tried, I couldn’t respond. I wanted to find Jackson, get him to take me home, but my legs had no feeling to them, no power. I don’t remember anything after that, at least not until I woke up on the back seat of an unfamiliar car. I could see the lights from the streets going past, so I knew we were moving, but I couldn’t move. I couldn’t cry out. All I could do was listen.

The car pulled off the street and into what must’ve been an underground car park, judging from the strip lights overhead. The driver pulled into a space and got out. I heard a car door slam shut, then felt cold air blowing over me as the door closest to me opened. Mason appeared in front of me and leaned into the back seat and over my body.

“This is going to be a night you’ll never remember. If you’re a good girl, I might let you live to forget.”

Then he pulled me downwards so the bottom half of my body was out of the car, enabling him to pick me up easier.

Once he’d got me in his arms, I heard the slam of the car door. He stalked over to some stairs, grunting as he carried me, and climbed the few steps that led him to a door, and then through to some kind of foyer with lights and music. I wanted to fight him off. Hell, I wanted to scream at him to put me down, but I couldn’t move. I could barely compute where I was and what was happening.

“Is she okay?” I heard another male voice.

“My wife drank way too much tonight. I’m taking her back to our room and putting her to bed,” Mason lied.

“Lucky she has you watching out for her.”

“Isn’t she just?” He bent down and kissed the top of my head. All I could do was breathe. I couldn’t grunt or moan. Nothing.

“Call down to reception if you need anything, Mr Lovall.”

I passed out again, my brain struggling to keep my body alert in any capacity.

When I next came round, I was in a hotel room, the only light came from a small lamp in the corner. I was lying on my back on a bed, and although I was lying on my own, I could sense someone else’s presence in the room.

I still felt dizzy, and everything looked blurred, like it was shaky and out of focus. A figure loomed over me, then I felt the bed dip as that same figure moved to sit astride me. Mason leered over me. He looked feral, raw, and unhinged.

“You don’t know how long I’ve waited to get you.”

He picked up my redundant arms and laughed as he let them go and they fell like pieces of meat at my side.