The expression on his face morphed from one of lust into one of anger. “There's no need to be such a stuck-up bitch about it,” he snarled. “Hell, every girl in this club wants to be with me. You should be feel
ing privileged that I'm giving my attention to you.”
“Then I suggest you go grind on one of them,” I said as politely as I could muster.
I looked across at Angie. She was grinding eagerly with Nick on the dance floor and seemed like she was totally into all of this.
“Angie!” I said in her ear, “I don't like this. I want to go.”
She looked over at me. “Are you crazy? These smokin' hot guys are totally into us!”
“Look, I'm not comfortable. I really want to go; I've had enough clubbing for one night,” I told her.
“Are you okay taking a taxi by yourself?” she asked. “Sorry, it's just that... I really like Nick, and I'm having a great time.”
I started feeling guilty. I didn't want to ruin Angie's night just because I wasn't having a great time. I didn't really feel safe taking a taxi by myself, but again, I would feel terrible wrecking Angie's night, and I didn't want her to resent me for it.
“Sure,” I said. “Yeah, I'll be fine getting a taxi by myself. I'll send you a message when I'm home safe. Please do the same for me, even if you get back at like three in the morning or something, just so I know you're safe.”
“I'll do that, Viv. Thanks for being an awesome friend. I really owe you one.”
“No problem, Angie. I'll see you tomorrow, maybe. Have a great night.”
“Bye, Viv.”
I turned to Paul and handed him the rest of my drink. “Here, you can have this. I'm going home now.”
“What? Don't be ridiculous. Just calm down, finish this drink, and—”
“No. I said I'm going home now, and that's what I intend to do. Have a nice night, Paul.”
Before he could say anything else, I turned around and hurried back up the stairs, heading straight for the entrance. I'd seen a few taxis waiting outside when we had arrived, and hoped some would still be hovering around now. But, no such luck. When I walked out to the front, there wasn’t a taxi in sight.
“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath. I got out my phone, googled the number of a local taxi company, and gave them a call. I was assured a taxi would be there in a few minutes.
I was eyeing a nearby lamppost and about to use it for support since I was feeling a bit weary and tipsy when a somewhat familiar voice spoke in my ear from behind me.
“You can't go home now, Vivienne.”
I turned around and found Paul standing there, glaring at me.
“Uh, yeah, actually I can,” I replied, my tone holding a hint of defiance. “Who are you to tell me what to do? I only just met you a few minutes ago... and to be frank, I don't think I want to have anything more to do with you.”
“Nobody rejects me,” he snarled. “No girl rejects me.”
Flashbacks of Simon blasted through my head, making what would typically be an already scary situation even scarier for me.
“Look, I'm not trying to offend you, it's nothing personal,” I stammered taking a small step away from him. “It's just that I'm really tired and in a bad mood, and I just need to go home and chill out by myself.”
“You didn't even give me a chance,” he replied angrily. “And like I said, no girl says no to me. You're with me now, and we are going to dance now, and you are going to come back to my place later. Trust me, you'll be begging for this body in a few hours, babe, you'll be drooling.”
“Um, I don't think so,” I replied, stepping away from him more blatantly.
He lunged forward and grabbed my wrist, squeezing it tightly with his powerful hand.
“Hey! Let go! That hurts, let go of me!” I demanded.
“I told you,” he growled through clenched teeth. “You and me are going back inside to dance! That's what we're doing now!”