Marx Girl

“Are you going to tell her now?” Brock frowns.

I shake my head. “I don’t want her knowing that shit about me.”

They both nod, and we all stay lost in our own thoughts.

“Ben, is it?”

I look up to see Eric, Bridget’s boyfriend, standing over the table. I nod and raise an eyebrow in question. “Yes,” I reply dryly as I sip my drink.

My heart is still beating hard from my memories.

Get away from me before I fucking kill you.

“Mind telling me what you wanted with my girl in the church?”

My eyes flicker to Josh and Brock as they exchange looks and smirk into their drinks.

My eyes hold his. He’s got balls, I’ll give him that. Not many people take me on by choice.

“For the record, she’s my girl,” I sneer.

He fakes a smile. “Fuck off, idiot.”

I raise an eyebrow and sip my drink, our eyes locked.

“What do you want?” he snaps.

“Bridget,” I reply without hesitation.

Joshua is unable to contain his grin as his eyes flicker between the two of us.

“You can’t fucking have her.”

I sip my drink. “Watch me.”

“Outside, prick,” he growls.

I stand abruptly, and he turns and walks out the front door with me hot on his heels.

4

Bridget

I laugh as I watch Tash try to navigate the bad song. Daggy dancing doesn’t come close to describing it. She and Adrian are doing the bump.

“Houston, we have a problem.” Adrian frowns as he looks over my shoulder, across the room.

We all turn to see Eric standing over Ben’s table, looking unimpressed.

My eyes widen, and I see Brock and Joshua smirk. “Oh shit, what’s going on?”

Tash frowns as she watches.

Next minute Ben stands abruptly, and Eric and he march outside.

My face drops in horror. “What the hell is going on?”

The three of us all stand still on the spot as we watch Joshua and Brock smile at each other and stand to follow them outside.

“Fuck.” I start to run with Tash and Adrian hot on my heels. “Oh, no.”

“Damn Ben,” Adrian curses behind me. “That man is totally out of control.”

We run out into the foyer and Tash slips over on the marble floor, knocking over a stand.

“Oh, my God,” Adrian squeals as he helps her up. “Are you okay? Watch what you’re doing.”

Max frowns as he comes out behind us. “What’s going on?”

“I hate these shoes, Adrian. You try and wear these bastards next time,” Tash sputters from her place on the floor. “I’m wearing runners from here on in.”

“Well, my shoes are going in the rubbish bin after tonight,” I groan as I grab Tash’s hand. I’m not joking, they are so uncomfortable.

“Clean up here,” Max orders the two other security guards following him. They stand the signing stand back up and rearrange the floral arrangement that Tash knocked over.

“Ben’s gone crazy,” Adrian snaps. “You need to get a hold of him.”

Max breaks into a grin as Tash shakes her head in disgust, and we take off again.

We burst through the front doors and look down the front steps, but we don’t see anyone.

We look left, we look right.

Nothing.

Where are they?

I look out into the darkness with my heart hammering hard in my chest.

“Pull your fucking head in,” I hear Eric’s voice growl from around the side of the building.

“This way!” I yell.

We take off down the wide stone steps.

“Natasha. Take your shoes off!” Max calls from behind. As her security guard, he cares for nothing but her safety.

“Shut up, Max,” she cries as we run down the steps. “I’ve got bigger issues going on here.” We turn the corner to see Eric and Ben, who have a tight hold on each other’s suit lapels, as they get lost in a very heated conversation.

Adrian stops running and his face falls.

“Ben!” I yell. “Cut it out.”

“Go inside, Bridget,” Eric orders.

I look over and see Joshua and Brock standing up against the building. Brock has casually lit a cigarette, like he’s about to watch a damn theatre show.

“I’ll say this one time and one time only, prick… you stay the fuck away from Bridget,” Eric growls in Ben’s face.

“Go to Hell,” Ben sneers.

My eyes widen in horror as I run to them.

Joshua steps forward to grab me and I struggle to break free.

Eric takes a swing, and punches Ben hard in the face.

Ben hits Eric back and they begin to struggle.

Natasha screams, “Stop it. Stop it now!”

“Do something!” Adrian yells at Max.

Max and the bodyguards all stand back.

I break free and sprint to them as Ben seems to gain the upper hand.

“Ben, I swear to you, if you hit him once more I will never speak to you again,” I cry.

Ben glances over at me, and his face falls as he realises what he’s just done.

Eric breaks free from Ben’s grip on his shirt and pushes Ben hard. “You’re fucked,” he growls.

Eric walks over to me. “Let’s go home,” I whisper, staring at him through my tears.