Everybody Knows (Razes Hell 2)

“So soon? I thought we were going to have some fun.”

“Yeah. I’m done.”

He let go of one of my hands and gripped my chin, forcing my face back to his. His eyes glimmered, but not in a good way. In fact, there was a coldness to them; clearly he wasn’t used to hearing the word “no” and the speed of his mood change sent a shiver through me.

“Well, I am not done.”

My heart beat faster, pounding more speedily than the beats drifting out from inside the club. Julien moved me back against the wall, in almost the exact spot Jason had pressed the skank from the bar. Unfair judgement. You just did the exact same thing as her… albeit more hesitantly. What the hell was I thinking? Julien kissed me again, and there was nowhere I could go. He had me so firmly pressed against the wall, I couldn’t move at all, and as he grabbed my wrists again, my stomach churned and fear took me in its hold.

Stupid, stupid girl!

“Julien, please. I just want to go back inside.”

“And I want what you promised me.” He slipped one hand underneath my top, his fingers sliding over my skin and roughly closing over my breast. He gave a moan and tears sprang to my eyes. There was no way he was going to stop and I tried again to wriggle free as he pushed his hips against mine.

“I promised you nothing!” I spat, trying to disguise my panic. The way my voice trembled betrayed me, and his eyes flashed again, like he was getting off on how scared I was.

“Out here, all alone? You were asking for this.”

His hips pinned me to the spot as he squeezed my breast harder, reaching down to unzip his jeans with his other hand. My heart rate quickened and a panic-induced sweat broke out across my forehead. I couldn’t think straight, couldn’t believe this was happening. I’d never been touched this way, and couldn’t let my first time happen like this. I wouldn’t. I raised my hands, trying hard to shove him away as tears dripped down my cheeks.

“Get the fuck off her! Now!”

Julien backed away quickly at the sound of Drew’s bellow and my body sagged with relief. Drew only had to take one step towards him before he turned on the spot and ran. Once he was gone, my knees weakened and I dropped to the ground, my head down.

“Jesus, Lucy. Are you okay?”

I nodded, gulping at the air. In my panic, I’d forgotten to breathe and my lungs struggled to keep up as my heart rate finally started to slow.

“What were you doing out here?”

“I thought I was getting some fresh air, but then Julien came along and…”

I was way too ashamed to admit I’d kissed him. I don’t know what had been running through my mind. Trying to prove my maturity by letting myself get mauled by a stranger, and for what? Just to take my mind off what Jason was doing.

“Did he hurt you?”

I shook my head. “Scared me mostly.” I didn’t want to admit to Drew that I’d probably have a bruised boob, and honestly, if he hadn’t come along when he did, it would have been so much worse. The idea of what Julien might have done made my body shake, and my chest heaved with the sobs I was trying to suppress.

“Do we need to call the police?”

“No,” I choked out. “He’s gone now, and I’m ready to go back to the hotel.”

Drew nodded. “We were thinking about heading back now anyway. That’s why I was looking for you. I was looking for Jason too. Have you seen him?”

A shudder ran through me as I remembered the other image of the evening I wanted to forget. Composing myself, I said, “He’s gone back to the hotel with some random.”

Drew fixed his eyes on me and I lowered my gaze, not wanting him to see any hint of hurt or jealousy. Not that I had any right to be either of those things. Jason was never mine, and he never would be. At some point, he would find someone he wanted to be with and I’d have to get over this insane crush. But at that moment, it sucked to be me.

“I’m sorry you had to see that.”

I looked up at him. “I’ve seen it before. Well, actually, I saw a little more than I wanted to, but… you know what I mean. It’s fine.”

Drew gave a small jerk of his head. “Come here.”

He opened his arms out and I let him pull me into a hug. A hug from Drew was one of the best things in the whole world. His large frame was comforting and warm, and I snuggled into him, grateful for his lack of lecture about my idiocy, and his understanding about my feelings.

**