Set Me Free

Chapter Sixteen

After leaving Juno behind in a cloud of dust which was a dust of his mistakes,he went to the only place that could help. “f**k!” He yells at no one but himself. Since meeting Juno’s he’s made an attempt at limiting the profanity, but at this moment, it didn’t seem to matter.

Throwing the shot glass back, the cool liquid scorching a fiery path down his throat. Slamming it down on his pristine desk. Nix came to his solace, his only place of refuge, his office. Picking up his scotch he walked over to the large floor to ceiling window overlooking the vibrant and thriving club below. When he looked at his hard work, he didn’t feel anything. It felt hollow, like he felt inside. With the loss of Juno he felt a gaping hole in his chest where his heart would be. Why couldn’t he just tell her the truth. Tell her who and what he really was? Would that have been so bad? Rip the bandaid off early and fast. Maybe he wouldn’t feel so lost, so out of sorts, like he no longer knew which direction he was heading. A ship lost at sea without a compass.

Throwing back the scotch, he placed his palm against the cold, one way glass. “Damn it all to hell!” He yelled. Luckily his room is soundproof for the most part, and the music below barely enters with it’s loud booming beats, the floor carrying the vibrations under his feet.  Spinning around he chucked the glass against the far wall shattering it into tiny glittering shards. Walking back to his own personal bar, he reached over and grabbed another glass and poured another shot.

“What did you expect, Nix? Hmm? That someone as wonderful as Juno could look past your mistakes?”  Who was he kidding. He was after all just another thoughtless tool. Craving things he can never have. Not for a person like him. Filling another glass he held it between his fingers, staring into the golden liquid.

Juno. Her name alone inspires dreams, fantasies. Ever since that first night at the club, so free, so wild, so gorgeous. Like a goddess descending from heaven, Her graceful curves moved fluidly on the dance floor. Her highbeam blonde hair was dazzling as it swept over her bare shoulders in her dress. Her blue eyes captivated him from his creeping booth. He watched her even when he tried convincing himself not to. He didn’t listen, eventually he had to talk to her. 

Her smile could light the world when in utter darkness. She was calm, the peace in a growing storm. Nix knew his lies, or lack of being forthcoming would come back to bite him in the ass. It was his intention to hold out, but he also didn’t know how to tell her the truth. It was the whole point of going to that silly fair. He invited her sisters so she wouldn’t be alone if she felt the need to leave. He’d understand if she did. 

“Suppose alone is for the best. I’ve got nothing to offer a serene angel like herself. She has money, she has a wonderful family.

“Maybe I should stop drinking. Here I am, talking to myself like an idiot.” 

Nix was about to slam the shot down when he heard high pitched yelling from outside his doors. Nix always has two bouncers watching the stairs and doors to his private office. Ignoring the sounds he turned back to stare at the wall. Stewing in his spiraling thoughts. The shouting grew louder. Kicking back the stool, Nix marched for the door to check what the commotion is.

As soon as Nix grabbed the handle the door burst inwards forcefully pushing Nix back. Two women marched into his private office, both bearing uncanny resemblance to Juno. Callie and Emra he figured. 

“You!!”A tall brunette charges forward like a bull. Looking over her shoulder Nix can see the forms of his bouncers on the ground holding their groins as they rocked around whining. Subconsciously Nix lowered one hand just in case he found himself on the receiving end of her attack.

A small light auburn haired female came around the taller one, anger and suspicion marring her face. “That’s right, Bucko! Now, where is Juno!?” Nix was taken for a loop. What were they talking about?

“I’m sorry but I don’t know where Juno is. I last saw her at the house when I left. I would have thought she’d have told you by now.” They either heard him or ignored him. The smaller one fired forward like a warrior on a quest. “Where’s Juno?”

“Are you even listening! I don’t know!” Aggravation wormed its way through Nix. Frustrated and tired, he figured he could try and intimidate them. Standing to his full height he towered over them.

The tallest one simply c****d and brow at him, unimpressed to say the least. “Alright, this is how you’ll play this?” Callie balled her hands into tiny fists and moved toward him.

Sliding backwards, the girls herding him into the center of the room. His hips hit the edge of his desk. “I already told you. I left her at the house. I told her the truth and after she found out, well....you can guess what happened next.” He says.

“Yea, she told us. About your brother, about everything. But we don’t care about that right now, what we do care about is where our sister is! She called us because the power was out, that’s the only reason we know something happened. She was planning on coming over and never did, that was two hours ago!”  Nix thought about what she just said. Something wasn’t added up though. He swore he saw a light on in the house, somewhere on the second floor. The blinds were opened just enough for a sliver of light to shine through.

“I saw a light on. I swear I did. Somewhere on the second floor. There was power when I left.”

The small female put her hand on the tall one's shoulder,”Callie, he’s right. I remember now that I put my lamp on. I forgot to turn it off when we left earlier.” Nix’s brain started swirling around with dark thoughts. Thoughts that didn’t lead to anything good. The invasion of her privacy,a personal marking written on her, then her reports of a strange woman, and now she’s missing and the power was out when it was on moments before he left.  Nix’s stomach dropped to the floor, every cell in his body was screaming at him to run to her, that she’s in trouble.  Pushing past the girls he snatched his jacket off the back of his chair and ran down the stairs, halfway he jumped the railing.  Shoving his way past people dancing to the sound of music, he didn’t care about the angry jeers or the looks. Nothing mattered except for Juno. And right now something is telling him she’s in trouble, serious trouble. Pushing out the back door he hopped into his truck.