The Enemy's Embrace

Chapter 2- Are you crazy?

Ivelle

It was the alcohol. It had to be.

Because tell me why I had agreed to this.

Maybe because I badly wanted to be left alone.

And I had a feeling he won't let me be until I give in.

And maybe I was getting bored with drinking alone.

Whatever the reasons are, I wouldn't have agreed to this in my conscious state

So it was definitely alcohol talking.

I already agreed to it. And I wasn't backing down. I wasn't going to give him the impression that I was scared of a little challenge.

And I will prove to him that there is nothing fun about a club except for sweaty bodies, exhaustion, and a banging headache which can affect a productive day the next day.

He guided me towards the dance floor and I shook my head in protest.

"Not the dance floor please"

"Trust me"

He placed his hand on the small of my back and I took a sharp intake of breath

My body tensed. A familiar fear crept up my chest, choking me off my breath and I struggled to breathe

My breath hitches and just like before, my subconscious finds ways to escape.

I didn't realize I was trying to run from the dance floor until he pulled me with a small force and I fell into his embrace

"Breathe" he whispered

My eyes darted around, some were watching us while others didn't care. I couldn't find Violet in the crowd.

Where could she have gone? Why do I agree to this?

Just smile. Don't overthink. I told myself.

"Look at me" his voice low

Like an order, my head snapped at him.

I stared like him telling my mind that he wasn't him.

I cannot get hurt. I won't allow it again.

My breath is slowly even

He pulled my lip out of my mouth. It was then that I realized I had been biting down on my lip.

How much nervousness can he see in me?

"Good. Now follow my lead" he swayed to the music, moving to the right and left slowly. "Imagine that I'm the pilot and let me take you to dreamland"

I let out a nervous laugh

"So much confidence, huh?"

"Not a single doubt"

"I'm hard to please" I say. "And no extra time"

"I'm not one to brag" he turned me swiftly, so that my back was against his chest before I could register what had happened.

And his low, rumbled voice vibrated close to my ear. "Five minutes is enough to draw out your laugh"

If I had confidence in myself before, it was beginning to shake.

"Seems like this isn't your first time"

"You have no idea" he turned me swiftly just like before, and I was facing him. "Now feel the music" he said, and like a command, I followed.

My body swayed to the music, gaining confidence from his little push.

My eyes were on him, and the rest of the people drowned out like background noise.

My stiff body slowly loosened and I began to actually feel the beat.

This feels good.

He smiled. "You're having fun?"

It was then that I realized I said that out loud.

"Try harder"

He grinned, putting some distance between us.

I panicked. "What are you doing?"

"Eye on me" his hand still held mine. "Don't stop dancing"

I relaxed, my waist began to follow the beat, in a gentle rolling motion

"Yes, that's it" he praised which only added to my confidence

And I bent over, twisting my waist, I felt so free and for once I forgot about everything and just wanted to enjoy this moment.

I took the lead, pulling him close and swaying my hips, following his rhythm.

He turned me around, and half of my upper part was away from him, my ass rocking him. His hand rested on my waist guiding me.

The steps were on repeat, I was either facing him or I was rocking him.

And before I knew it, I was laughing, swaying, twisting, and sweating.

"Are you having fun"

"Yes!" I squealed and gasped realizing I just accepted defeat without knowing it.

He smiled

"Good" he said, still dancing. "Because my five minutes are done."

"Wha—"

"The name?" He asked.

Just like our deal stated. I told him

"Ivelle" I said. "Ivelle Reed"

"Ivelle" He repeated, the word rolled off his tongue, so smoothly

"Pleasure to meet you, Ivelle," He said, saying my name like he didn't want to forget it.

And then he left, his warmth leaving with him.

Strands of my hair are sticking to my sweaty face.

I can't honestly believe I danced with a stranger. In a club.

And I stood alone on the dance floor, flushed and now aware of my surroundings.

The fear that had left while I was dancing resurfaced.

Some men came close to me, trying to rock me.

My heart raced, and I felt myself struggling to breathe. My eyes are dizzy.

Stop. Please. Help me

I screamed. But it was all in my head.

It was always in my head.

Just then, a hand pulled me away from the dance floor to the bar.

"Are you crazy?" Violet yelled. "I left you for a few minutes and you're already dancing with Ren Aslan?"

My eyes darted around to see I was safe, away from the dance floor, away from the men. My racing heart slowly returned to normal.

"Are you okay?" Violet asked and I'm reminded of her presence.

"Well, that's what happens when you leave a novice to fend for herself in a club." I shrugged, avoiding her worried question. "Besides, I was trying to live a little," I said, repeating her words back to her.

"But not with Ren Aslan"

The way she said it sounded like he was taboo. A bad call

"You make it sound like he's a bad call?" I say

"That's because he is." Her hands flung up and then brought down to her waist. "Ren is a player, he starts as a sweet gentleman, then when you fall, and he takes what he wants, after getting bored, he dumbs you and moves on"

"How do you know all this?"

"It's all over the internet." She exclaimed. "It's what he does. This is like a game to him"

The discovery was shocking. It was always the same.

I didn't know he had such a preceding reputation. I wasn't an internet freak, so I'm not surprised I didn't know all this. But why do girls still get jealous over someone like him?

"Thankfully, it's just a dance"

Though, he left me flushed and all, that was all. Nothing more.

I wasn't going to allow myself to get vulnerable again. Ever.

Violet dropped the topic just as quickly as she picked it. She knew my interest in men was zero to none. And she had never seen me in a relationship. She believed me.

"Can I have my phone now?" I asked, stretching my hands to her.

"Of course" She said with a grin handling it to me.

"What about Josh?" I asked.

She nodded at him talking to Ren at the couch he had seated before. And she turned to the bartender to get a drink.

My eyes darted to them. Watching them talk. But my eyes were on Ren, the way his expression turned cold and unreadable while talking business, he looked different from the man who had just danced with me.

He was attractive no doubt.

His perfectly styled hair fit the distinctive feature of his sculpted face.

His beauty was illegal

He looked like he was brought straight out of a model magazine

But, he was just like them.

Fine face. Black heart.

His gaze slid to mine. And he held it just like before.

But this time, my face turned cold, devoid of emotion and I looked away first.

My phone pinged again and I opened it.

There were a lot of messages, mostly from my boss.

But the one that caught my attention was the one from my brother.

I clicked the message and it read. 'I'm in jail'

There were ten missed calls from him.

The message had come in right before Violet seized my phone.

I tried calling back but it kept redirecting me to voicemail.

I snatched my bag from the counter.

"I'm leaving" I told Violet

"What happened?" She asked, seeing the worried look on my face.

"My brother got into trouble" I answered already walking to the door.

"Again?" She asked, matching my pace. "What happened?"

My brother is known to always cause trouble and just like usual, I always clean it up. But this was the height of it.

Violet rubbed my leg which bounces shakily in silent comfort, we are both in the cab headed to the station, and she had followed me even when I told her I would be fine. But after texting Josh about us leaving.

I don't know what I would do without her.

Getting to the police station, we were allowed to see him. I wanted to lash out at him, but upon seeing me, he hugged me, and instead of my planned action, I leaned in, hugging him tighter.

"What happened?" I muttered.

He bowed slightly, avoiding my gaze, and embarrassment washed over him. "I beat up someone again" he said and glanced at me to gauge my reaction. I wasn't surprised. The only way my brother knows how to protect himself is by violence. "And his family is threatening to sue me"

I felt a mix of emotions: fear, anger, and worry. After a moment of silence, I stammered. "Tell me what happened in detail"

He bit his nails, his eyes flashed with pain and something else I couldn't identify, guilt maybe. "He was assaulting a girl, and I couldn't walk away. I just wanted to stop it. I didn't know he was going to..."

"Going to what?"

"I didn't know he was going to fall unconscious, and even undergo surgery"

"What?" I snapped, my head suddenly feeling heavy. And to know that I knew where all this violence was coming from and why he couldn't look away. "Where is he now?" I whispered

"He's in a coma"

After my dad died in a car accident, and my mom died from the loss of our father, I took responsibility for taking care of my brother. I usually felt pity for my brother because he couldn't receive love from our parents before they passed away; he was five when they died, unlike me, who was eight and had received some love from both our parents. I didn't know how to love him like a parent, or if my love for him would ever measure up to that of our parents if they had been alive. Which was why I took care of his mess without complaints. I thought I couldn't give him the love of a parent nor the love of a sister due to the fact that I was always away to prepare a better life for us. I thought the only way I could make up for it was to take care of his mess without making him feel burdened. But now, I don't know anymore, I feel like I have been doing the wrong thing.

I'm not just loving him wrongly. I am making him become a burden to himself.

"His family is the Lysons," he said, after a minute passed by without a reply from me.

Fear. Anger. Worry. I felt all three emotions roaming through my skin. Each one caused me to shiver. I wanted to yell at him about being such a fool. I wanted to scold him for being so violent and immature. But when I thought about it, everything was all my fault. If I had not taken care of his mess from the beginning. If I had been a little stricter. Maybe it wouldn't have gotten to this. Besides, yelling at him right now wouldn't solve the problem.

"I will meet his family then" That was all I could say despite all the emotions I was feeling. "Maybe we could agree, I won't allow you to go to prison, I promise. Even if it's the last thing I do."

He nodded, surprise and disbelief were evident on his face at my reply. He was surprised I didn't yell or scold him and must be in disbelief at what was going through my mind.