BODY LANGUAGE
1064 Words
EVELYN
Not all men, but somehow, always a man.
I should’ve gone for his damn throat.
I’d told him no more times than I could count, but that hadn’t stopped him. The asshole still put his hands on me, grabbing my ass and chest like he had every right to.
And I snapped.
Lionel eventually convinced the guards to let me go and steered me toward a table tucked away in the back of the club. I knew he was trying to get me out of sight, away from the stares and whispers already spreading through the crowd.
I couldn’t have cared less.
Let them look.
My pulse was still pounding, my hands shaking with leftover adrenaline. Across the room, the man I’d stabbed was being rushed out, surrounded by security and a growing crowd of onlookers.
Good.
Maybe next time he’d learn that no means no.
As if this night wasn’t already a disaster, Bruno Mars’ ‘Just the Way You Are’ started playing through the speakers, practically mocking me.
“Ain’t nobody in the mood for that love s**t!” I wanted to scream.
“Girl, I’ve never seen you so enraged.” Lionel stopped me before I could actually do it. I took a deep breath.
“I just… I hate when they do that. Act like the senseless bastards they are. Always trying to flex their muscles on a woman. Weaklings.”
Memories of the last time I saw Arthur came to my mind. The slap across my face.
It was the last time I’d ever let a man—or even a woman—get away with laying their hands on me.
“s**t. I’m sorry I wasn’t by your side. Had to go get that hot man’s number. Attractive men are becoming an endangered species. I have to act fast when I spot one.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, sure.”
“Evelyn.” The voice I had been trying to escape called out right above me. I froze. Then slowly looked up, confirming it was him—Arthur.
All the anger I’d been trying to keep down started riding up in me again. For God’s sakes, what was he doing here?
“Are you okay?” He looked between Lionel and I, his expression harder than steel. I really hoped that wasn’t jealousy I saw in his eyes, because that would take an unbelievable amount of nerve.
“And how’s my wellbeing any of your business?” I asked bluntly. A fist tightened by his side.
“I’m just trying to make sure you’re okay.”
“But there’s absolutely no need for that.” I leered at him. “You can run along now.”
He frowned.
“Run along?” He paused, probably to give me a chance to rethink my decisions. I just glared at him. “Being unnecessarily rude doesn’t make you powerful, Evie.”
“It’s Evelyn.” I snapped at once. “And it worked for you. Who says it can’t work for me?”
He stood there in silence for a while. All while Lionel kept sizing him up like a w***e. I could smack him across the face right now for not having my back here. He was ogling the enemy!
“We need to talk.”
“Sure. That’s why we have a meeting next tomorrow. Unfortunately, someone from the team would represent me. He’s very efficient, so you have nothing to worry about.” I told him.
I know, I thought to myself, I’m being a coward.
But I was not prepared for this… this reunion at all. I still needed some time to gather myself, and face him squarely.
He did not like the turn of events at all.
“What? No. There cannot be another representative. It should’ve been discussed before now.”
“It was.” I told him. “I sent you a mail. I guessed you didn’t read it. But in there, I told you I wouldn’t be the representative at the meeting.”
“That’s bullshit.”
We were practically shouting over the music now. I only realized it when my throat got scratchy after my last sentence.
“Whatever you say.”
I pretended to ignore him after that, taking a sip of the drink Lionel had offered me. It burned my throat immediately.
With instant regret, I drew back to look at the cup like I’d be able to decipher the kind of drink I’d been offered just by looking at the unbranded glass.
I didn’t know a thing about alcohol.
Was this whiskey? Tequila? I honestly didn’t have the slightest idea.
“He’s my son, isn’t he? That’s why you’re running away?”
My head snapped up towards him at once and I bit out, “He is not your son. And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay away from him.”
Arthur laughed. It was a humorless sound.
“A threat?”
I said nothing.
“Why do you look so paranoid if he’s truly not mine? If there’s truly nothing to hide?”
I got up from my seat at once and grabbed my purse from the table, hating that I couldn’t even have the night to myself like I wanted.
Arthur’s eyes dipped downwards, and for some reason, I suddenly became too aware of the dress I was wearing. The hem brushed just above my knees, yet I still had the ridiculous urge to pull it lower.
When his eyes returned to my face, they were darker than before. My stomach twisted in self disgust, because some small, traitorous part of me still reacted to him.
Swallowing, I quickly tore my gaze away and looked at Lionel.
“Ready to go?”
He was not.
The look in his eyes pleaded with me to have a rethink and stay, but I’d made up my mind. He let out an exaggerated sigh and stood up after a few seconds.
Arthur spoke, “I’ll make investigations, and when I find out he’s mine… we’ll have to come to a compromise. He’s my son too.”
I slung my purse over my shoulder.
“Well, good luck on your investigations. And goodnight.”
Without waiting for a response, I turned towards the exit and made my way out, with Lionel following behind me.
- Writer
