SAVAGE LOVE

Chapter 8

He raised his eyebrows at me, as if he expected me to agree and walk out the door.

“But I love him. I can’t just walk away. I’m all he’s got.”

I wasn’t a quitter. I wouldn’t leave just because the going got a bit tough. No, I was a fighter and I didn’t care what it’d take. I’d fight to get Timothy through this.

“He’s a very lucky guy, having someone like you by his side. I hope he knows that,” the younger man piped up.

Lord, these men must’ve thought I was the biggest doormat ever, picking up the pieces like I was.

“What should I do tonight? How can I help him?” I pleaded.

“Just stay by his side. Make sure he doesn’t choke on his own vomit. If he gets worse, feel free to call us back, but he shouldn’t. For now, it’s just a waiting game. He needs time to come round.”

My inner strength was building, but my heart was breaking.

I spent my night watching Timothy like a hawk, ready to jump into action should he need me. He barely moved, let alone registered where he was or that I was there. By morning, I was growing restless. I had a plan forming in my mind. A plan to deal with the debt and the addiction, but I needed to do some negotiating of my own. It was time to take matters into my own hands.

I rang Ezra, one of Timothy’s best friends from high school, and asked him if he’d pop over to the apartment as soon as he could. He answered the phone with his usual flirty banter, but when I mentioned that Timothy needed his help he changed instantly, and was reluctant to come. I soon talked him round, and within the hour he was on our doorstep, giving me puppy dog eyes, and telling me I deserved better than the waster that was his best friend.

“I haven’t called you round here to discuss my relationship, Ezra. I just need you to stay here and watch Timothy.”

I knew as soon as I’d said it that it sounded ridiculous, as if I was asking him to watch a dog or a baby.

“Why the f**k does the stoner need watching? Can’t he cope without you, Bee?”

I hated when he called me Bee, but I overlooked it this time, as I was desperate for a favor from him.

“No. He had a bit too much stuff last night and I had to call an ambulance. Look, say no if it’s really too much trouble for you to help your oldest friend. I just need to make sure he doesn’t relapse, or become ill whilst I’m running an errand. A very important errand that just can’t wait.”

Ezra grimaced, as if I’d insinuated I was off to do some kind of girlie errand that he didn’t want to know about. Then shrugging, he agreed to stay at the apartment until I got back. I wasn’t overly enthusiastic with my thanks. If he’d been a better friend when I’d been away, Timothy wouldn’t have been in the mess he was in now.

I hadn’t expected to find myself in this building ever again. Well, not on my own, at least. But hell, here I was braving the devil’s lair for a second time this week, and feeling a hell of a lot less cocky than last time. Zero thought had gone into my outfit. No stripper chic for me today, just plain old Bianca. With my tumbling, blonde curls down my back and a pastel green strappy summer dress that swung playfully around my knees, showing off my tanned shoulders. Flip-flops with yellow roses threaded around my toes finished off my rapidly thrown together outfit. What I looked like had been the last thing on my mind when I got ready for this meeting. Part of me didn’t want to appear sexy or suggestive to Mr. Douglas. What I was hoping to achieve was to be as unenticing to him as possible and still get what I wanted. I didn’t want to muddy the waters by giving any indication that I was there other than to talk business.

I was armed with a better plan of action today. I just hoped and prayed that Mr. Douglas showed some degree of humility, and could meet me halfway. I’d exhausted every avenue in my thought processes, and what I’d decided at 5.30 that morning was, I considered, a good compromise for all involved.

As I made my way down the corridor, flanked by two new burly meat-heads, the door I had my gaze fixed upon opened up. Out sauntered Kenny Brown, looking every inch the cocky bastard he no doubt was. When he saw me, his eyes bugged out of his head and his jaw fell open, then he cackled with laughter.

“Mike, my man, you’re not gonna want to miss this,” he said, with an evil grin curling up on one side of his face.

Michael Douglas came to the door and followed Kenny Brown’s stare to where I was standing. The look of shock that passed over his face was quickly followed by an evil smirk, and then… was that admiration of some kind?

The pair of them stood there gawping at me as I walked towards them, looking like gatekeepers to the depths of hell. Probably a hell most women would want to dive into head first if these two were part of it, but all the same, what they stood for made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Remember Bianca, a beautiful face doesn’t equate to a beautiful soul, I told myself as I came to a halt in front of these two Adonises and took a deep, calming breath in. They were both formidable men, but Michael Douglas stood a few inches taller than Kenny Brown, and appeared more guarded, scarier.

“Miss Green. I wasn’t expecting to see you here anytime soon. Miss me?” Michael Douglas was trying to look confident and cool in front of his friend. It wouldn’t last.

“Are you always this smug, or are you making a special effort today, just for me?” Uh oh, sassy Bianca was coming out to play, and this didn’t bode well for my ability to negotiate.

Kenny threw his head back, laughing, as Michael scowled over at me.

“I like her!” he said, pointing at me and raising his eyebrows at Michael. “She’s gonna be good for you.”

“About as good as a dose of syphilis,” Michael retorted, trying to meet my sass with his own.

“Well, at least you’ll have an excuse for all the s**t that spouts out of your mouth.” I met his insult and batted my own straight back to him; he wasn’t impressed.

Kenny thought it was highly entertaining, judging from the way he stepped to the side to view us, folding his arms and waiting expectantly for Michael’s response.

“Sweetheart.” Michael smiled to himself, obviously feeling pleased with the response he’d formed in his evil, little brain. “It truly is endearing how hard you’re trying to hurt my feelings, but trust me when I say not a single bit of my self-esteem is tied up in your acceptance.”

“Ooh, tied up! I like where this is going.” Kenny winked as he turned his attention back to me. He was watching us like he was at a tennis match.

“I really don’t have the energy to pretend to like you-”

“And yet, here you are,” Michael interrupted.

“You know, in order to insult me, I have to value your opinion in the first place. Trust me, if I could be anywhere else today, I would. A day at a viper petting zoo sounds much more appealing at this precise moment.” I fought the urge to turn around and leave. I had to keep my eyes on the prize. I had to remember my Timothy.

“Did you come all this way just to trade insults with me, or is there a real purpose to this visit?” he asked, looking bored and inconvenienced.

I huffed in annoyance and crossed my arms over my chest as Michael and I glared at each other in our makeshift standoff. The two meat-heads either side of me were clearing their throats, waiting to be dismissed. Were they so dumb they had to wait to take orders from these guys? Kenny just bristled with the excitement of it all.

“Tink,” Kenny said. His eyes sparkled and his eyebrows wriggled up and down at me.

“Come again?” I had no idea what he was on about. This guy was insane.

“Tink. Tinkerbell. That’s what I’m going to call you from now on. You’re all cute and little, blonde and feisty. Like our very own little Tinkerbell.”

I wrinkled my nose in confusion at the way he seemed so pumped and excited by this whole surreal exchange. How old was he? Twelve?

“Plus, you’re wearing the same shade of green that she does, so it just… fits.”

“Let me guess, you’re Peter Pan?” I rolled my eyes with the ridiculousness of it all. One minute they’re sending thugs to our apartment to put the frighteners on us, the next I’m starring in their f****d up cartoon s**t. Who was this guy?

“No, I’m more of a Marvel or DC kinda guy. I’m too dark for Disney.”

He seemed pleased with himself as he nodded at his choice, and I couldn’t stop myself from sniggering at how absurd he sounded.

“I wouldn’t have taken you for a Disney fan anyway,” I sneered.

“After living with five older sisters, I had no choice. It’s not my favourite genre of movie though.” Kenny’s eyes sparkled with sin and lust. I could just imagine what kind of movies he liked to watch in his spare time.

“So, who’s he?” I pointed over to where Michael Douglas stood, emitting pure venom my way from every pore of his being. “Is he your ugly sister?”

“Oh, no.” Kenny chuckled as he came toward me, and then growled into my ear. “He’s the beast.”

Michael laughed at his response, and that air of pompous pretentiousness he wore like cologne wafted back into the corridor.

“More like Gaston, you mean. All brawn and no substance,” I spat out absent-mindedly, and instantly winced, waiting for the backlash.

“And on that note, kids, I will love you and leave you. Michael, my friend, I will see you tonight. Tink, it was a pleasure as always. I hope to see you again very, very soon.”

Kenny took my hand and kissed the back, like some old time gentleman, then motioned for the two security guys to follow him back downstairs.

“Don’t let the nice guy act fool you. He’s no gentleman,” Michael growled.

“He’s more of a gentleman than you are.”

His jaw tensed and he crossed his muscly arms over his puffed out chest.

“Is there a point to your visit today, Miss Green? Because as fun as it is to verbally spar with you, I have work to do.”

He turned his back on me and went to close his office door, but I called for him to wait, my facial expression changing from argumentative vixen to moderately compliant saint. He bit his bottom lip in thought and looked me up and down, then he ushered me inside.

I declined his offer of a drink. I figured the Disney theme for the day might not be over, and it might turn out to be a poisoned chalice. He poured his own drink then sat back, indicating for me to take the seat on the other side of his desk. Figuring it was a better way to break bread with him, I sat down and placed my hands in my lap. I tried to look demure and less like the harpy I’d been minutes earlier.

He swirled the amber liquid in his glass, before looking at me over his lashes and taking a sip.