Chapter Forty Seven
1135 Words
***
“I didn’t realise we were causing such a stir. They recognize our sexiness.”
Ash declared, her words making me chuckle more than I should have. The warmth of Soren’s gaze pulled mine away from the nervous men who had been eyeing us and to his beautiful eyes that still had so much sway with me despite the war between us.
“I’m gonna...go now.”
The waiter stammered out, slowly making his escape when Diesel’s hand shot out, firmly gripping his shoulder in place.
“Ah, f**k. Not this again.”
Ash muttered, seeming genuinely worried for what was to come. From the knowing look in her eyes, she had been here before and the outcome was less than pleasant.
“No...Jonah. Stay, please. I would love to know more about you...most especially your home address and your worst fears so that I can come later and make you suffer.”
Diesel’s voice was saccharine sweet despite the glint of madness in his eyes that was all too familiar. It sent a chill through my entire body and a chuckle at the sight of Jonah the waiter’s bulging, fearful eyes.
Oh God...I am so drunk, my darkness and callousness is seeping out...
“You shouldn’t be laughing at people’s despair, malyshka. No matter how wonderful and addictive the sound is.”
Soren was now seated beside me, a beautiful smile on his lips that I mirrored. I chose not to dwell on how and when he had gotten over to me. Only that his warmth brought me immense comfort.
“Well, he kinda looks like Elmo from Sesame Street, right? But like the pale, sweaty white guy version. I mean, look at him. It’s f*****g hilarious.”
I couldn’t stop the chuckles and the hiccups that quickly had Ash joining in with snorts and all despite her annoyance at Diesel.
“Girl, you are so f*****g drunk. She hiccups when she’s drunk as hell. It is the cutest s**t ever.”
Ash declared, squishing my cheeks together like she always did when we were particularly, extremely drunk.
“And you’re doing the snorting thing while you laugh! It’s the most adorable thing ever!”
I declared, mirroring her as I squished her own cheeks together, the two of us sharing a familiar look and shimmering eyes.
“Wait, are they about to...cry?”
Diesel sounded mortified as he and Soren shared an appalled look. For all their dangerous energy and scary reputation, the two men were just as normal as everyone else when it came to this one thing.
They have no idea how to handle female emotions...
“Noah would have wrapped his arms around us and told us that we were both such f*****g nerds.”
Ash sobbed, her tears spurning on my own as I sniffed and released my own pent up frustration on missing my best friend, my other half.
“I miss him so damn much.”
I cried, earning a loud sob from Ash as we held each other close and cried out every single tumultuous emotion within us that was being brought to the fore by the alcohol consumed.
“They’re really crying right now. “
Diesel muttered, genuinely perplexed by our crazed emotions that we were certainly unapologetic for as we held each other close.
Soren shook his head, seeming just as stumped by the sudden display of emotion. His gaze shifted to the rest of the room where the diners had been cleared as soon as they arrived.
Always over the top in everything they do...
“Look, even though it f*****g slays me to say this, I won’t hurt him if it means that you won’t keep crying, my little bird. f*****g hell, I will do anything to make sure you’re okay.”
Diesel urged, clearly panicked and struggling to handle his emotions. It was as endearing as it was hilarious and for a moment, we actually stopped crying and stared at the flailing men before us who were unexpected additions to our group.
But we wouldn’t really change anything would we?...
My eyes met Soren’s, and for a moment, I could not help but think of the possibilities of what this could bring. Could I have been fated to meet him the way I did?
Could he really be...
Everything seemed to move in slow motion once the glass shattered and splattered all around us.
“Everyone get down!”
Soren shouted just as his arms wrapped around me and pulled us down to the floor, his body cushioning the fall as mine melded into his.
I buried my head in his shoulder, somewhat sobered up as my mind registered the danger coursing through my veins and the fear that broke through my drunken mind and barriers.
“f**k. This is happening. This is actually happening.”
I whispered, feeling the familiar tendrils of my darkness, fear engulfing me and the urge to respond to my fight or flight instincts growing all the more harder to contain.
“It’s okay, baby. I’m here. I am right here and I am never letting you go. Nothing is going to hurt you.”
Soren whispered over and over again, holding me closer and closer and my heart couldn’t help but melt.
He means it. He means every single word...
The shots were deafening, destroying the lavish restaurant around us with broken glasses and shattered wood all around us.
The sound of Ash's scream jarred me from the deafening ringing sound in my ears and the pool of reassuring blue that was my husband’s gaze.
"Ashley!!! Is Ashley okay??!"
I fought against his tight hold on me, needing to protect my best friend from the one thing that I had tried to keep her away from. I was failing her.
Again.
"Diesel has her, baby. She's okay."
Soren urged over and over again, trying to settle me down despite the anxiety attack that threatened to overcome me.
Only when absolute silence reigned and the chaos was stowed away did I finally see him, see the man who was still hovering over me and protecting me.
The man who had protected and shielded me with his own body so that I could stay unharmed. The man who assessed me and ensured that I was unharmed before offering his hand to me to stand up.
"Tell me you're okay, malenkiy’zayka."
He urged, the worry in his eyes clear as day. I nodded speechlessly, unable to form a coherent sentence until Ash's body crashed onto mine.
"Oh you're okay. Thank God you're okay."
I breathed, holding my best friend tight.
"I am and I'm so happy we're all okay but can someone explain to me what the f**k just happened?!"
***
- Writer
