Run! The Black Wolf's prey.

Chapter 31 - Bazaar

“Isabel! Over here!” Helen waved frenetically from the other side of the room.

Isabel zigzagged through the busy bar to join Helen, who was sitting with two other girls on rickety bar stools by a high table.

“Hi!” Isabel smiled at them, taking a seat.

“Isabel, this is June and Marissa,” Helen smiled with her big white teeth. “Isabel is Emma’s friend, from the hospital,” she added to the other two girls.

“Hi, I’m June,” one of the girls shook Isabel’s hand with a limp grip. Her short blonde hair was cut in a stylish bob with sharp edges, and her nails were long and well-manicured. “Are you also a nurse?”

“No, I’m an MD,” Isabel smiled awkwardly. She was always a little uncomfortable telling people about her profession. There were so many prejudices against doctors, especially female ones.

“Wow!” June’s eyes went wide. “You must be really smart? To be a doctor already, you look so young?”

“Rather just good at memorizing stuff,” Isabel winked. "But I..."

"I would never want to be a doctor!" June cut her off, wrinkling her nose. "Doctors are so weird. They think they're better than everyone else. And they're just in it for the money, they don't even care about their patients! They're letting the nurses do the hard work while they just walk around, pretending they are Gods or something."

"Ehmm... OK?" Isabel didn't really know what to answer to that. "It sounds like you have had some bad experiences..."

"Tell me about it! I've met some real assholes," June said with contempt.

"I'm sorry to hear that, " Isabel frowned. "But..."

"And I've heard that female doctors are the worst," June continued. "They have to have really sharp elbows to make it in such a male-dominated world. So most of them are real bitches."

"I'm not sure I agree with you..." the other girl, a short brunette with big brown doe eyes and long hair in a high ponytail, intervened.

“Well, it's just my opinion," June replied stiffly.

"Have a seat, Isabel," Helen smiled soothingly, offering her one of the bar stools. "I'm sure June is not saying you're a bitch."

"Of course not," June frowned. "I just... Whatever," she rolled her eyes.

There was an uncomfortable pause in their conversation. As it became awkwardly silent, Isabel cleared her throat and shifted her attention to the other girl.

“And... I'm sorry, what was your name again?” Isabel asked with a friendly tone.

“I’m Marissa,” the girl smiled shyly. “I’m actually also working at the hospital. In the emergency unit? I’m a nurse, and I’m also friends with Emma.”

“I thought you looked familiar!” Isabel exclaimed, feeling guilty she hadn’t recognized Marissa from work. “But you know, when you see people in their private clothes…”

“Yeah, don’t worry about it.” Marissa waved her hand reassuringly. Isabel thought she seemed like a very kind and gentle person, and she instinctively liked her.

“I’m so glad you could join us,” Helen gave Isabel a pat on the back. “And I’m so sorry for you! How that jerk treated you... Emma told me everything.” Helen looked at her with pity.

Isabel twisted in discomfort. Had Emma told Helen? Everything? She really hoped not.

“Well, I guess he wasn’t the knight in shining armour that I thought him to be…” John was the last thing Isabel wanted to talk about.

“It happens to me all the time,” Helen winked and tossed her sleek light blonde hair behind her shoulder. “But oh my, look over there,” she nodded meaningfully towards a group of good-looking men entering the pub. “Bazaar is on fire tonight!”

Giggling at Helen’s comment was the icebreaker they needed, and the conversations went smoother after that. June continued acting quite stiff, but the warmth from Marissa and Helen made up for it and Isabel was starting to have a really good time. They ordered tapas and sangrias, and had vivid discussions regarding their favorite movies and actors, all of them agreeing it was quite depressing to see how their childhood crushes, the big moviestars from their childhood, were getting old and out of date.

The atmosphere in the bar suddenly changed when another group of young men entered. They were all very tall, well-built and heavily tattooed, having a dangerous vibe to them, not really matching the current ambiance. Isabel had a hard time seeing these guys being the regular customers ordering tapas and fine wine... They went straight to the bar, ordering beers, throwing glances at Isabel's table.

"Wow, ladies... I think we have some admirers," Helen grinned.

"They look... a little frightening, to be honest," Marissa breathed. "Not really my style..."

"You have to be open-minded, honey," Helen laughed. "And I must admit, I have a thing for men with tattoos..."

"Well, I wouldn't mind getting one of those guys into my bed," June chuckled.

Isabel didn't like the way those men were looking at them, like if they were predators on a hunt and now had found their prey. Their gazes were burning her skin, and she was starting to feel uncomfortable.

When her eyes accidently met with one of them, she immediately averted her gaze, but it was too late! He immediately started approaching their table. He was tall and sturdy, his dark brown hair in a short tapered haircut, and his massive arm muscles were playing in the light from the candles on their table.

“Hello ladies,” he said with a husky voice, looking at Isabel like he had undressed her green wrap dress already. “Are you having a good time?”

“Yes, we do now!” June tittered, trying to get his attention.

“Where are you from?” he ignored June, looking at Isabel with hungry eyes. “I haven’t... seen... you before.”

“I’m from here,” Isabel laughed uneasily.

"Really? I would think you would be from the South..." the man tilted his head, coming closer. "You smell like... home."

"Oh really?" Isabel squirmed under his gaze, and the other girls' jaws dropped.

“Is this seat taken?” a familiar male voice rumbled behind Isabel, and she twisted in her seat to see who it was.

“Marcus!” she smiled, relieved. “What a pleasant surprise! Of course not, it’s yours.”

Marcus kissed her on the cheek, possessively putting his arms around her shoulders, and glared at the other man, who was furrowing his brows with a displeased look on his face.

Isabel could swear that she saw a flash of red gleaming in his eyes, but when Marcus gave him a menacing stare, he turned away and left. Marcus ran his fingers through his auburn hair, his blue eyes glistening with amusement.

"Well, that was interesting," Marcus chuckled.

“Thank you,” Isabel smiled at him. She carefully unhooked his arm from hers, giving him a pat on the shoulder in return. “He was a bit... much...” she added.

“It’s always like this when Isabel is around,” Helen laughed, looking at the other girls. “It starts raining men!” she winked, playfully elbowing Isabel. Marissa started laughing but June had a sour look on her face and remained silent.

“Ummm, whatever,” Isabel blushed. “But hey, this is Marcus,” she introduced him. “Marcus, Helen you already met, and this is June and Marissa.”

Marcus mannerly shook their hands and complimented each and every one of them, which made June look a little happier again, even if she still pursed her lips every time she looked at Isabel.

“I just arrived with my friend over here,” Marcus nodded towards another man standing at the bar, ordering drinks. “Do you have space for us both?”

“Of course we do!” Helen looked ecstatic as his friend was approaching them with two beers in his hands. He was just as tall and well-built as Marcus, wearing a nicely fitted suit, but his hair was very dark brown, almost black.

“Hello,” Marcus’s friend smiled at them, placing their beers on the crowded table. “I’m Lucas,” he said with a dark melodical voice. It was something about him that reminded her of John, and Isabel felt a sudden, sharp pain in her chest, taking her breath away.

“And this is Helen, June and Marissa… And Isabel,” Marcus introduced them one by one, but hesitated a little before saying Isabel’s name.

“Isabel?” Lucas said with surprise in his voice, looking quizzingly at Marcus, who nodded affirmingly. Lucas looked at her curiously. “I see... Nice to meet you, Isabel,” he nodded slowly, as if something suddenly was making sense.

“Nice to meet you too, Lucas,” Isabel smiled but with brows raised, glancing at Marcus.

Nothing made sense to her. What was going on?

“Ummmm..” Marcus cleared his throat. "Yeah, so Lucas is my colleague, and I have told him about you," Marcus explained.

“We work together at John’s father’s company,” Lucas added.

“What? You know John?” Isabel was confused, wondering if she had heard him wrong. Were they talking about the same John here? And did Marcus and John know each other?

“Lucas!” Marcus sneered.

“What?” Lucas was looking at Marcus with surprise. “I thought she knew," he grimaced.

“Well, now she does,” Helen grinned, interrupting their confused conversation. “Great to meet you Lucas, please, grab a chair.”