Dark Layers (Volume 3), page 16
"Shhh -" she beats me down, "- hi guys. This is Anile." She dances her eyebrows up and down to one of the guys. "Anile, this is Gerard."
She pulls the guy Gerard forward. I roll my eyes at her - the girl is so transparent it's actually unnerving!
There is no denying that the guy is smoking hot. He's really tall - not as tall as Elijah though. He has short dead straight chocolate brown hair and matching chocolate brown eyes. His eyes are really intense and regard me uncomfortably - he has a secret I know it!
"It's really nice to meet you, Anile." He extends a perfectly long hand towards me and flashes an all American smile. His smile is captivating, almost perfect teeth apart from a small chip in his front tooth. His lips are pale and full and carved to perfection. He's gorgeous and if I was not with Elijah, I might have dated the guy. I again roll my eyes at Sophie.
I take his grip and shiver at the contact - electricity courses through me and it shocks me because I have only ever felt this with Elijah. I hastily pull my hand free from his. My heart is pounding viciously. I need to get the hell out of here.
"Can I get you a drink?" He asks.
I lift my glass and shake my full cocktail. "No, thank you. I already have one."
"The next one then?" He takes a seat right next to me and the air changes between us. He frowns at me - fuck I think he feels it too! I hold my breath, I must not inhale his scent, I must not inhale his scent. I repeat this mantra.
I pull a twenty out of my inside jacket pocket and flash it in his face. "I have money for my next round. Thanks."
Yes! You have got this Gooden, don't allow yourself to be defeated by his beauty.
He narrows his eyes at me and I instantly look away.
"I see, you are one of them women."
And what kind of woman would that be huh, you Wanker?
I scoff loudly.
"Come on then," he leans forward, resting his strong arms on the table top, "what will it take to get you to have a drink with me? I like the chase when it results in a true beauty like you."
I gasp at his words. I want to say something snarky but my brain has frozen. My head starts to feel fuzzy - really, really, fuzzy. I look him hard in the face but I cannot focus my eyes. I quickly realize it's not a current between us, it's me. I feel off.
"What time is it, Sophie?" I ask, ignoring Gerard's question.
"About half-eleven. Why?"
"I need to go." I urge.
"Whoa, no! Don't go Anile." Sophie says in a high pitch tone.
I ignore her. I start to rise to my feet but Gerard places his huge hand on my lap, urging me to stay put. I peer up at Sophie but she has moved away from us - to give us some privacy I think. I involuntarily fall back into my seat.
"I like your suit, red looks good on you." He says sleazily.
I peer down at my legs. I'm wearing the red suit Elijah brought for me.
"How would you low - I mean, know, what colour looks good on me? You have only seen me in this red." I say sarcastically and almost slur all my words. Jeez, I have never felt this drunk before.
"I own a fashion company - it's my job to know what looks good on, and off." He flashes me a dirty smile.
I roll my eyes at him. "My boyfriend brought me this suit, and he's waiting for me. I have to go." I lie. He's not waiting for me, but Gerard doesn't know that.
"Yes, your boyfriend. Darks, isn't it?"
I frown. "Yeah, how do you know?" I ask in shock. "Sophie." I frown spitefully while shaking my head. She's really getting on my last nerve!
"No, actually, I see you in the papers every day. He won't mind missing you for one night, trust me. And I'm sure he has no problem finding company if he gets lonely."
"Is that some kind of joke?" I snap.
I get to my feet too quickly and almost fall flat on my face. Shit I feel fucked up! I grab the back of the stool and also seize my head. I hold my hand against my temple in hope that I can stop the balcony from spinning. Gerard catches me in his arms and forces a romantic embrace. I grasp his shirt collar to steady myself - holding my head isn't working. I peer up at him. He's staring right into my eyes and I fear he's going to try and kiss me.
I swallow hard. "Please don't." I beg.
He doesn't listen, he forces his lips upon mine. I have no choice but to inhale deeply because he's almost robbing me of air. Jeez he smells good, like spicy wood, and his lips are so soft and full.
NO! Back up Gooden and get the hell out of here - now!
I try to force him off of me but he doesn't budge. He's so damn tall and strong. He forces my lips open with his long soft tongue but I snap down on his tongue with my teeth - it's the only trick I have.
"Ahhh." He snaps. "Fuck! You like it rough then do you?"
I quickly push him off of me and practically run through the crowd of people on the balcony and through the bar. I really need to get out of here!
I reach the narrowed stone stairway inside the bar and try to run down them, but I slow because they are steep and I know I will fall down them if I'm not careful. The light is also dim, it's so dark that I can hardly see - and I'm finding it hard to balance myself, I really don't feel right. I stop half way down and try to gather myself. I squeeze my eyes shut and focus my mind. Something is wrong, something inside my head feels very wrong. I feel lightly buzzed and off balance. My blood is rushing throughout my body, my head feels sort of euphoric - if I wasn't in such a bad place because of Sophie, I might have enjoyed this buzz. But I am in a bad place, and I don't feel good at all.
"Are you okay, Beauty?" I hear Gerard behind me.
I shake my head and wave my hand at him, trying to tell him to back off.
"Please leave me alone. I have a boyfriend and I'm not interested." I say as I try to take another step.
He tugs on my arm and forces me to face him. He walks two steps down from me so he's the same height as me. He hunches his neck and peers up into my eyes.
"What have you taken?" He whispers seriously.
Without warning, he grabs my face with both of his hands and starts to examine me. His eyes dance all over my face and I'm so out of it that I do nothing, I just allow him to check me over.
"I haven't taken anything, but I feel really, really weird." I shake my head again.
"Did you put your drink down anywhere?"
I try to focus my eyes but I see double of him and I start to feel a little wobbly, like my brain cannot steady my body.
He quickly grabs my arms. "Whoa, steady." He says tenderly.
"Shit my head." I whisper.
"I know it feels uncomfortable, Beauty. Do you remember if you put your drink down at all? I need to know if you saw anything out of the ordinary."
"I don't know." I shake my head. Fuck, what's wrong with me?
"Don't worry, it's too late now anyway. Where do you live? I'll take you home."
"No, I don't think so." I mumble.
"You need to go home. Just tell me where you live and I'll get you home safely."
"Eh," I breathe heavily, "Belvedere, I live at Belvedere Road."
Unexpectedly, he slides his hand around the back of my knees and forces me into his arms. I don't fight him off, I really want to go home. He tucks my head beneath his chin and carries me down the steep stairs.
"Anile." I hear Sophie shout.
"She isn't feeling too good. I'm going to take her home." Gerard informs Sophie.
"Okay," she laughs, "take good care of her, Gerard."
"Oh I will." He says sharp.
We reach the outside and the air hits me like an atomic bomb.
"Fuck, what's wrong with me?" I whisper.
"I think your drink has been spiked. You'll be okay though, I'll take care of you."
"No, no. I don't want you to take me home. Please put me down." I beg.
I shuffle out of his grip and he sets me on my feet.
"Whoa." I gasp as I almost fall over again.
He catches me by my waist and pulls me flush against his hard chest. He lifts my chin with the gentle pad of his thumb, forcing me to meet his warn brown eyes.
"If I can just get my phone out of my pocket, I can call Elijah or Derek. One of them will come and get me."
"Anile, I'm not a sick weirdo, I want to take you home, load you with water and put you to bed. I'll stay with you to be sure you are okay and then I'll head home once you are feeling better."
I frown while squinting my eyes. "Why?"
"Why what?" He asks confused.
"Why are you going to ruin your night to take care of me? I have friends who can take care of me." I mumble.
"What, like Sophie?" He shakes his head.
"Yes."
"She isn't your friend, Anile."
"What do you mean?"
"She set this up. She wanted me to bed you tonight, when she knows you have a boyfriend. That's not what friends do. I wouldn't do that to you."
I blink rapidly while peering up at him. "Why would she do that?"
I'm so confused and I don't know if it's because I'm buzzed.
"I don't know why she did it, Beauty, and right now it doesn't matter. Let's just get you home."
I give him a weak smile. "Thank you." I whisper.
"For what?"
"For taking care of me."
He leans closer to my ear. "You are welcome." He breathes.
I flush as his warm breath runs down my body. I cannot tell if he's the reason I'm heating by the second, or if it's because I'm buzzed.
"Can I just call my friend please? It really will make me feel a lot better."
"Sure, sit down here."
He pulls me over to an old wooden bench. Once I'm comfortably seated, I almost fall back.
"Whoa, steady." He grasps my shoulders and holds me in place.
"Sorry." I say weak.
"It's okay. Where is your phone?"
"Here." I reach into my inside jacket pocket. I pass him my phone.
"Who do you want to call? Derek?"
I squint my eyes, who did I want to call? Why did I want to call someone? Shit this is messed up.
"Um, yeah, Derek. Call Derek." I mumble.
I lean over and grasp my knees. I'm so damn thirsty, I need a drink of water or something.
"Derek?" Gerard says. "My name's Gerard. - No I haven't found it, Anile asked me to call you. - She's not feeling too good. - Sure, I'll pass you over. - Anile, Derek wants to speak with you."
I take the phone from his hand.
"Derek?" I moan down the speaker.
"Anile, who was that? Why is someone else calling me from your phone?"
"Derek, I don't feel well."
"Anile, are you okay? Where are you and I'll come get you?" He sounds panicked.
"I'm, I'm in central London. How long will you be?" I start to cry a little, I'm really worried. I ruffle my hair in my hands and try to cool myself down - I'm so hot it's unreal.
"I need to know exactly where you are, Anile. Just stay calm and look around. Tell me what you see."
I peer up and gaze around the busy dark street.
"Lots of people, and I can see huge Greek columns; I think I'm still at Punch and Judy's."
Gerard suddenly takes the phone from me.
"Hey, give it back." I moan.
"Mate, I'm going to take her home. Don't worry yourself, she will be fine." He shuts the phone down.
"Why did you take my phone?" I ask in a sloppy voice - I feel exhausted.
"Anile, I will get you home safely."
He pushes my phone back in my pocket. He reaches down and pulls me up to cradle me in his arms again. I cannot even begin trying to fight him off, I have no energy. My eyes feel so heavy, maybe if I close them for a while I'll feel a little better.
"I'm really, really tired." I yawn.
"Go to sleep, I can carry you."
I don't argue with him, I close my eyes and slowly drift off into a strange buzzed unconscious state.
I'M AWAKENED BY A TENDER hand on my face. The hand is warm but alien to me.
"Where are your keys, Beauty?" I hear Gerard whisper.
I'm still in his arms. How the bloody hell has he managed to carry me all this way?
"My keys?" I say groggily. I open my eyes and peer up into kind brown eyes.
"Yes, Sweetheart, your keys. Where are they?"
"Um, in my pocket." I try to reach in my pocket but I just feel too weak and out of it.
I peer around, moving my heavy head slowly. I think we are in my apartment lobby. How did he know exactly where I live? I *sigh* aggressively and try to move out from his grip.
"Hey, hey, slow down. You are really weak and may fall over."
I stop fidgeting and just remain still. He strangely runs his hand over my face.
"You are fucking pretty." He whispers. "What I would give to fuck a girl like you."
Oh no!
"Please put me down." I beg.
I grab his face between my hands and try to push his face away from mine - I think he's going to try and kiss me again! I suddenly hear my lift ping open from behind us and he immediately stops forcing his face closer to mine.
Meet Mr. Darks
IT'S GONE TWELVE and I'm still stuck at my fucking desk at work. The only thing keeping me sane is the thought of my little Princess and her wayward ways that I enjoy. She's so challenging but grounding at the same time - I adore her more than anything on this planet. I don't think it's normal how much I want her, or how much I need to be around her. And if it wasn't for her impulsive personality, we would be doing this damn Allen case together, and then I could have her again in my office, right now - although next time I'll be sure I don't force her into a bloody coma! I laugh at the thought.
"Mr. Darks." Hester interrupts my revere thoughts.
"What?"I snap.
I am fond of Hester but she has to start bloody knocking before poking her head through my office door.
"Ms. Delilah is here to see you."
I frown. "Why?"
"I did ask but she was very… reticent.”
“Why so late?”
“I don’t know, Sir. She was insistent that she see you now."
Hester is still only halfway in my office - she's always so nervous around me.
I roll my eyes aggressively. "Send her in."
"You can go through." Hester says from behind my office door.
Eve Delilah, now, there is a beautiful woman - not as beautiful as my little Princess though. Eve is dark and mysterious. Hair as black as a crows feathers; eyes almost black with a hint of grey like a misty night; and she has a perverse outlook on the world. I know her from the DLOS House. That is one woman I have never been mixed up with and I never plan on exchanging sexual paths with her.
"Elijah, how nice to see you." She says while gracefully gliding across my low lit office.
She's wearing a silk, skin tight red dress that falls to just below her knees - and in her own words - she only wears red when she's out to get something.
"It's, Mr. Darks to you. Sit." I urge her position to the other side of my desk with a firm finger.
"Are you sure you don't want me to pull the chair round?" She grins devilish, flashing a hint of teeth that are not so nicely hidden behind her blood red lips.
"Sit down or get out." I snap.
"Always so demanding." She smiles while gazing down at me with smouldering eyes.
"What do you want, Eve?"
"Oh, so you can call me by my first name but I cannot return the gesture?" She leans forward, her thin elbows rested on my desk top. Move your fucking arms off of my shit, woman!
"I don't repeat myself." I narrow my eyes at her.
"Isn't it obvious?" She bats her long lashes at me.
I gaze down at her cleavage. She has a wild set of tits on her, they do absolutely nothing for me though, because right now, all I want to do is beat the shit out of her for bothering me!
"Yes, it is obvious." I say deadpan.
"Well, shall we get down to it?" She rises up from my desk, standing statuesque and tall.
"Certainly. Now that you are on your feet, you know where the door is."
She's a filthy slut and seems to make a habit of visiting me late at night. I rarely work late at the office, and every time I do, she fucking shows up.
"I am not leaving this time, not until I've had a piece of you, Mr. Darks."
I slide my venomous tongue through my almost gritted teeth. I drop my pen onto my desk and lean forward.
"Maybe I'll tie you up and beat the shit out of you until you realize I am not for you!" I snap.
"I am not sure about beating the shit out of me, but I'd give it a try - for you." She smiles with her lips tightly pressed together.
Fuck me, this woman is crazy - she needs a good hiding!
"Eve, I am taken. You need to leave."
"Ah, yes. Pretty little Anile."
She walks to the back of me and starts trailing her finger across the back of my office chair. She leans over me and rests her blood red lips almost on my ear. Her warm breath on my skin annoys the fucking hell out of me.
"I won't tell if you won't." She whispers.
I jump up out of my seat faster than she can handle. My chair smashes against the floor. She drops her bag onto the floor and stares wide-eyed. She says nothing. I walk right up to her and hunch my head down to her height.
"If my girls name caresses your tongue again, consider yourself punishable - and believe me, it will be my desired punishment, not yours." I warn.
My phone starts vibrating and I smile at the thought that it could be my little Princess calling me. I collect my phone from my inside jacket pocket. It's Derek. I frown while peering down at the lit screen. Worry grows inside me - I know something is wrong.
I point towards my office door. "Leave, now, by your own free will. If you do not, I will happily drag you out of this building by your lovely raven hair." I smile viciously at her.
"No, Elijah." She breathes. "Please."
I quickly lunge at her, forcing her back against the wall. I don't touch her with my hands, I cage her in with only my chest pressed hard against hers. She lowers her gaze, she's staring at my chest. I know she's scared, I can sense her fear.
"Look at me, Eve. Now." I order.
She raises her dark eyes. I gaze at her for a few seconds. I want her to know I'm serious.
