Love By Design, page 20
Sebastian reaches over, handing the half-empty glass back to me.
“All yours, doll.”
He gives everyone a nod of acknowledgement before leaving.
Glancing over at August, I watch as his gaze briefly falls on the drink in my hand before it trails after Sebastian’s retreating figure.
“I’m going to the bathroom,” I announce quickly, leaving August and Hero by the bar.
An unpleasant feeling eats away at me as I speed walk towards the restroom, my hand gripping the glass.
I had absolutely no idea of August and Valentina’s involvement with each other, of course, but maybe I should have known better.
Placing the glass by the sink, I walk the length of the bathroom to calm my nerves. My fingers twitch involuntarily, tapping restlessly on my thighs as a group of brightly dressed women stumble into the bathroom.
“I love your dress!” One of the girls drunkenly comments before beelining for a cubicle.
The tell-tale sign of retching can be heard before two other girls scurry over to tend to their friend. It triggers a flashback of when I was throwing up at Onyx and my heart sinks at the memory, feeling even more guilty.
“Just stay out of it, Hallie.” I mutter, staring at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. “Do not get involved, Mahalia Hartt.”
Glaring at my reflection one final time, I pick up Sebastian’s glass and down the rest of the drink, the burning sensation of liquor tasting oddly bitter this time.
It doesn’t counteract the tightening feeling of guilt in my chest.
If anything, it makes it worse.
Coughing loudly, my eyebrows furrow at the much darker remnants of the glass before gathering myself and exiting the ladies bathroom. I’m two steps out when I feel a hand wrap around my elbow and I’m suddenly tugged into a corner.
I look up to find grey eyes staring sternly at me.
“You’re avoiding me.”
The statement catches me off guard and I swallow out of nervousness, the minimal distance between us causing my heart to flutter.
He hands me a bottle of water and my brows knot in confusion.
“You were drinking with Hero,” He states.
“I took a shot,” I reply, the irony not lost on me.
“And Sebastian’s drink, clearly.” He responds in an irritable tone.
I take the bottle from him. “I had one glass.”
“Did nobody ever advise you against drinking with strangers?” He grouses.
His voice takes on a condescending edge, as though he’s scolding a child and it makes me feel even worse.
“Sebastian isn’t a stranger,” I comment.
Something flickers in his eyes as he takes a step towards me.
Flashbacks of the club flood my mind and I chug down the water, hoping to wash away the bitter taste of rejection and the guilt lingering in my mouth.
I hand the bottle back and take a step away from him.
“Thanks. If you’ll excuse me—”
August doesn’t give me the opportunity to leave as he reaches out and gently grabs my hand.
“Mahalia.”
His touch sends tingles down my spine, goosebumps erupting on my skin.
My vision blurs slightly as I feel his hand brush against mine longer than necessary and I restrain the impulse to intertwine my fingers with his. Out of the haze, my mind conjures up a vision of blonde hair and a pair of different-coloured eyes.
Instantly, I pull away.
“I’m going home.” I assert.
I don’t give August the chance to stop me this time as I stumble back to the bar, my legs unsteady.
My surroundings spin slowly and I frown, finding it difficult to move as the floor is suddenly pulled from under me.
“Woah!”
I look up at the body I collided with, tall and imposing, and I mumble a breathless apology.
“You alright?”
I shake my head, blinking rapidly at the blurring figure as I try to focus. I feel the familiar texture of the twill weave against my fingers and I blink at the black and blue slanted parallel lines.
Herringbone.
“Sebastian?”
My tongue feels heavy, my mouth oddly dry.
“Easy there, sweetheart.” His hands try to steady me as I push against him to stand upright. “Wait, hold this.”
He hands me a glass of clear liquid and I clumsily reach for it, taking multiple gulps. I choke on the sudden burning sensation down my throat and shake my head.
“Water.”
“Oh shit,” His hands are cold as I feel his touch on the exposed skin of my shoulders. “That’s not water, no.”
The drink spills as I stumble backwards, the glass slipping out of my hands.
“S-sorry,” I wince. “I want to go home.”
“Alright, I’ll call you a cab.”
I try to keep my vision focused as I nod, stopping when my head starts to feel heavy.
“Hallie?”
Disoriented, I turn towards the familiar sound of a woman’s voice.
“Gigi?” I frown, my eyes losing focus.
Everything around me is painfully overwhelming, enhanced colours and distorted shapes, as I reach out towards her.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
I flinch at the irritated voice belonging to August.
“Relax mate, I was just helping her.” Sebastian’s voice is aloof, his grip around me loosening.
“Hallie, what’s wrong?”
Gigi’s voice is muffled. Too distant sounding despite her being so close to me.
“I don’t feel too good,” I answer. “I want to go home.”
The room is starting to spin again and I ungracefully sway with it. I duck my head down to ground myself when I feel myself being led away by an all-too-familiar touch. I look back up to find August holding me now, Sebastian nowhere in sight.
“Wait, I’m still on the clock.” Gigi’s eyes meet mine before she looks around. “I need to let one of my colleagues know so I can leave—“
“No,” I interrupt. “You’re staying.”
She frowns. “I’m not leaving you by yourself.”
“It’s your event, Gigi.” I hiccup, struggling to speak clearly.
“Hallie—”
“You’re not leaving.” I shake my head firmly. “I’m going home.”
“Stop, Hals—”
I stumble forward, into Hero this time, and I blink languidly.
“How much did you drink?” His eyebrows knot in apprehension.
“Hallie,” Gigi frowns. “You’re drunk.”
“I’m not drunk,” I argue.
There’s a pressure in my chest that feels foreign, almost like a cramp, my heart beating so rapidly I can hear the blood pulsing in my ears.
“I had one drink. And a shot. Is that drunk? I don’t think that’s drunk. That’s not drunk at all.” I’m babbling now but I can hardly stop, suddenly feeling all too jittery.
August steps in front of me abruptly and takes my face in his hands.
For the briefest moment, I think he’s going to kiss me, but he only fixes his gaze on my face, grey eyes examining me closely. I stand frozen in place as he pulls gently on my eyelids, the faintest touch on my skin.
“What did you take?” His tone is stern as he stares into my eyes.
I blink quickly, the question scrambling around in my head and throwing me off guard.
Did I take what?
“I didn’t take anything,” I protest, my body beginning to tremble.
“She took something,” He asserts, eyes trained on me.
“I didn’t.”
August doesn’t say anything else as he cups my chin with his fingers, tilting it to the side and observing my face from different angles. He slides his thumb under my jaw before tracing it down to the hammering pulse point on my neck.
I hold my breath as he inspects me, my body warming up at his touch.
“Hallie?”
I turn toward Gigi who’s looking at me now, eyes full of concern.
“I didn’t take anything,” I repeat, feeling like my knees are about to give in. “I would never.”
“I was with her earlier, I would know if she took…” Hero’s sentence trails off, his eyes landing on someone from across the room.
My head turns towards the bar where I see the hazy yet unmistakable silhouette clad in a blazer and tailored trousers. The air around me prickles as a wave of anxiety washes over me and I falter under August’s touch.
“I don’t know what I took.”
There’s a pounding in my head as I struggle to recall every drink I had tonight. Concentrating is a battle, thinking clearly seems nearly impossible.
“Snaps.” Hero turns towards August, worry etched on his face.
“I don’t know what I took,” I repeat, turning towards Gigi with a whimper.
A high tide of nausea pulls me under this time, the feeling of paranoia engulfing me within an instant. Panic flashes across Gigi’s face but she does her best to mask it for my sake.
“Do we need to go to the hospital?” Gigi asks.
August hesitates, attention steadily on me.
“Open your mouth,” He instructs.
I comply, quickly parting my lips.
August curls his index finger under my chin, lifting it more gently this time as his thumb pulls on my bottom lip. Our eyes meet and my head clouds over as I resist the overwhelming temptation to kiss him again.
“She’ll be okay,” August says, reassuringly. “We just need to keep an eye out on her.”
I feel clammy, my body alternating between hot and cold flushes as the dizziness forming in my head intensifies with each passing second.
Hero lets out a sigh. “I’ll take her home.”
“I’ll go with you.” August offers.
“Snaps, it’s fine.”
I don’t need to be fully within my headspace to notice that it’s most definitely not fine and Hero is most certainly far from happy.
“We’ll take her home,” August tells Gigi. “Book the taxi. I’ll meet you both outside in 5 minutes.”
Chapter 23
Lethargy starts to take over my body and my movements become listless as I follow Hero out of the venue. The streets of Soho are a blur of lights and I’m overwhelmed by the music and the sea of bodies pushing past me.
“Hero,” I mumble. “Wait–”
The ground beneath me shifts and I wait for the impact of the pavement only to feel an arm securing itself around my waist.
“Careful,” August says, hoisting me back up.
“S-sorry,” I mutter out an apology.
My trench coat is wrapped around me shortly after, the familiar scent of sandalwood and bergamot filling my senses. August tugs me towards him and I lean my forehead against his shoulder, feeling too lightheaded.
I don’t remember how long it took for the taxi to come but I do remember warm hands guiding me in and being pressed up against a hard body under a silky exterior, the feeling of the material under my fingertips easing my discomfort.
“Hallie, your keys.” Hero’s voice wades through my muddled consciousness. “Where is it?”
“Purse,” I reply weakly, burying my face into soft, silky fabric.
I feel the absence of my clutch bag as it’s pulled from my hand, registering the sound of someone rummaging through the contents inside.
“Does she have everything?” The sudden beam of light from Hero’s phone causes me to wince and I feel a hand raise to shield my face from the blinding brightness.
“Hinode,” August hisses. “Light.”
“Shit, I forgot, sorry.” Hero mumbles. “What’s the code to the gate, Hals?”
I lift my head as I strain my ears to hear, suddenly realising that I’m still in the taxi, wedged between Hero and pressed tightly against August.
“The what?”
“The code,” Hero repeats. “To your gate.”
I blink. “I can’t remember.”
“Hallie—”
I flinch at his harsh tone, turning my head away and hiding my face in August’s shirt.
“Gigi knows,” I mumble. “Call Gigi.”
“Where’s your phone?” Hero questions, voice stern. “I don’t have her number.”
“Purse,” I hiccup. “No passcode.”
An exasperated sigh leaves Hero as he begins rifling through my bag again.
“Snaps, can you help her get-”
The sound of the car door opening prompts me to crawl to the opposite side. I stumble out of the taxi, a sharp pang shooting through my ankle and I lose my footing, landing ungraciously on the ground.
“Hallie,” Hero reprimands me. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Getting out of the taxi,” I answer, feeling a headache forming in between my eyes.
“You’re on the floor,” He hisses. “Get up.”
From the disapproving tone of his voice, I can tell that Hero is losing his patience.
“You can both go home,” I say quietly. “I’m fine now.”
“Like hell you are,” Hero argues, exasperated. “Don’t be difficult.”
His voice is firm, almost admonishing, and I suddenly feel like a child being chastised.
“I’m not trying to be.”
“Then get up and walk.”
“W-wait,” I request, feeling a strain on the foot I twisted earlier.
There’s a burning pressure on my ankle and a dizzying weight in my head as I try to blink back the tears forming in my eyes.
“Hallie, hurry up.”
I can see Hero’s agitated figure standing by the gate from a few metres ahead. He’s holding my phone by his ear with one hand whilst keeping the gate open with the other. Rising to my feet, I’m suddenly struck by a faint spell of vertigo and my legs give out from under me.
“I c-can’t,” I whimper in response.
“Stop wasting time, Hals.” Hero yells towards me.
“I’m not,” I grimace. “My head hurts… and my foot…”
“Hallie, I swear to god—”
From my crouched position on the floor, I can see a faint trickle of blood from where the strap of my heel chafed against the skin of my swollen ankle.
“Hinode, stop.” August calls out to Hero. “She’s hurt.”
Hero walks back over to me, clearly disgruntled. “How the hell did you manage to do that?”
“I don’t know,” I sob quietly, reaching out for the railing as my head continues to spin.
The gate buzzes close and Hero curses, rushing back over to open it again.
“Mahalia.”
I hear August call my name this time as he approaches me but I refuse to look over, already feeling overwhelmed by the situation.
“I’m getting up,” I sniffle, tired. “Just give me a moment.”
Feeling him standing beside me, I swallow down the hurt and ignore the throbbing pain in my ankle as I attempt to straighten up.
The last thing I need is for August to start scolding me as well.
“Arms around my neck,” He instructs.
I turn to him with a questioning look and blink. Before I can respond, he slides his arms under my knees and lifts me bridal style.
“Take it easy on her,” August says, holding me tightly against him. “She’s disoriented.”
Hero’s response fades into the background as my surroundings blur once more. I don’t recall being this sensitive to my environment when I’m drunk but I don’t think alcohol is the only thing in my system right now.
The familiar ding of the lift and the sound of the doors opening is what draws me back to reality as I glance around and realise I’m back in my flat. The lights are dimmed in the living room and I’m thankful that only the lamps are on.
“Where’s her room?” August asks.
“She sleeps in the living room,” Hero replies. “I need to sort out her bed, you can set her down on the armchair.”
“She’s fine, I’ve got her.”
It takes Hero a good few minutes to set up the sofa bed. The sounds of the frame unfolding, the mattress extending and the bedding being arranged echoing in the living room.
August eventually sets me down on the bed, fluffing up a pillow under my head.
Slowly, I push myself up to a sitting position, the dizzying feeling beginning to fade which I’m grateful for.
“Stay in bed, Hallie. You’ll end up hurting yourself somehow,” Hero scolds me before muttering towards August. “She bruises like a peach.”
The irritation in Hero’s voice weighs down on me and I purse my lips, feeling worse and worse about the entire evening.
August squats down to my level tucking the loose corner of the bed sheet under the mattress.
“Are you okay?” He asks me.
“I want soft clothes,” I mumble, disliking how the dress I’m wearing is beginning to feel.
It’s suddenly scratchy and rough and all too uncomfortable on my skin.
“Can you watch her?” Hero sighs. “I’ll grab something from her closet.”
“Sure.” August nods.
He sits on the armchair in the living room as I slowly swing my legs to the side of the bed. August watches me intently as I reach for my heels and struggle to undo the strap.
“Do you need help?” His voice is unusually soft and it tugs on my heart.
I shake my head, resenting the idea of being a further imposition in his presence, considering everything that’s happened between us recently.
Hero returns to the living room, handing me a familiar-looking jumper and I grimace. Out of all the items of clothing he could have picked from my closet, it would be the jumper August gave to me.
“Change here, I don’t trust you to be in the bathroom by yourself.” Hero’s voice takes on an assertive tone. “August and I will be in the kitchen. I’ll make you something for tomorrow.”
The opening of cupboard doors and pans clattering in the kitchen followed by hushed whispers as Hero and August converse between themselves reverberate in the kitchen.
“You sure she doesn’t need to go to the hospital?”
“She just needs to ride out the high,” August answers. “Preferably conscious.”
“How long is the comedown?”
“Usually a few hours.”
