Relief floods me when I step into the empty corridor. It is finally quiet, and I welcome the silence. I didn’t even realize how loud it is in there until now. I’m tired, mentally more so than physically. The urge to kick my heels off is tempting, but I don’t think that would look good on Jonah, or more like it would just give Kyan a reason to snap at me again.
I can see the ladies’ bathroom up ahead. Quickly I walk down the red carpeted and gold trimmed corridor. It is dimly lit; the walls a dark gray with small dome lamps hanging off the walls. Entering the luxurious bathroom, I go into one of the cubicles, relieved that the place is clean. I quickly use the bathroom before tugging my dress down and flattening it. Washing my hands, I look in the mirror.
Yeah, this just isn’t me. It is like I am looking at someone else, drying my hands. I peer down at them, reminding me I don’t have my gloves on and wishing I did. Stepping out of the bathroom, I walk straight into a man.
He stinks of liquor, and he grips my arms. “Sorry, love,” he slurs, leaning half on me. The man’s face is partially slack as the alcohol weeds its way through his system, his hands clammy and he burps, chuckling and staggering forward again.
“That’s alright,” I tell him, stepping out of reach and moving to step around him. He suddenly blocks my path, making my heart skip a beat. Once again, I try to step to the other side of him, but he cuts me off, this time blatantly blocking the path. A deep chuckle leaves him.
“Excuse me,” I murmur, trying to awkwardly move around him. I don’t want to spend more time around this drunk. His presence is making me feel uncomfortable and panic makes its way into my mind.
“How about I buy you a drink?” he purrs, gripping my arms.
His touch repulses me. I can tell he is human, and so I use my wrists to push on his chest as he steps closer to me, getting too up in my personal space. Yet at the same time, I am trying not to touch him with my hands.
“Move, please,” I ask politely, knowing it is best not to aggravate a drunk man.
My heart thumps harder in my chest, fear snakes around me tightly when his grip gets tighter. My mind screams at me to make him let go, but I don’t have my gloves. Touching him, I would kill him. The fear of what I might do only adds to the panic that is building up inside of me.
“I said let go!” I warn him, as his face moves toward mine. His breath smells heavily of beer, and I have to hold myself back from gagging at the stench. His hot, heavy breathing repulses me. “Let go, please!”
“Ella!” Kyan’s demanding voice bellows, and I jolt.
The man freezes and looks over his shoulder. He steps away from me abruptly. Oh, thank god! I never thought I would be so excited to be glared at before in my life, and I seriously am only seconds from throwing myself at him just to escape this man’s clutches.
Kyan casually strolls down the corridor toward us, with a look on his face that sends a chill down my spine. His hands in his pockets, oozing dominance. He commands attention.
He has never looked more intimidating, and I am unsure if I want to run to him, or from him, suddenly. Kyan stops next to the man, who sways slightly, barely able to control his body.
“Ella, come here,” Kyan says, pulling his hand from his pocket and holding it out to me.
I grab it. Anything to get away from the drunk man. Kyan yanks me over to him, and I stumble in the heels, my other hand grabs his suit jacket, and the buttons pop open. Kyan steadies me, his eyes still on the man who is muttering about being interrupted and something else that makes Kyan growl as he tilts his head down to look at me.
He leans in, his minty breath caresses over my neck as he leans closer to whisper into my ear. “Go wait outside the doors,” I shiver. His whisper is more of an angry growl, something I thought impossible to do.
I am about to walk off when Kyan grips my elbow. Sparks rush up my arm and his hand burns into my skin. My heart skips a beat as I look down at his hand. Why does that feel so intense?
“That means wait! Don’t wander off. You won’t like it if I have to hunt you down again,” Kyan warns me. The man bristles, and Kyan nudges me toward the exit. I hastily rush off.
Stepping out, I cast a final glance back behind me. “Now, Ella!” Kyan growls, and I nod my head, slipping out the door and closing it behind me.
The music is louder, and I glance around, looking for Jonah but not daring to move from where Kyan told me to remain. I can tell Kyan is angry at me, and the fear I have of him makes me remain where I am, when all I want to do is run back to the penthouse and hide away.
People stare at me, and I know I must look out-of-place standing next to the doors by myself. I wish they would just ignore me, and I try not to think about what is happening behind those closed doors behind me.
This is my fault and I know Kyan will probably have something to say about me wandering off, but I was on the verge of peeing myself.
After a few minutes, the door beside me opens up and Kyan steps out. He pulls a set of keys from his pocket and locks the doors, then grabs his phone out of his back pocket. The move makes his muscles in his arm flex nicely. But I don’t stare for too long.