44. Friday Evening Week Eighteen (the restaurant.)

A sick smile crept onto his face when he caught sight of me and his eyes completed a grotesque scan of my body making me shiver in complete revulsion.

I put everything in me into containing the grimace that I was desperate to exhibit.

"Reillyn," he said upon me stopping by his table

"Vincent," I replied pulling out my own chair opposite him and taking a seat. I took a moment to scan the restaurant, admiring the burgundy walls and low lighting. There was a bar in the centre of the room, glasses hanging upside down like a ring of crystal around the top. The barmaid smiled at me from behind her counter — she was safe there, concealed and tucked away from Vincent and his disgusting charms.

"You look stunning in that dress."

Bringing my attention back to the pig in front of me I arched a brow, "only in this dress?"

He leant forward on the table, his dark blonde hair was slicked back with gel and it only served to make the menacing glint in his navy eyes seem more prominent, "well, I'm sure you would look better out of it."

Deciding to keep up with the flirty banter, I gave him what I hoped was a flirty smile, "if this date goes well, you might just find out."

A dark brow arched in surprise at my sultry reply, "what bout Ryker?

Trying to appear nonchalant, I shrugged, "what about him?"

Vincent clasped his hands together and placed his elbows on the table. His face turned to stone and his sinister glare deepened, "the last time I spoke to Ryker about you, he beat the shit out of me."

Nervousness dowsed me suddenly as I wiped my hands on my bare thighs nervously and grappled for an excuse, "well, that was in the past and it wasn't out of care," I breathed out and reminded myself that this was all an act, nothing I was saying was true, "he just did it because he's possessive, he never actually gave a shit."

I finished my statement with a careless shrug and a tentative sip of water — stupid underage drinking bullshit, I was desperate for some alcohol.

At my explanation, the dark look on his face immediately flashed back into a disgustingly flirty expression, "that's lucky for us then."

Another cautious sip of water, before flashing a smile I prayed didn't look fake, "yeah," I breathed, "lucky for us."

"I'm sure you don't mind, sweetheart," I cringed at the nickname, "but I have already ordered for us."

I did mind actually and my mind replayed the time Eli and I had gone out for luscious desserts and he had told me to order as much as I liked, the reminiscent thought made my current situation seem even bleaker.

"I'm curious, what made you reach out, Reillyn?" He inquisitioned with his stubby fingernails rapping gently against the thin glass cup of his wine.

Although it shouldn't have, his question took me off guard and I found myself struggling to formulate a comprehensible sentence, "well, I-I."

Words evaded me as my mind lost control of my mouth. All I could think about was Eli and how badly I wished I was with him right now. Vincent's crude smile and pressed suit only served to heighten my dislike of him and furthered my discomfort — I wanted out.

"Ah, I see," he proclaimed, leaning back casually in his dining chair, "you do not need to be ashamed of your attraction to me, Reillyn, I understand it must have been hard to feel that way when you were dating my brother."

Logical thought regained control and I forced myself to relax into my seat and amuse him with the idea that his absurd theory was true. I cleared my throat, "yes, exactly, I'm just conflicted about how I feel. This all seems a little strange, I guess."

The waiter came and placed our dishes in front of us. The pretentious prick has ordered a steak for himself and a fucking salad for me — could he be more of a clichéd asshole?

Deciding against complaining, I picked up my fork and began picking at my lettuce leaves, counting down the seconds. A quick but subtle glance at my watch revealed that I had just fifteen minutes more before Dante stormed the place. Fifteen minutes more to get Vincent's guard down.

The only sounds between us were the gentle scrape of our cutlery and the obnoxious camel chewing from Vincent. The more he chewed, the tighter I clenched my fist around my fork.

Until the chewing stopped. He still had half a plate of food but he casually halted his movements and calmly placed down his cutlery. I pretended not to notice and continued shuffling green shit around on my plate, occasionally lifting my wrist to put some in my mouth.

"Reillyn," he said.

The tone was sharp, deadly, threatening. He was demanding my attention and when I raised my gaze to give him it, I was greeted with a menacing glint and an arrogant smirk.

"Do you think that I don't know what is going on here?"

The beat of my fork and then my knife sounded as I put them down, "what do you think is going on, Vincent?"

He smiled. But it wasn't warm or comforting or even happy. It was rude, promising and dangerous.

"You think I don't know that your boyfriend is waiting outside for you?" I sucked in a sharp breath of air, "you think I don't know that you visited the Donatelli's last week?" He wiped his mouth with his napkin before throwing it on the table viciously, "cause I fucking know Reillyn!"

Maintaining my composure, I schooled my features into nonchalance, "I think," I started before crossing one leg over the other in the sassiest way I could imagine, "I think, that you are so ridiculously paranoid that you have started to concoct the most laughable little ideas in your head. I think, that you are so mentally unstable Vincent, that you are doubting not only everyone else in the world but yourself as well," I leant forward on the table, whispering my next words, "I think, that you are just a scared little boy who has no idea what the fuck is going on around him."

My timing couldn't have been better. Because just as Vincent released the anger inside him, metal canister's were flung into the room and smoke pervaded every crevice around us.

Get out, Reillyn, that's all you have to do when the smoke goes off, get out.

Dante's words rang in my ears and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, all I have to do?

I ducked down, landing harshly on my knees as yells and shouts emerged through the clouds. I had no idea where Vincent was and I didn't care. All I wanted to do was get out of there and find Eli.

But the smoke was so thick. My eyes began to water. Coughs heaved out of me as my lungs overflowed with dirty air.

Crawling, I moved across the ground in the direction I imagined the door to be. Gunfire began blasting through the restaurant. I cursed as our plan fell away around us.

Scrambling for somewhere safe, I tucked myself away behind some booths. But the screams got louder. The smoke got thicker. The gunfire got brighter. And I knew I had to try and find a way out of here on my own.

"REI!" Someone yelled into the frenzy and I recognised the voice of the boy I loved instantly, "fuck!" He yelled, "Reillyn?!"

"ELI!" I screamed back and I clambered onto shaky feet, "ELI! I'm here."

"Tigru?" He shouted back, "follow my voice, baby, keep yelling out."

So I did. I screamed for him but my voice got lost in the smoke; smoke which wasn't dissipating. Every scream out pulled more hazy air into my lungs and I lost my breath.

But then, a sharp tug on the ends of my long curls abruptly stunted all of my movements. I yelled out in pain as my assailant's grip tightened on my hair.

"Screaming in a building filled with men who want you, not your smartest move sweetheart," Vincent rasped into my ear from behind me.

"Get the fuck off me!" I yelled, writhing in his hold. He had one hand tangled violently in my hair and the other wrapped around my torso, pinning my arms behind my back.

"REI!" Eli screamed again.

My eyes darted in the direction of his voice and I caught sight of his frantic expression through the smog. He was running his hands through his hair, spinning around wildly, desperate to find me in the mayhem laid out before us.

Seeing Eli made ice shoot through my veins and I remembered I wasn't helpless anymore. I didn't take this kind of violence from anyone anymore. Eli had made me better. He had made me a fighter.

So I was gonna fight like hell to get back to him.

Something inside me woke up in that moment. Something strong and powerful. Something that Marcus had stolen from me all those months ago. Something that Eli had given me back.

I couldn't tell you what it was, and I don't think that I ever want to fully understand it. But I do know that whatever it was made me unleash hell on Vincent.

The haze in my mind cleared and I knew just what I had to do to get him to release me. Swiftly, I raised my right leg before bringing my heeled foot down harshly on his toe. He howled in pain and I relished in his temporary shock as I pried myself out of his arms and span to face him. Sharply, my fist flew forwards and collided with his nose with a sudden click which had blood dripping from his nose.

His hands flew to cup his swelling nose and I raised my left leg to deliver a powerful kick to his groin which had him doubling over in pain. That was the second time I had done that, and it felt bloody fantastic.

Stunning me with electricity. Two hands landed on my shoulders and I span swiftly, arms thrashing out against my attacker.

"Calm down," he muttered, "tigru, calm down, it's me," my body relaxed, "it's just me, tigru."

"Oh god," I whispered out before coiling my arms around his torso and shuffling my head into his chest.

He pulled away to cup my face gently, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. When he ascertained that I was okay, he grabbed my hand and promptly began tugging me in the direction of the exit. Moving quickly and gracefully, he didn't stop until we were safe in the outside world.

Even then, he continued tugging me along until we arrived at his car and I was safely tucked away in his passenger seat, shaking with the emotions swirling inside me.

"Life isnt about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain."

IMPORTANT!!!!

okay, so, I have just tested positive for COVID-19 which obviously sucks :(

however...there is a plus side in that I am currently locked in my bedroom (I have to be away from my family) with just my laptop for entertainment. Hopefully, this will give me a lot more time to write and I hope to bring the book to a close soon.

Thank you for your patience and sticking by me!! I will get pt2 for this chapter out as soon as possible!!

Please keep active in the comments, I honestly really love hearing what you guys think!

ALSO THIS IS THE LINK TO THE PINTEREST BOARD I MADE FOR THIS STORY AGES AGO

https://pin.it/3B23HYx