Never Say Love Page 13

  They laughed and nodded in acknowledgement as they were quickly heading toward the front of the queue, Kim paying the admission fee and then quickly escorting a wobbly Lucy into an electrically charged atmosphere. The place was rammed, the bar three and four deep in places along the whole length of it.

  “Drinks?” Kim shouted above the music.

  “V and T for me.” Clare shouted and looked at Lisa.

  “Same for me, but OJ for our Lucy here. We’ll be over in the corner. I’ll try and grab a table…” she shouted and then under her breath cursed, “…not bloody likely though.”

  Dragging Lucy over to a packed corner, she pushed the wobbly girl against a wall, “You need to sober up a bit Lucy girl.”

  Pouting, Lucy slurred, “I am not drunk Lisa.”

  Rolling her eyes at the young Lucy, Lisa shook her head. “That’s a matter of opinion,” she whispered under her breath, followed by, “but you’re not far off. No more alcohol for a bit. Understood!” she said for Lucy’s benefit.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Lucy giggled and wobbled slightly, a huge grin across her face.

  As the drinks arrived, the girls started dancing two at a time making sure their glasses were never unattended.

  Lucy left Lisa and Kim letting herself go to the strains of Pjanoo accompanied by Clare. Her eyes closed, wearing a figure hugging blush pink strappy dress, her blonde hair cascading down her back, she was totally unaware of Benito standing at the bottom of the steps watching her. Longing for her to go back to him, wishing he could take back what she’d overheard and that he’d never said it to start off with!

  For the first time in his life, he wanted to scoop the girl up and carry her to his home, not as a one night stand, or quick shag, but as his girlfriend. The same feelings he’d experienced just a few days ago returning, feelings that he’d never ever known before, the desire to have, hold and protect what he regarded as his.

  Continuing to watch her, a Peroni in his hand, he felt lost; he felt torn between marching over to her, or just standing and watching, imagining what could have been. Maybe this was fate, maybe his life was mapped out that he would never settle down, that’s what he’d always wanted in the past.

  Lost in the music, Lucy and Clare danced and danced until they were tapped on the shoulder by Lisa, “Our turn girlies!” she shouted as Clare walked and Lucy swayed back to the table.

  “I need a drink,” Lucy muttered, as she picked up Lisa’s vodka, downing what was left in the glass in one go.

  “Steady on Lucy,” Clare watched helplessly as Lucy reached for Kim’s drink, swallowing what was left in that glass too.

  “Want another?” she asked Clare as she reached for her purse.

  Clare felt lost at what to do. In an effort to stop Lucy buying more drinks, she placed her hand on top of Lucy’s as she grabbed her purse. “Please Lucy; I thought you were meant to be on orange juice?”

  “Fuck orange juice. I’m here to make me feel better.” Lucy slurred as she swayed towards the bar, weaving through the dancers. Wheedling her way to the front of the crowds at the bar, she ordered four double vodka tonics, paid for them and scooped them together before staggering back to the table. She handed one to Clare and started about the other herself, laughing at Lisa and Kim as they threw some strange looking moves on the dance floor. They, too, were laughing at themselves.

  From the far side of the club, Benito watched, keeping his distance. God, he really felt something for her. Never before had he felt this way about any woman, ever. Soon joined by his friend, James, he turned and headed to the exclusive area at the top of the steps, choosing not to tell James who he had seen. He would follow his father’s advice and begin his wooing on Monday; let her have the weekend to calm down, and then he would begin his attempt at winning her back.

  “Lucy!” Lisa shouted, “What the hell do you think you’re doing? I said orange juice.” Lisa looked on horrified as Lucy staggered around.

  “I want to dance,” she slurred her words, looking for support from Clare and Kim, both looking at her and shaking their heads. “You’re just a bunch of party poopers,” Lucy laughed, “poopers, poopers,” she laughed again at the word, emphasising the poop. “I’m going to dance.”

  Swaying, she walked over to the dance floor, the girls watching as she threw her arms in the air, completely letting herself go to the strains of What Hurts The Most. Lisa watched, keeping an eye out for her younger sister-in-law, soon drawing attention from a group of several young men wandering their hands down her back as she danced.

  Lisa watched as Lucy turned towards one of them, her hands on his shoulders, seductively smiling at him, his hands on her waist, moving her body up and down against his. The guy’s hands following as she threw her head back, her moves so suggestive, leaving Lisa stunned that her brother’s younger sister was behaving like this, like a little trollop.

  Lisa turned to Clare and Kim with a shocked looked on her face at Lucy’s behaviour.

  “What’s wrong with her?” Kim shouted above the music.

  Lisa shrugged, “Don’t know, she won’t say.”

  “Let her get on with it,” Clare offered, “she’s young, we’ve all been there—been hurt, gone out, got pissed, got over it. We should support her, not condemn her.”

  The girls nodded in agreement. Lisa glanced at her watch, it was only midnight. She knew that Clare and Kim would want to stay out as long as possible, making the most of a rare night out on their own, away from their husbands. Hell, she did too!

  The music changed to a real floor-filler as Something Good pounded through the speakers. Lucy’s moves becoming more erotic, she thrust her hips forward towards the thigh of the guy that had apparently taken a fancy to her.

  “Shit, they’re all over each other!” Lisa shouted.

  “Leave her be! You worry too much!” Kim laughed, placing her hand on Lisa’s arm. “We’re here. What can happen?”

  Lisa looked at her friends, closed her eyes and shook her head and cringed, “She’s going to throw up on the way home.”

  The music seemed to get louder, the flashing lights appeared to flash brighter as more and more people packed the dance floor. Soon Lisa was unable to see Lucy for the crowds.

  “Who the hell are those two guys? They are gorgeous!” Clare pointed to the two well-built men who had joined in with dancing.

  Lisa and Kim both turned, following Clare’s gaze towards James and Benito.

  “Why did I marry so young?” Kim rolled her eyes. “They are really hot.”

  Clare jumped up from her seat, “I’m going to dance!” she shouted as she made her way in the general direction of Benito and James, her aim to get closer to them, to see more of them.

  Her glitzy gold coloured dress caught the light as she danced and swayed, watching the two guys, both appearing to be excellent movers. She kept her distance, having no intention of cross treading against her husband, just wanting a closer look and to dream.

  Waving towards her friends, she called them onto the dance floor, “Come on!”

  Lisa joined her, leaving Kim at the table with the drinks.

  “Where’s Lucy?” Lisa shouted, looking around the dance floor, “I can’t see Lucy.”

  Clare looked around, “She was here,” she yelled back. “Shit, that guy she was with is gone too!”

  The two girls stopped dancing and started looking around; Lucy was nowhere to be seen.

  “Excuse me,” Lisa pushed past Benito.

  He stopped dancing and looked down at Lisa, “What’s wrong?” he raised his deep voice over the music.

  “I’ve lost my sister-in-law. She was here a minute ago with a guy.”

  “The blonde? Lucy?” Benito asked.

  Lisa stopped, looked up at Benito, frowning, “You know Lucy?”

  He nodded, “Yeah, I know Lucy. I saw her dancing earlier. . . I came to look for her.”

  Lisa, looking concerned gazed up at the handsome guy. “No, we’ve lost her. She
was dancing with some creep.”

  “Shit!” He spat, his face turning hard. Looking towards James, he tapped his shoulder, “James, Lucy’s disappeared, help me find her.”

  The two guys split up. Benito staying with Lisa, he shouted above the music, “You check the ladies, I’ll follow you over.”

  Hurrying, Lisa set off for the ladies. Clare, on her heels, indicating to Kim where they were going.

  Pushing the door to the ladies open, Lisa and Clare were faced with a sea of females, all pushing towards the mirrors, lipsticks, hair brushes and hair spray. A row of five or six cubicles all with doors shut, the music playing in here too, although not as loud.

  “Girls,” Lisa shouted at the top of her voice. “I’ve lost my sister-in-law, pretty blonde, pale pink strappy dress. Drunk as a lord and on the rebound! Has anyone seen her?”

  The room full of girls all looked at her, one pointing towards the end cubicle, not saying a word, just pointing and nodding.

  “Great!” Lisa acknowledged the girl and walked to the furthest cubicle. Knocking the door lightly, “Lucy, are you okay?”

  There was no reply, nothing, no noise that Lisa could hear. “Lucy, are you okay?”

  Again, no reply. Bending down Lisa looked under the door, two pairs of feet – Lucy’s silver heels and a man’s, Lucy’s silver clad feet being pressed against the wall.

  Turning towards Clare she said so quietly, “Get that bloke from outside, the big one!” Then, looking towards the girls lined up against the mirrors she shrugged, “trouble ladies, I think!” just as Benito powered through.

  “Excuse me ladies,” he said, as he strode through the crowd drawing “ooh’s” and “aah’s” as he made his way towards Lisa.

  “This one?” he pointed towards the door—Lisa acknowledging with a nod, looking fearful at his face, full of anger.

  Reaching up to the top of the door, he held onto the edge and pulled himself up easily, peering over the top.

  Anger coursing through him as he saw his Lucy being pinned against the wall by the fucking creep, her dress up around her waist, his hand across her mouth, her eyes full of fear and tears as she saw Benito over the top of the door before the creep did.

  Letting go of the door, Benito dropped to the ground and with one almighty crash, pushed his shoulder in the door sending the creep flying to the other side. Giving a sideways glance at Lucy, he yanked the letch out of the cubicle, his head making full and firm contact with the guy’s nose, blood flying everywhere, the ladies scattering as he did.

  Lucy, her back against the wall, watched in horror as the huge bloke, her man, laid into the creep, the noise of the scrap and the music in the loos, although not as loud as out on the dance floor , drowning out Benito’s hisses. “You want a girl, you get one the proper way, you don’t just fucking take one.” Crack! A punch across his jaw, “You fucking understand me you bastard!”

  Not thinking as the words left his lips, what he’d just admitted to. He, Benito Pascal Abelli, had a girlfriend! Oh shit, he’d got it bad.

  “Oh God!” Lisa panicked as she watched the creep stagger, falling into the middle of the packed cloakroom, landing on the floor.

  Returning to the cubical, Benito walked in and found Lucy hunched over the toilet, throwing up.

  “Shit, Lucy, what happened?” he asked quietly, rubbing her back gently, holding her hair back as she wretched. Leaning back out of the cubical he looked towards Lisa, “Can you get me some water? And, get my mate to come and move that fucktard!” He nodded towards the guy on the floor as he squirmed around, holding his battered face.

  Staying with Lucy, he kicked the cubical door shut with his foot. His hand staying on her back, comforting her as best as he could, holding her hair away from her face, mentally cursing himself over and over. Why did she have to hear him talking to Franco? Why did she have to hear him say those things? He’d only been away from her for a day but already missed her, missed her company, the laughter, her presence.

  He knew Franco was right, his dad was always right. He did need to settle down, stop playing at being a playboy. Despite the mental pep talk he gave himself, he still couldn’t bring himself to believe that one day he would marry, no—that was a step too far. Yes, maybe he’d settle down with someone. Hell, he’d plead with Lucy to have him back, but never marry, never be in the same situation as his father, loving someone so much, making those vows like he had and then losing Sophia so young; then vowing never to lie with another until he was with Sophia again falling so deeply in love that no one can ever fill a gap or take that place.

  Lucy moved away from the loo, groaning and leaning against the wall, so pissed she was hardly able to kneel straight let alone stand. Reaching forward, Benito flushed the toilet before crouching down to her level.

  “Do you feel any better?” he whispered, brushing a loose lock of hair away from her forehead.

  “What do you want, you bastard!” she slurred, looking at him with bloodshot eyes, her face pale, her hair a mess.

  Shaking his head, Benito looked at his lovely girl—yes, his girl. “I’m not even going to try and talk to you now, not while you’re like this. Let’s get you home.” If this was his sister, if this had been Adrianna, he’d be laying the law down to her, regardless of whether she was drunk or not. But he couldn’t judge Lucy, this was his fault, she was right. He was a bastard!

  Reaching forward, he eased his arm around her shoulders, the other under her knees. Hooking the toe of his shoe on the underside of the cubical door, he pulled it open, standing in the corner of the private area as it swung inward. He carried her through the mass of women, all looking at the stunningly handsome, big guy carrying the young, drunk fair-haired girl out of the loos.

  Outside, Lisa waited, leant against the wall directly opposite the loos. “Is she okay?” she walked towards Benito, looking up at the handsome man that was carrying her sister-in-law.

  “No, she’s wasted. Are you her friend? She needs to go home.” Benito shouted above Please Don’t Stop the Music.

  Smiling, she tilted her head to one side, “I’m her sister-in-law. I’m married to Lucy’s brother.”

  “I’ll take her home. My car’s around the corner. Tell me where and I’ll drive her.” He set off through the mass of dancers, some dancing, some staggering and Lisa following close behind.

  “No, wait. I need to come with you, just let me tell the other two I’m taking her home, okay?” Lisa took hold of his arm. God it was big, her hand barely wrapped around the outside of his thick forearm. Letting her hand stay on his arm for a moment, she looked up at him, this Adonis stood there, holding Lucy in his arms.

  “Quickly,” he snapped, “be quick.”

  Hurrying over to her friends at the table they had occupied, Lisa made her excuses and apologised for Lucy’s behaviour. Both girls shrugged, they’d been there, years ago, dumped, gone out and got wrecked—part of growing up, wasn’t it? After a quick round of hugged goodbyes, Lisa turned and headed off towards Lucy and the man that was carrying her.

  Fighting her way through the crowds, she reached them only to find an exceptionally handsome man stood next to Benito, a well-built man, soft curls framing his beautiful face, full soft lips, dark eyes and impeccably turned out, just like the guy holding Lucy.

  “Evening,” he offered his hand. “I’m James. He tells me that,” he nodded towards Lucy, “you are the pissed sister-in-law.” He laughed.

  Scowling at James, Lisa contemplated what to say next. “She’s got good reason to be drunk, after what some mongrel has done to her!”

  Smiling broadly, James looked at Benito, “Mongrel, eh?” He laughed, shaking his head, “Mongrel!” He laughed again.

  Snarling and cursing under his breath, Benito headed toward the main door, Lucy now asleep in his arms, her head on his shoulder, her fair hair draped over his arm. James powered in front, opening the door, allowing his friend easy passage through to the footpath, Lisa skipping behind trying to ke
ep up with Lucy’s rescuer and his friend.

  As they arrived at the Range Rover, Benito handed his keys to James. Popping the locks, he opened the doors.

  “I just need to call my husband, let him know what’s happened and tell him that we’re getting a lift home with two chaps that I don’t know.” She looked at them, “I can trust you, can’t I?”

  Benito and James looked at each other once Lucy was firmly strapped in the back of the car. “You can. Take the registration of the car and tell your husband when you speak with him. Stay on the phone all the way home if you want.”

  Going against everything that she’d always been told, everything that she’d said to Lucy in the past, against everything that the police and media told you not to do, she allowed these two strangers to take them home. It was the best of two options for she couldn’t put Lucy in a cab, not in that condition and walking just wasn’t realistic, not with her like that.

  Benito looked at Lisa, “Sit in the front with James. I’ll look after Lucy.” He pushed the back door open further and slid in beside his girl.

  Lisa stopped before opening the car door. “How do you know her name? I haven’t told you and she’s in no fit state? How do you know Lucy?” She frowned.

  “I know Lucy, that’s all. We used to be friends,” he mumbled as he pulled his girl towards him, his big arm around her shoulder, holding her close. It felt so good to have her close again, to have her small frame tucked beside him, despite the fact that she was unconscious.

  Frowning at him, Lisa’s face took on a hard look, “You’re not the bastard that’s just dumped her, are you?” Her tone was acidic as she questioned just how Benito knew Lucy.

  “Can we talk about it later, and no, I didn’t dump her. To be truthful, she walked out on me!” He snapped back, his voice equally as hard.

  Sitting up straight, the alcohol she had consumed offering a little Dutch courage, Lisa faced up to Benito, raising her voice. “Really? Because I don’t believe Lucy would do that. She’s such a kind and gentle person, never had a serious boyfriend before, ever. I don’t think she’d know how to dump someone!”