His Saving Grace

Chapter 9

JAMES

I ended up taking a shower, unable to summon enough patience to wait for the bath to fill. I skipped the snack for the same reason. Now, I’m in the club, dressed in casual jeans and a smart black shirt, drinking alone in the corner of a bar. I’m bored out of my mind but as I sip the scotch I know I shouldn’t be drinking, I see some entertainment walking towards the bathrooms. I drain my glass, wincing as it stings my throat, and follow her.

She looks pretty young but that doesn’t bother me. She’s by the sink when I reach her, washing her hands. I make eye contact with her in the mirror and I can’t tell if she’s going to be the eager type, which is unusual for me. I take a chance anyway, cupping her plump behind through her jeans.

I’m about to whisper in her ear but she spins around and shoves me away. “Get the f**k away from me,” she spits, and walks straight out of the bathroom.

Well, s**t. It must be years since I was last rejected. It pisses me off. Not because I’m not drilling her hot hole right now, but because I can’t shake this f*****g boredom. Huffing, I head back to the bar.

Maybe if I drink enough I’ll forget that I’m bored. It’s worth a shot, so I start ordering doubles. I know I shouldn’t, but it’s my f*****g birthday. One night won’t hurt.

Four doubles down, and I need to go someplace lively, so I walk out onto the street and hit up another club instead. The throb of the music beneath my feet uplifts me instantly and, after another couple of drinks, I find myself dancing on one of the podiums with some blonde in a leather harness. She grinds her assp against my crotch but I’m barely paying attention. My arms are raised high above my head as I jump up and down in time with the beat. I can’t be sure through the flashing lights, but I think I spot the redhead apprentice from marketing on the dance-floor below.

Bingo. I scan my murky brain for her name but only manage to come up with a memory of her kneeling on my office floor while I rammed my d**k down her throat.

Whatever her name is, she’s a done deal already. If I remember rightly, I owe her a f**k anyway, so I jump down from the podium, stumbling when my feet hit the floor and losing sight of the redhead in the process.

Fuck. I feel dizzy. Sick. I look around and the dancing bodies surrounding me have blurred into fuzzy blocks of colour. I need some air, maybe a smoke, so I weave my way through the crowd until I see the orange glow of a streetlight shining through an open door. I knock into several people as I make my way outside. They yell at me, but I don’t hear what they say.

My legs feel weak, wobbling under the weight of my body, so I cross the cobbled street and use the wall guarding the canal for support. Grabbing it with both hands, I tip my head back and relish the cold air that blankets my flushed face. It feels good. I close my eyes, concentrating on the direction of the breeze. Although lightheaded, I feel f*****g amazing. A rush of ideas for the business flood my brain and I need to go home and write them all down before my head bursts under the pressure.

“Hey.”

“Mmm,” I murmur. Her voice is beautiful. Calming. But I’m drunk and convince myself I’ve imagined it.

“Are you okay?”

I feel like I’m floating as I turn around. When I see Grace’s stunning face staring back at me, I wonder if I’ve passed out and I’m dreaming about her again. She looks concerned, her brow furrowed as she steps towards me.

She places a gentle hand on my shoulder and I press my lips to it, smiling against her flesh. Her skin is cool, refreshing, and I rub my cheek over it. “Are you okay?” she repeats, her voice urgent.

“I will be if you let me f**k you,” I say, pressing my chest to her and kissing along her jaw. She tries to push me away, but I’m insistent.

“Stop!” she shorted, wedging her hands between our bodies and forcing me away.

I trip over my own feet and smack my back on the wall. “f**k you,” I snap, glowering at her.

“What’s wrong with you? I saw you in the club and… this, this isn’t you.”

“You don’t f*****g know me.” My words are slurred but it doesn’t stop me talking. “You don’t know anything about me.” Nobody does.

“I know you’ve had too much to drink. Let me get you a taxi.”

I stop listening, too fascinated by the ripples in the canal below me. I’m too hot. I bet that water is cool, though. It entices me. I want to feel it on my skin.

“What the…” I think Grace is talking but I’ve lost interest in her. She doesn’t want me to f**k her? Fine. There’s no reason for her to still be here. “What the f**k are you doing?”

It feels like something is caught on my shirt but I push past the resistance and hitch a second foot onto the wall. I’m crouched down, balancing, about to stand when suddenly I feel pressure around my waist.

I fall backwards, landing with a thud onto the hard ground. My eyes are open but all I can see are lights and a blurred face. A shock of pain registers and I think it’s coming from my wrist. Or maybe my neck. My back hurts, too. Or is it my head?

“What the hell are you playing at?” I know that voice. That’s Grace's voice. It makes me smile. I wonder if she’s the fuzzy face hovering over me. I reach out to touch it but the figure disappears.

There’s some kind of commotion occurring around me. I hear lots of different voices, but I focus on Grace's. “Call an ambulance,” she says. “I think he’s taken something.”

“I just wanted to cool down,” I say, wondering what all the fuss is about.

The blurry face returns and I try to bring it into focus but I’m too tired. “s**t. You’re bleeding.”

Who’s bleeding?

She can’t mean me because I feel fine. To prove it, I scramble into a sitting position, or I try to, but the fuzzy face that sounds like Grace lowers me back down.

“Help is coming. You’ve hurt your head. Don’t move.”

Her unnecessary concern angers me and I push myself back up. “I’m fine.” Jesus. What’s the big deal? Defiant, I crawl up onto my knees, preparing to stand.

Grace's face becomes clear and I look her straight in the eye. “See?”

That’s the last thing I remember before everything turns black.

**********