Lost in Miami

Chapter 5

Greta forced me to get dressed in a shiny silver dress revealing my long legs and a pair of strappy silver sandals. She was wearing high waist blue jeans and a black crop top. We took our purse and went to the LIV club, one of the high end clubs for VIPs. Greta possesses a VIP membership her dad gave her. We walked inside and I drank in the beauty of the club. Lights flashed beautifully everywhere and the music playing made the place feel even more magnificent. We took our seats and ordered our drinks. Greta asked for scotch with a twist and I asked for a Cosmo. The waiter came back with our drinks soon enough. In between our drinking my phone buzzed a couple of times. I took out and I saw missed calls from my mother. I have been ignoring all the calls from Chicago but I saw a text which said, ‘pick up the phone ASAP.’   I figured it might be something important. I went outside and called back. My mother picked up the phone, but she did not say anything,

“Hello? Hello? Mother, are you there?”

“Rachel you have to come back. Your father and I are very….” and that’s when my father snatched the handset from my mother, “Rachel you come back home this instant. I have promised your marriage with Alex and you have to do it no matter what.”

“But I don’t want to marry him. Please cancel this marriage.”

“Do you want me to go back on my word?”

“Can’t you do that for me?”

“Rachel if you don’t come home now, you don’t have to come ever”

“Father—” toot* and the line went off. He hanged up on me. And he told me to never go back to the house but he won’t change his word. Even for his own daughter. Tears started to flow down my cheeks. Greta came out to look for me and saw that I was crying. She came rushing towards me and held me in her arms. “What happened? Why are you crying?” my voice came into small sobs, “Greta my father said if I don’t go back and marry Alex, then I don’t have to go back ever.” Sob* “He abandoned me Greta.” Fresh tears started flowing down my cheeks and soaking into Greta’s crop top. She consoled me while patting my back like I was a child, “It’s okay Rachel. I’m here for you. Whenever you need me.”

I was so grateful that Greta was here. We sat on the side pavement until I calmed down. Her cellphone kept ringing which she kept cutting so I asked her to pick it up.

“See I told you I’m really busy here and I won’t be able to come. Can’t you handle it yourself?..... But….. I have to be here too. It’s as much important as…. Okay, okay fine. Just wait for me there”

She hanged up the call and told me “Sweetie there’s an emergency and I have to be somewhere. Come I’ll drop you home first.”

“Oh… no, you go ahead. I think I’ll just hang around for a while. I don’t feel like going home yet.”

“Are you sure you’ll be fine?”

“Yes of course. I’ll just hail a cab back home”

“Okay then, but be careful and just call me if you need okay?”

“Yes”

Greta went back and I stood at the entrance of the bar. And I was feeling lifeless. All I could think of was how my parents never stood up for me. Why would they do this to me and every bad memory came flashing in my head. All I wanted to do now was to get really drunk. I marched back inside the club and sat on one of the stools of the bar counter. All I wanted to do now was drink my pain away. Five shots of tequila in and I’m only feeling a bit buzzed but still sad. “Can I have another?” I ask, looking up at the bartender giving him a lopsided smile. “Perhaps a stronger one?” The bartender chuckles and shakes his head, grabbing another shot glass and pouring a milky liquid into it.

“You shouldn’t be drinking alone like this.” I paused suddenly with the oddly familiar voice and I looked up to see who it was though I had a fair idea who it might be. Holy s**t! Austin William. What in the world is he doing here? “I’ll take one of those as well.” He continued to the bartender. I furrow my brows looking at him. He was in a casual jeans and black shirt with the top two buttons open making a V shape slightly revealing his sexy muscles and I saw a hint of black tattoo on the left side. Wow. His black hair was rugged but also kept tidy, as if it was meant to look like a stylish mess. His jawline was sharp and prominent and his smoldering grey eyes locked into mine.

“I know I’m handsome, but you shouldn’t stare at someone like that. It’s inappropriate.” Look at his audacity. Such an arrogant bastard. I looked away shaking my head as the bartender sets our drinks in front of us. Well, I’ll show him then.

“Mr. Williams, why am I seeing you everywhere these days? Aren’t you busy with your business or did the company throw you out?” Maybe it was the alcohol talking but at this point I didn’t even care. I’m sad as it is and now he is irritating me. I looked at him and he was smiling looking at me. Definitely not offended but he looked amused like he’s enjoying some private joke. He looked down at his drink, running his long, slender finger along the rim of the glass. “So what brings you down here to this club, drinking your sorrows away? Let me guess, the Montez marriage thing didn’t work, right?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but I was the one who refused to marry him. And for your kind information I would never marry someone I’ve barely met.”

“Okay I’m sorry. My bad. Then why are you here Rachel?”

“I’m not obliged to tell you that.” I barked at him arrogantly.

He chuckles and raises his glass towards me urging me to raise mine. “To a stress free tomorrow” We clinked our glasses before downing the shots. As soon as the liquid flows down my throat, I cough and my eyes water, my throat burning and afterwards my stomach. “Holy s**t, that really is a lot stronger.”  Austin lets out a low whistle saying “Indeed.”

I swallow hard and look up at him giggling a bit. “That was actually quite terrible. I’m not sure about this one.”

He moves closer to me our faces just inches apart and I completely stop moving, “will you tell me what you are so upset about that you are drinking here alone like this?”

I paused, meeting his eyes before looking down. “It’s just that my father told me if I refuse to marry and don’t come back home now, I’m never welcomed ever again.” Again the tears started surfacing blurring my vision. Suddenly a warm hand cupped my cheek making me look up. Austin was staring at me intensely. His thumb stroked my lips lightly and I felt fire in my belly. He leaned in and placed a feather light kiss on my lips. He started to stroke my cheek with the back of his hand. His every finger, every stroke, lighting fire where he touched me. This time he took my lower lip between his teeth and pulled it lightly but sensually and my mind went blank.

“I think we should leave now.” He pulled back and stood up from his seat paying the bartender for both of our drinks before grabbing my hand and leading us out the door.