FADING (A novel)(113)

“I mean, if it’s too much then I can always go upstairs until you’re ready to leave.”

He takes my hand and laces his fingers through mine, pulling me to him, and suggests, “Or we could just stay here and break in your bed a bit more,” as he nuzzles my neck.

I smile at the memory of being with him this morning and give him a kiss. “I think we should go now and break in the bed later.”

Nipping my lip, he walks us out to his jeep.

When we pull up in front of the bar, there is a line wrapped around the building. Max spots us from the door and is standing next to me when we walk in. The music blasts through the bar as Ryan and Max lead me to the side of the bar that curves around to the back wall. We told Mark and Jase to meet us here and see them waiting for us. When we approach them, Gavin and several of Ryan’s friends are there as well. Jase orders me two shots, and I feel relaxed over in the corner with our group of friends. We all drink and laugh and eventually Mel comes by to chat with me a bit while the guys are busy talking about things I couldn’t care less about.

Mel has always been really sweet to me. She’s a little older than I am and reminds me a lot of Roxy. Her husband is a drummer for a band that just got signed to a label in L.A. I’ve only met him once when he was in town during a break in recording his album. She decided to stay here in Seattle so that she could have the support of her family instead of being alone in L.A. where she doesn’t know anyone. Personally, I think she isn’t too happy in her marriage and that’s why she stayed.

A few hours later, the band returns to the stage after taking a short break and begin to play a cover of the Imagine Dragons’ ‘Radioactive.’ Ryan tells me he needs to run upstairs to grab some inventory sheets to give Mel before we leave. Holding my hand tightly, he tries to lead us across the bar. The door has been busy, so Max is back at his post outside.

Bumping shoulders through the crowd, Ryan wraps his arm around me and we slowly walk through the swarm of people. I stumble a little when I suddenly spot Kimber out of the corner of my eye. I had no idea she was even here. My body jerks and freezes when I think I’m seeing things. Running his nose along some girl’s neck, when he turns his head back to the stage, I know I’m not losing it. I see Jack’s face. My vision begins to tunnel as panic shrieks through me, and I start tugging in the opposite direction that Ryan is going, pulling back against his arm that is around me. My eyes are locked on Jack, who doesn’t see me from across the room.

“What are you doing?” Ryan hollers over the crowd as I keep stumbling back. When he shifts his body, I fall out of his hold and tumble onto the floor.

In shock and terror, I keep trying to shuffle back when Ryan picks me up. He turns to see what I’m staring at and looks back at me as I attempt to turn my back and run. He grabs me around the waist, not letting me escape and leans over my shoulder, yelling over the music, “Babe, what’s wrong?”

Trying to peel his grip from me, all I can do is shout, “It’s Jack!”

“Who?”

“Get me out of here!” I scream in a panic, jerking to get out of his grip. “I can’t breathe! Get me out of here!”

Tucking me tightly against him, he moves us quickly to the door, yelling at Jase to follow, but Jase is too far away.

When we finally make it outside, my breathing is labored and my whole body is shaking. I run to Ryan’s car, wanting to get as far away as I can from Jack. Aside from my dreams, I haven’t seen him since that night.

“Babe, what the f*ck happened in there? Who the f*ck did you see?”

Leaning my back against his jeep, I grip onto Ryan’s shirt as I start to cry and gasp for breath.

“Jack is in there. We have to leave.”

“Who’s Jack?”

“Him! Jack is . . .” I’m cut off when I hear Jase holler my name as he runs toward me, and I’m sobbing hysterically.

“Candace, what happened?”

All I can say between my panting breaths and tears is, “Jack’s inside.”

“Oh, shit!”

“Who the f*ck is Jack?!” Ryan yells and Jase tells him, “The guy that attacked her.”

Ryan snaps his head to me, grabs my shoulders, and says in a low stern voice, “Get in the car. Now.” He reaches in his pocket and hands his keys to Jase and yells, “Get her in the f*cking car!” And then he takes off back to the bar while I sob uncontrollably.

“What’s going on?” I hear Mark ask Ryan as they pass each other. Ryan says nothing as he goes through the door.

Jase turns around and yells at Mark to go in after him.

“What the hell is going on?” he asks.

“Jase, he’ll kill him,” I cry out and he turns back to Mark. “Jack is in there! Ryan’s gonna f*ckin’ kill him!”

“Shit!” Mark yells as he starts to run back in, and I see Max following right behind.

“Jase, you have to go get him!”

“Sweetie, get in the car,” he says softly.

“What?! No!” I thrash in his arms and wail, when he wraps his arms over mine, locking them down and lifts me up into the jeep. He stands outside the car with the door open, and I lower my head to my knees and cry. Rubbing my back, he assures me that Mark’s going to get him.

My mind is racing, and I can’t seem to focus on anything in particular aside from what Ryan is doing inside. I cry as Jase keeps reassuring me and trying to calm me down. When I hear Ryan’s voice, I sit up and watch him as he walks over. His hands are covered in blood, and blood is splattered across his face. When he walks past Jase, he quietly demands, “Keys.”