Frayed (Torn #2)(31)

I knew that before I left the club, I needed to tell my friends. It would be disrespectful and irresponsible of me not to. I scanned the place for Lindsey and found her busy dancing with Dimitris. From the looks of it, something hot was brewing with those two, so I didn’t really want to disturb them. That only left me with Emma to tell, who was back at the VIP table with Taylor, Bass and a few of the other actors from the set—Mo McCormack, Tanya Welsh and Vincent de la Cruz. I wanted to just leave and not go over to the table, but I knew they would be worried if I didn’t tell them where I was going.. “Do you mind waiting here? I have to tell my friends where I’m going.” I also asked him to call my cellphone so I could give his number to Emma. I needed to make sure that it was really his phone and not a phony one. I then had him text me his address as well, just to be sure. I may have no problem with a one-night hook-up, however, I wasn’t stupid enough to go off on my own with a guy without some kind of assurance that I would be safe, like get their entire background check—okay, pure bull—but somewhere along the lines, if possible. Other men would have reacted differently, but Alexandros simply wasn’t bothered by it. “I can give you my identification card, too, if you need it?” He gave a humorous laugh. He was teasing, but I also knew he meant it.

“No need. This is perfect.” I pressed my body against his and whispered against his ear. “I’ll be back.”

As I walked towards the VIP section, I gave myself a mini pep talk. I had been so blinded by my determination to get over Harry that I didn’t anticipate a little hesitation on my part. I knew I needed to get through this. I couldn’t pine away for Harry. For a year, I’d been so blinded by lust and love for him, nothing else had mattered. There was no future with Harry, though. What he did to me after he found out about the baby was totally inexcusable. Plain and simple, black and white, the man was a Triple A-Asshole.

When I got to the table, I smiled when Emma pulled me down next to her. “Hey!” I hollered. The rest of them greeted me back. I didn’t risk glancing at Taylor. I just wanted to pretend that he was not around. The less eye contact I made with him, the better… and it seemed to be working quite fine.

“You look happy.” Emma observed, smiling at me.

You do, too, Doll. You look like someone lit you up. “Do I? Well, I wanted to talk to you about that.”

Bass’s head popped up next to Emma’s shoulder. “Want to introduce the man? Hold on, don’t tell me you’re leaving with him so soon?” Bass was checking Alexandros out, as he was clearly visible from up here. Bass had no trouble picking out the right man, Alexandros’s eyes were trained on me.

I shot Bass a winning smile. “I am, actually. I have his number and addy. I will text it to Emma now. Is that cool?”

“Um, well, I guess if you really have to…” Emma was biting her lip. She only did that when she’s unsure, nervous, or thought something wasn’t a good idea.

I was busy going through my phone and didn’t look up until I was done. “What?” I questioned the handsome blonde couple. Why was Emma being a pooper?

Emma pressed her lips together, before she spoke again. “I just don’t want you in harm’s way. We’re in a large city now, a place you’re unfamiliar with, a foreign country where you don’t speak the language.”

Damn. The woman started busting out her formal speech. I had to get out of here before Lindsey joined us. If Emma was reacting this way, Lindsey would be worse. I was actually surprised Taylor hadn’t butted in on the conversation yet. It was so unlike him, but who cares? “There’s nothing to worry about. I have GPS on my phone. You’ll know where I am. We good?”

Emma went on pressing pressed her lips together again. I knew the rest of the table was listening to us talking because they became silent. The music thudded loudly around us.

Bass wrapped his arms around Emma’s neck before he directed his attention to me. “Promise us that you’ll have your phone on at all times. Don’t forget to mention that you know people who will hunt him to the ground if he doesn’t return you in perfect condition. If he does something you’re not comfortable with, we’ll come get you at any hour. Be safe, alright?” He kissed Emma’s cheek before continuing, “Your friend here worries, as we all do. Warn him that you have Dimitris Kosta on your speed dial. That should scare him off.”

I had learned tonight that Dimitris was from an influential family. They had a powerful lineage and a lot of money . , H h is ancestors had a part in forming Greece’s history. Who could thump that? I overheard this information from Mo McCormack, one of the actors, as he spoke in an animated fashion to Tanya Welsh.

“Got it, Boss.” I gave Emma and Bass a quick hug (So cool! I’m tight with the Badass BC!). Before leaving, I bid everyone else goodnight—ignoring Taylor, of course. When I strutted away from them, I could feel his eyes on me, burning holes in my back. It bothered me that we have this weird, push and pull tug of war with each other. A man that could make me feel this way without fully knowing him, one that I haven’t even kissed—let alone had sex with—was perplexing. The only reasonable explanation that I could come up with other than The Hero Syndrome, Syndrome , was that Taylor always seemed to be there when I was about to break down into tears. I hated that he got a glimpse of my inner scars, my constant pain and what lurked in my darkened soul.