McGee eyed them dancing from the side of the hall, the lush velvet cushioning of the mahogany chair doing nothing to abate his bad mood. He still didn't know who the hell the guy was. He definitely had a hold over Abby; McGee couldn't shake the image of her expression when they had met both times. Each time that identical, void but full of emotion face made McGee want to scoop her up and hold her until she was okay again.
And it hurt. It really hurt that Abby had just dropped him to go off with this guy. Abby had invited him to this ball; only to watch her swan off with someone else. How could she be so cruel? She knew how he felt about her. How could she do this to him?
McGee watched intently as Trey took Abby around the dance floor. It was hard to keep track of them through the bustling people, but every time he saw them, she still had that look on her face. Like she was in a spell; one she wanted to leave but couldn't. He had never felt so helpless in his life; there must be something he could do to help her.
"Would you like to dance?"
"Huh?" McGee stammered, tearing his eyes momentarily from the dancing pair. He looked up at a lady dressed solely in black, with the exception of a dark scarlet lipstick applied smoothly to a full set of boasting lips. McGee's eyes flicked back to the dancefloor and his mind set in motion. He stood up quickly and grabbed the girl who had just offered the dance and swirled her onto the dance floor. The woman in his hold didn't mutter a word as he swept her across the floor with as much elegancy as he had Abby before. They weaved their way closer to where Abby and Trey were dancing. McGee's hands flexed within the woman's grasp as he watched Trey take Abby around the room. They eventually caught up and McGee kept far enough away to be undetected, but close enough to hear the words being said; except there weren't any. Trey and Abby were dancing in silence. McGee watched as they stared into each others eyes; with each turn his blood boiled more and more as he longed to pry her from ihim/i.
Again the music started to slow as the song came to an end, and McGee knew what was coming. He couldn't let it happen, he just couldn't. Body overtook mind as he saw Trey lean in towards Abby; Abby didn't move an inch; not nearer to him, but not further either. McGee swang with full force round in a circle towards Abby and Trey; he was so close. At the last second, as Trey's lips were millimeters from Abby's, McGee feigned a tumble and crashed into them. All four of them crashed to the floor.
Cries went out as nearby couples were knocked off balance; however, none of them fell to the floor as they had done. McGee looked over at Abby, whose expression had changed to a look of anger. McGee couldn't help but feel slightly pleased; anything but the look she had had before. Abby scowled at McGee as she picked herself up off the floor. McGee offered her a hand that she ignored, choosing instead to make her own way up. Trey made it up first, followed by Abby and then McGee. The other woman stayed on the floor, raising an arm towards to McGee; an arm that McGee ignored. Abby and McGee stared at each other; Abby in anger and McGee in apology. The woman swayed her arm towards Abby but was still ignored. She scowled from the floor as she realized she would get no help and started to pick herself up. She was helped however, by a passing stranger who continued on to ask her to dance. With one last unthankful glance in McGee's direction, she made her way off with the fellow who had helped her up.
"Did you do that on purpose?" Abby asked, the anger still evident in her voice.
McGee didn't answer but he didn't have to; his face said it all.
"I can't believe you would…" Abby backed away from McGee, the tears coming fast.
"Abby, I…"
Abby looked from McGee to Trey who had done nothing to stop her leaving and turned. She fled from the floor, making her way to the large stairway at the opposite end of the hall that they had entered through. McGee watched as Abby took the stairs two at a time, her hands wiping the tears from her face. McGee's stomach lurched for the second time that night. How could he have done that? It was childish; he should have trusted Abby.
McGee looked over to Trey who stared back; a distinct lack of emotion showed, as if it was no deal, no loss. He could swear he even saw the faintest trace of a shrug. That was it; something in McGee snapped and he raised his fist. He launched himself towards Trey who didn't move an inch. McGee almost made it before he felt a hand on his shoulder, which made him stop in his tracks. It was if the hand had had a calming influence on him and all his anger had gone. Aghast, McGee turned to find the man with no name they had met earlier. McGee swallowed hard as he realized he was going to be kicked out of the ball. How could he let this happen? Abby had invited him here and he had ruined the night for her and made a fool of himself. A deep red set in McGee's cheeks as, for the first time that night, he felt embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, Sir…I…" McGee suddenly got the urge to stop talking and instead looked sullenly at the man in front of him. He must have looked so pathetic but he didn't care, he was so ashamed of how he had behaved tonight.
"Come with me," came the same voice as earlier, deep and husky.
McGee lowered his head as he followed the man across the floor to the bar. The man made a gesture for the rest of his entourage to disband, and motioned for McGee to sit down next to him. The woman from behind the bar came immediately with two large scotch on the rocks and placed them in front of the man and McGee.
"Drink; it will help," the man said.
McGee managed to down the glass in one, which was quickly replaced with a nod from the man towards the lady behind the bar. This one McGee took time with, watching the ice swirl in the glass as he played with it. The man watched this with interest, his eyes looking an unknowing McGee up and down. The man downed the rest of his drink and slammed it down on the bar. The woman went to pour more, but the man put his hand over the glass, pushing it away. McGee looked up at the distraction from noise of the glass being slammed down and let the drink settle in his glass.
The man leaned in towards McGee and talked in a low whisper; letting the first few words drag slightly, "So, you're new here."
McGee didn't really know how to talk to this man. There was something in the way that he looked him that was…well, McGee couldn't quite describe.
"Yes, I suppose I am," McGee answered.
The man took a minute to comprehend this before continuing, "I see you came with Miss Scuito…"
Something in that last statement that seemed like a question to McGee…one he didn't quite know how to answer. "Er…yes I did."
"Hmmmm." The man seemed to contemplate McGee's answer as he leaned back on the bar.
McGee felt a weird sense of confidence from the way this man was talking to him, and equally from the way he was looking at him. McGee surprised himself by asking the forbidden question, "What's your name?"
The man continued to look at McGee before answering, taking time with his answer, "Haven't you spoken to people here?"
Interesting, answering a question with a question. "Yes, but everybody is born with a name, you must have one…" McGee was surprising himself with the amount of confidence he seemed to have talking to this man.
Again, the man seemed to think over his answer. He leaned forwards again, this time closer to McGee and in the same husky whisper, said, "I'll tell you what; I'll tell you my name if you do some something for me."