Disclaimer: i own nothing and no one! thank you if youre reading along with me and i apologise for the insanity that is my imagination at the moment.
They fled, arm in arm, from the club and out into the night, they didn't run, she owned the place she refused to leave it anymore humiliated than she already felt. They didn't run, but they moved fast.
Her fur stole lay discarded on the floor near the bar, she yanked the gloves from her hands, ruined under Macks heavy handed grip, she ripped them from her arms, dragging her nails across her skin as she threw them down onto the carpet in frustration, stomping over them as they finally reached the door.
She felt every eye in the room on her still, burning into her skin. Macks words echoing around the room, shaming her as she nearly stumbled into the stranger at her side. He didn't flinch as she crashed into him, his step didn't falter as his strong arms wrapped around her, held her.
He didn't try to swoop on her like she was some swooning damsel in distress, didn't try to lift her and carry her like he was the hero. He caught her mid trip, his large hands spreading the circumference of her waist, and set her back on her feet, before he marched with her.
He didn't make her feel weak, he gave her strength.
Damn Mack and his insane jealousy, damn him and his stake in her club, she hated the hold he had over her, that tie that kept her trapped to him.
She had been stupid to ever involve herself with him in the first place, stupider not to get out once she knew who he was and naive to have ever accepted money from him in the first place.
But slapping him, involving a stranger in this insane drama, she must have lost her mind.
The warm hand in her own squeezed, pulling her out of her own head, and she looked up.
Oh, blue eyes.
The steady, un-faltering gaze of the stranger before her, the one holding her hand and pulling her to safety, took her by surprise again.
She felt her whole body jerk, an electric jolt to her system as she realised she had just dragged this…she looked him up and down…ruggedly handsome man into her nightmare life.
She realised she was staring at him when she felt his fingers squeeze hers again. His eyes blazed, intensity and passion and…worry, he nodded towards the door.
She had forgotten the bouncer.
He waited at the door, bald head and all muscle, wearing a suit that looked too small and a menacing scowl. A scar ran from the corner of his left eye, down his cheek and stopped at the edge of his mouth.
She had seen him pick up grown men with one hand and launch them into the night like they weighed no more than a bag of sugar. Now they approached him.
"Trouble?" He questioned, his fingers moving in hers, again pulling her from the fog of her own head and into the here and now. His voice another surprise, a slight twang of something different, heated and interesting, that brushed past her ears, and swirled through her mind, it made her feel warm and heady. It gave her confidence.
She shrugged at his question, she hoped not, but with Macks people you never could tell, they changed at the drop of hat.
The little Irish one scared her the most, he looked so...placid, but she had seen him pulverize a guy twice his size over some joke about potatoes.
She gripped his hand harder as the images washed over her, squeezing until she felt her fingers go numb, desperately fighting her heeled feet as they tried to stumble again.
They reached the door and the bouncer rose to his feet, he looked her up and down in recognition before he grunted at her in confusion.
He stepped in front of them, making himself a barrier, a very large, meaty, violent looking barrier, between them and the door.
"Bastard." He growled.
They both flinched, this was going to end badly. Her eyes darted rapidly, her heart racing as the bouncer repeated the curse.
He shrugged his jacket off, stepping closer and rolling up his sleeves.
The man next to her tensed, she looked up at him, her saviour, her sudden protector and she watched his whole body coil in preparation, every muscle poised for confrontation. He was huge and clearly able to handle himself, but she didn't like his chances against the brute stalking towards them.
He dropped her hand, his arm stretching across her body to gather her behind him, he pulled her side-ways and back out of the line of fire, out of harms way and the threat of violence.
Then he stepped forwards.
She heard the "No" escape her mouth, not sure where it came from, but the pitiful sound of it shocked her and she understood, she couldn't let anything happen to him, especially not whilst protecting her.
She cared for him, in some weird un-knowable way, he was already too important.
The word broke like a sob, a heart wrenching plea as she curled her fingers into his arm and pulled him back, she didn't know his name, she didn't know why he was here, or how one flick of his brilliant blue eyes could have her humming from head to toe, but she knew she couldn't stand to watch him get hurt, she wouldn't survive if anything happened to him.
Both men turned to look at her, one face un-moved by the sound of her anguish, one thoroughly shocked by it.
She felt the hand close over her own, gentling her fear, and she lifted her head. She met the tender eyes of one who understood and comprehended all too well the insanity of what she was feeling. He was feeling it too.
Their eyes held, catching and locking, igniting flames of desire through her stomach. Words and danger meaning nothing as she fell through time, through life and landed in liquid pools of sparkly blue.
As ridiculous as it sounded she felt safe, a fleeting moment of hope given life as their eyes found each other. The fear dissipated, shared with another, with him, it lessened.
The bouncer stepped towards them, dragging them from each others gaze, the fingers over her hand tensed again, as an arm shot out in front of them.
"Here," he held out his jacket, startling them both with the unexpected kindness of the gesture "My mother brought me up right, and you never lay your hands on a lady!"
She felt the arm around her waist loosen its grip, the tension from his body drain away into nothing, he dropped his hold on her, letting her step around him and take possession of the coat.
She hadn't realised she was even shivering until the soft black silk slid down over her arms and she snuggled into the warmth it offered.
She caught hold of the bouncers hand, squeezed her 'thank you' and was about to speak when he shook his head and looked over her shoulder.
"Get out of here, while you still can."
She turned, still holding tight to his hand as she followed the bouncers gaze.
Mack was standing, pointing to his face, his arms flailing wildly as he gestured to the two men in front of him, one tall and Latino, his hands fisted and rolling his shoulders, the other, oh god…the little Irish guy.
As if they knew they were being watched all three men turned towards them, heads snapping up in unison, eyes dark and deadly.
She needed to move.
"Thank you." she barked as she dropped the bouncers hand, reaching instead for the strangers, she buried her hand in his, laced their fingers together and yanked him hard "Move." She barked the command with authority and determination, watching his head turn to see what had her panicking.
He caught on fast following her lead as they sped past the bouncer, through the door and out into the street.
Standing on the sidewalk, the hustle and bustle of night time New York blurred her vision and her ability to think.
Her eyes darted back and forth manically as she tried to decide which way held salvation, pulling him to the right unsure of her decision before she moved back to the left wondering if pulling them this way would lead to certain doom.
He took the decision from her, snagged her hard and fast around the waist and pulled her into the nearest alley.
It wasn't far enough away for her liking but at least they were moving, through the darkened narrow space at the back of her club.
"Why?" she asked as he continued to pull her.
"My car," he said "I can get us…"
But it was too late the door to the back of her club flew open a few feet ahead of them, the small round light above it rattling dangerously as the men, the goons, Macks lackies crashed through it, barrelling out into the night.
He moved faster than she thought possible. His hands still holding her tight as he spun her on the spot, dragging her deep into the shadows.
He hushed her as a squeak of surprise escaped her, curling her into him and crushing her body between his and the cold wall of the dark alley.
She was panting loudly, chest heaving against his as they listened to the men scour the street. Footsteps echoing on the cobbles as they yelled back and forth to each other.
Her breathing was accelerating, speeding up beyond her control and looking up at him she realised it had less to do with their impending discovery than it should.
His gaze dropped from her eyes to her lips and she unconsciously licked them, tasting her own lipstick as she drew her bottom lip into her mouth and bit down on it hard trying to break the spell.
She felt his hand, large and warm, fingers spread wide across the small of her back. He used the position, the angle of his body to pull her hips further into the cradle of his, she gasped, thrilled by the sensation of being pressed so securely, so intimately, against this strange man.
Once he was sure she wouldn't move he raised his hand, dragging it slowly around her waist before pressing it against the wall behind her head, using it for leverage as he leant into her.
The other hand, the one burning his touch through her dress as it rested on her hip, moved then.
It climbed the side of her body, his thumb gliding smoothly over her stomach, pressing gently, at her soft skin through the red silk. He nudged the jacket aside, his hand trailing higher, tickling over her ribs making her moan, she bit the noise back as much as she could, but some soft echo of it escaped her lips and she scrunched her eyes in annoyance at her body's response, watching as he smiled, pleased with himself.
There were men roaming the street not feet from where they stood, violent men who could catch them at any second. She should care, she should be quiet and worry that they would be found. She should but she didn't because his hands were trailing her body and he needed to be put firmly in his place.
Her witty put down died on her tongue though as his thumb swooped under her breast, skirting the edge through the flimsy material of her dress.
Her head snapped back, eyes finding his in the darkened alleyway, the world and the danger falling away as she got lost in the sensation of being in his arms.
His hand slipped around her neck, soft touches to the warm skin of her jugular and its thudding pulse before he let his fingers settle in her hair.
"Shhh…" he whispered into her ear, as he leant forwards again, his lips brushing softly against her cheek as he whispered the command for silence again. "Shhh, they're leaving."
If he was trying to calm her, he was doing a pathetically poor job because now her body was on fire for his touch.
Her uselessly dangling hands darted up between them clutching tightly, one at his jaw slipping to wrap around his neck, one over his chest holding fast to his jacket, her ragged breathing should be embarrassing, but she didn't care.
She pulled him close, needing to kiss him, needing to feel the brush of his lips against hers just once before they were wrenched apart. Just once before she ran.
Her eyes beckoned him forwards seductively, pulling him deeper under her spell, her hands were less subtle as she yanked him with all her might, smiling as they closed in on each other.
There was a resounding crash behind them, a clatter bang and boom that broke them apart, he spun again to stand protectively over her, his body her shield as they stared out into the alley.
She peered over his shoulder, trying to see what was coming for them, trying to prepare for the worst.
She felt then, the rumble deep in his chest as he started to laugh. His head tipping back as the sound resonated around her.
Unable to resist she lifted her hand, her fingers finding his ear as she pinched him hard.
"Shut up." She hissed finally able to step away from the wall, leaning around him as he rubbed at his ear. "They'll hear you. Are you trying to get us killed?"
He laughed again rubbing his ear harder, "Damn woman, you have a death grip."
She narrowed her eyes at him, watching as the blazing look she gave him made him quiet and almost step away due to its intensity.
"Why are you laughing?" she demanded her voice still low, but the tone would brook no insolence. Her hands fell to her hips as she stared him down.
He turned then, reaching for her hand and pulling her to his side "Look," he pointed.
A scraggy looking ginger cat sat a few feet away, the toppled trash cans scattered around evidence of the noise that had disturbed them.
"They've gone." He said stepping further out into the alley.
She let go of his hand and stepped away, the cool evening air and the loud crash of cans having dragged her back to her senses "We should leave."
He nodded, a teasing grin breaking across his face as he raised his eyebrow "You read my mind." He laughed stepping closer again.
"Separately." she replied, but she smiled back unable to resist.
"You could come with me," he suggested hopefully "we could escape into the night like star crossed lovers?"
"Very poetic," she smirked "but its safer for you if I go alone.
"We'd be good together." He winked, still trying to convince her, his voice dark and inviting "I just have this feeling we would."
She grinned, tilting her head to one side as she considered, almost giving in, she drew her lip back into her mouth, biting the edge to give herself a reality check.
She shrugged free of the bouncers coat, throwing it and making him catch it before she leant into his chest and whispered in a voice as deeply mystifying and seductive as his own had been "Oh you have no idea."
She lingered for a split second before she pushed him away, hard, so he stumbled back looking gob-smacked, and she laughed turning on her heel.
He stood transfixed watching her walk down the alley, her shoulders bare in the cool chill of the night air and her hips swaying invitingly, he watched, but he couldn't let her walk out of his life.
"Hey doll?" he called making her stop, she made the decision then, as if there had ever been a choice to make, and turned on the spot.
"Doll?" She questioned raising her eyebrows at him, smirking all the while.
"Yeah," he said defensively as he continued to smile at her, "what else should I call you? I don't even know your name."
She closed the distance between them, a few dividing steps that meant nothing before she reached him.
Her hands at his lapels she raised herself a tiny amount and pressed her blazing red lips to his cheek in a silent 'thank you' before leaning back, her grip didn't loosen, but her gaze dropped to his chest.
"And I don't know yours," she raised her eyes again, quick and searing into his own "does it matter?"
She let him go, lifted her hand to tap on the rim of his hat as she smiled and made to step back.
"Yes it matters." He growled, as he reached for her waist, grabbing her tight, one hand gentle at the edge of her jaw. He pulled her face up to his, gaining a better angle for him to kiss her teasing mouth, but before his lips crashed over hers he spoke again
"I want to know whose name to whisper in the dark when I make love to you.
