Twelve Days - The Beginning (9 page)

Dale snoozed much of the afternoon away, which was completely normal in cases of concussion, according to the nurses. At least it meant that he behaved and they were able to complete all of their tests without any of the dramas of yesterday.

The doctor had been round and reassured Elise that he would be absolutely fine after another good night and that she should probably leave him to rest. They would call her in the morning to confirm but she should be able to collect him around 11am.

Taking their advice, she decided to head home to give herself enough time to grab some food and a shower before she was due to meet Celeste and the others for their night out at Indigo.

Now that the evening was approaching, Elise was beginning to feel nervous and started thinking about changing her mind – pleading a headache or something similar. Caught up in the moment this morning with Celeste, it had seemed like a great idea. She knew that it would do her good to get out there and have some quality girly time, but this morning’s runin with Vaughn had unsettled her. The main problem was that she was shattered; mentally
and physically and wanted nothing more than a hot bath and a good book. Anything to escape from the reality of her life.

Dale had been on much better form today and she had started to see the man that she had fallen in love with coming back to her. Although the abstinence from alcohol was forced, it was much needed and Elise now hoped that he had the strength to continue with the treatment and give them a proper chance when he got out of hospital.

She hadn’t mentioned her plans for the evening to him as that would have only caused a scene. She hated lying to him but she reassured herself that she was doing it with the best of intentions. He was mentally fragile enough without the added stress of knowing that she was going out without him. She also knew that if she had told him, then he would have forbidden her from going and she hated that he had that much of the balance of power in their relationship.

Arriving home, Elise was still trying to summon up the energy to get herself ready to go out. Although she had managed to square the evening out in her head, she still had to contend with her lack of enthusiasm. She was fairly certain that one of more of her counterparts would be completely wasted by the end of the night and she really wasn’t sure if she was up to witnessing that. Christ, why did everything in her life always seem to come back to alcohol?

Plodding up the stairs to her bedroom, she was immediately met by the sight of her new ‘killer’ dress hanging on her wardrobe and suddenly some of her earlier enthusiasm returned. The dress was simple, a deep navy coloured sheath which set off her eyes. The front had a light cowl neck, which scooped just above her breasts with the back dropping to halfway down her back before flaring out over her backside to rest just above her knees. The skirt was fitted and Elise had fallen in love with the dress on sight. Whilst she was relatively slender, she did had curves and sometimes found it hard to buy clothes that flattered, particularly when most of them these days seemed to be manufactured for stick insects. This dress however, fitted her perfectly and she knew that she looked good. The plan was to wear it with sheer tights and her favourite pair of navy heeled sandals.

Lightly fingering the material, she made her decision – she would go out tonight and she
would
have a good time. Celeste was always a good laugh and, as long as she knew some of the music, she would be able to dance the night and maybe some of her worries away.

Glancing at the clock, she opted for a quick shower and shave before dressing and applying her make-up. She very rarely used make-up but, now and again, she treated herself to a bit of pampering. She had decided to tie her hair up in a loose bun in deference to the openness of the back of her dress and added some fairly heavy eyeliner to complement the look.

After slipping on her heels, she took a final look in the mirror, pleased with what she saw. She didn’t scrub up too bad for someone in their thirties and she was surprised to find herself looking forward to the evening ahead.

Before heading out the door, she grabbed her jacket and keys and made a quick call to the hospital to make sure that Dale was still alright and that they had her mobile number in case.
All was well and they promised to call her should there be any changes so she locked up and walked to her car, a state of almost nervous excitement encompassing her. It felt a bit like playing hooky and she had to train herself to stop keep looking over her shoulder for someone to pop out, just ready to burst her new found bubble of independence.

Elise had offered to drive as she knew that she would be picking Dale up in the morning and given what alcohol did to her husband, it wasn’t high on her list of priorities anyway. Celeste had arranged to meet the others there so she only had one stop to collect Celeste before getting on the main coast road and heading out to Indigo.

Celeste looked amazing. Never one to be a wallflower she had finally settled on a tight-fitting gold sequined dress, which finished a good few inches above her knees. She too had tied her brunette hair up and gone heavy on the eyeliner so they were both inadvertently rocking a similar look.

Celeste was bouncing up and down on the seat beside, Elise bursting with excitement. She had met an old friend of hers in town after Elise had left to go to the hospital and he turned out to be one of the bouncers at Indigo. Celeste had worked her magic and he had agreed to get them a free pass and access to the VIP area. Celeste couldn’t stop telling Elise how lucky they were - a VIP pass meant free drinks and the best view in the house, not to mention, hot rich single men. Elise groaned at that part. The last thing she needed in her life right now was any more hot, rich and single men.

Chapter Eleven

True to his word, Celeste’s friend had left passes for them at the door and they were ushered into the club and straight to the VIP area. The club was large; situated on two floors with the lower floor consisting mainly of the dance floor and a few booths with a small bar in the corner, whilst the upper floor had seating areas, the main bar, and a gallery which allowed guests to view the dance floor below.

The VIP area was next to the gallery and had its own bar, booths with privacy screens and a full height glass panel looking down onto the dance floor. It had been designed to allow its members a full view of the rest of the club but also to give them privacy and some measure of tranquillity too. The instant they entered the area Elise fell in love with it, recognising it as a sanctuary from all the mayhem below.

Choosing an unoccupied booth, Celeste wasted no time in calling Amelia and Annabel for whom she had also secured VIP passes. They were on their way to pick up Olivia so Celeste told them where they were and said they would see them in a few.

A uniformed waiter arrived on silent feet and Elise giggled with the lavishness of it all as she ordered a glass of wine - her one allowance for the night. After that, she would be drinking water in deference to driving and for the first time she actually regretted her decision to drive.

Celeste ordered a fancy cocktail - some name that Elise had never heard of before - and then cheekily swatted the waiter’s backside as he walked off to get their drinks.

“’Leste! You’ll get us thrown out and we’ve only just arrived!” implored Elise, “Behave!”

“Nah! What’s the point of that?? Besides, we’re in the VIP area, I’m sure he’s used to a lot worse than a swat on his delectable derriere!” Both women giggled and then were silent for a moment, taking in their surroundings.

Up here secluded from general view, it was like being in another world and, although Elise could hear the music pumping down below, it was a revelation to be in a club without having to stand on top of someone and shout directly in their ear in order to communicate. You could tell how long it had been since she’d last been in a club. Back then, they had been more like mosh pits and general all-around scrums with absolutely no way you could talk to anyone – you just ended up gesticulating and hoping it made some kind of sense. She didn’t even realise that clubs had VIP areas or if maybe it was just this club. She was so out of touch she really didn’t have a clue.

Their drinks had arrived and they downed them in an unhealthy amount of time, keen to get out onto the dance floor although they had decided that they would wait until the others arrived. A loud squeal erupted from the doorway and they both simultaneously stretched out of their booth looking around to see Amelia, Annabel and Olivia arriving, eyes wide in total disbelief.

Spotting Elise and Celeste they hurried over, all three clearly bursting with undisguised excitement.

“Oh. My. God. Celeste. This is waaaay cool,” said Annabel, who had chosen a bright red off-the-shoulder number which highlighted her auburn hair. Looking at her now, Elise could see why Cole would want to hook up with her; she was absolutely stunning and had a figure to die for. Elise didn’t know her very well and despite being one of the more indiscreet members of staff, Elise had a feeling that they could become friends – eventually. They would just have to get over the whole Cole, Dale and Vaughn incident first.

Annabel glanced over at Elise who had subconsciously shrunk back into the booth when the other girls had arrived. Catching her eye, Annabel mouthed “You OK?” and the concern in her face seemed genuine. Shocked, Elise managed a weak smile and a small thumbs up and then the moment passed and Annabel was back to her usual self, ordering a large vodka and coke from the passing waiter to ‘get the party started’.

Amelia and Olivia also looked beautiful. Both had gone heavier on the make-up than Annabel whose natural beauty really didn’t require much help. Olivia had opted for hot pants over sheer black tights with a silver sequined top and had finished the look off with knee high leather boots. The look was almost of a dominatrix and Elise had to prevent the smile from forming as she thought of Vaughn and what he had potentially let himself in for the other night. Who knew that inside this shy new girl was a strong independent woman waiting to get out? Abruptly she stopped her train of thought as she realised that she was thinking about Vaughn again.

Amelia was the only one of them who had opted for trousers although they were skin tight leather which made Elise’s eyes water wondering how on earth she had managed to pour herself into them. She wore a cream satin halter top which left her midriff exposed, and sported a visible black bra underneath. The look was good and suited her although the bitch in Elise did wonder if it was just a bit too obvious. Whilst she had nothing personal against Amelia, she knew that Cole was having issues with her and although she had no idea what had gone on between the two of them, her sense of duty and love for her best friend dictated that she side with him - even without knowing anything about the situation. Maybe that was wrong but she trusted Cole’s judgement implicitly and if he felt that she was a bitch, then she guessed that there must be a good reason.

By now the waiter had returned with the drinks for the other girls and a refill for Celeste. He also dropped a bottle of mineral water in front of Elise and left their table with a flirty wink. Elise rolled her eyes – OK so she had defended this guy from Celeste totally unnecessarily – she was seriously out of touch.

“C’mon girls – drink up! My man is down there and I need to go find him – NOW!!” Celeste shouted dramatically, bringing them to the attention of some of the other members who were trying to enjoy a few quiet moments.

“Shush....” giggled Annabel but wasted no time in grabbing Celeste’s hand and heading off to the stairs and the dance floor. Olivia, Amelia and Elise all followed suit, leaving their jackets and bags in the safety of the booth.

As soon as they opened the glass partition door, which led to the stairs and the dance floor, they were assaulted by the music, loud and throbbing and Elise realised just how much protection the VIP area afforded.

Descending the stairs she noticed two raised platforms, one on either side, where professional dancers were gyrating in time to the beat. Having never seen anything like this before Elise stopped and stared for a moment marvelling at the fluidity and the sensual nature of the artists. They each appeared lost in their own world, lost to the music and for a second, Elise envied them. Moments of pure abandon were few and far between for her and she wished that she could just lose herself like that and maybe wake up to a different life, a different time.

Glancing down the steps she realised that the others had gone on without her and although she followed as quickly as she could, the crowd was just too immense and she was soon effectively on her own, swallowed up by the mass of heaving bodies.

Realising she was never going to reach them, she stood for a moment and contemplated turning back to the booth to wait until they came to find her. As she began to move back in the direction of the stairs, the music abruptly changed and to her surprise, The Communards classic from a few nights ago filled the room. Never one to resist this track, although marginally surprised to hear it played in a venue such as this, she shuffled her way onto the dance floor and found a small area where she could move around.

It wasn’t long before the beat claimed her and as she had done a couple of nights ago, she let the music flow over her, closing her eyes and raising her arms above her head. The crowd around her had not thinned at all so she guessed that they weren’t averse to this music either and she continued to lose herself; spinning around, swaying her hips, moving her feet, completely ignoring the bump and grind of the other dancers. The music was picking up now, getting faster and the crowd were getting louder as it reached its peak and Elise was completely swept away by it all. This track did something to her, always had done, and to be able to be here, enjoying it, in complete and utter freedom, was an absolute revelation.

Suddenly she felt a pair of strong arms grip her waist from behind and was just about to scream out in panic when her subconscious recognised the familiar scent of her assailant, a delicious combination of spice and musk – Vaughn? What the hell was he doing here?

She tried to twist around in his arms but he stayed her; holding her still, keeping her back to him. He leaned forward a little and whispered in her ear. “Let it go, Angel, let it go.”

At the sound of his deep sexy voice, she relaxed a little and switched off her mind for once, deciding to put her questions on the back burner for now and just go with the flow. It was a public place, he had every right to be here and it felt unbelievably good to be in his arms like this.

By now, The Communards had finished and the usual nightclub beat was back with the bass pumping out onto the dance floor and reverberating through her body. Behind her, Vaughn continued to hold her waist and pulled her closer, fitting his hips to her back as they swayed to the music. Elise felt herself helplessly responding and pushed back into him as his arms tightened, one moving slightly higher and coming to rest just below her breast. He leaned
closer and ran his tongue lightly over the tendrils of hair that had escaped at the nape of her neck, continuing on to follow the line to her throat with gentle nips and ending just beneath her ear.

Elise shivered and found herself automatically reaching up with her arms and linking them behind his head, still keeping pace with the beat. She ground herself into Vaughn’s hips and heard him groan against her neck as she came into contact with his erection. She could feel the entirety of his steel length and immediately felt herself responding, wetness beginning to seep from down below. His hand that had been resting below her breast now brushed lightly up and over it; coming to rest on her collar bone, his hand angling down towards the neckline of her dress. The fact that they were still in the middle of the dance floor where anyone could see them had not escaped Elise’s attention, but she was too far gone to care. This man did things to her - things that she had never experienced - and things that she recognised on some level she needed. It felt too good to stop. It was as if the second he touched her, all coherent thought left her head and she was just a puppet, responding to his ministrations, his touch, his sense and his feel. His and his alone.

Vaughn was now nibbling her ear, his hot breath igniting flames down her spine and Elise released her hold dropping her arms to her side, no longer having the strength to hold them up.

“That’s right, baby” Vaughn whispered, “just let it go. You are so hot, angel; you have no idea what you do to me.”

His words both soothed and aroused, and Elise felt powerless to stop him as his hand began to descend from her collarbone towards the neck of her dress. Anticipation built as his other hand began a journey of its own, slowly heading down towards the hem of her dress, his fingers gliding over the fabric and caressing her, his teeth all the while nipping and sucking at her ear. As his hand approached her hip he squeezed lightly and suddenly pain ripped through Elise and reality hit.

“Shit!” she couldn’t control the cry of pain as his hand inadvertently gripped her bruises and she spun abruptly out of his arms and stumbled off the dance floor, heading to the VIP area and the sanctuary of the booth.

“Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!” she recited, over and over and over. The shame and humiliation of what she had been doing ....on a public dance floor for fuck’s sake..., suddenly hit and she ran on barely stable legs, up the stairs and in through the glass partition door.

Thankfully the booth was empty, the other girls clearly still on the dancefloor and Elise breathed a sigh of relief as she sank gratefully into its warmth.

What the hell had she been thinking? She knew this man was dangerous. Every time he came near her, her senses went into overdrive. Why the hell could he not stay away from her? And damn her traitorous body for responding! She was almost grateful to Dale for the wounds that he had inflicted on her; at least it had brought her to her senses before the situation had got any more out of control. And she knew without a shadow of a doubt that it would have got completely out of control.

She couldn’t believe that it had only been days since she had first met Vaughn. Nothing in her life seemed stable anymore and she melted into a hormonal teenager whenever he was around. She was a mature, married woman and there was absolutely no excuse for her behaviour.

As the whole brazen scene replayed in her mind, the gravity of what she had allowed this man to do to her sank in and she knew without a shadow of a doubt, that she needed to get out of this place – right now.