Chapter 13: Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

Grace

“Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!”

The crowd went wild as two men, who looked more like teenagers than men, threw back bottles after bottles of beer while the crowd cheered them on.

I saw Daniel approach from the corner of my eyes and the crowd parted like the sea upon feeling his presence and then I watched him ‘talk’ to the two boys, who seemed angry at first at being interrupted, but as soon as they saw Daniel’s face, both of them became exceptionally pale while the crowd dispersed from around the bar counter to find other ways of amusement.

“Wow, that was quick,” Ken looked around at the people who had stood around us a few seconds ago but were now busy performing on the dance floor. “That kinda had a high school fight written all over it.”

“Tell me about it,” I shook my head as Zach the bouncer picked them up with a grip on their collar and went to throw them out of the club. Daniel then came over to me and placing his hand on my nape, tugged me into a hard and fast kiss that had Ken wolf whistling from behind me.

“Hey beautiful,” Daniel said in his thick accent.

“Hey,” I leaned against him as he placed his hands around my waist.

“Hey you,” Ken held out her hand. “Grace here won’t shut up about you. I’m Kendra.”

“Daniel,” instead of shaking her hand, he brought it to his lips and placed a kiss on her knuckles. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Grace doesn’t shut up about the two of you either, which reminds me, where’s your other friend? Tatiana?”

“She texted a few minutes ago, said she’d be a bit late.”I told both Ken and Daniel.

“Well, you guys enjoy yourself, I need to make a few rounds,” he told us both before turning to me. “I’ll see you tonight.”

I smiled and nodded my head as he leaned in to kiss the top of my head and then he was off to business, disappearing into the crowd.

I turned towards Ken when she whistled after Daniel. “What?” I asked her. Since the music was so loud, we had to pretty much yell to each other even from a close proximity. And not to mention just how crowded it was at eight on a Friday night and most people haven’t even entered yet.

“Sexy, smart and romantic and not to mention intimidating. That’s a combination made in heaven. Congrats girl, you finally found someone worthy of you.” Ken unexpectedly pulled me into a hug.

I smiled as I hugged her back. “Thanks. But how do you know he’s worthy of me? You only just met him.”

“I don’t need that long a time to know something like that,” she told me when we pulled away. “It was clear in his eyes that he only had eyes on you. I mean, look at me!” She pointed at herself wearing a spaghetti strap blue dress that reached mid-thigh and hugged her curves, making her boobs look larger. “But he hardly shifted his eyes from my face…although he did give you a thorough checking.”

I gave her a sour look. “I knew that dress wasn’t just ‘the cleanest I could find in my closet.’” I said, quoting her excuse for earlier tonight.

“By the way, have you called Ty? She should be here by now, I don’t understand what’s keeping her for so long.” Ken grumbled and with good reason. Daniel had made us a reservation at Paradiso, which people usually need to book months in advance. We are all supposed to head there for dinner, even Connor.

“I’ll make a call,” I said pulling out my cell phone from my purse. “Can you watch my bag for me while I go make the call? The hallway next to the restroom is quieter; I’ll go make the call from there.”

I made my way from the bar towards the restrooms. I dodged several flying fists and saved my legs from ginormus heels and finally made my way over to the restrooms in record time and unwounded. I was about to dial Ty’s number just before I turned the corner towards the restrooms when I heard two very familiar voices coming from around the corner.

Something about those voices made me stop in my tracks and peep from behind the wall to find two very familiar people standing at the far wall and they definitely weren’t here to make out. Ty was wearing a black dress and black heels, her hair pulled up into a ponytail while Connor wore a black shirt with its sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a beer bottle in one hand; and washed jeans. His blonde hair was disheveled and he was stumbling a bit, which meant he’d been drinking a lot.

I was about to leave them alone, thinking it a lovers spat which would calm down soon, but then I saw something that made me stop in my tracks. Connor grabbed Ty by her throat and pushed her away from him with so much force that Ty crumbled to the ground, clutching her throat and gasping for air.

I immediately made a group call to both Daniel and Ken. “Washroom. Get here as fast as you can. Connor’s hurting Ty.” I hung up before Ty or Connor noticed someone was nearby. The music would help cover my voice but Connor was drunk with a glass bottle in his hand; I didn’t want to give him a reason to use it on Ty. Which is also why I stayed in behind the wall, afraid to make any sudden movements.

I watched Ty get back on her feet and tentatively place her hand on Connor’s arm. “Connor, please…” Ty pleaded with her eyes, her voice sounded hoarse, as if she’d been crying. “You need to calm down.”

“Calm down? Who are you to tell me to calm the fuck down?” He jerked off Ty’s hand and she instinctively drew back from him, afraid to get hit.

I winced when Ty was backed up on the farthest corner of the hallway, in a dark corner with only one light about five feet away from them and that didn’t provide enough light for me to see what was going on in that corner. I saw Connor move towards Ty, saying something in a low voice which would be impossible to hear from this far and with such loud music in the background. He bracketed her in by blocking her way with an arm but the darkness in that corner didn’t allow me to see any further.

“Shit!” I murmured under my breath when I heard a small yelp coming from that direction. The sound was low, nearly drowned out by the music, but I still heard it because I’d been concentrating only on Ty.

I had just taken one step out into the hallway when I felt someone grab my hand from behind and pull me back into the wall. “Wait, let me go first.” Daniel whispered into my ears before letting go of my hand and moving out into the hallway.

“Grace?” I turned to find Ken standing right behind me. “Are you sure Connor was trying to hurt Ty?”

There was a shakiness to her voice that I understood all too well. Ken had trust issues, which is why she shifts from man to man in an hourly basis. And Ty and Connor had been our inspiration for a long time. They’d been dating for two years now and before that they’d been friends for nearly an year. What could have gone so wrong with them that they were suddenly behaving like this? And alcohol or not, Connor had always been the responsible one, the calm and steady one. To think that now-

A crash sounded from around the corner followed by Ty’s scream, startling us both, and this time, we didn’t care exactly how mad Ty got at us for prying in on her personal life, we headed straight for the direction of the noise…to find Daniel shielding Ty, Connor with his hands raised and the bottle of beer he had in his hand earlier half broken and some of the shards from the broken bottle embedded n Daniel’s hand.

“Daniel! Ty!” Ken and I both rushed over to the scene and got Ty out from behind Daniel and away from the men.

“Security!” Daniel yelled over the noise, the sound deep and angry and thick with his accent. “Get out of my club and never, ever, set foot here again.” Daniel said to Connor who looked wide eyed at the bottle in his hand and then to Daniel’s hand.

A man came running around the corner a minute later and escorted a heavily drunk Connor out of the washroom area and hopefully, out of the club.

“Ty, are you alright?” I heard Ken ask from my other side but my focus remained on Daniel’s wounded hand as blood dripped onto the rug below. “Come on; let’s get you out of here.”

“I’m okay,” Ty whispered before placing a hand on my arm. “Grace, Daniel’s hurt. I’m okay, you stay with him.”

I turned to my friends helplessly, my loyalties divided for the first time in my life, but they both nodded in understanding and Ken helped Ty walk away from the room. “We’ll be at my place.” Ken told me before leaving.