Lean On Me #Wattys2016

Part 31

Mateo

"Don't lie to me asshole," Garver demands over the loud pounding music. He looks back at Ashlyn and shakes his head. "That's her isn't it?"

I have my back to her now so I just shrug my shoulder and the whole table erupts in laughter. "Holy shit," Smith says over his drink. That look you guys were giving each other was so hot I almost finished without touching myself." The laughing gets louder as Garver and Lee offer high fives. Yep, we are all a bunch of sixth graders. They think it's funny because they hadn't seen her when she first walked in. I watched that guy hold her hand and lean down to talk to her. She let him tuck his fingers into her dress, practically touching her boobs. I want to rip each one of his fucking fingers off and shove them down his throat. Nope, instead I'm just going to throw up.

My stomach turns with discomfort and my heart feels like it's trapped between a vice and someone is twisting the handle. I'm guessing from the murderous look on my face and the fact that I'm not laughing, Garver can see that something isn't right. He slides his drink over to me and then pries the drink out of Smith's hand as well and sets it in front of me. With a disgruntled look, Lee passes his drink down too. I slam them back one at a time.

"What did I miss?" Garver asks when I finish the last of the alcohol at our table. I crunch an ice cube aggressively between my teeth.

"The douchebag that had his hands all over her. He held her hand then he felt her up. Fuck this." I set the glass down and wait for the alcohol to dull the pain. It doesn't. If anything, it just makes the fire in my stomach burn hotter. He has to be her boyfriend. Her date at the very least. I hate him. If I weren't so in to her, I'd hate her too. It would be easier that way. I turn back around and feel my stomach roll once more when I can no longer see her. I look through all the people before seeing her at the bar.

Ashlyn is standing beside him, her face red and her arms moving quickly as she tells him something. He has his arm around her waist protectively and I want to rip it off and beat him with it. In fact, that's just what I'm going to do. I take a step, but Garver grabs me by the back of my shirt.

"What the fuck?" I shout, but he just pulls me to my chair. Smith is laughing again and I consider punching him in the face.

"That's like his signature move," he says.

Garver is looking at me seriously, "Come up with a plan before you stomp someone."

"My plan is to murder him. All better?" I try to move but he doesn't let me go.

"She wouldn't have looked at you like that if she was with him." He tries to reason with me, but the panic inside has taken off and I'm imagining all kinds of bad scenarios where she has a boyfriend and hasn't told me.

"It happens all the time. Girls lie." So do boys. No one can be trusted. I make a note of that in my foggy drunk mind.

"I'm not buying it. Go talk to her and figure it out. We'll be here if you need us. Don't get us into any fights. I need to be on that plane in three hours, not sitting in a cell next to your stupid ass."

He lets go of my shirt slowly like he's unleashing a wild animal. I straighten it out and roll my shoulders back. He's right. I just need to get o the bottom of this. I find her at the bar, but she turns and heads for the hallway where the bathrooms are. I stalk after her and I swear the guy at the bar smiles like a jackass when I pass him. If I wasn't afraid she'd disappear, I might stop and feed him his teeth for dinner. I think of everything I want to say to her. All the questions I need to ask are forming in my muddled mind as I enter the dark hallway.

She's about two steps ahead of me on her way to the girl's room. If this had been months ago, I would have never caught up with her. But now, I move quickly and efficiently—especially when I'm after something. Just before she can reach the girls room, I grab her arm and spin her around. I mean to say her name. I mean to ask her all those questions I've come up with, but when she's in my hands and staring up at me things don't go as planned.

"Sunshine," I manage to growl out, but then I can't think of anything else besides how much I want to kiss her. I can't find the words to tell her how mad I am and how fucking ruined I will be if that asshole out there is her boyfriend. I guide her back towards the wall so that we aren't blocking anyone and so that I can press her up against it. And then I cover her mouth with mine, finally doing what I've needed to do everyday for the last two months. 

*****Hope you are liking it! I know many of you will be happy to see Liam and Lucas again! And who is Lee??? He is a friend that was at the table with Pines and the other guys in Lucas' shop when Bailey came to town to visit Lucas before he left for his tour. Go back to Dear Bailey and find him! Please help as always by voting and sharing.  I LOVE reading your comments here and on twitter (at)SarahWhiteWrite. Make sure you tag me in your post and on Instagram!! If this story ever makes it to the top ten in romance, I will add a bonus chapter to Dear Bailey. Spread the word and tag your friends here and on social media. It really helps make the story successful!