He let out a sinister laugh that sent shivers down my spine. What did he mean by that?
I stand amidst Rae’s group and feel uneasy about Archie’s presence. His demeanor gives me the creeps and I want to be away from him. I look over his shoulder and see Mike and Nate enter the room. Without hesitation, I decide to leave Rae’s group and rush up to them.
“Tess...Tess...” Rae shouts after me, but I am not listening. I just need to get away from Archie as quickly as possible.
I grab Nate and Mike’s hands and lead them towards the dance floor. The Way I Are by Timbaland started playing as bright red strobing lights illuminates the room.
“Are you ok, baby?” Nate asks, concern etched on his face.
I stand between Nate and Mike and start dancing, ignoring Nate’s question. I am too busy trying to lose myself in the music and the rhythm. Dancing between them, I feel safe and protected, and for a moment, I can forget about Archie and the unease he has caused me.
Nate and Mike sway their bodies against mine, the music pulsing through the crowded dance floor. Suddenly, Mike leans close to my ear and says, “You’re coming home with us tonight.” I lift my gaze to meet his, but quickly shake my head in refusal. “That wasn’t a question,” he insists sternly, his face contorting into a serious expression. The loud music and flashing lights make it hard to think clearly. I stand on the dance floor and I feel the effects of the alcohol settling into my system. I push Mike away from me; my thoughts are jumbled and I can’t think straight. Suddenly, Nate’s voice booms through the loud music, calling out to me, “Baby.”
Feeling overwhelmed, I quickly leave them behind and make my way to Rae, standing at the bar. “Is everything ok?” she asks, noticing my disheveled appearance. “I think that last shot has really hit me hard,” I mumble.
As the group gathers, six men wearing wolf masks join us, causing the atmosphere to become loud and rowdy. I can’t help but notice that Rae and I are the only women present. Again. Archie seems to welcome the newcomers with open arms, but I can’t shake off the feeling that all eyes are on me. Perhaps it was just my imagination, but the intensity of their stares made me feel uneasy.
CAIN
I stand outside the club, engaging in a conversation with the bouncers. I can’t help but notice the numerous ladies who try to strike up a conversation with me. However, my mind is only preoccupied with thoughts of Tessie. Just then, Nate sent a message to our group chat, informing us that Mike had to intervene and remove a creepy guy harassing Tessie. To make matters worse, more guys have now joined Archie’s group. Fearing for Tessie’s safety, I urge them to do everything possible to get her out of the club immediately.
TESSIE
Archie’s friends approach me. I sense their inquisitive gazes and feel a wave of anxiety wash over me. Suddenly, I feel someone’s hand on my shoulder, and I jump, startled. It was Nate. “Can you come with me for a moment, Tess?” he asks, his voice barely audible over the music. I hesitate, unsure of what to do.
“I’m gonna stay with my friends at the moment,” I reply, trying to sound confident. Nate just walks away, heading over to Mike, who is standing nearby. As I watch him go, I can’t help but feel a twinge of regret. Maybe I should have gone with him after all.
I stand amidst the group as one of Archie’s friends approaches me and puts his hand on my lower back. I feel uneasy and immediately step away from his touch. He asks if I’m ok and offers me a drink. I politely decline, being cautious not to accept anything from a stranger.
I feel a sudden touch on my back again and an immediate wave of annoyance washes over me. I am not in the mood for people invading my personal space. Without looking, I elbow the person away, only to hear a loud, piercing, female scream. Startled, I see I have accidentally elbowed a lady to the floor. Feeling guilty and embarrassed, I shout, “I'm so sorry!” But my apology falls on deaf ears as a man starts to shout at me, “Why did you elbow my girlfriend? She was trying to get past you!”
I realize my mistake and feel terrible about what just happened. I try to make amends by bending down to help the lady up.
However, before I can do anything else, a bouncer grabs my arms and pulls me away. “What the fuck!” I hear Rae shouting, following us. Feeling helpless, I try to explain to the bouncer that I didn't mean to hurt her, but he isn’t interested in hearing my side of the story.
Rae shouts at the bouncer, “She didn't mean it!”
The bouncer escorts me outside and I see the girl's boyfriend approach the door. He's angry as he yells, “I want her arrested for assault!”
“This girl just elbowed a female inside for no reason,” he explains, pushing me to Cain. He starts reading me my rights to arrest me for the charges.
I look around and see Mike and Nate standing there, watching the scene unfold.
Feeling panicked, I explain to Cain, “I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry I hurt her.” But it seems like it's too late. Rae shouts out, “This is bullshit! You know Tessie wouldn't hurt anyone!” But the bouncer tells Rae to go inside as Archie comes out and grabs her. I try to reassure Rae, saying, “Rae. Just go inside. I'll be okay. I’ll text you.” But deep down, I'm not so sure. The situation seems to be spiraling out of control and I'm unsure how much worse it will get.
Cain swiftly turns me around, his firm grip on my arms causing me to stumble slightly. He proceeds to place cold, metal handcuffs on my wrists and I can't help but feel a rush of fear and anger. As he leans close to me, his hot breath tickling my ear, he whispers, “Bet you've missed being cuffed, haven't you, princess?” I grit my teeth and hiss back, “No, and don’t call me princess.” Mike and Nate lift their masks, giving Cain a knowing look, as if they are aware of something. Cain roughly grabs the handcuffs behind my back, shoving me forward toward the waiting police car. We reach the vehicle and he opens the door, gesturing for me to get in. “Are you seriously arresting me?” I can't help but ask, my voice filled with disbelief. He just gives me an evil smirk, not bothering to answer. I feel a rush of anger and frustration, but I know there's nothing I can do. I bend down and get into the car. I hate Cain so much right now. He shuts the car door with a resounding thud and I watch him through the window as he speaks to Nate and Mike for a moment. They all glance over at the car, their expressions inscrutable. I can't help but wonder what they're talking about and why they're doing this to me. Cain slides into the driver's seat and turns the key in the ignition, eliciting a low growl from the car's engine. I settle into the backseat, casting my gaze out the window, not wanting to look at him as we pull away. He adjusts his rearview mirror, angling it to aim directly at me.
I sit in the back of the police car as I feel the anger and discomfort building up inside me. The cold, metal cuffs on my wrists only make it worse. Despite this, I manage to speak up and state what I already know. “I know what this is about: me leaving you three.” I can see Cain’s eyes on me in the rearview mirror, making me feel exposed. His dark eyes are so intense they almost seem to be piercing through me. I can’t help but feel scared every time I look into them. He quickly turns his attention back to the road, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the sound of the car’s engine.
Without thinking, I kick the back of the chair in front of me, the force of my foot connecting with the seat, making a loud thud. “I hate you!” I exclaim, my voice laced with frustration and bitterness.
Cain brings the car to a sudden halt and turns around to face me. “Shut the fuck up and stop being a brat, Tessie,” he says sternly, his voice tinged with annoyance. “You know what happened last time.” I feel my anger boiling over as I remember the incident he’s referring to–a time when he punished me severely.
“You were so wrong and evil for that,” I reply, my voice shaking with emotion.
Angry tears start to fill my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall.
“You only know how to control and dominate. Someone like you could never feel anything,” I mumble under my breath. I turn my head and look out the window. I can’t bear to look at him, to see the smug expression he always wears.
Cain steps out of his car and begins walking towards my door. As he reaches me, he grabs my upper arm and forcefully pulls me out of the car. I feel a sense of irritation bubbling within me. “What? Let me guess, you’re going to punish me again?” I retort with a sharp tone.
Ignoring my question, Cain shoves me up against the door and proceeds to remove the handcuffs. As he turns me back around, I take a quick glance around and realize that we are in a deserted high street surrounded by rows of closed stores along the roadside.
He grabs my shoulder and pushes me back, pinning me against the car. I try to move, but his grip is too firm. He leans close and asks me, “Do you want a criminal record?” My heart starts racing as I realize the seriousness of the situation.
“Of course I don’t,” I reply, trembling.
He smirks and says, “Then let’s play a game.”
“I’m not playing your sinister games!” I exclaim, trying to sound defiant, but feeling helpless.
A sly grin slowly spreads across his face. “Listen,” he says, “if you can outrun me down to the end of the street, I’ll drop the charges.”
I raise an eyebrow, unsure if he is serious. Before he can say anything else, I interrupt him. “I’m in heels,” I say, gesturing to my footwear. He just shrugs.
“I’ll give you a thirty-second head start,” he says, his voice stern and cold. I look down the long high street and take a deep breath. I can do this. I can outrun him. I know I’m in a corset and heels, but he’s in all his heavy police gear. “Fine. But what if you catch me?”
