Page 3 of An Island Promise

Laurie dropped to her knees, slamming hard onto the tiled floor, the fall dulled by the excess alcohol. Belle swept her hair away from her face and into a ponytail. Crouching over the toilet, she emptied the contents of her stomach until all she brought up was bitter bile. Never had she felt this bad, this sick, this drunk, this out of control. She didn’t like it one bit.

2.30 a.m. – Gem

‘Hey, you here on your own?’ a deep voice shouted close to her ear. ‘Can I buy you a drink?’

Gem looked up from her phone into a smiling but drunken face. A Brit abroad. Probably a bit younger than her if the angry spots on his face were anything to go by. He had a nice-shaped face otherwise and he’d probably grow into his good looks, a guy who’d definitely improve with age.

‘I’m good thanks. Waiting for my friends.’

The guy smirked, leaned his arms on the table next to her then waved to someone. Three more guys joined them, looming as they crowded round, forcing Gem to press close against spotty guy.

‘Hey, this table’s taken.’

‘We’ll wait with you,’ the spotty guy said smoothly. ‘Just till your friends return.’

Gem’s drunken fuzziness switched to acute clarity and the realisation that she was on her own and surrounded by drunk strangers. Drunk, unpredictable and unwelcome.

Bloody Belle and Laurie. Where the hell were they? Belle had gone to get Laurie from the bar, said she wouldn’t be long; she’d even left her phone on the table. Gem had lost sight of them when a different guy had tried to chat her up. She’d played along for a bit then sent him on his way. Since then she’d lost track of time, but they’d been gone flipping ages.

These guys were more insistent. Whether they were interested in her or having somewhere to put their drinks she wasn’t sure, but despite her drunkenness every part of her was on high alert. Spotty guy’s body was pressed tight against hers and his friends were loud and crude joking together. She absolutely didn’t want to stay hemmed in like this one second longer.

She scooped up Belle’s phone and her own. ‘Going to find my friends.’ She squeezed past spotty guy, her heart hammering as he grabbed her bum, his laughter making her want to punch him. She pushed him away and made a beeline for the bar, but neither Belle nor Laurie were there. Silver lights cut across the dancefloor. It was packed with people and it would be next to impossible to find her friends if they were dancing. Catching sight of spotty guy heading her way, she set off in a panic towards the exit.

As she stumbled outside, the slightly fresher hit of air after the bone-shaking music inside the club snatched her breath away. She swayed, steadying herself on the wall of the car park as she tried to get her bearings. Even though Belle didn’t have her phone, why the hell couldn’t they have rung on Laurie’s? Gem clicked her name and called, her heart sinking when it went straight to answerphone.

Then she saw them, the group of guys from the club, heading towards her, big and intimidating. Pushy pissed-up Brits. Without thinking, she staggered in the opposite direction, realising too late that she needed to head back towards the club to notify security, not away from other people.

‘Hey, darling,’ drawled a thickset man with tight trousers and oversized shoulders that made him look like he was on steroids. ‘Can’t find your friends? We’ll look after you, won’t we, lads?’

They sniggered. Gem’s heart pounded. Her confidence in the way she looked showing off her curves in a tight, lowcut dress was usually a strength; right now it was a potentially catastrophic weakness. She was drunk and even in her sparkly sneakers she had zero chance of outrunning them.

Spotty guy hooked his arm around her waist, pulling her tight against him, wafting beer breath and an overpowering aftershave in her direction.

‘Gem?’

Her head whipped round. She didn’t remember telling them her name. Her heart thudded even more as ‘Gem’ was repeated in a deep, unfamiliar voice. With a Spanish accent. Beyond the circle of pissed-up Brits, she locked eyes with Diego. He glanced between her and the group of guys then strode over.

‘Are you okay?’ The concern filtering through his words matched the worry on his face. Spotty guy’s arm tightened on her waist as his fingers dug into her hip. She was trembling somuch her ability to speak deserted her. Sizing up to spotty guy, Diego shouldered into him. ‘She’s with me.’

Diego took Gem’s hand and swept her away. She’d never felt more grateful to anyone for being there right when she needed them. Diego only stopped when they reached the road that ran alongside the main beach in San Antonio. Still holding his hand, Gem looked up at her Spanish saviour.

‘Thank you,’ she managed to utter. She understood the danger she’d been in, the recklessness of too much to drink, of losing the others and ending up on her own.

‘Where’s Belle?’ Diego frowned down at her as he let go of her hand. ‘And your other friend?’

‘Belle went to check on Laurie.’ Gem waved her hand in the direction of the club. ‘I lost sight of them. Got freaked out by those guys. Stupidly thought it’d be a good idea to leave. They followed me.’

‘It’s okay now,’ Diego said, his voice suddenly softer. It was only when he wiped away a tear from her cheek that she realised she was crying. ‘We call Belle, yes, and find them?’

Gem held up Belle’s phone. ‘She left it and Laurie’s is going straight to answerphone.’

Diego frowned. ‘You think they come outside?’

‘I don’t know where they’ve gone.’ Gem shrugged. ‘I know Belle wanted to see you…’ She took a deep breath. ‘We can go back in and find them.’

Diego shook his head. ‘They won’t let you back in, not without buying another ticket.’

‘Shit.’ Gem cursed her stupidity, although the thought that spotty guy and his friends’ night had been ruined as well was rather satisfying. ‘Maybe we should walk a little. Could do with clearing my head.’ She needed to breathe and calm herself down.

---