Page 23 of Where the Dark Knelt
The bar wasn’t difficult to find, and it was already packed. Will waved at us from the bar, andSaffyclocked him. “Fuck me. That’s the guy?” She was already staring at Will. I nodded as he wove his way through the tables to meet us.Saffypulled me back whispering, “I’m calling first dibs.” My lips stretched to smile at her when Will grabbed my arm.
He gently guided me back through the crowd to a table that was near the little stage area. Will put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it a little. “Glad you could make it.” He pulled a chair out for me, and then one forSaffy.
Will toldus that this place was one of the main venues for state-wide live rock artists and that Mandy and Neil were well on their way to being famous. There was a band named Bad Buzz already rocking out what seemed to be original material.
Will shoutedover the music, but I mainly read his lips because the lead guitarist’s solo was reverberating through the bar, stopping all conversation. I cupped my hand round his ear and shouted, “Saffy,” gesturing at her with my thumb to the side, by way of an introduction.Saffy already had designs on Will and glanced seductively at him through lowered eyelashes.
Will’s glancetold me he wasn’t immune to her come-on either. With her track record, I wondered if I would bedriving back alone, or waiting for her to crawl out of the back of his car with just-fucked hair and a satisfied look on her face.
The bar had a warehouse feel and was jam-packed with students. It felt great to be at a live music event.
Mandy and Neil went on stage to do their set. They sounded incredible together. At the end, I was in awe. Mandy’s range was amazing, and her identity was most definitely that of a rock chick.
She aced everything that came out of her mouth and the crowd went nuts, hollering and cheering after each song. The girl could have made “Happy Birthday” sound amazing.
Chapter Ten
I’M STALKING YOU
Singing my heart out, I was pleased that no one had a clue how much of a challenge it usually was for me to sing spontaneously. I was lost in the music, feeling a freedom here that I struggled with back home.
No one knew me here, or what my hang-ups were. I was practicing my new approach to life. Determined to be what I wanted to be, which included being comfortable singing.
When their setfinished, Mandy came over, and I jumped up hugging her. “Mandy, wow! I want to be just like you when I grow up!” Mandy giggled. She looked amused by my comment and slightly embarrassed at the attention.
“You and I are going to be great friends,” she said hugging me again. I hugged Neil and congratulated him, then excused myself to go to the restroom before the next set started.
As I made my way back fromthe bathroom, I was looking around, taking in the venue, when I froze. Alfie was sitting near the back of the bar at a raised table area. He was with a beautiful, expensively dressed woman. She looked very sophisticated and maybe ten years older than him.
From his body language I could see he obviously liked hera lot. I felt sick watching the level of attention he was paying her, given what he’d done with me this morning.
Staring silently, I watched as he ran the back of his hand down her cheek, smiling at her. It made for quite an intimate scene.Shit!I pretended not to have noticed him.
The lady seemed to be doing all the talking and he sat, smiling, and began flipping a white napkin over and over absentmindedly while he listened intently to what she was saying.
Forcing myself to go forward, I began to walk back toward our table, glancing back at him from a distance. I could see that although he was still dressed casually, his appearance was much more polished than I’d seen before.
Alfie was wearing a crisp, white button-down shirt, his ink hidden by the long sleeves, and a red suit vest. He looked effortlessly handsome and very sexy.
I wished he would stand, so that I could assess the complete effect of his attire on him. I was more than curious as to who the woman was.More than that, if he was with her, why he had made a play for me, when he obviously has no shortage of female company?
As I turned away, Alfie leaned forward to talk in her ear. His female companion threw her head back, smiled, and clasped her hand over his.
Devastated and hurt, I also felt very ashamed that I hadn’t thought of any other dynamics around our relationship. And I wondered how many others he might have the same arrangement with. My face must have been registering how I was feeling, becauseSaffypicked up on my mood immediately.
“What’s the matter?” I shook my head.
“Nothing, why?” I asked, hoping I sounded convincing.
“You look hurt. What’s wrong, Lily?”
Laughing, I was hoping I’d pulled it off. “No, I’m not hurt,you’re crazy.” My voice cameacross as quite carefree. “I’m just a little tired.”Saffy’s furrowed brows told me she wasn’t convinced, her eyes searched mine until she was satisfied, and I saw her face relax.
“I’m not tired at all, I have loads of pent up energy.” She pushed herself back in her seat and stared at Will again. “In fact, I feel as if I could go on all night.”Saffy’slast comment wasn’t lost on him. He smiled, bit his bottom lip and widened his eyes at her.
Looking between them, I giggled when she pretended to look embarrassed at this. Will and I both knew thatSaffy’scomment wasn’t a Freudian slip.
She knew exactly what she had said and what she was doing. By the time the gig finished,Saffywas draped all over Will, his focus completely on her, and it was clear that I was going home alone.
