Page 31 of Primary Seduction
One consolation, Max thought, he knew who he was.
After a few more minutes of the kicking and stomping, Max realised he couldn’t feel much at all, which he distantly worried about. Then the blows stopped.
“Now, who’s got issues, eh?” The guy spat in his face, then Max heard footsteps retreating quickly.
Max groaned as he tried to find a position that didn’t hurt. He knew he was in trouble but couldn’t move enough to go and get help. He didn’t know how long he’d been there before he remembered his phone was in his pocket. With every movement sending knives up and down his body, he removed his phone and placed it in front of his face. He couldn’t see well enough to open the app and press the button he needed to, but he did know that he’d programmed number one to redial the last number. Using his limited vision to figure out the correct button, he dialled and pressed the phone near his ear.
“Hello?” A hesitant voice answered, and Max closed his eyes the rest of the way when he realised Trent was the last person he’d called. “Max?”
“T-Trent?” Max’s throat felt like glass.
“Max? Are you okay?” Trent’s voice was a balm to his soul.
“Trent…need…help,” he managed to get out, every breath sending shards through his torso.
“Max? Where are you? What happened?” Max could hear panic in Trent’s voice but could do nothing to alleviate it.
“Chalice…alley,” he croaked.
“What’s Chalice? What alley?”
Max coughed wetly, feeling himself losing consciousness. “Club…Chalice…alley…” Then he saw nothing but black.
****
Trent
“Max? Max! Answer me! Shit!” Trent looked at his phone and saw it was still connected. “Max!” He had no idea what or where Chalice was. He didn’t disconnect but hoped to god he could find him. He had no idea what was wrong, but he could tell Max was in pain. He opened the search tab on the internet and searched ‘Chalice club’. A dozen results came up but the closest one was half an hour away and was a BDSM club. After the throwaway comments Max made the other day, Trent had a feeling that was the right one.
He ran out of his house after grabbing his keys and began the drive. He could hear nothing on the open line, which kept Trent worried sick for the whole journey. He debated whether to ring anyone else to help him. He wasn’t sure why Max had calledhimin the first place, especially with how they’d left things. But regardless, he would be there to help him in…eight minutes. God, this was taking forever.
Finally, he pulled up on double yellow lines near the club. As he got out, he saw a bouncer throw someone out the door and shout for them to stay away. Not the kind of club he planned on frequenting. He scanned the building, trying to figure out where Max might be, then decided to end the current call and redial Max’s mobile, hoping he’d hear it ringing.
A few seconds later, a very quiet ringtone began. Trent followed the sound around to the right of the building and down an alley. As he saw a human-shaped lump on the floor, he began to run.
“Max!” He knelt next to him, breath catching as he saw the state he was in. He wasn’t sure what to do. He gently stroked Max’s hair, talking to him but he wasn’t getting any response. He had to decide: try and move him to the car or call an ambulance. He gently turned Max to his back, eliciting a groan from him and very slow movement.
“Max?” He saw Max trying to open his eyes, but they were both mostly swollen shut.
“Trent?” Max’s voice was hoarse, but Trent heard him.
“Yes, Max. I’m here. What happened?” Max didn’t reply but tried to get up, hissing and slumping back down when it was obviously too painful.
“Help…me…home,” Max croaked.
“Max, you have to go to hospital! You’re black and blue!”
“No!” It would have come out as a shout had he been at full fitness.
“Fuck, Max! Please, let me take you to hospital,” Trent pleaded with him.
“No…home.”
“Fuck! You’re such a stubborn asshole. Fine, then you’re coming to my house.”
“Phone?”
Trent looked around and found Max’s phone on the ground next to them. He tucked it in his pocket, then lifted Max into his arms and got unsteadily to his feet. He walked to his car, careful not to move him too much, and then laid him on the back seat, giving him some bundled up tissues to hold beneath his nose. Trent ran around to the driver’s side just as someone came walking out of the club towards them. The guy waved as if to get his attention, but Trent was not interested. He just wanted to get Max home. He pulled away and headed in the right direction. It would be a trek back, but he had to hope that Max would be better closer to home rather than here.
