Exception (40 page)

She tried to escape, but his fingers curled on her hip with renewed strength. He spun her around and shoved her against the wall. His hands and solid body trapped her, as his face came closer to hers. “Tsk, tsk, tsk . . . bad, bad move, princess.”

Angry tears formed in her eyes as her moment of strength came to an end, and all of the traditional panicked symptoms she’d hoped never to feel again took hold of her. Her palms were sweaty, her legs felt rubbery, her mind was foggy and her throat constricted. She hated feeling like that—vulnerable and powerless.

Once more, her eyes made contact with the closed door, hoping that Taylor would somehow feel her angst and come help her. “Nick, let me go,” she pleaded, forcing the words through the knot in her throat.

Her demand fell on deaf ears. He brought his face even closer, pressing his disgusting, clammy cheek against hers. She could feel his breath fanning into her ear, and she wanted desperately to get away from it, from him.

“I was watching you two out there. It was quite a show, princess. For someone who seems so coy, you do know how to turn a guy on,” he slurred, as his right hand started to ascend her body and his crotch made contact with her belly. “I don’t know if you’re a teasing whore or just really naïve,” he continued, running his tongue over the upper curve of her ear, making Emily’s limbs freeze with panic as vomit heated the inside of her chest. “Guess I’ll find out soon, because you owe me a dance, and I plan to collect in private.” He turned his eyes in the direction of the closed bathroom door with a smirk on his lips.

Emily closed her eyes and pleaded again and again, though she wasn’t sure if any sound was coming from her tense, frozen lips. She begged for the woman inside the bathroom to be passed out inside so she couldn’t open the door, but mostly, she begged for Taylor.

She heard a door open and pain and terror filled her; this was it. Her life was about to take a sharp turn towards the shitty yet again. Despite the sense of doom that consumed her mind, she found the strength to jerk her body and head, in the hope that the drunken woman would understand what was happening wasn’t consensual and go for help. Emily was gathering strength to scream when she heard an anguished cry and felt the weight of Nick leave her body.

It felt like déjà vu from the worst night of her life. Her limp, panicked body slid to the beer-soaked floor, deepening the sensation that she had been there before. Cracking her eyes open, she saw Taylor’s back standing in front of her, his hand tangled in Nick’s long hair, holding it tightly as he brought the man’s head down to the wall twice. Blood poured from his nose as Taylor turned him around, heaving his back against the wall. Shoving his forearm across Nick’s throat, he pinned him to the wooden door and pounded an array of violent punches to his face.

Emily’s ears filled with indistinguishable sounds. Mixing with the loud music there were shrieks, screams, cries and a disgusting thumping sound she could only relate to Taylor’s fist hitting its target. She wanted to call Taylor, to tell him to stop and come to her, but no words came from her mouth.

She guessed only seconds had passed since Nick was pulled from her, but it felt longer. It felt like hours, because all of a sudden the once empty space was crowded with people. Amongst the unfamiliar faces were Zack, kneeling next to her, and Toby, who had both his arms around Taylor’s shoulders, pulling him away from Nick’s bloody face.

“Fuck off, Darcy,” Taylor screamed as Toby managed to put some distance between him and Nick, who was trying to steady himself against the wall. “You didn’t see what he was doing to her. I’m gonna fucking kill him.”

The cords on his neck were popping out, and his voice was bone chilling. None of his friends, who knew him as the good-humored, calm man he usually was, could have imagined he was capable of such anger.

He tried to charge again, but Toby tightened his hold. “Cool it, Taylor,” he said, loudly. “You taught him a lesson. Now let me handle this and you go take care of what’s important.”

Taylor’s body was still quivering with anger as Toby pushed him in the general direction of Emily, and Jody entered the hallway. She charged at Nick, yelling profanities and threats. Taylor wanted to join her and continue to discharge his anger until the man was only inches away from death, but his eyes met Emily’s, and he finally understood Toby’s instruction about taking care of what was important.

The sadness and coldness he saw in the blue eyes that, only minutes before had been looking at him with joy and heat, was heartbreaking. Guilt overwhelmed him. The hatred and disgust he’d felt for Nick was completely overshadowed by the anger he now felt towards himself.

He could feel her eyes on him as he knelt in front of her, but he couldn’t face their gaze. “Can you walk? Or do you want me to carry you home?” he asked, in the saddest tone Emily had ever heard.

“I can walk,” she replied, willing him to look at her. “I’m gonna need some help though; my heel broke.”

Taylor’s face twisted and turned with a sea of unnamed emotions. Standing up, he offered a hand to help her. With one arm wrapped around her waist and the other making a shield across her front, he led her through the crowded restaurant and out to the street.

Through the corner of his eye, Taylor saw Jody fuming on the sidewalk as Toby leaned down over an open cab door. Judging by the tension on both his friends’ faces, they were still “talking” to Nick. He, however, had no time to worry about that. Emily needed to be safe in her apartment. Besides, he had no idea what he would do if he were left near Nick again.

They crossed the street and climbed the stairs silently, neither knowing what to say. Once they reached the inside of the apartment, Taylor helped her to her room and settled her down on her bed. He stood in front of her silently, refusing to meet her eyes for a couple of minutes. As Emily watched him, all her insecurities and fears mixed with the painful emotions brought on by her encounter with Nick, coursed through her body. Taylor’s eyes scrunched closed and opened again, focusing on her.

His chocolate brown irises were surrounded by red, and though he wasn’t crying, Emily could bet he was about to. “I’m so sorry, Ems. I failed you.”

It was hard to tell if it was his words, the pain behind them or the redness in his eyes, but something broke Emily’s heart into a million pieces. Her emotions were too overwhelming and, as much as she wanted to say something, to comfort him in some way, she was at a complete loss. So, she simply stared at him, hoping that he could see in her eyes that she didn’t blame him, that she was grateful he’d shown up, and that she was even more grateful that he was there with her. But, he didn’t.

Comforted by the brief moment his lips touched her hair, it barely registered to her that Taylor not only apologized again, but suggested she try to sleep. Without another look at her, he turned to leave. The only feeling Emily could identify as she watched his retreating back was despair. “You’re gonna leave me alone?” Her voice was extremely high-pitched, reflecting the intensity of her feelings.

Taylor was a step away from the threshold when he stopped. “You’re home, you’re safe and you need to rest,” he said, with his back still turned to her. Pain laced his every word.

“What I need, is you,” she nearly shouted, allowing all the frustration she’d been feeling since their dance escape her. “I’m tired and sad and frustrated, and I need you to hold me and bring me peace again, not turn your back and leave.”

It took a second for Taylor to turn to her, and when he did, his face looked disgusted. “But that’s what I did. I left. I promised I’d keep you safe. I promised I’d watch your back, but instead I asked you to dance, let things get out of hand, and then locked myself in a bathroom to try to get my shit together while that fucker was groping you. This is my fault.” His face, his voice and his posture were tortured and pained. “I don’t deserve the trust you have in me. I don’t deserve to be here with you and I definitely don’t deserve to hold you.”

Emily unzipped her boots and tossed them aside, before standing up and walking towards him. She stopped right in front of him and took both his hands in hers. Proving his stubbornness to be true, he still wouldn’t meet her eyes or curl his fingers back around hers. If the moment weren’t so sad, it would have been funny.

“Don’t do this, Tay,” she pleaded. “You did keep your promise. You kept all of them. Besides, I was the one who told you to go to the bathroom, and I did that because I also needed some time alone.”

Her admission finally drew his eyes to hers. It was an adorable, furtive glance through his long lashes that made Emily blush the cutest shade of pink. “Shut up,” she admonished him playfully. “And you
do
deserve my trust and to be here. You probably deserve more than to hold me, but that’s all I can offer. So please, just stay, because I need you to.”

Their eyes met, both filled with emotion. Taylor finally curled his fingers around Emily’s hand and held it tightly, so tightly that her knuckles began turning white, but she didn’t care one bit. They stared at each other for a while longer before Emily pushed herself into his chest and nestled her head against his pecs. He folded his arms around her and held her tightly.

“Get some pjs on and meet me at the couch in ten, okay?”

Emily smiled at him and nodded. He kissed the tip of her nose, turned around and left. Alone, she hurriedly removed her clothes and threw on a comfy t-shirt and plaid cotton pants. She then went to the bathroom to wash her face and teeth before tiptoeing to the living room where Taylor was already sprawled on the couch under a fluffy blanket, his head propped on one of the oversized pillows he loved so much.

She neared the couch and he lifted the cover so she could settle down beside him, and once she was lying there, he draped the fabric over her and smoothed it over her back, leaving his stretched arm across her back. They were sharing the big pillow and staring at each other as he stroked her back with light, soothing up and down motions.

He didn’t say anything because, despite her words, his guilt was still too overpowering, so he simply watched her flutter her lashes, until they finally stayed closed. He knew that with his mind overthinking the night’s events, sleep was sure to evade him, so he watched her take deep breaths, glad that his imprudence hadn’t cost her friendship.

“It’s weird,” Emily mumbled with her lids still closed, startling him.

“I thought you were sleeping,” he whispered, smoothing her hair. The corner of her mouth lifted in a half-smile, but her eyes remained closed. “What’s weird?”

She looked at him through barely opened eyes. “I actually thought the way I was dancing scared you away. I think I was more frightened of losing you and not seeing you come through that door than I was of the creep who was all over me,” she admitted, somewhat embarrassed.

Taylor looked at her as if she’d just told him that the world was flat. “Ems, there are very few things you could do that would scare me away. And trust me when I say that dancing isn’t one of them.” He gave her an awkward smile that would make most women drop their panties. It took no more than a second, though, for that smile to vanish and be replaced by deep, painful worry lines. “And I promised I’d always come, didn’t I? I’m just sorry I got there too late this time.”

He held her closer and tighter. His remorse was consuming every inch of him, though, holding her close and seeing her peaceful face offered him some respite. “Will you forgive me? Please, Ems?”

Emily looked at him with adoring eyes, and kissed his cheek. “Nothing to forgive. You came and you’re here now. I’m at peace, and that’s all that matters.”

He didn’t say anything else. He just pressed his arms tightly against her and kissed her nose. Emily yawned and, closing her eyes again, she nested closer to him. She was already seeing images behind her lids when his voice sounded in her ears, calling her name. Without opening her eyes, she acknowledged him and he continued, “Would you mind if we spent this week together? I’ll stay here on the days you have to be here, and you’ll go to NYC with me when you can. I just really need to keep you safe with me.”

“Okay,” she agreed, hoping he wouldn’t see the silly smile on her face.