Page 67 of Crashing Into You

“I’m just going to the loo,” I say. “I’ll be back in a sec.” I leave my bag on the table; it’s not like I care about touching up my lip gloss. I just want to splash some cold water on my face and see if I can jolt myself out of this funk. The familiar ache throbs in my chest at the thought of Bryce. How could I have underestimated him like I did? I miss him so much it hurts. I wonder if it will ever stop.

Cold water doesn’t do anything, though, except make me cold. I pat my face dry with a paper towel, staring at myself in the mirror. I’m pale, with dark circles under my eyes.

“You need to snap out of this.” I frown at my reflection. “Tell him you’re sorry and move on.”

Feeling slightly bolstered, I leave the bathroom. But before I get back to the table someone grabs my arms from the back, pushing me through the crowd. The touch is gentle, and for a split second I think it might be Bryce, that he’s come back to me.

But a familiar scent of patchouli wafts through my nostrils, and to my horror I realise that it’s Simon.

“Let go of me!”

“Please, Claire, I just want to talk to you.”

He turns me around so I’m backed up against the wall near the door, and have nowhere to go. I glance around frantically, but there’s no Bryce here to save me this time. Simon presses against me, pushing me into the wall. I turn my head, trying to avoid his mouth. “Get off me!”

I manage to get my hands between us and shove him away, but he grabs my arms again, pulling me out of the door of the pub.

“Hey!” someone shouts, but Simon keeps dragging me away and into the car park.

My feet tangle underneath me and I try to scream, but it’s stuck in my throat. I’m terrified. I don’t know what he’s going to do to me. “Please, please, no,” I choke out, tears running down my cheeks. “Please let me go.”

“You all right there, mate?” A couple of guys crossing the car park stop.

“Yeah, mate. She’s just had a few too many and I need to get her home,” Simon laughs, sounding completely reasonable, like he’s not the most terrible person in the world. The men laugh, too.

“Please, help me,” I gasp, but it’s like one of those nightmares where you scream and nothing comes out, terror taking my voice. Simon pulls me between the cars, fumbling in his pocket with one hand while still holding me tightly with the other, his fingers digging painfully into my wrist. There’s a flash of lights. I realise we’re next to his car, a black four-wheel drive.

I try to pull away but he opens the passenger-side door, pushing me inside. I kick out at him, fear spurring me on, but he fends me off, slamming the door shut. I immediately slide across to the other door but he’s too fast for me, coming around and getting into the driver’s seat, locking the doors. I shrink back against the passenger door, fumbling behind me for the latch, not wanting him to touch me.

“You better put a seatbelt on,” he says, his voice totally calm and normal. “You don’t want to get hurt.” His gaze comes to me. “Hurting you is the last thing I want to do.”

We’re already moving, gravel crunching beneath the wheels. I find my voice.

“What the fuck are you doing? Let me out of here!” I flick the lock open, but he locks the doors again.

“No, Claire. I’ve tried. I really have. I’ve given you space and the opportunity to talk to me. But you haven’t taken it. SoI’mtaking it. We need to talk.”

ChapterThirty

Bryce

Ipull into the pub car park and find a spot, impatience burning through me. Once I get inside the pub, I look around, frantic to find her. I spot Joss and Sal pretty much straight away, and make a beeline for their table. They both jump about a foot when they see me, Sal’s hands coming to her mouth. Joss screams, then throws her arms around me. Laughing, I disentangle myself.

“Holyfuck,” Sal exclaims. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I’m looking for Claire.” I’m so fucking close I can almost taste her.

“She went to the loo.” Joss is blushing. “Sorry about grabbing you like that. You just have no ideahow happy we are to see you.”

“I have some idea.” I grin, but at the same time I’m scanning the room, looking for Claire. “How long ago did she go?” It would be my bad luck that she decided to slip out just as I got here.

Sal frowns. “Actually, she’s been gone a while.”

Worry blooms in me immediately. “Could she have gone home?”

“No.” Joss shakes her head. She’s starting to look worried as well. “Her bag and phone are still here.”

“Fuck. Okay, wait here. I’ll go find her.” I head towards the Ladies’ room. Maybe the door is stuck, or something. Then I happen to glance out the window.