Chapter 5 A Dangerous Situation

[Rue’s POV]

My head spins and my vision blurs, but even then, I still sip on a drink while Mr. Owens orders our meal for the evening.

Once he is finished, he shifts his gaze to me, and when he opens his mouth, I brace myself for what is to come.

“You should really slow down.”

“I’m fine,” I assure him, plastering a smile on my face. “The room is just spinning and I feel like my brain is filled with helium. Am I floating?"

“Rue,” he hisses, and I feel my heart squeeze. “That’s enough.”

“Oh, leave her be,” my mom murmurs. “She’s just enjoying herself.”

“There is a difference between enjoying yourself and making irresponsible choices.”

“Hey,” I growl, slamming my glass down on the table. “Who the hell do you think you are to say such things to me?”

Dammit. Shut up, Rue!

“You aren’t my teacher anymore.”

Shut up before you say something you regret!

“And you aren’t my dad!”

“Rue,” my mother gasps, her eyes widening. “What are you even saying? Of course he is your fat…”

“HE ISN’T!” I yell, drawing the gazes of those around us. “He isn’t my father! My father died many years ago, and he…he…” I continue as those damned complex feelings of mine come rushing in despite the alcohol in me. “He… forget it.”

Feeling at a loss and completely defeated, I stand and grab my purse from the table beside me.

“You know what,” I say slowly, knowing that I needed to get out of here before I said something that I would certainly regret in the morning. “Since I’m clearly ruining the evening, I’m going to leave.”

“Rue!” My mother gasps. “Where are…”

“Enjoy your meal.”

It’s the only thing I say before I start to move, each step sloppy, through the restaurant and out into the night, where a cool sea breeze hits me.

“Fuck.” I growl, realizing that instead of making myself feel better about everything, I only made myself feel worse. “What the hell am I even doing?”

Shaking my head, I look around, taking in the city around me, and when I find myself not wanting to enjoy the vibes that the night has created for it, I start moving.

I don’t have a destination in mind as I walk, but at least the seabreeze is starting to clear the fuzziness that I’m feeling, and by the time my drunken stupor turns into a buzzed feeling, I realize that I’ve gone too far and I don’t remember the way back to the resort that we are staying in.

“Well shit,” I huff, dropping onto a bench and pulling out my phone in hopes of getting the address from my mother, only to find that it has a dead battery. “Not only did you ruin the evening, but now you’re going to have everyone worried.”

But would I?

Would they really give two shits about an adult going missing for a night? Especially when they were on their honeymoon.

I doubted it, and that alone leaves me feeling so damn empty.

Sighing, I lean back on the bench that I’m sitting on and then try to come up with a game plan, but before I can, I hear the sound of laughing.

Going on alert, I turn my gaze in the direction that it came from to find four college-aged-looking guys heading toward me.

“Great,” I grumble, standing and deciding that maybe it was better that I at least head back in the direction I came. “This night just keeps getting better.”

“Hey!” One guy calls from behind as I start to move. “Are you just going to up and leave?”

Of course I am. I think inwardly, knowing that if I stuck around and allowed them to approach me, then things would certainly get ugly.

“Hey!” The guy yells again when I don’t respond. “Are you ignoring me?”

I am.

“Come on, don’t be like that, baby.” Another adds, and a burst of laughter escapes the guys. “We just wanted to talk to you.”

As they speak, I keep my gaze fixed ahead, taking in the dark street around me while hoping beyond hope that I will find a store or even a person who can help me. However, luck isn’t on my side, and with each step I make, the guys grow closer to me until a hand wraps around my wrist and pulls me.

“Hey,” the one who grabbed me says, his face angry. “Don’t you know it is rude to ignore someone when they are talking to you?”

“Yeah,” another chuckles. “Is this your way of flirting? Playing hard to get?”

Who was playing?

I really wasn’t interested in these guys, and I didn’t want anything to do with them.

“Let go,” I say slowly, trying to keep my voice even. “Now.”

“Or what?” The one holding me asks, leaning closer. “Hey, beautiful, have you been drinking?”

“I haven’t,” I snap, trying to move back.

“You sure?” He continues, his buddies closing in on me. “You know, if you’re up for another round, then you can…”

“I SAID LET GO!”

My voice echoes around us as I pull as hard as I can, but instead of breaking free of the guys' hold, I end up stumbling and then crashing to my knees.

Hissing, I try to ignore the pain that shoots through me as asphalt and rocks rip at my skin.

“Oh, isn’t that a lovely position.” The guy holding me laughs. “It’s perfect for…”

He doesn’t get to finish his words before a fist appears and slams into his nose, and when I turn to see who has come to my rescue, I find Mr. Owens towering over me.

"What the hell is going on here?" He growls, shifting his gaze to me. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," I snap, hating the accusation in his voice. "I think it is pretty clear what is happening here."

"It is," he confirms, taking in the three that glare on silently. "But I'm wondering exactly who it was that pushed her down."

As he speaks, Mr. Owens moves his gaze along the three, and when it meets the eyes of the guy who is still clinging to my wrist despite his broken nose and bloody face, his eyes turn almost black with rage and his expression turns scary.