Save Me - Chapter 19: Chapter 20
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Dahlia
After my fourth shot of tequila, I was starting to understand the science behind alcohol: people didn't drink it for the taste—it was all about the feeling. Unless it was department store champagne or some expensive wine, of course.
Once Meghan's shift ended—along with most of the artists—we headed to a bar that was within walking distance from the tattoo parlor. It was the middle of the week, yet the place was buzzing with people who weren't holding back on the drinks.
When I took my first-ever shot of tequila—cheered on by the guys chanting "shot, shot, shot"—there was a moment where I genuinely thought I might die. I swear I felt my soul leave my body. But by the fourth shot, though it still burned like lava, it was more manageable. It helped that I felt lightheaded in the best way. Way more than I had with the champagne.
Our table erupted in laughter at Blade's story about the weirdest tattoo client he'd had that week—an elderly woman in her late 70s who wanted a very detailed tattoo of her thirty-year-old lover's penis on her inner thigh.
"Damn, Granny's getting more action than me!" Meghan howled with laughter. She'd had even more shots than I had.
I realized I was laughing so hard my stomach ached. I liked this feeling—I felt young and carefree, two things I rarely felt if ever.
My phone buzzed in my tote bag, and I fumbled to get it out. After several attempts to focus on the screen, I finally saw Damien's name pop up. What if I told you that I was naked? I don't know why my treacherous mind kept playing those words on repeat, it was getting annoying.
Apparently, I'd stared at the screen too long because the call ended, only to start buzzing again immediately. I excused myself from the table and staggered to a quieter spot, finally managing to answer.
"Dahlia, where the hell are you?" Damien's voice was sharp, laced with alarm.
"That wasn't a very nice way to greet someone. Try again." The way my words slurred made me giggle, I was far more drunk than I thought I was.
He paused before asking, "Are you drunk?" he sounded surprised.
I nodded, returning Meghan's 'is everything okay?' thumbs up with my own.
"Angel, please tell me where you are right now." Well, at least he said please this time.
"I'm at a bar with my friends," I replied. "And you can't be mad I didn't invite you because you haven't spoken to me since our date." The hurt I'd been trying to stifle these past few days slipped into my voice. "Did I do something to upset you?"
"It's not you. Never you," Damien said with a certainty that soothed some of the ache. "I'm just...fucked up, Dahlia." There was a rawness in his tone that cracked my heart a little.
Before I could respond, Anthony came over and tugged me toward the front of the bar, where a small stage was set up. "Come sing karaoke with us!" he said, voice louder than usual, probably thanks to the alcohol.
Meghan slipped the phone for my hand and reminded me that under no circumstances was I to be distracted from having fun tonight.
The five of us—Blade, Kendall, Anthony, Meghan, and I—barely fit on the tiny stage, and trying to squeeze in was hilarious, especially with Blade towering at 6'8. I admitted most of the songs I knew were from the '70s to '90s, though I didn't mention they were my mom's favorite eras, played on repeat in Patricia.
We settled on ABBA, songs everyone knew, and started belting out "Dancing Queen."
It was in the middle of our encore, "SOS," when someone suddenly scooped me up from the stage. I panicked until I saw familiar green eyes and let out a breath of relief.
"Hello, serious man." I smiled.
Damien didn't smile back. His expression was thunderous—jaw clenched, eyebrows furrowed. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?" He still held me aloft, arms wrapped securely around my thighs.
"This much?" I held my hands a few inches apart in front of his face.
A reluctant smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You will be the death of me, angel."
Suddenly, I became very aware of how close we were, my body pressed against his solid frame. Under the dim lighting, I could make out the slight crookedness of his nose and the faint scars on his left brow, cheek, and lip. Those little imperfections made him even more beautiful.
"I've never seen you from this angle before," I said, feeling more intoxicated by Damien's presence than the alcohol.
"Do you like what you see?" His lips curved into a smirk, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.
"You're the most beautiful man I've ever seen from every angle." I giggled, reaching up to brush away a stray lock of his hair. But before I could touch him, he grabbed my hand, quick as lightning.
"You don't like being touched," I said, frowning as the suspicion I'd harbored was confirmed.
Instead of replying, Damien slowly brought my hand to his lips, kissing my palm. Then he guided it around his shoulders, doing the same with my other arm. His breathing quickened, and I could see the struggle in his eyes, like my touch was somehow painful. Even drunk, I could tell this moment was important, so I kept my arms as still as I could.
"Let's go home," he said, regaining some control over his breathing.
"Dahlia, everything alright?" Anthony's voice pulled me back to reality, reminding me we weren't alone in the bar.
"Who's this?" Anthony asked again.
"I'm her fucking husband, that's who." Damien ground out, his hold on me tightening but not in a painful way.
Okay, time to intervene, "I'm leaving, please tell the guys I said goodbye and I will see you all tomorrow." Meghan had disappeared after Dancing Queen and I hadn't seen her since.
Damien did not wait for Anthony's reply and carried me out of the bar despite my protests that I could walk on my own.
"You are quite possibly the most unfriendly man I have ever met." I grumbled.
"All my friendliness is reserved for you." He kissed my hair. "Only you."
Outside the bar, I spotted a familiar head of colorful braids. Before I could call out to Meghan, I noticed she was in the middle of a passionate kiss with someone who looked an awful lot like Darren.
After my fourth shot of tequila, I was starting to understand the science behind alcohol: people didn't drink it for the taste—it was all about the feeling. Unless it was department store champagne or some expensive wine, of course.
Once Meghan's shift ended—along with most of the artists—we headed to a bar that was within walking distance from the tattoo parlor. It was the middle of the week, yet the place was buzzing with people who weren't holding back on the drinks.
When I took my first-ever shot of tequila—cheered on by the guys chanting "shot, shot, shot"—there was a moment where I genuinely thought I might die. I swear I felt my soul leave my body. But by the fourth shot, though it still burned like lava, it was more manageable. It helped that I felt lightheaded in the best way. Way more than I had with the champagne.
Our table erupted in laughter at Blade's story about the weirdest tattoo client he'd had that week—an elderly woman in her late 70s who wanted a very detailed tattoo of her thirty-year-old lover's penis on her inner thigh.
"Damn, Granny's getting more action than me!" Meghan howled with laughter. She'd had even more shots than I had.
I realized I was laughing so hard my stomach ached. I liked this feeling—I felt young and carefree, two things I rarely felt if ever.
My phone buzzed in my tote bag, and I fumbled to get it out. After several attempts to focus on the screen, I finally saw Damien's name pop up. What if I told you that I was naked? I don't know why my treacherous mind kept playing those words on repeat, it was getting annoying.
Apparently, I'd stared at the screen too long because the call ended, only to start buzzing again immediately. I excused myself from the table and staggered to a quieter spot, finally managing to answer.
"Dahlia, where the hell are you?" Damien's voice was sharp, laced with alarm.
"That wasn't a very nice way to greet someone. Try again." The way my words slurred made me giggle, I was far more drunk than I thought I was.
He paused before asking, "Are you drunk?" he sounded surprised.
I nodded, returning Meghan's 'is everything okay?' thumbs up with my own.
"Angel, please tell me where you are right now." Well, at least he said please this time.
"I'm at a bar with my friends," I replied. "And you can't be mad I didn't invite you because you haven't spoken to me since our date." The hurt I'd been trying to stifle these past few days slipped into my voice. "Did I do something to upset you?"
"It's not you. Never you," Damien said with a certainty that soothed some of the ache. "I'm just...fucked up, Dahlia." There was a rawness in his tone that cracked my heart a little.
Before I could respond, Anthony came over and tugged me toward the front of the bar, where a small stage was set up. "Come sing karaoke with us!" he said, voice louder than usual, probably thanks to the alcohol.
Meghan slipped the phone for my hand and reminded me that under no circumstances was I to be distracted from having fun tonight.
The five of us—Blade, Kendall, Anthony, Meghan, and I—barely fit on the tiny stage, and trying to squeeze in was hilarious, especially with Blade towering at 6'8. I admitted most of the songs I knew were from the '70s to '90s, though I didn't mention they were my mom's favorite eras, played on repeat in Patricia.
We settled on ABBA, songs everyone knew, and started belting out "Dancing Queen."
It was in the middle of our encore, "SOS," when someone suddenly scooped me up from the stage. I panicked until I saw familiar green eyes and let out a breath of relief.
"Hello, serious man." I smiled.
Damien didn't smile back. His expression was thunderous—jaw clenched, eyebrows furrowed. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?" He still held me aloft, arms wrapped securely around my thighs.
"This much?" I held my hands a few inches apart in front of his face.
A reluctant smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You will be the death of me, angel."
Suddenly, I became very aware of how close we were, my body pressed against his solid frame. Under the dim lighting, I could make out the slight crookedness of his nose and the faint scars on his left brow, cheek, and lip. Those little imperfections made him even more beautiful.
"I've never seen you from this angle before," I said, feeling more intoxicated by Damien's presence than the alcohol.
"Do you like what you see?" His lips curved into a smirk, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.
"You're the most beautiful man I've ever seen from every angle." I giggled, reaching up to brush away a stray lock of his hair. But before I could touch him, he grabbed my hand, quick as lightning.
"You don't like being touched," I said, frowning as the suspicion I'd harbored was confirmed.
Instead of replying, Damien slowly brought my hand to his lips, kissing my palm. Then he guided it around his shoulders, doing the same with my other arm. His breathing quickened, and I could see the struggle in his eyes, like my touch was somehow painful. Even drunk, I could tell this moment was important, so I kept my arms as still as I could.
"Let's go home," he said, regaining some control over his breathing.
"Dahlia, everything alright?" Anthony's voice pulled me back to reality, reminding me we weren't alone in the bar.
"Who's this?" Anthony asked again.
"I'm her fucking husband, that's who." Damien ground out, his hold on me tightening but not in a painful way.
Okay, time to intervene, "I'm leaving, please tell the guys I said goodbye and I will see you all tomorrow." Meghan had disappeared after Dancing Queen and I hadn't seen her since.
Damien did not wait for Anthony's reply and carried me out of the bar despite my protests that I could walk on my own.
"You are quite possibly the most unfriendly man I have ever met." I grumbled.
"All my friendliness is reserved for you." He kissed my hair. "Only you."
Outside the bar, I spotted a familiar head of colorful braids. Before I could call out to Meghan, I noticed she was in the middle of a passionate kiss with someone who looked an awful lot like Darren.
End of Save Me Chapter 19. Continue reading Chapter 20 or return to Save Me book page.