Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer

Part 80

80

The bouncer took one look at her ID, recognised who Caitlin was and let us straight in. It was Friday night and the place was packed, but we'd managed to get a tiny little table with a good view over the dance floor that wasn't too far from the bar. I bought us drinks and we toasted her belated happy birthday.

She was happy enough, well into her first drink, when the DJ turned the music down to make his announcement.

"We have a local celebrity here tonight – a girl who we all thought was dead, but here she is, celebrating her eighteenth birthday here with us. Let's all say a big happy birthday to Caitlin Lockyer!" Cheers erupted as he pointed straight at us. "There she is! And we're all going to make sure she has a great time tonight!" More cheers, louder this time.

The music started up again and Caitlin suddenly became very interested in finishing her drink. People around us were staring and I could hear someone at the next table saying, "...found by some bloke on a beach where she'd been left to die..."

I offered to get her another drink, but it was a long wait at the bar. I found myself listening to the conversation going on behind me.

"Matt, don't. Her boyfriend's just at the bar, you're not going to get anywhere with her."

"I say he's her bodyguard, not boyfriend. Come on mate, it's worth a try. The worst she can do is say no." I turned slightly to see the blokes having the conversation, just in time to see Matt disappear into the crowd. His mate shook his head and drank his beer.

"Nathan?" The voice that knew my name was familiar. Memories stirred of tequila shots, chartreuse and taking home two hot Canadian students. Marcus, who'd never let me live down leaving him alone while I escorted both girls to my house.

I turned my back on the head-shaking stranger and came face-to-face with Marcus. "Hi, mate."

He grinned. "I knew it was you. Haven't seen you in ages! I've had the pick of the best while you've been away. Who's your target tonight?"

Feeling proud, I nodded toward Caitlin. "Red dress." And far more beautiful than any other girl I've seen in this club. Not tonight. Not ever.

I saw Matt sidle out of the crowd and sit down opposite Caitlin.

"Looks like you have competition, mate," Marcus teased.

Matt said something and she gave a short reply, with a nervous smile.

I shook my head. My smile was as confident as ever. I was the only one who'd be taking Caitlin home. "No, mate. Caitlin's mine."

"Caitlin?" Marcus peered at her, looking worried. "No, don't, mate."

I laughed. Give up on my angel? Not a hope. "Why the hell not?"

"She's been in the news, mate. Kidnapped, raped and found by some bloke on a beach where they left her to die. She's not worth it." Marcus sounded really serious.

You don't know her, nor what she's worth. "Because some other bloke's had her first? You know I'm not into virgins, mate…"

Matt said something else to Caitlin, but she didn't reply.

Marcus persisted. "Are you stupid? Not only is she Mission Impossible, but if you manage to get her drunk enough to get into her pants, there's no saying she won't call it rape in the morning. You're fucked, either way. Don't, mate." I heard the words, but I didn't pay them any heed.

Matt must have introduced himself to Caitlin, because he stuck out a hand to shake hers. She hesitated, before she offered him her badly bruised right hand. I watched him give a firm handshake, squeezing her fingers too hard.

I saw her lips frame the words, "Let go of me," as she winced in pain.

"Oh shit." I left Marcus standing at the bar and started to shove my way through the crowd back to Caitlin. Before I could get there, the guy from the next table leaned back and punched Matt in the face.

Matt keeled over backwards, flat out on the floor. The half-dozen feet he'd almost landed on laid into the guy, too, so I couldn't even see where he was in the free-for-all. Caitlin stood up unsteadily but didn't know where to go to get away from the brawl that was rapidly escalating in front of her. She looked around frantically, too scared to release the scream I could see building as she jerked in each panicked breath.

I curled an arm around her, trying to support her. I could feel her body shaking as she watched the bouncer drag a bruised and bleeding Matt out of the night club. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" I asked urgently.

"He barely touched me," she whimpered, almost ready to cry.

"Look mate, it's the girl's birthday and if you don't want what he got, I think you should leave her alone." The guy from the next table who'd thrown the first punch had sat down again and his warning was directed at me.

I need to leave. She's safe here, but I'm not. I could feel her sagging against me – she couldn't stand up much longer. If she doesn't sit back down, she'll need my help even more than she does now. Caitlin murmured something I couldn't hear. I leaned closer to her and asked her to repeat it. She tilted her head up, so her lips were close to my ear. "Don't leave me. You promised."

My heart froze in my chest. All my previously solid thoughts of leaving her alone again, even for a moment, sublimated to join the dry-ice haze wafting around the dance floor of the club. I closed my eyes for the briefest moment, struggling to breathe. You promised. You owe her, you bastard.

"Last warning, mate," our friendly neighbour told me ominously. From the looks on the surrounding faces, they all agreed with him and they'd probably back him up, too.

I can't take them all on. And I can't leave her alone.

"Do you want to stay here or go home?" I asked her, urgently.

"I want to get out of here!" I could feel her panic.

"Let go of the girl." Friendly Neighbour stood, both hands clenched on the backrest of his barstool.

"Wrap your arms around my neck, give me a big, sloppy kiss, smile and act drunk. I won't let you fall and I'll get you out of here," I told Caitlin, letting go of her and throwing my hands up in surrender. She stumbled, as I knew she would, but she came up smiling.

"I love you, Nathan," Caitlin slurred, throwing her arms around my neck. I stared at her in shock for saying words I never thought I'd hear, even though I knew she didn't mean them. It took me a minute to realise how much weight she had hanging on my neck, I was so euphoric. I reached out as if all I wanted to do was steady her, but really trying to stop her from breaking my neck. She kissed me clumsily, as if she didn't know how, and looked up at me with a blissful smile on her face before her knees buckled.

I had most of her weight anyway. It wasn't an issue to lift her off her feet and into my arms, commenting about how she'd had enough to drink for one night. Her smile remained pasted on her face as she looked up at me.

Smiles, claps, a few bawdy cheers following us as I carried Caitlin out of the club. I could see Marcus shaking his head in disbelief as we passed. I shrugged, smiled and shouldered my way through to the cool darkness outside.

I tried to set her on her feet again when we reached the street, but her arms were still around my neck, so she swung around to face me. She was still smiling, looking up at me, but it was too dark for me to tell how this was different. She stretched up to kiss me again, hesitant at first and then...more like...last night. And I know she's not drunk.

"Thank you," Caitlin said slowly as she pulled away from me.

Like some lovesick teenager who'd just slurped his first kiss, I wanted to savour the citrus taste of her tongue in my mouth. My adrenaline levels were higher now than they'd been at the thought of a fight in the club. I tried to calm down enough to sound sane. "Come on, I'll take you home now, if you like."

"Your place. You promised your place," she insisted. "And I'd like to stop at a bottle shop on the way. You said you'd get me another drink."