When I'm with you

Step forward

He opened his eyes and sat up abruptly on the couch. His head was pounding and he was terribly thirsty. His temples were pounding so hard that he felt sick, and he closed his eyes again and lay back down.

"Alive?" a voice echoed from the corner of the room , “I thought you'd never Wake up.”

He jumped to his feet, regretting it after a second, and gripped the thick curtain to stare at the man across from him.

"Where am I?" Otis asked, looking around in alarm.

"In my room," Crowe said lazily, putting his coffee mug back on the coffee table.

"What?  What for? What am I doing here?”, Mr. Molyneux began to chatter, his eyes searching for a way to escape.

"Georgiana said you didn't finish your sentence," Francis said, " although I should have left you on the beach. Maybe the forest fairies would have taken pity on you, turning you into a real person.”

"Kiss my ass, you idiot!",Otis exclaimed, starting to get out of himself, “who do you think you are, dammit?”

"Sorry, buddy, I'm not in that line of work," Crowe said with a grin, “ Would you like some coffee?" Although from the look on your face, I'd go for whiskey.”

Crowe gestured to a large mirror hanging in the opposite corner of the room. Otis slowly walked up to him and began to study his reflection. His face was rather puffy, and the huge bags under his eyes showed that their owner had obviously had too much to drink yesterday. An impressive bruise on his right cheekbone reminded him of his encounter with Crowe's fist.

Otis touched the bruise with his fingertips, wincing in spite of himself, and looked at Francis.

“ If you want an apology, then you will not wait for them”,he quipped”, and foreshadowing your question, no, I'm not sorry, I would love to punch you again.”

"You seem to enjoy bothering me, don't you?" Otis said tartly.

"Why not? You enjoyed making fun of Georgie, didn't you?" said Francis.

"You don't understand! I love Georgiana!  I always have," Otis said.

"Really?" Crowe asked, standing up and looming menacingly over his own "guest, “ so he tried to take her by force? What kind of love is this?”

“Who would say”, objected Otis, proudly lifting his chin, “I think your ex-wife will also be able to tell a lot of interesting things about you. Maybe we should ask her?”

"Go ahead," Francis said with a chuckle, " let's see what she's going to spin this time. Give you  a phone number?”

"You don't suit Georgiana!", Otis exclaimed,  "She and I were made for each other!"

"Georgie's old enough to decide for herself what she wants or doesn't want out of life.", answered Crowe.

"Fuck you!" Mr. Molyneux almost screamed, surprised at the hysterical note in his voice , “Now give me back my shoes!”

"You'll stay here until you tell me everything you know about Mrs. Campion and Beecroft," Crowe snapped.

"I'm not going to tell you anything," Otis said, " and I don't care what you want.”