Griffin

Chapter 24: Into the Night

I look at Jackie, a smile still plasters on her face, but they don't reach her eyes
"Ok" I reply

She leads me to a table in the back of the room where we can have more privacy, she takes a seat at one of the empty chairs, and I follow.

"I must confess, I'm surprised seeing you here," Jackie said "I know we didn't end on good terms the last time we spoke."

"Did it? Didn't you come to a conclusion about me already? I didn't think there was much else needed to be said." I respond 

"That was before I knew you were his maid." She said 

"Was that what he told you?" I arch my eyebrow 

"He didn't need to tell me."

We stare at each other. 

She scrunches up her face "Why are you here with Griffin tonight, Elena?" She asks

"He asked me to be here tonight" 

Jackie's eyes remain on me before a burst of laugh escape from her " He asked you to be here tonight." She repeats

"What are you to him, Elena?" Her expression sobers up and her tone became serious

"Apparently his maid according to you." I response

"I didn't tell you our whole history the last time we spoke, didn't I?" A slow smile creeps up her face

"We met at the most vulnerable point of our lives. I was there for him, embracing him while he was falling apart. We were there for each other. I comforted him as much as he comforted me. My father was an asshole who beats my mom senseless whenever things didn't go his way when he was out in the world. She was his punching bag and I hate her for letting him. Do you know what Griffin did after I told him this? This scrawny 14 years old kid marched to my house and punched that man square in the jaw in front of me. I saw my dad bleed on that floor for the very first time in my life. You know what it made me realize?" She asks a satisfied smile playing on her lips

"That he can bleed just like me and my mom. That knowledge gave me such comfort. What Griffin gave me that day was more than anyone could have given me at that point in my life." She said

"Griffin and I were each other's first, Elena. We embrace our body together and find solace in each other." Her eyes penetrate mine

My chest pang.

 A waiter walks by and she flags him down for a drink "Want one?" She asks me

"No, thank you," I said

She gulps her drink as her eyes search the crowd "He's back quicker than I thought." She said before down the rest of the drink

 Griffin makes his way toward us; he doesn't look happy in fact he looks angry. Griffin looks at Jackie, and just as quickly as his facial expression change, he walks faster toward us "Shit! How much did you have to drink?" He asks Jackie his eyes roaming her face; Jackie gives him a lopsided grin.

"Shit" he looks around the place, one hand around Jackie, he takes out his phone and dials someone " I need you here. Yeah. No. He can go fuck himself." He said into the phone before hanging up

He looks down at Jackie and checks her eyes " Can you walk? " He asks her as he removes part of her hair from her face

He looks at me then " We need to get out of here now. I'll explain more outside." He said

All three of us make our way out of the building, Griffin has his arm around Jackie's shoulder to support her.

Griffin stops and turns to me; Jackie leans her head closer against his chest with her eyes close. 

"I should have stopped her, but she was fine a while ago.  " I said

" Hey, it's ok. We're all adults here." Griffin said, " It's just..." He looks uncertain as he searches for how to explain this to me "It's just Jackie has had a bad history with drinking." 

I nod, looking down at the pebbles on the ground. I look back up at Jackie being held, pressed firmly against his chest

Her words come back to me "Griffin and I were each other's first, Elena. We embrace our body together and find solace in each other."

I swallow. The wind picks up and tussles my hair, I realize I still have Griffin's jacket. Griffin pulls Jackie tighter against his body to shield her from the cold hard wind. 

A lump in my throat watching the scene. I take a small step back.

Something hard meet against the small of my back, I look up to Logan's dark eyes looking down at me, and his hands shoot up to steady my shoulder " Be careful there, you don't want to fall too hard" he said with good humor, his smile drops when he sees whatever it is on my face

"I'm glad you're here. We have a little situation at hand." Griffin said, Logan looks at Griffin taking in the situation in front of him before his eyes slowly look back down at me.

"I need you to take Elena home for me," Griffin said

"What about you?" Logan asks

"I need to take Jackie home and make sure she's ok," Griffin said

"Are you going to be ok?" Logan asks his brother

Griffin gives his brother a half smile "Yeah, I'll be ok"

Logan looks at his brother for moments more before letting out a sigh, he tosses his brother the car's key

"Alright let's get out of here," Logan said

"Thank you," Griffin said before bending his knees, putting his other arm under Jackie's legs, and picking her up. He cradles her against his chest as he walks away.

I stand at the same spot watching them.

"Shall we?" Logan asks, I give him a polite smile and nod

We walk quietly to his car, Logan opens the passenger's door for me, and I thanked him before he makes his way to his side and hops in as well.

The road is quiet, I look at the time it's 12:10 am. Street lights are on, I look at the passing scenery.

"He's protective of people he cares about in general. Don't think too much of it." Logan's voice breaks the silence

I said nothing

"I know he can be stubborn and once he made up his mind on something, there's no stopping him," Logan said

"He makes one hell of a business partner. He's kicking ass and taking names out there. Couldn't be prouder of him as his brother." Logan continues on 

"But it can also be our downfall when it comes to the matter of the heart. We analyze things and make decisions based on what's the more probable choice. Taking Jackie home because she's not feeling well, given her history of bad alcohol involvement, is the more probable choice for him now. It has nothing to do with the matter of the heart." Logan said, he looks at me.

I said nothing as I continue to stare out the window the wind doesn't feel as nice today, it was icy cold.