When Our Stories Entwine

Chapter Ten - Jackson

Jackson -

I suppose it was always only a matter of time before I'd fuck up again. The look on Maggie's face when she saw me talking to Julie both turned me on and scared the shit out of me.

She's so pure and compassionate that sometimes I forget she has a serious temper. As she stood there in front of us, her arm linked with bloody Nick's, I could physically feel the angry heat radiating off her. Maggie knew seeing her with Nick would piss me off but she did it anyway out of spite.

Getting her out of the club was easier than I had imagined and even easier with Bethany there to help.  Eyeliner slightly pooled under her eyes but she attempted to clean herself up so as not to look like a hot mess in front of the crowd who still lingered in the club. She kept her composure on the way out, gently leaning on my shoulder as we exited and Beth trailing close behind in case she was needed.

I was able to haul ass to my car and bring it around to the front while Bethany stood with Mags. Luckily I hadn't parked far because I wasn't sure how long Maggie could stand upright.  She drank a bloody bar-full, taking shots from every waitress walking around with a tray of drinks.

Little things she doesn't know always surprises me, mixing alcohol like it's candy is something I learned not to do at the early age of fifteen, yet she's still learning.  The answer evades me as I wonder how she can possibly be so innocent and why I get to be the lucky man to corrupt her.

I pull the car almost onto the curb then jump out to help Maggie in the car.  She's leaning heavily on Bethany and I reach them just before Bethany's legs begin to buckle from the pressure. I guide her into the car with a gentle hand on the small of her back and place the other on her head, careful to not let her smack it against the roof of the car.

After she's safely in my Dodge Charger I thank Bethany quickly and run back to the driver's seat, careful not to leave Maggie alone for too long in her drunken state.

I pull away from the club, leaving the loud bass and pumping music shrinking away behind us. Maggie's forehead is now pressed against the chilled window, her eyes half-closed and her face looking exceptionally pale.

"You'll be alright love, we'll just get you home to rest." And I believe that's true until she lets out a miserable moan and rocks her head back and forth against the glass. I find myself suddenly hoping to god she doesn't retch in the car.

"You'll tell me if your gonna puke, yeah?" I hint and she just lets out another groggy noise.

"Look if you're gonna chuck up that's fine, just let me know and I'll pull over." I offer and she nods her head slightly, releasing the anxious tension in my chest.

I don't usually find myself caring for obnoxiously drunk women. I prefer them sober, so that every touch, every taste is firmly planted in their mind. How can you have a woman begging for more when they don't remember what they had in the first place? 

I'm almost jealous of Maggie. She drank so much she probably doesn't even remember the fight to begin with, but it's never worked that way for me.

When I was younger, much younger, I would attempt to drown my sorrows with booze, to numb myself completely and forget my worries. However, despite drinking half my weight in alcohol, I was never able to drown my demons.  They always knew how to swim.

Luckily for the both of us, I don't often drink and when I do, I make it a point to not get drunk. I've learned my lessons from being a troubled young adult and I've found alcohol just enhances the bitter side of me.

"Mmm." Maggie's voice brings me back to reality and I focus on the flashing red lights in front of us. 

I was preparing to lose my shit if she ended up going home with Nick, but luckily I didn't cock up bad enough for that scenario. It was a bit dicey there in the beginning and I'm just thankful she's coming home with me where she belongs. Even though I despise Nick and I'll absolutely never admit this aloud, he's honestly a decent bloke. However, decent or not, I'd never trust him with my girl, especially when she's this drunk.