“What?”
“Give me the drinks. I’m going to find my friends.”
“You do know who that guy was, right? If I hadn’t stepped in, you’d be getting written up or brought downtown. Is that really what you want?”
“I already said thank you.”
“Do you want me to get him back over here? Ask him to study your ID?”
“Don’t mess with me.”
“No, don’t mess with me. I told you that you needed me. I just proved my point.”
“I would have been fine.”
“Really? You didn’t look fine.”
“What the hell are you doing here, Aaron?” Juliet and Mallory appeared on either side. I let out a sigh of relief. At least I had backup.
“I was merely talking with Cara and demonstrating why she needed me.”
“Let’s get out of here.” I didn’t bother with a sip of my drink before setting it aside. Considering my close call, I preferred not to have any alcohol in my system.
“Good idea.” Mallory linked her arm with mine.
“I should have just let you get busted.” His eyes narrowed. “Maybe then you’d have realized how dumb you can be. I told you I’m not waiting around forever. The clock is ticking.”
“I’ve moved on already.” I knew as soon as the words were out of my mouth, I’d made a mistake.
“Excuse me?”
“Nothing. We’re leaving.”
“No.” Aaron set aside the other drinks on the table with mine. “Tell me, Cara. Who’d you move on with?”
“It’s none of your business.”
He crossed his arms, accentuating how huge his biceps were. What had once seemed attractive now seemed frightening. “I already know it’s some idiot musician.”
But I refused to let him scare me. “You don’t know anything.”
“He’s going to get bored with you. He’s going to get bored, and toss you to the side.”
“That’s not true,” Juliet jumped in. “And you know it.”
“He’s playing with you. He’s getting his kicks out of dating a girl like you, but he’s going to move on.” Aaron’s words were cruel and selected specifically to hurt me. How had I never seen this side of him while we were together? Maybe I hadn’t wanted to see it. What I thought of as protective was actually controlling.
“You don’t even know him.” Mallory seethed.
“You got pissed at me for messing around a few times. You don’t think he’s doing the same thing? If you don’t, you’re even dumber than I thought.” Aaron practically snarled.
Without thinking, I swung my hand at him, smacking him across the face.
He touched his cheek, and I started walking away, pulling my friends with me.
“You bitch.”
I didn’t turn around. I’d either done something really smart or really stupid, but either way, it felt good. I’d stood up for myself this time. I didn’t let someone else do it for me.
“I’m done waiting, okay? I’m done. This is it, I’m not asking again. I’m not rescuing you again,” he called from behind me.
I turned around. “Good. I don’t need you to rescue me.”
I turned back around, and we walked out.
Mallory looked partially in shock. “Wow. You just slapped Aaron.”
“And it felt good. I don’t feel scared. I don’t even feel angry. I just feel good.”
“I’m really sorry about this. I wish I’d know he was coming.” Juliet put an arm around me.
“It’s not your fault. I actually think it’s good. Maybe that was the closure I needed.”
“Are you going to tell Chase?” Mallory asked as we slipped into the back of a cab.
“Yes.” Keeping this kind of thing from Chase would just blowup in my face. As much as I didn’t want to make him worry, I needed to be open. “I’m sorry the girl’s night didn’t work out.”
“It’s not your fault.”
When the cab pulled up along the curb at the house, Juliet paid, and we all hopped out. “So, what happened? What did he mean by rescue you?”
“I was being questioned by an undercover cop. Aaron vouched for me.”