Joseph was having a great time at the club, dancing with women who’d only ever seen him in magazines or online. He was a little bit of a celebrity. It came with all the perks and none of the downsides. Downing another shot, and then another, he barely even stopped to look up at who he’d came with. She’d been quiet for a bit, but he figured that was just due to some hidden jealousy over last night and what he was doing now.
Only when she pushed through the people dancing did he even consider something was wrong. He was a mess, all gangly limbs and no swagger left in him, but he still made an effort to look halfway decent as he strode out of the club. The humid air sobered him up just enough for him to take off running towards Zoey when he realized she was approaching a nearby bridge.
“Zo! Wait up!” He called out to her, though it was slurred and muffled by his huffing breaths. He was never good at cardio, despite how semi-toned he looked.
When he got close enough, he reached out a hand and caught her arm, holding fast to her. “You okay, Zo?” He wanted to say honey or darling. Something held him back, though.
Maybe it was the frantic look in her eyes.
Liam gave her a nod that she was sure she wouldn’t have picked up on if her eyes hadn’t been so keen. She knew what he wanted her to do without it even being said, because that was what they did. They could read each other’s minds. Literally. He had been her pack.
“LIIIIAAAMMM!” Zoey cried out, her voice ringing through the street, bouncing off brick walls and concrete ground. He looked back at her, more manic than she had ever seen him. Every part of her screamed out to reach him and drag him back to the hotel, to Scout, to his family that he almost hadn’t let happen. She could make things better.
Come and get me, sweets…
A step forward. Then another. And another. Closer and close towards him until something pulled her back. The snarl tore out of her mouth, as Zoey looked up at the figure she failed to recognise. Restraint. He was a restraint, and he was stopping her from fixing her karma. Fighting against his grip, Zoey called out again, not hearing Joseph’s words or her own panicked tones. To onlookers, it must have looked odd, the woman trying desperately to pull away from the man that so obviously knew her.
