Bane of the Beta

I nursed my drink and let my eyes assess all the men that were in close proximity. Some wore wedding bands, others were most definitely gay, but there were a few apples ripe for the picking. Several of the men ogled at me in my skin tight mini dress that showed off my best assets. I waited patiently for one to finally get the balls to come up to me and ask me to dance, or offer to buy me a drink.

“Did it hurt?” A tall handsome man with a beard and bald head sidled up to me. He put his arms against the bar, trapping me, and stared at me with the most cocky and evil smile I had ever seen. I knew this pickup line, all women knew it, but I figured I’d indulge him and give him the benefit of the doubt. 

“Did what hurt?” I looked up at him with doe eyes and fluttered my lashes. 

“When you fell from heaven?” He puffed his chest out and smiled confidently. I gave my best girly laugh and leaned in close. 

“Go fuck yourself,” I said, still laughing and fluttered my lashes at him again. His confident grin quickly turned angry and he leaned in closer. 

“What did you say to me, bitch?”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” his expression softened again as I cleared my throat, “what I meant to say was; fuck off.” I traced two fingers along his chest and patronizingly patted his cheek.

“Cunt,” he hissed with his eyebrows furrowed. He took a step away and no longer trapped me against the bar. 

“If the shoe fits.” I shrugged and winked at him. He slowly turned around, fists clenched at his sides, and disappeared into the crowd with an angry and defeated expression. 

“He couldn’t have handled a woman like you anyway.” I turned to view the man who rested against the bar beside me. He was the most attractive man I’d ever seen. His dark brown hair and bright green eyes peered into my soul. His half smile combined with his relaxed expression and body language caught me off guard. I tried to keep up my hard exterior, but his handsome face broke every barrier I had carefully crafted to rubble. 

“Hi,” I said and was immediately embarrassed. This time my blush and girly laugh were real. I tucked some hair behind my ear nervously as his smile widened and melted me from the inside out. There was nobody else but him and I as I stared at him, nearly drooling. 

“Hi,” he said confidently. “I’m Sean,” he reached out a hand for me to shake. 

“I…” I stuttered. Taking a deep breath and clearing my throat, I continued. “I’m Reed.” I reached out to shake his hand. Immediately electricity shot through my body as our skin touched, making me jump in surprise. If he noticed my flinch, he didnt say so.

“Nice to meet you, Reed.” My name rolled off his tongue deliciously, almost as if it were made for his smooth deep voice. After the electric jolt, fire lit in my stomach and I had to hold my breath to prevent a small moan from escaping my lips. Suddenly he released my hand and I stared at mine, it felt cold without his touch.

“Would you like to dance with me, Reed?” His eyes never left mine as he put out his arm for me to take. I didn’t say anything, but grabbed his arm enthusiastically. I'm sure a huge goofy smile was on my face. I grabbed my drink in my other hand as he led me through a crowd of no one. 

As we reached the middle of the dance floor, he spun me a few times then pulled me flush against his body. My hand went around his neck as he traveled down to my hips. I swung my hips in rhythm to the music and he did the same. He turned me around and ran his hands up and down my body as if he couldn’t get enough of me.

The song ended and I turned to face him, we were both breathing heavily. He stared at my lips as my eyes traveled his body unabashedly. He slowly closed the gap between us and kissed me gently. He pulled away, keeping his eyes closed and panting. I could tell he was trying to control himself, but there was nothing I found sexier than being able to break a man’s self control. I wrapped both arms around his neck and pressed myself against him, his eyes stayed squinted as he kissed me passionately and tried to keep control. My tongue teased his lips, I wanted to taste his sweet tongue, and he opened up gladly. Our tongues mingled and danced together as we desperately kissed. Lips, tongues, and teeth clashing.

At some point we must’ve navigated off of the dance floor and into a relatively secluded area because he pushed me hard against the wall. My head was spinning, I felt euphoric and dizzy as we panted together. He captured my moans in his mouth and ran his fingers through my hair. His hand finally landed on the back of my neck, pulling me even closer. There was something animalistic about the way he kissed and touched me, his craving matched mine until he suddenly pulled away and stared at me. His eyes searched my face for something.

“What?” I panted. He sniffed the air and I was mortified. I covered my mouth and stopped breathing altogether. “I’m so sorry,” I said, looking away from him trying not to breathe in his direction. “My breath must be atrocious.” From my perspective, I smelled minty. The only drinks I’d had contained mint leaves and I chewed on them like gum in between drinks. Obviously my perception was wrong because he was staring at me with a confused expression. 

“No,” he said, smiling slightly and pulled my hand from my mouth. His fingers hooked under my chin to make me look straight at him, I continued to hold my breath. “Breathe, Reed.” I wouldn’t have obliged but I was about to pass out from lack of oxygen. My huge exhale pushed hair back away from his face and I could feel my cheeks flaming as I tried to avert my eyes. His attentionfell to the beverage I was still somehow holding in my hand. “Reed, how much have you had to drink?” Concern replaced his confused expression. 

“Umm…” I tried to think but my mind was a little foggy. “I think two, including this one.” I held out my drink to show him that it was only half full. Was it only these? The fog in my brain thickened. “I think.” I slurred my words and was having a hard time keeping my eyes open. The euphoria of kissing him must’ve really taken it out of me.

“Reed?” His grip around me tightened as I began to lose my grasp on his shoulders. The room was spinning. I could feel the drink slipping out of my hand as he took it from me and sniffed it. “Someone spiked your drink, Reed.” Spiked? What does spiked mean? My mind couldn’t grasp the words he was telling me. “Motherfuckers!” He cursed as he threw the glass against the opposite wall, shattering it and sending shards in every direction. 

“Sean?” My eyes were half closed as I tried to fight my sudden sleepiness. They must’ve closed briefly because I remembered being carried to one of the couches in the club’s courtyard. 

“You’re ok, Reed. You’re safe. Sit up, have a sip of this,” he handed me a bottle of something red and I took a long swig before he gently pulled it out of my hands and moved to caress my cheek. He was squatted down in front of me with worry and fear in his eyes, running his fingers through my hair. 

“I know how to handle a girl like her,” a voice boomed nearby. The man who trapped me at the bar earlier strode toward us, he had two other men with him. They stood menacingly close. Suddenly, realization hit me. I’d been drugged, these men were here to rape me once I went unconscious.

Realization was replaced with anger as my eyes bore into their. “Leave me, Sean. I can handle myself. These tiny-dicked bastards won’t lay one hand on me,” the fog in my head had cleared slightly. “I’ll cut their dicks off and mail them to their mothers,” I spat at them, managing to land some spit on his shiny designer shoes. 

Sean didn’t take his eyes off of me. One hand held mine and he gave me a slight squeeze. The men fanned out behind him but he remained focused on me. 

“Alright bitch, tell your boyfriend to piss off,” said one of the men I didn’t recognize. Anger continued to rise within me and I could see it building in Sean’s green eyes too. 

“Make yourself scarce,” said the other one as he loosened his tie. Finally Sean broke eye contact with me and acknowledged them by turning his head slightly. “Three against one,” the man said with a shrug.

“Don’t worry,” said the man who I’d met earlier, “we’ll return her to you after me and my buddies have handled her.” He laughed and ran a hand through his hair. “Well,” he continued, “mostly safe and sound.”

“Now what kind of man would I be if I left a beautiful woman to be ravaged by three shrimp dicked assholes.” Sean gave my hand a squeeze again and shot me an evil smile before letting go and standing to face them. He was several inches taller and much more muscular than the men who stared back at him, but they were right, there were three of them, and only one of him. 

“You’re pretty ballsy,” the man I recognized laughed. 

“Nah,” Sean replied nonchalantly. “I’m just a normal guy.” He reached up and rubbed his jaw, thinking. “Well, mostly normal.”

“A normal guy who’s about to get his ass kicked,” one of them said, “right guys?” He put up his hand, waiting for a high five, but the others just stared at him.

“You’re not very bright are you?” Sean asked him. “Well, I think I’ve had enough talk,” Sean yawned exaggeratedly then returned to his casual pose, arms across his chest. 

“Big bad wolf over here,” one of them mused. 

“You have no idea.” A deep growl emanated from Sean’s chest as his tone and expression turned serious. His half smile turned dark. He seemed to grow to 7 feet tall, towering above the men’s heads. My vision was blurry and distorted as I watched him move quicker than my eyes could track, but I fought to keep my eyes open.

“She’s not worth it! Keep the worthless bitch,” one of the men shouted as he ran away, “I hope her pussy is loose!” The others followed and took off across the courtyard. 

“Bring them home, boys,” Sean’s voice sounded beastly. I couldn’t see who he was talking to. 

“Sean…” my eyes were becoming too heavy for me to keep open. 

“You’re ok, Reed. Baby, you’re safe,” I desperately fought to keep my eyes open. Sean was back in my view, he held up my bobbing head. “Have another sip, Reed. It’ll help.” He held the bottle with the strange liquid to my lips and tipped it slightly, I focused all my attention on forcing it down my throat without choking. I didn’t know what it was, but for some reason, I trusted this man.

“Are you going to leave me?” I asked quietly, a small surge of energy pulsing through me. 

“Of course not, I’m taking you with me. I want to keep an eye on you while the drug gets out of your system.” Relief washed over me as he scooped me up. My head rested against his hard chest and I held onto his shirt. Earlier it was tight and barely contained his muscles but now it was loose and sagging off of his body.

I remember falling in and out of consciousness, being carried by Sean and having his reassuring presence when I was placed in a car.