Cody
I need a drink.
That’s the sole thought echoing through my head as I walked out of the house. But when I got on my bike, the wind at my back, I started driving straight to the one bar I shouldn’t go to: the Elephant Bar.
Kim’s there on a date, so why should I go there? I’ll just end up ruining her night. But I can’t stop myself.
It’s already 7 pm, night has settled into the Hamptons, and I know nothing about her. And I need to see her, to talk to her.
You know, just to make sure everything’s okay.
As I see the brightly lit bar in the distance, it’s stark outline against the night sky, I realize I have no idea what I’m going to say to her. “Hey, there, ‘sis. Just came here to check out your date. He probably has a two-inch dick by the looks of it?” How does that sound?
But whatever. I’ve never been the kind of guy to overthink things, and I sure as hell ain’t going to start now.
I pull to the parking lot, looking for an empty space, and that’s when I see it.
Kim’s back against the side of a car, a man kissing her neck.
Fuck.
I stop the bike some forty feet away from them, completely stunned. She’s making out with some guy in the parking lot, and my heart is racing like never before. Fuck, I’m almost ready to drive off when I realize that they’re not making out.
She’s struggling. The man is pinning her down against the car, and he’s trying to grab and kiss her.
I guess it’s time I introduce my fists to someone.
I get off my bike, put it on its rest, and then take my helmet off. He lets go of Kim the moment he sees me getting off of the bike, and I can already tell by his swaying gait that he has more alcohol in his system than blood.
I exchange a glance with Kim, and her expression is one of pure relief. Don’t worry, ‘sis, the cavalry is here.
I walk straight toward the man, my lips a straight line of fury, and he wastes no time; he takes his hands to my chest and pushes me back. Security is nowhere in sight, so I guess I’ll have to be the one taking out the trash. He’s almost as tall as me, and he looks like he’s packing some serious muscle under his shirt. Perfect, a roided-out drunk asshole looking for a fight; my day’s going downhill fast.
“Alright. You better get the fuck out of here,” I stare him down, trying to make him understand that I’m not fucking around. “Right now.”
He squints his eyes at me, as if he’s truly seeing me for the first me.
“Who the fuck do you think you are…?” he slurs, that drunk grin reappearing on his face. “You don’t tell me what to do, you fucking asshole!”
I sigh, ready to put his neck in an arm-lock. I take one step forward but Kim jumps between us, arms outstretched.
“Please…” she starts. “Let’s just get out of here, Cody, and --”
And then the fucking bastard signs his death sentence. He raises his hand and slaps Kim hard, making her fall to the floor. “Stay out of the fucking way, bitch,” he hisses, a trickle of her blood on the back of his hand.
All I see is red.
One fast step forward and I bury my fist in his face, feeling the small bones in his nose shattering. He falls to the floor, clutching his face and kicking wildly with his legs, blood everywhere.
Then he opens his eyes, a murderous look on his face, and takes one hand to his pockets.
I notice something flashing in his hands as he gets up. Moving fast, he lunges at me and I manage to sidestep him, when he goes by me, failing his attack, I see the contour of a blade; I twist my whole body and grab him mid-lunge, one hand holding him by the back of his neck as the other holds his wrist tightly. I kick his shins hard, throwing him off balance, and push him to the ground. His face meets the floor with a sickening wet sound and he finally stays put.
Feeling the adrenaline still pulsing in my veins, I stop and look at Kim. She seems shocked by the whole thing, and there’s a small cut on her lower lip; I rest my hand against her cheek, feeling her warm skin under my fingers.
“Hey, you okay, ‘sis?” I whisper, her beautiful eyes sinking their hooks in me. She simply nods and I notice she’s shaking, her skin prickled. I take my jacket and place it over her shoulders. “It’s alright, I’m here.”
“Just take me home,” she whispers, leaning into me and resting her head against my chest. I hold her tight, feeling the rise and fall of her chest and savoring every moment of it.
I take her by the hand and guide her toward my motorbike “Take this,” I tell her as I grab the helmet it and lower it over her head. It looks comical on her, and it’s probably a bit too big for her, but it’ll do on the ride home.
“Where’s yours?”
“That’s mine. You can take it. I don’t need it... “
“Are you sure?” she asks, anxious to go home but still not wanting to break the rules.
“Yeah, it’s fine. It’s not that far anyway.”
Kim simply nods in agreement, and I hop on the bike. She climbs on the back clumsily, and I rev up the engine as I wait for her to be settled. Breathing in deeply as she laces me with her arms, my heart kicks as the palms of her hands press against my stomach. I’m not sure if all the adrenaline that still courses through my body is due to the fight or to her being so close to me.
Either way, I need the open road. I can feel my mind cooling down as the harsh wind beats against my face, lashing at me as I cut through the night fast. I can feel the growl of the engine between my legs, Kim's body tightly pressed against mine, the vastness of the open road unfolding before me… It’s a perfect moment, more perfect than anything that has happened for a long time.
I wish for it to never end, for the road to stretch under me for endless miles. But good things always come to an end, and soon I’m halting to a stop behind our beach house. She hops off the bike and takes the helmet off as I kill the engine, a strange feeling taking over me as the silence of the night embraces us both.
“Thank you, Cody,” Kim says, looking into my eyes and almost making my heart stop. I can see she still isn’t herself, so I just smile and take her inside the house.
“Don’t worry about it. Just try and get some sleep. I…” I stop for a while, lost in her eyes. And that’s when she does the unthinkable.
She leans in and kisses me.