Distractions Ch. 11

Wilson leaned over and fingered his nose, trying to determine how bad it was. "That will be the last time you hit me you stupid bitch."

"Call me what you want," I said as I spun the ring around on my finger. "But I don't hit like a bitch, do I? Nor do I beg to get fucked in the ass like one."

Wilson stood to his full height, and it never occurred to be afraid of him. Sure, he was stronger than me, and probably faster, but I was a woman scorned, and I was pissed.

"You think you're all tough because you can sucker punch someone?"

"I hit you head on, fucker. Don't be mad because you keep getting socked in the face by a chick."

"You know," he said wiping his face and successfully spreading blood from ear to ear. "I was starting to feel bad for fucking up you and Gavin. It really was quite sad how easily you too believed Cassie and me. Honestly, for someone who was so in love with you, I would have thought he'd have fought just a little bit harder for you. But now, now I realize that you and him got exactly what cunts like you deserved."

Call me crazy, but I hate the c-word. A person can call me a lot of things, but you can't call me the c-word and expect me to just take it. Slowly but surely, he was adding to the anger and resentment I was feeling, and it's clear I was pushing his buttons.

"You might want to check the bathroom. Last I checked, Cassie was unconscious on the floor of the third stall in the women's room."

Wilson charged at me like a raging bull, nostrils flared and arms flexed. I almost smiled at the effort he was exerting, but I did feel bad for him. He'd been carrying this burden with him, trying so hard to fit in, and nothing was working, but that's no excuse for treating me the way he did.

Wilson lunged for my throat with his teeth bared. I took a step to easily sidestep him, but the heels I wasn't used to walking in got caught in the hem of my gown and I lost my balance. His fingers wrapped around my neck just as I started to fall, and the weight of my body brought him down with me.

My head hit the marble with a sickening crack and I tried to force the black dots from dancing in front of my eyes. Wilson had gotten a better grip on my neck and was squeezing for all he was worth. I was starting to panic as I cursed my heels. If I hadn't been in this fucking dress, I could have dropped this fucker before he put his greasy hands around my neck. I was trying to get my knee in between his legs, but I couldn't get my leg free of my gown. Note to self: don't pick a fight when not in street clothes.

The hit I took when my head hit the floor made my brain foggy, and I could tell my body was starting to go limp because I watched as a depraved smile took over Wilson's once handsome features. I cursed myself for being so stupid. I should have taken the shoes off before I started the fight with him. This was my fault, because I knew better.

I could feel the blackness starting to take over, and for a moment, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that Wilson would kill me. On instinct, my fingers clawed at his wrists as I tried to pry him off, but my mind already knew I was fighting a loosing battle. I tried to force myself to stay calm as I attempted to knock his arms away at his elbows, but my blows were losing strength.

_(*(*(-)*)*)_

Gavin couldn't hear Red's footsteps anymore, and he guessed she took over her shoes; there was no way she could run in those things anyway. In his need to be with her, he was desperate to find her and he marveled at the idea of her only being gone for minutes. What was going to happen when she moved to California? He'd go nuts; they were only playing a game of hide and seek.

As he wandered about the hotel, he couldn't help but think of how much time he wasted trying to push her away. He should have done something back in high school, after that night of the bonfire. Because he was a chicken, she ended up with Wilson, and Wilson ended up hurting her. Gavin couldn't help but think it was his fault. If he'd just been a little braver, he could have saved her from all that pain.

Then he ran from her when he saw her with Wilson at the hospital. If he was being truthful, he ran because he was hurt, and he had never been hurt like that before. Hurt because his best friend lied to him, hurt because he tried everything he could to help Red heal, and there she was sucking face with that prick in the parking lot. But that guilt wasn't going to stop him from chasing her through this ancient hotel, if anything, it made him pick up the pace. He felt like he had a lot to make up for.

Gavin sighed as he walked along the empty halls listening to the sound of the music pulsing through the walls. Just under the sound of the music, Gavin thought he heard what he thought was gurgling. He stopped walking and held his breath trying to hear. It sounded like heels banging on the marble flooring, but he couldn't be sure. Gavin's head tilted as he tried to angle his head to hear better. He didn't mind when his feet carried him closer to the noise.

He rounded the corner with his eyebrows creased and his fists tensed at his side. The closer he got, the more it sounded like a struggle. Gavin's breathing stopped as his heart clenched when he stepped fully around the corner. It only took a second for him to take in the sight of Wilson sitting astride Red with his fingers wrapped around her throat.

Gavin didn't think as his feet propelled him forward. Red had stopped struggling as Wilson tired to dig his fingers deeper in the tender flesh of Red's neck. Wilson looked up just in time to see Gavin barreling towards him and he had just enough time to try and scramble away from Red before Gavin slammed his body in his back.

Gavin didn't need to say anything as he punched Wilson in the back to make sure he stayed down. Wilson had managed to turn himself over to try to stop the blows to his kidneys. Gavin saw the look of sheer terror in his eyes, but it wasn't enough to stop him. Wilson had fucked up his life, and he was finally getting the chance to get even.

Blood pounded in Gavin's ears he hit Wilson again and again in the face. This bastard was the reason his best friend wasn't talking to him. This bastard was the reason Red was really going to California.

Gavin pounded Wilson for everything he imagined he did to Red. He hit him again and again not feeling the pain as his knuckles split open, trying not to feel the wound Wilson had opened inside him by hurting Red. Gavin would have killed him if it weren't for a raspy voice calling out his name.

At first, he tried to ignore it. At first, he didn't want to hear it because that would mean he would have to stop, but eventually the pleading of the voice stilled his fists.

He heard the voice again as he sat over Wilson looking at the bloody mess he made. Gavin just hoped he made Wilson hurt as much as he hurt Red.

At the thought of her, Gavin turned to see Red on her side; one hand on her neck and the other on the back of her head. Gavin cursed aloud as he saw the beginnings of Wilson's finger impressions appearing around her neck.

Gavin dragged himself away from Wilson and slid himself to Red's side, all the while trying to ignore the shooting pain in his hands. He was certain he'd broken a bone or two. Gavin sat on the floor next to Red and pulled her head into his lap. She wasn't crying, but he could tell she wanted to.

"Are you okay?" It was a silly question to ask given the circumstances, but there was no way around it.

Red nodded her head.

Gavin's heart tore into a million tiny pieces. He should have been there with her. If he was with her, this never would have happened. He clutched her tighter to him as he sat blaming himself. He clamped his eyes shut trying to think of a way to take away her pain only to realize it was impossible.

This was all his fault.

"Don't blame yourself," she said to him in a whisper. He opened his eyes to see her wince at the action of trying to swallow. "If I hadn't been in these fucking shoes, I could have beat that mother fuckers ass."

Gavin couldn't help but smile through his own pain. He knew Red was hurting, but she was trying to make him feel better. His heart broke a little more.

Wilson was making gurgling sounds as he rolled to his side and spit out blood.

"Can you stand?" Gavin wanted to get her as far away from Wilson as possible.

She nodded, but Gavin wasn't as sure.

He crouched down next to her and grabbed her arm, helping her stand. It took a second before she stopped swaying, but she could stand on her own.

Gavin watched her cautiously as she turned her back to Wilson, her hands still gripping her neck.

"You both are so fucking dumb." They both stilled when they heard Wilson's voice. Gavin tried to stop Red when she turned around to face him. "Really, it was too easy." Wilson let out a sick laugh as he watched Red approach him. His eyes were swelling shut and his face was smeared and seeping blood. What a violent pair we made.

Red shook off Gavin's help to walk. She stood over Wilson staring into his bloody face. Her only regret was that she couldn't have done the damage herself. "I feel sorry for you," Red croaked out. "I feel sorry for you just like I feel sorry for Cassie. If you didn't hate yourself so much, you'd be a decent person."

Wilson spat out another mouth full of blood and tried to open his rapidly swelling eyes further. "You feel sorry for me? Look at me," he said waving his hands across his body. "I'm gorgeous. I'm Wilson Butler. Who the fuck are you? You're a fucking slut. That's who you are."

Gavin said nothing as he watched Red raise her foot above Wilson's crotch and land it with more force than he thought she was currently capable. The action caused Wilson to scream and Red to sway on her feet. Gavin rushed to her side as he tried to keep her from falling.

She grasped onto his arm as she tried to take a step but stumbled. Gavin lifted her swiftly into his arms and carried her outside.

"Are you okay?" He asked her again as he cradled her to his body.

"My head hurts."

_(*(*(-)*)*)_

Gavin carried me all the way out to his car and said nothing and he put me in the seat, buckled my belt then climbed into his side. He started the engine and pulled away from the hotel, leaving everything behind. We said nothing as he drove through the streets.

"I'm okay, you can stop looking at me like that," I said after the fifth time Gavin glanced at me as if any minute I was going to loose consciousness.

"Like what?"

"Like I'm gonna break."

He smiled tensely and turned his attention back to the road. I watched him drive and I still didn't know what to say. Tonight started out wonderfully and ended with both of us covered in someone else's blood. I didn't know what to say. I was going to blame it on the head injury. I closed my eyes content on feeling the dip and sway of the car under me.

I didn't realize I had fallen asleep until I felt Gavin gently stroking my arm as he stood in the door of the car staring down at me intently. I tried to sit up in the seat but had to lean when my head began to spin. It probably wasn't the best idea for me to go to sleep since I probably had a concussion and not to mention brain damage from the lack of oxygen - thanks to being choked out by Wilson.

Gavin grabbed my legs and slid them out of the car. He put my feet gently on the ground then helped me stand. He watched me as I tried to steady myself on my too high heels. I took a few tentative steps and waited for the dizziness to pass. I started to walk again when Gavin grunted in frustration, picked me up and hauled me into the building and up the stairs to his apartment.

"I can walk, you know." Gavin grunted in response as he lifted me higher in his arms and climbed the stairs. I rested my head on his shoulder and didn't protest when he opened the door with me still in his arms.

He stepped over the threshold and set me down inside the door. He was still eyeing me like I was going to fall over. I told him I was fine as I kicked off my shoes and made my way to the bathroom. Maybe there's a reason to keep looking at me like that, I thought as I shuffled to the bathroom while he washed Wilson's blood off his hands at the kitchen sink. I closed the bathroom door behind and took a deep breath as I looked in the mirror.

I could clearly see Wilson's finger impressions as they wrapped around my neck, and it would take a miracle for me to cover that up. I splashed water on my face and began the process of letting my hair down. As my hair fell in messy waves around my shoulders, I couldn't help the relief I felt at finally feeling like I could relax.

I stayed in the bathroom a minute longer fussing with my hair and trying to figure out what I was going to say to Gavin before I opened the door. If I were being honest, I wanted nothing more than to crawl into Gavin's bed and fall asleep with him wrapped around me.

I walked into the kitchen and watched as Gavin pushed a bag of ice around on the counter. When he heard me approaching, he looked up with concern in his eyes.

"I'm okay. Really." He stood and walked towards me. He'd taken off his suit jacket and pulled his bowtie loose around his neck.

He said nothing as he handed me the bag of ice. I wasn't sure if I wanted to put it on my neck or the back of my head. I took the ice from him and pressed it to the tender spot at the back of my skull where my head connected with the marble.

I winced when I felt the cool against my skull, and Gavin rushed to take the ice from me and hold it himself. He brushed my hair to one side as he gently ran his finger along my neck. "Does it hurt?"

I nodded trying to ignore how well this moment was feeling. Gently, as he pressed the ice to my head, Gavin pressed the heat of his lips on my neck, trying to kiss away the pain. For the second time that night, I felt like crying, but I didn't.

"Sorry I ruined your night."

"Red –"

"Don't," I said looking at him with pleading eyes. "I feel bad enough, honest. Be careful what you wish for, right?" Gavin looked at me curiously. By the look on his face, I knew he knew exactly what I was talking about. "I'm just trying to offer time to still offer you time to change your mind. Probably not the most healthy thing to be seen with someone who always seems to be getting into fights," I said trying to make light of the situation.

My thoughts were swirling in a confused bundle and I'm not sure why those exact words came out of my mouth, but I know it had something to do with the fact that he never told me he loved me. Why that thought decided to present itself now was beyond me, but hey, it's totally possible I have a cracked skull.

"What makes you think I'd want that? Is this about what Wilson did to you? Is that why you still won't let yourself trust me?" Gavin was near his breaking point, and I'm not sure which of Wilson's transgressions he was talking about.

A small grin came to my face. "I'm not as mad at Wilson as I used to be. I found out tonight he's gay."

"What?" I distracted him, and I didn't have to answer his questions although I'm not sure I wanted to at the moment.

"Yep. Right before he choked me, I walked up on him and his lover sucking face. Don't get me wrong, he had no right to treat me the way he did, but I can see now why nothing ever worked with him in the bedroom. I'm just sorry that I wasn't the one that got to break his face," I said with a smile.

A low giggle scraped my throat as it escaped, but it turned into all out laughter as I watched Gavin's face. "Wilson's gay?"

"Yep," I said between fits of laughter. The laughing was causing my head to throb, but that was fine. That's better than the alternative of wanting to cry – again. Soon we were both laughing so hard, all the tension in the room had ebbed away, and we were back to our old selves again.

I chuckled to myself as I began to sober up. I had turned and was only a few feet from him when I felt his hands grip me and spin me around. Gavin's lips pressed hard into mine as he dragged me back towards him. I let him kiss me, and I let him wrap his arms tighter around me as he tried to get his mouth to say the words my ears never heard.

Gavin was kissing me as if he didn't want me to leave; ever, but I wasn't sure if I could make that promise. He kissed me deeper, trying to explore every corner of my mouth as I snaked my hands around him to hold him closer. I didn't want to give in this easy because I still had no idea if I was kissing the old emotionally unattached Gavin, or if this was someone new.

"I'm sorry Red, I'm so sorry," Gavin said as he held the sides of my head and looked into my eyes. "I am so sorry. You have to believe me when I tell you that I can't live without you."

I furrowed my brows at him, searching his eyes as I tired to figure out where this was coming from.

"I could see that look in your eye." So, he knew I was doubting him. "You didn't answer my question, and I'm not going to let you avoid it."

"I'm sorry too, Gavin," I said trying to hold back tears. "I really am, but- "

"No buts Red, I will do whatever it takes."

I took a deep breath regretting that my best friend could read me so well. "Its not that I don't trust you, its just that I'm having a hard time trusting myself. I seem to have a record of making pretty stupid decisions."

"Isabelle, I'm not going to let you screw this up." That wasn't the answer I was looking for, but a small smile teased the corners of my mouth as Gavin pulled me to him and crushed me into his chest. I threw caution to the wind. I didn't want safe. I wanted Gavin. I pressed my lips to his and prayed that for once, I was making the right decision. Gavin returned my passion in kind, as he kissed me, lifted my legs from the floor and carried me to the couch.

He stood in front of me as he slid down the zipper in the back of my dress. He kissed each new inch of skin that was exposed as he slid the fabric lower and lower. My dress pooled at my feet as I pulled his tie from around his neck and slowly began to unbutton his crisp white shirt.

I pulled his shirttails from his pants and worked my fingers along his belt buckle as I tried to keep my hands from shaking. He brushed my hands away as he sat down on the couch and pulled me between his legs. He spread his legs wide and pulled my hips closer to his face as my hands settled in his hair. Gavin's head nuzzled my stomach as he shifted his hands to my hips drawing his hands up and down my thighs, teasing me.

He planted wet kisses on my stomach as he stroked the wetness seeping out of me. This was much different than this afternoon. This wasn't rushed or frantic, he was taking his time, thinking about how he wanted to please me.

Gavin slipped a finger into my panties as he dipped his tongue into my belly button. I arched closer to him as I tangled my fingers in his silky hair. He pushed his digits deeper inside me and latched onto my breast still encased in my bra.

His lips found my nipple as I tried to steady my legs. His fingers pumped in and out of my core as and his thumb teased my throbbing clit. When he was satisfied with tasting my chest, he pulled my leg over his shoulder and kissed his way up the inside of my thigh. His arms fastened themselves around my waist as he steadied me. My heart pounded in anticipation.

When his tongue touched my sensitive folds, I nearly exploded, but I tried to hold out. Gavin slid to the floor and let my foot rest on the couch as he tried to probe deeper and deeper into my sex. My fingers tangled in his hair as I moaned his name and my pussy clenched around his soft and slick tongue.

He attacked my sex and teased it like he would never get another taste, and it was becoming harder and harder for me to hold on. Gavin fastened his lips around my clit as he slipped his fingers into me, stretching me. I came all over his hands and mouth, my mouth open as I panted his name. I was weak from pleasure, but Gavin wasn't ready to let me rest. He set my foot back down on the floor and took a seat on the couch as he unbuttoned his pants and slid them down.