**AUTHOR'S NOTE**
So I'm sorry it's taken sooo long to get another part done; my head's not really been in the right frame of mind to write for quite a long time, but I promise I will try and get more parts to this story out ASAP. Thanks again to my lovely loyal readers and a special apology to you guys for making you wait for so long, you're the most patient people on the planet!
I also wanted to change the title of this story as I started this 4 years ago and it doesn't fit anymore, but I don't know how so it will have to stay as it is for now.
Comments, criticism and feedback as always are welcome. Now, on with the story...x
*****
Tom stood and stared at the front door, hearing Eva's quiet cries through the thick brown wood. His heart was hammering against his chest, his throat dryer than sand. He turned and looked up at the sky which was even darker than before; grey clouds smeared across it like paint spilled over a black canvas; the unrelenting rain darting into his eyes as he clenched them shut.
"FUCK," he roared; running his fingers through his sopping wet hair; pulling roughly at the roots, rain seeping into the angry tears now running down his face. He turned to look at the house one more time, wincing at the sound of her sobs as he walked back to his car.
He was driving well over the speed limit and he knew it, but he'd never cared about that before; he was far too furious to slow down.
"That fucking bitch," he growled to himself, "that fucking bitch." He tried desperately to steady his breathing, taking long gulps of air and eventually taking a cigarette from the pack in his glove compartment, his hands trembling as he struggled to light it whilst keeping one hand on the wheel.
A nightclub up ahead was still open; the smoking area outside full of people chatting and laughing loudly, drinks in hand. Pulling up into the car park behind he came to a stop and took a long, deep pull of his cigarette. He needed a drink.
As he walked up to the entrance, a group of young girls stopped their chattering to admire him, his white shirt now see-through and clinging to the contours of his chest, his hair dripping and rain hanging from his eyelashes. He threw his cigarette aside and walked past the ladies who were now giggling to each other, smirking to himself as he was well aware that their eyes were still on him.
"Glendfiddich. Double," he mumbled to the barman as he handed him a £20; waving away the change when he handed him the drink. The barman smiled excitedly and put the money into a glass tip jar. As he turned to serve another customer Tom held up another £20, waving it as he stared down at the bar.
"Another," he said.
"You just want the bottle, mate? Would be a lot cheaper." The young barman was smiling awkwardly at Tom as he slowly looked up to meet his eye, Tom gave him a dark stare, still holding the money in his hand.
"I tell you what," he replied coldly, "why don't you try minding your own business and do your job, mate." The barman looked around him nervously as Tom glared at him from under his dripping wet hair, reluctantly taking the money from Tom's damp hand. He turned to the bottle and poured him another double, bringing the glass over to him. Snatching the glass he downed the brown liquid in one gulp.
"Excuse me," a soft voice shouted next to him; Tom lifted his head from the glass he was cradling with both hands and turned to see a very young, very attractive redheaded girl growing increasingly frustrated at being ignored by the bar staff. He reached into his pocket and took out another crumpled note, waving it at his new friend, the barman.
"Whatever she wants," he said, as the girl looked at him in confusion. She was visibly embarrassed as her cheeks flushed pink. The barman looked to her for instruction whilst the girl nervously struggled to remember her drink order.
"Erm, vodka and lemonade, single, please."
"Make that a double," Tom interrupted, patting the empty stool next to him. She nervously, and as gracefully as she could climbed up onto it, anxiously trying to pull her dress down over her knees. He turned to face her, smiling through the hair that was draped over his eyes, and he ran his fingers through it , brushing it away from his face to get a good look at her.
"Oh," she mumbled, "okay. Thank you." She took the drink from the barman and sipped at it, her hands now shaking slightly.
"So," Tom said, "what brings a nice girl like you to a shithole like this?" The pretty girl smiled and tucked a strand of wavy auburn hair behind her ear nervously.
"I-it's my 18th birthday," she replied shyly, pointing to the group of intoxicated girls who were dancing and giggling nearby, her blue eyes looking up at him, struggling to avoid his intense gaze. She suddenly felt self conscious and subtly tried to pull the neckline of her dress up, which Tom noticed, laughing to himself.
"Cute, happy birthday," he smiled, watching her take another sip of her drink, her eyes avoiding him again. He found her nervousness endearing, it reminded him of the way Eva had acted towards him that night at the Golden Lion; before she had turned his world completely upside down.
'Fuck it,' he thought, downing the rest of his drink and taking hers from her, placing it on the bar.
"Wanna get out of here?" The girl stared at him; looking almost scared. He had always had that effect on women, he was so intense and handsome no woman had ever said no to him; all except for Eva. He got up off the stool and turned to face her.
"Can I take your lack of response as a yes?" He asked, grinning that dazzling grin which made every woman's knees go weak. Still saying nothing she looked nervously back at her friends who were still dancing and laughing, looked back at the gorgeous stranger and silently nodded, and with that he took her hand and lead her out of the club, away from her oblivious friends who hadn't even noticed she'd gone.
"Tom," he said with a cheeky grin, patting her ass gently as he opened the passenger door.
They drove in complete silence back to Tom's flat which was only a few minutes away from the club. She had been faced away from him the whole time, looking out of the window with her arms crossed in front of her. As the car slowed and came to a stop,
she felt a hand rest on her knee and give it a squeeze; she pulled at a loose thread on the sleeve of her coat nervously as he came around and opened the door beside her, bending down to her eye level.
"You going to sit in my car all night, babe? Or did you want to come in with me, maybe?" She exhaled sharply and unclasped her seat belt, taking his hand once again as he guided her out of the car.