Chapter 19

<Gavin Forrester>

It's been 2 weeks since I saw Victoria in the hospital and told her that someone wanted her dead. She's called me every day and sent me almost 100 texts since that day alone. I've forced myself to ignore every one of them and it's driving me insane.

I want nothing more than to hear her voice but I think it's better for her if I don't hang around her as much. She went out with me and almost got stabbed to death. However, my promise of protecting her comes to mind every time my phone rings. At least her calling proves to me that she's still alive.

Talon's also been trying to contact me. Apparently, he didn't get the message when I told him I'd snap his neck in half. Sometimes I actually pick up his calls and yell at him about how I won't kill her and how if he calls again, I'll use my bullet to put him back in hell where he belongs.

It's currently 7 P.M. on a Friday which means pool night with Blaze and Slick at Magic 8. I grab my car keys and phone before exiting my apartment. I take the elevator down to the garage and walk briskly towards my Ferrari. I slip my key into the ignition, bringing the engine to life. I back out of my parking space and pull out into the crazy New York streets.

After about half an hour of infuriating driving, I arrive in front of the Magic 8 Pool Hall. I park my car and walk into the place like I own it.

"Gavin," Joe booms and starts chuckling while he scruffs up my hair.

"There's the man," I grin as I take a seat at the bar. "What do you have on tap tonight?"

"Your favorite, you picked a good night to come in..." Joe fills up a glass and slides it towards me.

I take a sip and turn around to face the pool tables. It seems to be amateur night in here tonight. There's a bunch of guys holding their pool sticks backwards and others that are just holding their girlfriends. Still again, there's guys who actually look like they've played more than one game of pool in their lifetime.

"We're going to have so much fun teaching these amateurs how to play tonight, aren't we?" Blaze chuckles as he and Slick take the seats on either side of me.

"I've been in need of some money lately." I smirk and take a sip of my beer.

"Looks like that won't be in short supply tonight." Slick replies with a small laugh.

"Where's that gorgeous girl you had with you a few weeks ago?" Blaze asks completely out of the blue.

"Please don't tell me you dumped her..." Slick says in a nervous tone.

"No, things are just complicated." I mutter and put the glass between my lips, downing the rest of the beer in an attempt to stop the conversation.

"Complicated how?" Blaze crosses his arms and gives me a humorous glance.

"Someone who's connected to me is out to murder her." I whisper so that Slick and Blaze are the only ones who can hear what I said.

"So, you're doing this to keep her safe?" Slick narrows his eyes like he doesn't completely believe me.

"Basically. I mean, I love her but this is more for her benefit then mine." I raise my glass so Joe will come and refill it. "Let's stop talking about such depressing topics. I need to beat somebody at pool before these amateurs break the pool cues in half."

I take my glass and walk over to a pool table. Blaze grabs a couple of cues and hands one to me, keeping the other for himself.

"Let's go...Loser buys the shots." I state confidently as I set up the balls in the rack.

My opponents slide the cue ball towards me and I set up my shot. Slick removes the rack and I send the cue ball into the balls, landing 2 stripes in the corner pockets across from me. I smirk and continue with my run.

~~~~~

So far Blaze, Slick and I have won 6 games. Luckily, only 2 of those were for shots so we're not that drunk yet. Right now I'm playing a game against Slick. We both have $50 on the table for this game and I'm winning by a mere 1 ball lead.

There's a group of girls standing off to the corner who won't stop staring at us. It reminds me of when I brought Victoria here and it makes me angry because I can't do that anymore. I look up and narrow my eyes at them as I line up my shot. The ball goes straight into the corner pocket and I begin to shoot for the 8 ball.

"If I get this in, I'll buy shots for the whole damn place!" I shout, rousing a cheer from all the drunk patrons in the Magic 8 Pool Hall.

I hit the cue ball and it knocks the 8 ball in without sinking.

"I'll take these." I grin and pluck the two $50 bills from Blaze. "Shots all around."

I walk over to Joe and wink, dropping the collective $100 on the counter.

"Tequila, the good stuff." I chuckle and begin passing the shots Joe is filling up around the establishment.

Once we all have a shot, we raise our glasses and cheer as the rock music continues blaring in the background. I tip my glass back and everyone follows suit. I down the whole thing and set my glass down on the counter. My head pounds a little but I don't focus on that. For once since I started ignoring Victoria, I feel invigorated. I feel like nothing can bother me.

I walk back over to the pool table and begin setting up another game. Blaze decides to take the other cue stick and play against me. I give him the chance to break and he does pretty well, knocking in a stripe ball and continuing to knock in 3 more. I take my turn and knock in about 5 before the ball goes back to Blaze.

~~~~~

"You lose, Forrester. The shirt goes." Blaze cheers.

I grudgingly unbutton my shirt and toss it on a chair in the corner where I set my drink from earlier. We've been playing strip pool for about an hour and so far I've only lost my shirt while Blaze is barely decent for being out in public. A group of girls have congregated around us and have been trying to chat up Blaze since he lost his shirt at the beginning of the game.

I set up the balls in the rack and line up my shot. Slick removes the ball rack and I send the cue ball flying into the middle of the triangle, breaking it and sending balls flying in all directions. 2 stripes land in the middle right pocket, allowing me to continue my run. My vision blurs a little and I feel my head spin but I continue to send balls all over the table, always landing at least one of mine in a pocket. I obviously end up winning.

"Take off the shoes since you're already boarder lining an offense for public nudity." I say, managing to keep the slur out of my voice. "Slick, one more shot."

"Sure, the good stuff?" he asks with a chuckle.

"The good stuff." I confirm as he walks off.

"Want to go again?" I turn towards Blaze and laugh amusedly.

"We're starting over, Forrester...Put your damn shirt back on." He rolls his eyes and begins to pull his jeans back on.

"Gavin Forrester." I whip my head around and see Victoria walk through the door.

She takes off her sunglasses and shoves them in the bag she has slung over her shoulder. I whistle as she makes her way towards me. Slick puts a shot in my hand and then sends a wink towards Victoria. I down my shot and feel the alcohol take over my brain. There's a buzzing feeling in my head and my body feels alive. My vision is blurred around the edges but I feel as if I haven't been able to see more clearly.

"Why the hell have you not returned any of my calls?" She says as she picks up a pool cue.

"Teaching you to solve your own damn problems." I slur and aim the cue ball at one of the ones Blaze had failed to get in during our last pool game.

"What happened to you taking care of everything?" She asks as she sets her bag down next to my drink on the corner chair.

"It ain't happening, love, I'm done solving anyone's problems but my own." My mouth says before my drunk brain can catch up with what's going on.

"Do I need to remind you that I almost got stabbed by one of your colleagues?" She mutters in a dangerous voice.

"You're still going to marry him...No matter what I do, I can't change the fact that you're going to marry Carter Jacobson and I mean who wouldn't want to spend the rest of their life with him? He's the heir to a business empire, he's charming and has America wrapped around his ugly little finger." I shout drunkenly, my mind becoming fuzzier with each passing second.

"He tried to kill me, I'm done with him, Gavin." Victoria snarls, showing me that I've really and truly screwed up. "I thought we had an understanding, what happened to you coming back for me? What happened to you getting rid of the people that want me dead? What happened to us?"

"Victoria, this world sucks and there isn't always a happy ending. The man who wants you dead isn't going away anytime soon so screw the lucky star that told you everything ended in happily ever after, that everything would turn out okay in the end." I drop my cue stick and throw my hands up in frustration.

"You told me that. You taught me that and you made me believe it. I thought for weeks that maybe you were working at what you promised me and that's why you ignored me but no, apparently you don't even care. So, you know what? I'm done. I'm going to go back to Carter and I'm going to quit fooling myself. I really thought you'd get me out of this hell I call my life but I was wrong. I wanted so badly to believe that you'd save me but you were just playing me, like I was some sort of game, and I guess I'm the loser for falling into your trap. Enjoy your life and I'll try to enjoy what little is left of mine." With that Victoria grabs her bag and walks towards the front door of the Magic 8 Pool Hall.

"Victoria, you can't believe him. He's hammered." Blaze shouts and tries to catch up with her.

"In Vino Veritas. There is truth in wine. He's telling me what his sober mind never had the confidence to and I'm glad he's finally being honest with me." Victoria looks to be on the verge of tears.

She walks out of the Magic 8 Pool Hall into the darkness of New York City. I watch as the door swings shut once again signifying that she truly left.

"You're a piece of work, Gavin Forrester." Slick shakes his head as Blaze walks back over to me.

"Go after her you ass, that's all she wants. She wants you to fight for her and she wants to hold her and truly promise her that you'll take care of everything. I know you're wasted and you won't remember what happened tonight and that's exactly why you need to go after her. New York at night plus pretty girl really isn't a good combination." Blaze pats my shoulder.

I rub my temples as the effects of the Tequila begin to wear off. My head is spinning and I don't think I'll make it out the door without fainting but I have to try. I was harsh towards Victoria. I mean most of it was the alcohol talking but for some reason I think, somewhere deep in my soul, I believed every word that came out of my mouth.

I grab my flannel, pulling it on as I run out the door. I begin to shout Victoria's name but receiving no response as I had predicted.

Why am I so insufferably stupid?

I shout out my frustration as my head begins spinning again. I make it a few more steps before I pass out completely, right in the middle of the sidewalk in front of the Magic 8 Pool Hall.