Free Destroy Me by Laura Bailey

foreplay. Though she didn’t wear a watch, she checked her phone several times for messages. There were none.
    Soon it was close to an hour and a half since she had come into the bar. She was growing increasingly concerned that he was not coming, and felt like an imposter in the Club, given the all-male members surrounding her.
    Suddenly a man appeared in front of her as she was turning the pages of the newspaper in growing irritation. Looking up she saw black hair, with streaks of silver running through it, a man with an air of distinction in a dark tailored suit.
    “Good evening. I notice your glass is empty. Let me get you another drink?”
    She looked into the darkest eyes she had ever seen.
    “Thank you,” she said falteringly, “but I’m fine, I’m just waiting for someone.”
    “Really? It seems you have been waiting awhile. Who would keep such a beautiful woman waiting so long?”
She smiled in answer, but he made her feel very uncomfortable.
    He signalled to the Barman before she could stop him.
    “They’re just running late. I’m sure they won’t be much longer.”
    “Well, let me keep you company until they arrive. We’re all friends in the Club, after all. Who are you waiting for?”
    “You’ll see him when he arrives; I’m sure you will know him.”
    She felt no reason why she should bring Damien’s name into the conversation. It did not feel right, as though speaking for him in his absence.
    The man pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down, presumptuously inviting himself.
    She was in a difficult position. She was a guest in their exclusive Club and he was one of the members. She felt her options were limited, and perhaps ordinarily she would have been happy to talk with him, but something in his manner disturbed her, the look in his eyes holding the implication that there was more to this than a casual conversation.
    “I’m Marc Chambers, of  Beaumont Security.”
    “Nice to meet you.”
    “Likewise. And you are?”
    “Tara.”
    She wished now that she had brought her laptop with her; she could at least have pretended to be doing some work.
    The barman brought two glasses of champagne over to them. Tara didn’t have the ill–manner to refuse it, yet the situation felt inappropriate when she had already told him she was waiting for someone.
    After taking a few sips, she said, “I appreciate the drink but I really should go.”
    Her lack of foresight; her presumption that Damien would just show up after days of silence, led her only to the conclusion that she had put herself in this position. She felt angry that it seemed he probably wasn’t coming now, that he had stood her up without a thought; that he had discarded her after his callous game with her.
    The man sitting opposite her had an imposing figure, as did most of the men in the Club; their backgrounds in the Military seemed to have honed their bodies into remarkably fit physiques. Regardless of the wide range of their ages, they all looked in good shape.
    She picked up the glass and took another sip, her vengeful thoughts toward Damien perhaps fuelling her action. He was an extremely attractive man, why shouldn’t she drink with him? And yet, whilst she thought this, it was Damien she craved, not this man.
    “Obviously you’re English. I love the accent. London has some great history. I’ve been over there many times. The architecture is exquisite. What brings you to D.C?”
    “Just visiting a friend.”
    She felt the need to be purposely vague.
    “Have you been to The Smithsonian?”
    “The museum? No, I haven’t.”
“You should go. It has some treasures you might like to see.”
    “Ok.”
    “I’d be happy to show you around and there’s a fine restaurant nearby; it’s very popular.”
    She smiled at him. “That’s really very kind of you, but I won’t be in Washington very much longer; I am due to return to London in a couple of days.”
    “Then we should make the most of it before your