Adele
I have received nothing, but attitude from Angie all night. I ask her a question and she is snippy with me. I try to ignore it and make small talk and she practically ripped my head off. I was waiting on a table when I noticed she was headed up to the office. She probably is going to complain about me for talking to her. She is such a bitch and not the best waitress. I don’t understand how she keeps her job. When I can finally catch my breath, I stand at the bar with Teddy and watch the closed office door. Teddy taps me on the shoulder and asks if I can go to the office and mention to Alex that we need to take money out of the drawer. I practically jump at the chance to get to that office to break up whatever they are discussing. I feel like I am moving in slow motion to get to the stairs as I walk in between dancers. I finally find myself standing in front of the office door and I hold up my hand to knock. I stop mid-air and decide that since I am living with him, maybe I can just walk in. We have gotten closer so I don’t think he would mind if I did. I open the door and I think I am going to throw up.
Alex and Angie are kissing. She is embracing him and he has his hands on her hips holding her in place. I know I should turn around and walk out, but I can’t move. I am in shock and at the same time sickened. Last night, he told me what he would do if I was his and today he’s treating Angie like she is his. I thought there was something happening between the two of us and I feel so fucking stupid. I sure can pick them! I went from woman abuser to womanizer and I can’t blame either of them. Alex and Angie finally break away and she turns around and they both finally notice me standing in the doorway. I feel like a deer in their fucking headlights. Angie wipes her lips and smiles at me as she casually walks out and bumps into me. I close my eyes and open them to follow her out, but before I do Alex has grabbed my arm and is slamming the door shut.
“It’s not what it looked like,” he says as I pull my arm from his grasp and back away from him.
“It’s none of my business. You can do whatever you want, Alex,” I tell him as I turn around and head to the door.
Alex pushes the door closed before I can get out and he has his arms above my head and cages me in against it. I take a deep breath and lower my head.
“I need to get back downstairs, Alex. Please let me out,” I practically whisper while trying to fight back the tears.
“Adele... We need to discuss what you just saw.” Alex’s voice is softer and he almost sounds like he is pleading.
“Teddy needs you at the bar right away. He said something about money. I need to get back to my tables. If you want to talk, we can do it later,” I tell him, but the last part is a lie. I have no interest in talking to him later.
Alex moves away from the door, letting me leave the office. I walk quickly down the stairs as I feel him walking behind me to head to the bar area to talk to Teddy.
The rest of the night dragged. I spend most of it avoiding Alex and Angie. I wanted no part of either of them. I hate them both and just want the night to end. Alex spent most of the night at the bar and I felt his eyes on me the entire time. I would take my orders to Teddy and avoid making any eye contact with Alex at all. That didn’t stop him from staring at me. The worst part is whenever I would be at the bar Angie made sure she was there too. I wanted to let her know she didn’t need to stamp her territory, I see it clearly, bitch.
When I can sneak away for a few seconds, I pull out my phone and send a text to Nick. I will be needing a place to stay and I be damned if I go back to Alex’s. When I tell him everything that happened at the club and at Lola’s, Nick agrees with me that I need a new place to stay. He’ll pick me up after work and take me someplace safe.
At the end of the night, I watch as Teddy and Alex head to the office to put the money from the night into the safe. When they walk into the office, I walk out the back door to meet Nick. I silently thank the universe that he is already here and waiting. I jump into his Suburban as Angie walks out of the club and smiles at me as she waves goodbye.
“I take it she’s not a friend?” Nick asks me as I look away from the waving Angie.
“Can you please just hit the gas so we can get out of here?” I lean my head back against the headrest as Nick finally pulls out of the alley.
Nick looks over at me and I turn to look at him.
“We’ll be staying at a hotel. You’ll be safer there.” Nick advises as he stares at the road.
“Did you say, ‘we’ll be staying at a hotel’?” I ask as I shake my head and close my eyes.
“Yes, I did. We’ll have adjoining rooms. You’ll still have your space. We’ll only be there until Frank comes back.”
I turn my head away from him as I look out the passenger window.
“You’re not worried that you won’t be able to keep your hands off me, are you? I should tell you that I am taken,” Nick asks and I whip my head back to look at him as he starts to laugh.
A few seconds later, my cell starts to ring. I ignore it and the ringing stops. It starts again and I ignore it again. This goes on for several minutes and I get an alert that I have a voice mail message. A few seconds later, I have a text message. Nick looks over at me and I can tell the ringing and alerts is starting to annoy him.
We get checked into our room and Nick ask me if I need clothes from the house. I only have to go to work, so I don’t really need anything until then. He pulls a shopping bag out of his duffel bag and takes out a toothbrush, toothpaste, and soap. I am surprised that he thought of these things and I pick up the soap and smell it. I have also loved the smell of soap and I start to think about when I met Alexis, which led me to where I am today. Nick decides he is going to turn in and tells me to yell if I need anything.
I take off my clothes and my cell phone starts to ring again. I ignore it and climb under the covers and turn on the tv. I hear the voice mail alert beep. A few seconds later I hear the text message received alert. I grab the phone and look at the last text I received.
3:24 Alex: I am coming to get you!!!
I sit up in bed and decide I better look at the other text.
3:15 Alex: Angie just told me that she saw you get in a black Suburban. She described the guy you left with. I told you NOT to leave with Nick!
3:10 Alex: I am starting to get worried and pissed Adele!
3:05 Alex: Will you please answer your phone?
2:55 Alex: Where are you?
The voice mail messages were basically the same thing. They were all a pissed off Alex telling me that I wasn’t supposed to leave with Nick and that he isn’t happy with me. He’s telling me that he knows the hotel I am in and that he’s locking up and he’ll be on his way.
I get out of bed and throw back on my work clothes. I have no doubt that if he said he’s coming he’ll be here. I pace the room and stare at the door that separates me and Nick. I don’t know if I should let him know that Alex is coming? Should I tell him that I don’t want to leave with him? I decide I’ll do the adult thing and I’ll call Alex and tell him not to come. He answers on the first ring.
“Adele. I’ll be there in five minutes.” He advises before even giving me the opportunity to address him.
“I am staying here with Nick. Don’t come, Alex.” I say to him.
“Is he in the same fucking room as you Adele? You’re not staying there with him!” Alex is practically yelling and I close my eyes as I walk back over to the bed.
“Alex--” he cuts me off.
“Adele… I’ll be there in five minutes.” He hangs up on me.
I fall back onto the bed and I have no idea what I am supposed to do. I stare at the ceiling and finally realize that I don’t have time for this shit. I walk over to Nick’s door and knock. A few seconds later he pulls open the door and he is only wearing boxer shorts. I tell him that we have a big problem that will become bigger in approximately five minutes. He walks into my room and sits on my bed as I tell him about Alex. I tell him how I had been staying with him since Lola’s house was no longer safe. I left out all the information about being pissed that he was kissing Angie. That would be too confusing to explain and he’d probably want to know why I even cared.
“I am confused, Adele. Staying at Alex Deluca’s house was the safest place for you to be. Why would you call me to pick you up and risk staying here?” Nick ask and I can tell he is questioning my sanity.
“He’s a jerk and hard to get along with,” I say as I cross my arms belligerently.
“This is Alex Deluca. He has a reputation for being a jerk. He also knows people, Adele. He can keep you safe. He has a lot more connections than I do. It’s also a lot safer for you to be in his house rather than in this hotel, where anyone can walk in and get a room.”
“Are you saying that if he really does show up and I refuse to go with him, you won’t fight him for me so I can stay here with you?” I ask and Nick raises an eyebrow and looks at me.
“Hell, NO. If he shows up, I’ll help him throw your ass into the car if needed.” I shake my head in disbelief and there is suddenly banging on the door.
“Adele! Open the fucking door!” Alex shouts.