Monitored (The White Coat Series Book 3) (8 page)

BLAKE WAS JUST AS TAKEN aback by my presence as I was by his. I couldn’t hear exactly what he was saying, but I could tell he was pointing out back to the bar. The wife, who seemed to be completely oblivious to Blake’s plea to runaway, brushed off whatever he was saying and opened her arms to take Alexander into a tight embrace. She looked like the type that would bake shitty brownies and then go take a spin class next to Gwyneth Paltrow.
 

Alexander couldn’t say no as she pushed by him and walked straight to the bar, tipping a little on her Louboutins. I could tell she already had a few drinks, and I also noticed how she didn’t even bother with saying hi to me. I realized then how much of a groupie I must have looked like.
 

I straightened out my dress and got up, not exactly sure where to go but knowing that I couldn’t be trapped inside this room. Blake just looked past me at his drunk wife, pouring herself another Vodka Tonic to down. It hurt for a quick second, an instant, searing stab into my heart that was gone just as fast as it appeared. I was going to deal with the emotional baggage later, right then I needed to just get out.

I was almost to the door when the overdone brunette took notice to me.

“Don’t leave!” she squawked. “We don’t want to ruin a good time,” she slurred a little on the last bit and threw herself on the couch. No wonder this couple was always in the tabloids, if this bitch was always this drunk then they would always have their faces on the covers of magazines. Granted they were the small pictures that were usually bubbles off in the corner, but their names were still broadcasted everywhere.
 

Everyone knew Blake Evans and Sadie Evans.

Everyone was about to know about Blake Evans, Sadie Evans, and little miss Sky Silvers, if drunk Sadie just so happened to pick up any notion that me and Blake had a previous relationship. The moment she sensed that, I had no doubt she would latch on and most likely detonate, taking out whoever was around and making it clear to the world what happened with her disgusting husband.

I needed to get out.

“No, it’s ok, I was just on my way out,” I said weakly, unable to come up with a strong excuse. What would I have said? Clearly I was there for a reason, and that reason was Alexander. If he was staying then why would I be leaving?

Sadie took notice to that and cocked an eyebrow, twirling her cup dangerously fast in her hand.

“I’m sorry, I’ve been so rude I didn’t even introduce myself.” She got up and strutted her way over to me, locking me in with her hand extended. I couldn’t just walk away from a handshake, so I smiled and returned it, hoping that Sadie would stop being so drunk and just let me go.

“I’m Sadie Evans,” she said, like a pageant princess introducing herself to the panel of judges. I wasn’t sure if it was because of the alcohol or if that was just how she really spoke, but I couldn’t handle it for long.

“I’m Sky,” I said, not even wanting to give her my last name. The least she knew about me the better. In fact, I was almost starting to regret giving her my first name, which wasn’t all that common in the first place.

“Sit down! You’re here for Alexander’s show right?”

And that was it. That was the net that spooled itself around me, wrapping me tight and reeling me in. There was no way I could leave now after Sadie put me on the spot like that. I couldn’t say anything without looking like a bitch, coming here and then leaving before Alexander’s show. I was originally intending on sneaking out and hanging by the bar, but that was before, when I didn’t have to explain it.

Now I just had to grin and bear it. I snuck a glance towards Alexander who was leaning on the door. I registered a little concern, but he was still the image of cool, the concern only a flash underneath that placid facade. The Brazilian James Dean making his encore appearance. All he needed was a cigarette.

I walked over and sat on the armrest, poised to take flight at the soonest that I could. Or had to.

Blake smiled, that fake television smile he had perfected over the years, as he walked through the door and took his place next to his plastic perfect wife, not before he kindly reintroduced himself to me in front of his wife.
 

As though we had never met.

I was becoming to feel sick again.

“I had no idea you were coming,” Alexander said, sounding a little confused but veiling it with the excitement that was still coursing through him. Nothing he said now could sound negative.

“Well, you told me you had your show and me and Sadie were in the neighborhood so I decided to stop by.” He glanced over at me. “Didn’t know you had a special guest list.”

“I would have given you the VIP treatment too,” Alexander said, trying to play it off. I still wasn’t sure just how much Alexander knew, but I imagined that it couldn’t be much. Whatever he did know didn’t seem to be affecting him too much. The dim lighting on the room wasn’t alluring anymore. It almost felt dangerous, suffocating.

Alexander took a seat closest to me, not touching me anymore but still staying nearby. I noticed Blake didn’t seem to react at how comfortable Alexander was around me; instead he looked at his Rolex, Sadie pushing her face into Blake’s neck, suckling at his flesh like a drunk puffer fish. I was beginning to feel like the walls were becoming tighter around us, creeping in slowly but surely.

“When do you play?” the pufferfish asked, coming up for air.

“I’m on deck, so pretty soon,” he said, pumping his knees in anticipation.

“Scared? Nervous? Anxious?” Sadie asked them rapid fire, barely taking a breath between questions. Alexander just rolled with the interrogation, knowing that she probably wasn’t even going to remember his answer.

“I’ve got this,” he said, his confidence showing through again. I almost wanted to take my hand and run it through that thick head of hair that was now within my reach. I looked at Blake and wondered how he would react, the thought of him getting angry at Alexander was the only thing that stopped me. I didn’t want him to lose his job because Blake suddenly became jealous, although me being here was probably sign enough that something was going on.

“Good. I’m
--
we’re,” she corrected herself, “excited.” She hung an arm around Blake’s neck, keeping her from slumping forward. “Do you wanna give us a preview? Secret show?” She purred that last one, no doubt using one of the same tactics she would use on every other man. This woman was a maneater, even when she was piss drunk. She knew how to play her bait and I saw Alexander fall for it.

It was Blake who stopped him. “Don’t worry about it. Keep your voice rested.”

I brushed a strand of hair that had fallen to the side of my forehead. “It’s a sold out show.” I wanted to make myself noticed, I was the one who had the power in the situation. Or so I thought.

I just didn’t account for the fact that I would sound like a proud mom gloating about her honor roll second grader. Alexander rolled with it though, like he did with everything else, and smiled at me. I found a strength in his gaze and realized that this situation may not be as bad as it seemed. If Blake would leave us well alone then Alexander could keep working for him until his music took off, which by the looks of it wasn’t too long from now.
 

But realization took me by the neck and swung me around the room like an emotional ragdoll. I was still pregnant and the father was still Blake.

Sadie, a sudden burst of energy infused into her orange juice- vodka mix, shot up from the couch and walked, stumbled, over to my side. She took me by the hand and dragged me to the bar, sloppily grabbing a handle of Grey Goose and pouring most of it onto the counter with some of it falling into a shot glass.

“This is for you girlie. You gotta loosen up. Girl’s night.” Her eyes bore into me, even through their drunken cloudiness. I kept my lips shut tight and shook my head.

“Don’t be a little girl, come on. Shoot it back.”

Had she never gotten taught about peer pressure? I could tell that Alexander took notice from the side of my eye, but I was surprised that Blake was the first to speak. “Leave her. Now, Sadie.” His voice was demanding, almost like he was telling his herding dog to heel at his side. I looked back towards Sadie, seeing his command sit in. I had a feeling that it would have normally worked, that Blake could usually keep her under control. But the alcohol was something he hadn’t accounted for.

Now she just seemed pissed.

“Take the shot or get out.” Her speech wasn’t slurred anymore, but it was dripping with venom. It took me totally by surprise. I should have realized that Sadie had been a spoiled little rich girl all her life, so when someone denied her something, even if it was just taking a drink, then her claws would come flying out.
 

“Woh, woh, no need for that.” Now Alexander was getting into the ring, standing up from the couch and putting a hand out between us. The universal symbol saying “calm the fuck down.”

Sadie still wasn’t having it. “Are you going to do it or not?” I took the shot glass from her and placed it back on the counter. I would have smashed it for dramatic effect, but I didn’t want to ruin Alexander’s VIP room and I figured glass would be dangerous. So I put it down as a sign that it was the end. This was going to go nowhere.

She stood there, her face flushing red and then returning to normal in what seemed like seconds. Not much unlike how a drunken chameleon would react in this situation.

“Why are you so invested in this, Blake?” she asked, spinning around and latching her emotional talons onto the douchebag. She completely ignored Alexander as she stumbled around him and stood in front of Blake. She looked like a drunkenly crafted marble sculpture, wobbling on both legs, her designer dress riding up scandalously high.

“She didn’t want to.” It was all he said, I didn’t need him to say more.

“You were awfully fucking quick to give me a demand.” Her aversion to dominance was showing. “You just jumped right out and told me, commanded me, to drop her.”

“You’re drunk, Sadie.”

Never, ever, blame a drunk person’s anger on their drunkenness. It is guaranteed to end badly.

“Are you fucking joking?” she spat, her left handballing up into a conspicuous fist.

Blake stood up, meeting her at eye level. “Calm down, Sadie.”

Also: never, ever, tell an angry drunk person to calm down. It is guaranteed to end even worse.

“You are fucking joking.” Sadie reeled her hand back and sent it flying at Blake, pent up anger, years of suspicions, of curious glances, over the shoulder looks, all that anguish, it all left its mark across Blake’s arrogant face. Her red, stinging pain was displayed on his face like a scarlet letter.

“Ok, that’s it.” Alexander stepped forward and inserted himself in between them, both now staring daggers at the other.

“Watch them,” Blake said, still staring at Sadie. Another tense moment passed before Blake turned and walked out, his stance unwavering. He didn’t look back at us, not even when Sadie yelled out another expletive.
 

Them?

That was a curious word to us, grouping us together. I wasn’t able to think too much on it only because Sadie had now turned her anger towards me. I couldn’t help but feel like Sadie still had some pent up anger she needed to take care of, and now seemed like the perfect time to do it. She didn’t say anything at first, just stood there, her green eyes honed in on me, on the spot where her fist would meet my face. Alexander noticed this and tried to talk some sense into her.

“Whatever you’re thinking, it’s not true, Sadie. Trust me, this is blowing up when it shouldn’t be.”

But it was true.
 

I walked up next to Alexander, our hands brushing together, being next to him still sent me shockwaves. Knowing what could happen between us, it was like a secret vision of paradise. So I stood next to him and we both faced Sadie’s wrath, directed now at no one in particular. It was either Blake’s incompetent assistant or the potential whore he was defending. I could see it in her poisonous glare.

“No. I’ve been with Blake for seven years now. I know when he acts weird, when something isn’t… normal. He’s never been the guy to jump up and talk like that, and so forcefully? No. Not Mr. Image-Matters-All-The-Fucking-Time.”

It was true. He had let one of his exteriors crack. It revealed the commanding, conniving Blake Evans that I knew to be true. Not the celebrity plastic surgeon that gave everyone their dream boob job.

Alexander paused, giving Sadie all the time she needed to jump back in. “You don’t even have a comeback. What is it? Huh, Sky? Did you go in for a nose job and come out with a fucking happy ending?” Her eyes blazed a trail over my face, down to my feet. I started feeling a little shaky, that flight or fight response kicking in and mixing up the signals. I felt like I wanted to fight, I wanted to stick up for myself and shut this prissy bitch up. But I had also never been in a confrontation before, and I couldn’t get into blows now either.

Alexander stepped between us. His muscular back formed a protective shield between the oncoming Sadie, who was walking with the determination of an amateur boxer.
 

“Sadie, this isn’t what you want to do. Let me call you a cab.” Alexander’s voice wasn’t commanding, but it was still strong enough to give her pause. I noticed she had stopped her oncoming assault and crossed her arms, pouting like a little girl who didn’t get her lollipop. She cocked an eyebrow and spoke in her drunken slur, getting thicker by the minute.
 

“This isn’t over.” She turned, having to hold herself up with the armrest, and made her way to the door, failing to grab the handle properly the first time around.
 

“Just tell the bodyguard I’ll have someone here for you.”

“Fuck you.” And she closed the door. Alexander turned and let out one tense breath, shaking his head in disbelief.
 

“What the fuck was that all about?” he asked me, more rhetorically than actually expecting an answer. I was grateful for that. I didn’t know if I would have been able to offer up any sort of explanation. That would require me coming clean to Alexander about everything, and I wasn’t ready to do that.