Chapter 33
Ellie emerged from the third-floor bathroom, startled to find Alex leaning against the hallway wall. His tall, lean figure was bathed in the corridor lights, his dirty-blonde hair catching the glow in a way that almost made him look like a pop star. She sighed, scanning the hallway and realizing she had no choice but to walk past him.
Reluctantly, she lifted her dress and hurried forward, her gaze firmly fixed on the floor. She wanted to avoid any confrontation, but as she neared him, Alex’s long leg suddenly stretched out, blocking her path. Ellie looked up and met his cryptic, dark gaze.
He had a cigarette dangling from his mouth, and his expression was cold, almost mocking. “First time getting lost in this joint?” he asked, his voice dripping with contempt. “Take me to Room 7203.”
Ellie hesitated, taking in the overpowering scent of alcohol and faint tobacco coming from him. It was clear he had been drinking. But Ellie wasn’t in the mood to play along. She wasn’t his servant.
“I’m not a waitress here,” she replied flatly, lifting her dress to move around him.
His voice followed her, harsh and biting. “Just a singer. Do you think that’s better than a waitress?”
Ellie’s hands clenched the hem of her dress, and her steps quickened. She didn’t want to argue with him. She knew better. In his eyes, anyone who was poor—whether they were a singer or a server—wasn’t worth much. But she wasn’t going to let his words get under her skin. Not tonight.
As the music of the bar shifted into a livelier beat, Ellie focused on her performance, determined not to let him affect her. During her break, Whitney had told her that someone had left a generous tip, claiming to love her singing. It was small, but it was enough to push her forward.
When her shift ended, Ellie headed to the dressing room. But before she could get there, a young man with a flashy look rushed up to her, holding a bouquet of flowers.
“Hey, Ellie, I’m a huge fan. Can we connect on Instagram?” he asked eagerly, his eyes glinting with excitement as he thrust the flowers into her hands.
Ellie tried to smile politely and declined, “Sorry, but we’re not allowed to exchange personal info with customers.”
She gently handed the flowers back, but the young man surprised her by suddenly pulling her into a hug.
Startled, Ellie let out a scream, her body frozen in shock. She struggled to break free, panic bubbling in her chest. The grip around her tightened, but before things could escalate further, security quickly intervened, pulling the man away from her.
Her face drained of color as she stumbled, dropping the flowers, trying to steady herself. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her breath shallow. The man, however, wasn’t done. He broke free from the guards and lunged toward her again.
Nervously, Ellie stepped back, nearly tripping over her dress in the process. The room had gone silent, and the tension was thick in the air as a small crowd began to form. It wasn’t unusual for these kinds of incidents to happen in bars, but this wasn’t one of those places.
Whitney stepped forward, her gaze calm but stern. “Trevor, you know the rules here,” she said, her voice even but firm.
The young man, Trevor, briefly looked embarrassed but quickly regained his confidence. He pulled out a credit card and waved it in the air, clearly unfazed by the situation. “Whitney, I really like her. Just name your price, and I’ll take care of her,” he said arrogantly.
Whitney’s tone remained unwavering as she smiled faintly. “Trevor, I think you should reconsider. I doubt you can afford what I’d charge.”
Trevor, still undeterred, scoffed and glanced at two nearby patrons. “In Jaslands, there’s no price I can’t pay,” he boasted. “If you don’t believe me, ask Mr. Warren and Mr. Mosley.”
Layton, who had been observing from a distance, finally stepped in, his voice steady as he approached. “Trevor, you’ve had too much to drink. Let me take you home,” he said, trying to defuse the escalating situation.
Ellie could sense Alex’s anger from across the room, the intensity of it nearly palpable. She instinctively backed against the wall, her eyes fixed firmly on the floor, too intimidated to meet his gaze. Her heart raced.
But Trevor wasn’t finished yet. He pushed past Layton, pointing at Ellie. “No way, I’m taking this girl with me,” he said with a drunken smirk. “I’ve had my eye on her since last time. I can’t stop thinking about her. It’s driving me crazy.”
Alex’s eyes narrowed, his expression hardening into something colder and more dangerous. A faint, cold smile spread across his lips as he took a step forward. “What does that mean?”
Trevor, undeterred, grinned back at him, his smile sleazy and arrogant. “Well, you know what I mean. I want her.”
Before Trevor could finish speaking, Alex was already moving, a blur of motion. He threw a punch at Trevor, knocking him backward. The crowd gasped as Alex followed up with a swift kick that sent Trevor crashing across the room. The noise of Trevor slamming into the makeup table in the dressing room shattered the air. The mirror cracked and cosmetics scattered across the floor.
Trevor lay there, groaning in pain, but Alex wasn’t done yet. His rage was a fiery storm, and he grabbed Trevor by the collar, lifting him off the ground like a ragdoll.
“Alex!” Layton shouted urgently, stepping in between them. “He’s going to get seriously hurt if you keep this up.”
But Alex was beyond reasoning, his eyes blazing with fury. “I’m going to finish him off,” he growled, pushing past Layton and storming into the dressing room.
Ellie stood frozen, her heart still hammering in her chest, as the tension in the air thickened. Everything felt like it was spiraling out of control, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could stand to watch it all unfold.
