Chapter 34
Ellie stood frozen in shock, her wide eyes filled with tears, as she watched Alex pin Trevor to the ground. His fists were flying, hitting Trevor over and over without hesitation. The brutality in his actions was something she’d never seen before. This wasn’t the same Alex who had fought with Aaron—this was something entirely different.
Whitney, seeing how quickly the situation was escalating, shouted, “Zack, get over here and break them up!”
A young man rushed forward, but Alex’s punch sent him stumbling back. The chaos in the room was growing, and Whitney rubbed her forehead in frustration, muttering, “We need more help in here!”
Two security guards arrived, joining Zack in an attempt to restrain Alex, but his fury was relentless.
“Damn it!” Alex growled, his voice filled with frustration as he turned to fight all three of them. The dressing room had become a battleground, with people crowding the doorway, watching the fight unfold.
Layton stood at the edge of the commotion, his gaze locked on Alex. His frustration was evident as he turned to Ellie. “Ellie, you need to stop him. He’s going to seriously hurt Trevor!”
Ellie was paralyzed, her body stiff with fear. Layton couldn’t stop Alex, the security couldn’t stop him, and her small frame wasn’t enough to make a difference. “I can’t stop him,” she whispered, the helplessness clear in her voice.
Layton, growing more desperate, pushed her into the room before she could react. Ellie stumbled forward, unable to regain her balance, and found herself face-to-face with Alex, who was still unleashing his anger on the defenseless Trevor.
Seeing the situation spiraling further, Ellie mustered every ounce of courage she had. She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Alex’s waist in an attempt to stop him. “Alex, please stop,” she begged.
Alex froze for a moment, his cold eyes shifting down to her. His expression twisted into one of exasperation. “You’re such a fool,” he snapped, his voice filled with disdain. “He was mean to you, and you’re still defending him.”
Ellie pushed against him with all her strength, her voice pleading. “You’ve already taught him a lesson. If you keep going, it’s going to get really bad.”
Her second night working at the bar had already turned into an absolute disaster. The room was a mess, with broken items everywhere, and Trevor was lying on the floor, clearly injured. Ellie couldn’t even begin to imagine how much the damages would cost, not to mention the medical bills. The thought made her stomach churn, and in a panic, she pushed Alex back harder.
“Let go, or I’ll hit you too,” Alex warned, but despite the tension in his voice, he slowly stepped back, his raised fist lowering in defeat.
Whitney quickly called for Trevor to be removed from the room, and the onlookers were ushered out, leaving only Whitney, Layton, and two bar staff members behind. The chaotic scene had finally quieted down.
Alex’s face remained tight with anger as he glared at Ellie. “Let go,” he muttered, his voice rough.
Ellie, heart still racing, carefully released her grip on him and looked around the dressing room. Besides a few broken items and the bloodstains on the floor, there was little left to remind her of what had just transpired. She couldn’t shake the image of Trevor on the ground, his face bruised from Alex’s assault.
As soon as her mind cleared, she rushed over to Whitney, her voice trembling. “I’m so sorry, Whitney. I had no idea things would get this crazy,” she said, her words laced with guilt.
Whitney offered a reassuring smile, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to the chaos. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll cover any costs. I’ll make sure you get triple your usual pay for today, just to make up for the stress.”
Ellie was still processing everything when Alex’s voice cut through the tension. “She’s out of here, no matter what,” he declared, grabbing Ellie’s arm with a force that made her wince.
At the door to the dressing room, Ellie clung to the doorknob, a desperate look in her eyes as she glanced back at Whitney. “Please, Whitney, I’m sorry,” she murmured, her voice barely audible.
Whitney, clearly confused, looked between the two of them before asking, “Who’s this guy?”
Before Ellie could respond, Alex intervened, his tone firm and possessive. “She’s with me, and she’s coming with me.”
In a swift, almost brutal motion, Alex pried Ellie’s hand from the doorknob, lifted her onto his shoulder, and began marching toward the exit. Ellie, too stunned to react, felt helpless as he carried her away, the weight of the situation crashing down on her.
