An Illicit Gentleman

                        Chapter Fourteen

AJ pulled into the underground parking lot of the hospital.  He had just come back from his place. Going there to shower, eat, change into some new clothes and tidy up since the doctors said she will most likely be able to go home later today.  Entering the building he walked right over to the elevators and made his way up to her floor.  The bell dinged and AJ stepped out as the doors opened. As he walked down the hall towards Eve’s room he saw someone standing outside, looking in her window.  He doubled checked to see if he could recognize the person but he didn’t and his alarm immediately went off.

“Hey!” AJ shouted down the hall and the man looked over, along with some other people.  The man’s face went to panic when he saw AJ and he took off down the hall away from Eve’s room.

AJ started running after him and watched him disappear behind the stairwell door.  He slammed into the door and it went flying open.  Looking over the railing he saw the man running down the grey stairwell. 

“Hey!” AJ yelled again and the man looked up.  He tried to catch up as he skipped steps down but when he went flying out of the door to the outside, he had lost him.  Swearing to himself he walked around to the doors he could enter from and made his way back up stairs.  When he got there he found an officer and told him what happened, the cop placed a call into the detectives that were working the case and soon police were scoping the building out. 

AJ gave them a description of what the guy looked like and told them what happened but that was the best he could do and he felt like a failure. When they were finished he walked into Eve’s room and saw her sitting on the bed.

“What’s going on out there?” She asked hearing the commotion and seeing the police before the door closed.

“Nothing for you to worry about.” AJ said as he walked over to her.

“Alex.” She said looking at him.

“Someone was outside of your room, I didn’t recognize him and when I tried to get his attention he took off.  I tried to chase him but he got away, the cops are out looking for him now.” AJ told her and he saw the look from yesterday come back.  “They’re putting an officer outside your door; I’m here, so you have nothing to worry about.”

“What happens when I leave?” She asked.

“You’ll go to my place, I’ll even call up my security team and we’ll work something out.”  AJ told her taking her hand.

“Alex I don’t think…” He stopped her.

“I get how you’re worried about people finding out about your Brother and Mom, I do, but we can work something out and as far as Brian goes, he’s a prick.” AJ said too her.  “He doesn’t know anything about you, he doesn’t know you, and he doesn’t know what we have, so anything he says is invalid.  If he can’t see past the dancer and see what an amazing, talented, strong, loving woman you are then that’s his problem.”

            “I miss you.” She said with a sniff.

            “I miss you too sweetheart, a lot.” AJ told her.  “I miss our talks, our movie nights; I miss the way we’d lay on the couch.” He said.  She looked down at her blankets and AJ got up and sat on the edge of her bed.  “I miss watching you when you sleep.”  He turned her head and looked into her eyes. 

            “Do we really belong together?” She asked.  “I’ve done nothing with my life to deserve you.”

            “Maybe you don’t but someone up there does.”  He said as he lightly brushed the back of his hand down her cheek.  “It’s safer at my house, I can keep an eye on you better at my house, please Eve.”

            She sat there a moment not saying anything and then she lightly nodded.  “Ok.” She agreed and AJ smiled in the small victory.

            “I’m going to go talk to a nurse or doctor, see when we can get you out of here.” AJ told her as he helped her lay down.  “Just relax I’ll be back ok?”  Eve nodded and he kissed her hand and left the room.

            When he found a doctor he was glad to here that she could leave, they were finishing up her papers now and she’d be allowed to go home in a half hour.  She was just as happy to be able to get out of there when he told her she’d be leaving soon.  As she got ready he went to the waiting room and called Kevin, letting him know she was able to leave and he’d be at his house.  When he got back to her room, the nurse said she could go.

“Are you hungry?” He asked as they drove down a street.  “We could go get something at a drive thru.”

“No thanks, I’m not hungry right now.” Eve said with a light smile.

“You’ve ate hardly anything.” AJ said as he quickly looked over at her.  “A salad or something? I can go to a café.”

“I’m fine really, I’ll eat later.” She said looking out the passenger window.  “Do you think someone is following us?” She asked looking into her side mirror.

“No” AJ said looking into the review mirror.  “If anything it’s a detective.”

“How can you tell though?” She asked looking at him.

“Eve relax, we’re not being followed.” AJ said as he took her hand and looked at her and then back to the road.  “We’re almost there.”

Eve didn’t say anything else the rest of the ride home and when they got inside she went right to the couch and laid down.  AJ frowned as he looked at her.  He walked into his living room and set his cell and keys down on the end table.

“Do you need anything?” He asked as he stood by the door way.

“A bath.” She said as she stared at the table.  “I want to have a bath.”

“Ok, I’ll go start the water for you.”  AJ said as she stood up. 

He walked upstairs and into the main bathroom.  He turned on the water and waited till he got the right temperature.  Standing up he walked over to the towel closet and pulled out a large fluffy towel.  When he heard someone at the door he looked up and saw Eve standing in the doorway with her bag.

“It’s all ready.” AJ said with a light smile.

“Thanks.” She said as she walked in.

“I’ll be in my room if you need anything else.” He told her as he walked out and closed the door behind him.  Just as he lied down on his bed his house phone rang so he reached over answered it.

“What’s up?” He asked when he saw Kevin’s name on the phone.

“Just called to see how things were.” Kevin asked.

“Fine right now, she’s having a bath; we just got in not to long ago.” AJ told him as he sat up against his head board.

“Any word on the guys that did it?” Kevin asked.

“Nope.” AJ said deciding it was better to leave the mini chase out, he just didn’t want to hear Kevin telling him how stupid it was and he should have found a cop. 

“How are you doing?” The man on the other end asked.

“I’m fine.” AJ replied.

“Alex, I wouldn’t be fine if someone I cared about was going through this, hell if it was Kris I’d be loosing my fucking mind man.” Kevin told him as AJ picked at his nail.

“I really don’t want to talk about it right now.” AJ said.

“You need to talk about this and I’m sure you don’t want to go to your mom.” Kevin said to him.

“What do you want me say?” He asked.  “Tell you how helpless I feel right now, there’s nothing I can do for her, I can’t take her memories away, I can’t make the pain go away, I can’t make that beautiful smile come back.” AJ said as he felt himself starting to lose it.  “All I want to do is take her in my arms and tell her everything’s going to be ok, she’s going to be fine, but I can’t because even I know what a crock of shit that is.”

“I’m sure you’re doing enough by helping her, what you’re doing for her now.” Kevin told him.

“Yeah I’m sure running her bath water will make it all better.” AJ snapped.  “Look dude I need to go.”

“Ok well call me, keep me updated.” Kevin said before they said goodbye and hung up.

He sat on the bed collecting his thoughts and he wondered if he should knock on the door to check on her.  Deciding to give her a few more minutes he stretched back out on his bed.  Closing his eyes he tried to clear his mind but he couldn’t.  Thoughts of her in the van clouded him, thoughts of what she went through, and thoughts on what he would do if he ever got a hold of one of them, any of them.

The sound of the bathroom door opening broke him from his thoughts and he saw her walk out into the hall.  She was wrapped tight in her robe and her hair hung wet and messy around her face.  Eve walked into his room and crawled onto his bed to the usual spot where she slept. 

“Are you hungry yet?” He asked.

“No” She said as she lightly shook her head.  AJ didn’t like the fact she wasn’t eating but the doctor said it would be normal for a couple of days and to try and get as much fluids as possible, getting her to eat whenever he could.

 “Do you need anything from your place; I can drive over and get it?” He asked her, trying to help any ways possible.

“No” She said quickly. “Don’t leave.”

“Ok.” AJ replied reassuring her, he took her hand and strummed his thumb across the back of it.  “What did Brian say to you?” Eve lightly sighed as she played with a small part of his blanket.

“He came into the lounge and asked if I was enjoying myself.” She began to tell him as she slowly sat up.  “I asked him what he meant and he asked me again, saying that when the fans and media find out they would turn your life into hell because I’m a stripper, they would never let you live it down.”  She looked down at his thumb. “He told me it might look like a nice set up for a girl like me but it wouldn’t be worth hurting you over.”

“I see.” AJ said remaining as calm as he could.

“Later that night I couldn’t sleep because I kept thinking what if he was right.  I didn’t want to hurt something you had worked so hard for and something you still work hard for.”  She told him as he listened.  “I will always be a stripper I can’t run away from that.”  A tear dripped onto the sheet.

“But you can move on.” AJ said as his thumb slid down her middle finger.

“Maybe two days ago I could have.” She said quietly.  “But not now.”

He sat up when he saw her starting to shake.  “Evelyn?” AJ said as he gently placed his hands on the side of her arms.  The bruises still evident on her face, his eyes fell in pain and he reached up letting his fingers softly brush down her face. 

“I feel like I’m out of control.” Her voice cracked.  “I had control.” She said with a hint of anger.  “I danced and they watched but they took it.  They took it and I can never get it back.” 

A smashing sound was heard and within a second his alarm went off.  Eve jumped and so did he as they looked at each other.  AJ started to get up but Eve grabbed at him and shook her head.

“Stay here the bathroom door locks.” AJ said to her as he took her carefully by the arms.

“Alex.” Eve said in a shaky voice.

“Just stay here.” He whispered as he let her go and headed out of his room.  He closed the door over and slowly walked down the hall.  Slowly he peered around the corner down the stairs as his alarm squealed.  Step by step he made his way down, then out of no where someone came running up the stairs at him and knocked him down, hitting his head as he fell.  The figure continued up the stairs as AJ sat dazed on the steps but the sound of his door smashing open and Eve’s screams was enough to wake him back up.  He fumbled to get his footing as he tried to climb the steps.  A smashing sound came from his room and he could hear the sounds of a scuffle.

“Eve!” AJ shouted as he got to the top and turned down the hall.  He ran into the room and looked around quickly.  A quick shout was heard from his bathroom and he dashed at the door.  

AJ stopped dead under the door way as he saw the man who had broken in on top of Eve.  He grabbed the guy by the back of his dark shirt and dragged him out of the room.  Now was his chance, now was the time to get out all the anger and hate for the people who had hurt her.  He grunted as he tossed the man with everything he had into the dresser, the man slamming head first into it.  Quickly AJ stepped over to him and grabbed him from around the front of his shirt and started punching him, not even caring the man was still wearing his mask. 

Then someone grabbed him from behind and pulled him away.  He shouted for them to let him go, he wasn’t even close to done yet but then he saw the detective and a bunch of cops run at the guy and roll him over, arresting him.

            “Eve” AJ said quickly remembering her in the bathroom.  The officer let him go and he ran to the door.  She was on the floor crying as a female police officer tried to calm her down.  Slowly he walked over and knelt down.  When she saw him she grabbed onto him tightly.  Her crying was almost as hysterical as when she entered the hospital.  AJ closed his eyes; he couldn’t even keep her safe in his own home.

“Mr. Mclean.” One of the detectives said and AJ turned to look at him.  He motioned for AJ too join him.   “Do you know this man?” He asked as AJ approached the bedroom.  An officer turned the man who had broken in around and AJ finally saw his face.  His blood pressure rose, his hands closed into fists and he stared long and hard at his friend Mats.

“You.” AJ said as he stepped forward but the detective stopped him. “You were my friend, you were her friend!” AJ yelled at him

“She’s not so special now is she.” Mats said eyes locked on AJ.  AJ tried again to lunge at Mats but the detective stopped him again.

“Get him out of here.” The man holding AJ said and the two cops yanked Mats out of the room.