An Illicit Gentleman

                       Chapter Seventeen

His eyes slowly opened like he was waking from a long deep sleep.  He could hear a beeping sound and he started to turn his head to look around.  The walls were white, sterile white, there were monitors around his bed and a long skinny tube coming from on machine into his hand.  He blinked as he realized he was in a hospital and he slowly lifted himself up trying to get comfortable.  The room spun a little and he grabbed his head hoping that would stop it.  When he heard the room door opened he looked up and saw his Mom and Kevin walking in.

“Alex” His mother said and he could hear the relief come out as her tears followed.  She went right to him and hugged him, tightly and he winced in pain a little.

“Careful.” His extra raspy voice said as she pulled away.

“I was so worried; I thought I’d lost you.” Denise said as she wiped her tears away.  “I better go tell the doctor you’re awake.”

“How long have I been out?” AJ asked as she got up.

“Just a day.” Kevin said as AJ’s mom left the room.  “You lost a lot of blood.” AJ thought back to the last thing he remembered, lying on the floor in Eve’s place.

“Eve” AJ said looking at Kevin.  “Is she ok where is she?” AJ asked.

“She’s fine Alex, we’ll talk about her later.” Kevin said as Denise and the doctor walked in. 

“What’s going on?” AJ asked wondering why Kevin said that but his friend didn’t answer. 

The doctor began examining AJ and filling him in on what had happened.  Mats had shot him and he was very lucky.  The bullet missed his heart and major arteries but the problem was his lung which the bullet had clipped and was filling with blood.  The doctor told him he was in surgery for a few hours but they were able to remove the bullet and fix everything up.

“We’re going to keep you here one more day for observation, granted everything goes well we will probably be able to let you go home later tomorrow.” The doctor told him when he finished writing in his clip board.

“That’s wonderful.” Denise said with a smile as the doctor left.  “I’ll go to your place later tonight and make sure everything is set up for you.”

“Where’s Eve.” AJ said before anyone could say anything else.  His Mom didn’t say anything as she walked the doctor out and Kevin shifted on his feet uncomfortably.   “Helloo!” AJ said looking at both of them.

“I better call your Uncle let him know you’re awake.” Denise said quickly as she got up and left the room.

“What the hell is going on? Where’s Evie?” AJ asked starting to get a little nervous.

“She’s fine man.” Kevin said and AJ relaxed a little.  “Eve’s at my place with Kristin.”

“Your place?” AJ said confused.

“You really shouldn’t worry about this now Alex.” Kevin said wanting to change the subject but AJ wouldn’t let him.

“Kevin.” He said in a stone cold tone.

“When your Mom got here and found out what happened, she blamed Eve, of course everything had to come out when Denise wanted to know what type of work Eve would be leaving from at two in the morning, Eve told her and Denise lost it.” Kevin said as AJ listened shocked.  “Denise wouldn’t let Eve see you so Eve figured there was no point in hanging around.  Kristin caught her before she had left, she was going to go back to her place, but we both agreed she could stay with us until you woke up and sorted everything out.”

“So my Mom’s been a complete bitch too her?” AJ asked.

“Alex, I don’t think she meant too, she didn’t know much about Eve, none of us really do and she was dealing with her son almost dying, being shot, she just over reacted.” Kevin said trying to explain.

“Can you go get her?” AJ asked.  “I need to see her.”

“Sure man.” Kevin said with a nod.  “Don’t be too hard on your Mom, she was scared.”

“I know.” AJ said with a light nod.

When Kevin left the room AJ sighed as he laid back against his pillows.  The pain still very evident in his chest he winced a little as he let the thought of what had happened sink in.  He lied in his bed with his eyes closed his mind playing back what had happened in Eve’s house.  Coming too and seeing Mats, seeing Eve tied up, fighting with his former friend and then the sound of the gun going off.  Even Eve’s screaming his name rang out in his ears again, like it was happening all over again.

The sound of his door opening made him open an eye and he saw his Mom come back into the room.  “All good?” AJ asked.

“Yes, he wanted to come out but I told him to wait until we see when you can leave for sure.” She told him as she closed the door.

“We need to talk.” AJ said as Denise walked over too him.

“Well thankfully we will have lots of time to do that.” Denise said as she sat down beside him.

“I mean about Eve.” AJ said.

“Oh her.” Denise said with a sigh.

“Yes her.” AJ said annoyed at her tone already.  “Look I’m sorry I never said anything to you about her but there were a lot of things I wanted to know first.”

“Like how much a date would cost.” Denise replied.

“Ma.” AJ said trying to fight the anger.  “Don’t go there, she’s not like that.”

“Really? So stripping is her hobby.” His mother snapped.

“No she did it because she had too.” AJ snapped back.

“Had too? Who has to take their clothes off in front of strangers Alex, none of them have to do anything.” Denise said.

AJ closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he knew he had brought this on himself not telling her about Eve but he didn’t tell anyone that much about her, he wanted to get to know her first, wanted to know she was what he wanted before he subjected her to this life.

“When she was fifteen her Mother who was a drug addict and an alcoholic killed her brother in a drunken rage.” AJ said as he got his Mom’s attention. “She was fifteen Ma and they put her in Foster care, so she took off met up with an ex friend of her Mom’s and when she was old enough yes she started working in his club.”  Denise sat quietly and AJ waited to see if she was going to say anything.  “When I met her I was told she wasn’t like the rest of the girls, she never went home with anyone from the club and she never did extra things for money.”

“Then what about you? What made you so special; I’ll tell you what, your name and your money.” Denise finally spoke up.

“No Mom.” AJ replied sternly.

“Is that where Kevin went?” Denise asked interrupting him.  “He went to get her didn’t he?”

“Yes because I asked him too, I want to see her.” AJ told her.

“Well she’s not coming in here while I’m here.” Denise said with some attitude.

“Then when she gets here you’ll have to wait in the waiting room.” AJ said as Denise looked at him in shock.  “All I can ask is that you get to know her, Brian didn’t, and I almost lost her because of it, I’m not going to let that happen again especially after everything I’ve been through now.”

“She plays with men Alex look at what happened.”

“I’m going to let that remark slide because you’re my Mom but she was not at fault for what happened, don’t you get it. Mats was obsessed with her because she wouldn’t go there with him or with anyone and then when we met she stepped out of her box and it drove Mats into jealousy.”

“And you almost got killed.” Denise said sadly.

“Because I was protecting her and I’d do it again and again if it meant she was safe.” AJ said as he saw his Mom had started to cry.  “Please Ma, give her a chance and see what I see.”  The Mother and Son sat in silence for a bit and then AJ spoke up.  “Where are you staying?”

“At the usual hotel.” Denise said.

“Well why don’t you go back to my place shower and eat, maybe a nap, looks like you’ve been here as long as I have.” He said with a light smile.

“Are you sure?” She asked.

“Yes, Eve will be here soon and I’m sure Kevin’s called everyone and they’ll be coming by too, don’t think I’m going anywhere.” He joked and he got a small smile out of her.

“Alright then.” Denise said with a light sigh as she stood up.  She gave him a light kiss on the forehead and then headed out of the room.  When she was gone AJ let out a big sigh and relaxed a little but only for a moment.

“Knock Knock.” Kevin said as he popped his head in.

“Hey” AJ said as he felt himself smile and get a little excited.  Kevin smiled back and held the door open, letting Eve walk into the room. 

“I’m gonna go wait for Nick and D in the waiting room.” Kevin told him before he closed the door.  When the door shut AJ turned his attention to Eve as she stood by the front of his bed looking at the floor.

“Hi” AJ said getting her attention.

“Hi” She said back as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

“I want to say sorry for the way my Mom treated you.” AJ told her.

“It’s ok, can’t say I blame her.” Eve said quietly.  “I almost got her only son killed.”

“Evie this wasn’t you’re fault and you know that.” AJ said trying to sit up better.  He waited for her to say something but she just stood there.  “Evelyn come here.” He said as he waved her over.  She looked at him hesitant at first and then slowly made her way over to his bed.  Eve sat down on the edge of the bed and AJ sat up pulling her into his arms.

“I almost lost you again.” Eve whispered through her tears.

“Well you didn’t, it’s gonna take more than a bullet to take me away from you.” AJ said as they slowly pulled away.  He frowned when he didn’t get the smile or laugh he was hoping for.  “Hey” AJ said as he wiped the tears from her face.  “I’m ok.” He told her.

“You got shot.” She said trying to calm herself.  “You almost died because of me.”

“No, not because you Eve, because of Mats because Mats is sick in the head.” AJ said as he took her hand.

“If I had a job at McDonalds this wouldn’t have happened.” Eve told him.

            AJ took her hand and gently kissed the back of it.  “You did what you needed to do.”

“It’s on the news now, what happened.” Eve said as she wiped her eyes.  “Kristin tried to keep the TV off the news but I couldn’t sleep so I watched it last night.”

“What are they saying?” He asked.

“That you were shot at your girlfriend’s house in a dispute and you’re in the hospital.” She told him.

“Well that doesn’t sound bad.” AJ said

“But people are going to start asking what the fight was about, who the girlfriend is and why some dude went crazy.” Eve said looking at him and he could see the fear in her eyes.

“Then they’ll get the answers, we can’t stop it but we can keep it from breaking us up.” AJ told her.  “I don’t want you to go anywhere, I know the story I know why you started dancing and that’s all that should matter.”

“I just don’t want to be the one who ruins something you’ve worked so hard for.” She spoke as she looked down at his bedding.

“And you won’t be, if the people in this industry or our fans are that petty then the hell with them.” AJ told her.  “Because I’ve found something I have been searching for all my life and I’ll be damn if anything takes it away from me.  It doesn’t matter if you dance or if you were flippin burgers at McDonalds, it’s you I want Eve and that means everything that comes with you.” 

Eve reached over and wrapped her arms around him and it made him smile as he wrapped his arms around her.  He held her tight against him as tight as his chest would allow him too.  Closing his eyes he breathed in the sent of her hair and let his fingers gently brush through the back.  When his room door opened they pulled apart and AJ knew he wouldn’t get a moment like that with her again anytime soon as the two detectives who were handling Eve’s case walked in.