Consequences Of Actions

Chapter 7: Her savior, His accident

[Eleanor]

I didn't know how long I sat on the dirty ground of the backdoor alley, crying my heart out after Harrington left me. Jeremy, the head of the bartenders, and Arthur, the manager of the club were those who found me.

Jeremy had seen everything and had quickly called Arthur who had not wasted a second calling the bouncers to throw that drunk man out. They had then both ran outside to find me. Let's just say both men had found a soft spot for me.

Arthur was quick to take me to his office and after I said sorry for the hundredth time between my sobs he stopped me and told me everything was fine and he was used to this kind of shit. He didn't like anyone to touch the girls in his club without consent. That was his red line.

I was so broken. Harrington's words were cutting through my heart. He had saved me, yes. But the look of disgust in his eyes and the assumption he had made of me and my situation was making me sick.

Arthur told me to go home for the rest of the night, but I was in no shape to go home. Liam would be so worried if he would see me like this and I had to tell him about the club for sure. I didn't want to bother him more. But at the same time, I was in desperate need of someone to comfort me and help me.

So I called the only one I could. Ethan.

I don't know how many speed limits he had broken, but he was at the club in less than 10 minutes. He looked more than frantic and worried as he barged into Arthur's office. He was quick to run and pull me into a tight hug and I was quicker to latch to him like a Koala and cry my heart again.

And here we were after almost an hour. In Ethan's car, outside of an ice cream parlor. The silence inside the car would only break with my occasional sniffles. I was digging in my strawberry ice cream while Ethan had both his hands and his head on the steering wheel.

"You can't work there anymore." he said after a moment and leaned back his head on the headrest, staring at the roof of the car.

"Ethan," I sighed. "I can't leave the job."

"Are you kidding me?" he snapped and looked at me angrily. "As much as I hate Harrington and what he told you, what if he was not there tonight? God, I'm forever in his debt for saving you."

"I can't leave the job and you know this." I answered and looked at him sharply. "And please don't tell me to take money from your father and blah blah. I can't. And I need money for my mother. The doctors say she needs surgery soon. I need to work as hard as I can and Arthur pays me greatly."

Ethan grumbled frustrated and looked away. "I will start searching for a new job for you." he said. "Somewhere much better. You just can't work there more. I will search for a job for myself too. We will add my salary to the saving and..."

"Absolutely not." I said sternly, cutting off his babble. "You have already done so much for me. I can't accept more from you. Please don't do this or I will leave the city."

"You are such a stubborn girl." he grumbled under his breath and rubbed his face.

I sighed and put a gentle hand on his back. "Seriously, Ethan." I said softly. "It means a lot to me that you are here, taking care of me and putting me back together. I can't ask for more. I don't want you to ruin your own life and your future because of my life's problems."

Ethan just stared at me with an unreadable expression on his face. He then ignited the engine and start driving. "Let's take you home." he said. "You look tired."

"Thank you." I said and tried to fish my phone out of my bag. I frowned when I felt a piece of paper in my hand and pulled it out. Sadness washed over me and my heart clenched remembering Harrington's hateful words as I stared at the one hundred dollar bill in my hand.