Collateral Damage

29

Audrey sat up. Alexander's bare back flexed as he took his shirt off, once again, arguing with his wife to be.

"You compromise everything for her! Do you know what this could do to your reputation?! To your stocks? To your shareholders faith in the company," Hannah demanded, throwing a newspaper at him.

He caught it, steel eyes looking over it briefly before scoffing and tossing it aside. "It's a gossip rag. No one believes them anyway."

"Oh but it's true isn't it? You broke the law for her. Not once. Not twice. Over and over again. You do y think this'll come back on you? On us?" She stressed.

The couple argued in the doorway, not noting Audrey's gaze. Alexander frowned, his face presses into a scowl. Hannah was frowning as well, demanding answers of her fiancée.

"You moved her in. I kept my mouth shut. You did...this? Bribing the transplant committee? I kept my mouth shut. All I ask is you keep this...away from prying eyes. Don't make me a fool, Alexander I won't stand for it."

Alexander scoffed. "Let's be honest here, Hannah. It's not about you being a fool. It's about you being a fool in public. I told you. No one knows."

Hannah pursed her lips. "I want her out. That's it. I can't do this anymore! You cannot have your wife and your fucking mistress—"

"She is not a mistress," Alexander scowled, his grey eyes burning, his voice icy and cold. "She is a patient and she has a name. Her name is Audrey."

"Oh for fucks sake, Alexander!" Hannah threw her hands up. "Why don't you just fuck her in front of me."

Alexander stared at her blankly. "You're a very sick woman, Hannah. Have I touched her? Do I speak to her that way, do I?" He demanded.

Hannah couldn't articulate that made it worse. The fact she was too holy to even gaze on while she was just his toy—that was would made it all so unbearable. He worshiped her.

"No...no you're right. She's Madonna. I'm the whore."

Alexander sighed. "I don't want to hurt you, Hannah."

Hannah turned around. "You always say that. What's the point of useless platitudes like that? It doesn't matter what you want that's what you're doing!"

"Does it look like I plan to stop," he asked, out of moving Audrey's sight.

"No!"

"Then why do you keep talking to me about?" He asked, the sound of hive and a drink being poured filling the silence.

Hannah looked away. "Because I'm scared. I'm scared that...given the chance you'd trade my life—our life together —for even a second with her."

Alexander chuckled after a moment. It was dry and sad. "Might? Hannah...I already have. This is the aftermath of that. This fight you're having...you're having it by yourself. We both know I've made up my mind. You just don't like my answer."

Hannah finally broke her steely facade and cried. Alexander stayed where he was, pouting himself another drink.

"I'm sorry, Hannah. I was a coward. I'll admit it. I didn't want to tell you to leave. I didn't want to let you down. I made big promises, wasted a lot of your time. It was always her. And I always knew. And I'm sorry."

"But it's over. She has a full life to live and I...I can't give you what you want. Not my heart or my time or not even my full attention. Not when she's out there."

Hannah clenched her jaw, touching her chest.

"I'll take care of you, like a promised. A house, alimony everything. At least that. I can at least give you that. The freedom you hoped to find in my name."

Hannah stormed out, slamming the door. Alexander heaved a sigh, and stood, his chair scrapping the floor. He lingered by the door, drink in hand.

"You heard all of that," he mused.

Audrey nodded. He raised his brows, sitting next to her.

"Why did you do that? There's no guarantee I'll want to be with you," she croaked, avoiding his eyes, casting her gaze out the window.

"I couldn't keep holding her back like that. Besides...I'm by your side. I always am."

She scoffed. "After five years? You think you can just waltz in?"

Alex see raised his brows and leaned back. "Let me ask you this: when you saw me on TV...in the news. Saw a place we used to go. Did you remember me? Did you miss me?"

She pursed her lips and closed her eyes tightly. "I owe you my life don't I?"

Alexander chuckled. "You should know by now, Audrey. I do what I do...because when I think of a world without you in it...I can't picture anything. It all goes black."

Audrey sighed. "I didn't really do anything though."

Alexander sat next to her, taking her hand, relaxing in the bed next to her. "I'm new to this...but I don't think you have to. I just like you."

Audrey shook her head. "I don't think you do."

Alexander pressed her hand to his lips. He kissed her hand tenderly, tucking it under his own. "Well...you never were very bright."

Audrey scoffed and elbowed him roughly. He chuckled.

"That's my Audrey." He whispered.

Audrey looked at him and for a moment he was just looking back and smiling. One thing she always believed: he was on her side. Whether they called it love, or something else never really mattered. He was always on her side.

Audrey snuggled into his chest, hiding her face.

"I was...I was really scared for a minute. I thought I was gonna die," she cried, breaking down all at once.

Alexander held her as she shattered, rubbing her back.

"I was really scared I wasn't going to be alive anymore, Alexander. I was scared I was going to die alone." Her tears wet his skin, snot and spit mixing as she sobbed pitifully into his chest, weakly grabbing onto his shoulder.

"I was scared...I'd never see you again, in whatever was waiting for me. You're always there. I didn't know what I was going to do."

Alexander smiled sadly and held her closer. "I would never let you go alone, Audrey. Not even to hell."

She scoffed, her voice drowning with her tears. "Who said I was going to hell."

"Well...I am. So I'd have to take you with me," he mused. "And you're no saint, Little miss shark. You really are daddy's little capitalist." He smirked, nudging her gently.

Audrey stuck up her middle finger.

"Fuck you, Steel."

He grinned and kissed her head.