Xandros and Ally

Chapter 11 (Ally): An Alibi

Xandros came to LA to have a conversation he said I'd promised him? And then he dared to call me his breath? Not too long ago, he was apparently willing to suffocate by marrying that other woman and letting me go. Or, at least, making me his freaking mistress.

My breath, my ass.

Ignoring Xandros, ignoring the pretty flowers I was tempted to shove up his ass, I walked past him, pushing the curtain angrily aside. Zed was right behind me, probably glaring at my former boyfriend.

Xandros was suddenly in front of me again. "Not happening, Ally. You're not walking away and we're going to talk this out and settle things between us."

Zed put a hand on my shoulder to hold me back. "Not here, Ally. Not here."He looked at Xandros and spoke quietly and evenly so none of the people hurrying around us could overhear. "This conversation is not happening here in the studio. If Ally wants to talk to you, you can do it someplace private where it's not going to end up as a viral video on social media."

Xandros' eyes came to me. "We need to talk. I need to tell you everything."

"What is there to tell, Xandros? I think you already told me everything I need to know when you made me your incredibly kind, thoughtful offer," I hissed at him, and Zed pressed my shoulder again in warning. Not here, Ally.

I guessed it would look bad if I grabbed Zed's guitar case out of his hand and used it on Xandros.

"Fine. Meet us at our hotel bar in an hour. We're staying at the Premier just down the road from here."

"I'd rather not have this discussion in public. I'll meet you in your room or you can meet me in mine."

"I don't want to meet in a hotel room."

"I'm not going to do anything to you, Ally, if we meet behind closed doors. Please tell me you're not actually afraid to be alone with me."

"I'm not afraid of you, Xandros. Maybe I just don't want to be alone with you. Did your ego ever consider that possibility?"

"Ally," Zed said warningly, so I stepped out of Xandros' personal space and smiled pleasantly for the benefit of any of the people milling around us who happened to be watching.

"Room 736 at the Premier in an hour," I said to Xandros before I walked away.

Smiling. But gritting my teeth. Maybe we did need to talk so I could put this to rest once and for all. Zed and I walked out of the studio and into the bright sun of a perfect LA afternoon.

"While you talk to him, should I Google how to remove blood stains from carpet or anything?" Zed asked after we'd walked off the lot.

He wasn't kidding.

"That's a good idea," I said.

I wasn't kidding either."What do you want, Ally?" Zed asked as we walked the five minutes to our hotel. "You want me in the room with you when you talk with him? You want to meet him alone?"

"Alone," I said decisively. "I have some things to say to Xandros that aren't going to be pleasant, and it's nothing your virgin ears should hear."

He grinned down at me. "Just knock on the adjoining door if you need help hiding his body. I'll alibi the hell out of you if the police are called in. No, officer, those bloodstains were already there when she checked in. Honest."

We rode up the elevator in silence once we reached the hotel.

"Let me know if you change your mind. I'll be right here," Zed promised. I reached up and gave my cousin a hug.