Mystery Life

23

Dave ends the call on his phone and lets out a deep sigh. She's arrived in Seattle safely. He chuckles at the temerity of her staying at his hotel after leaving like she did. But he's beyond relieved that she did. He told them to give her the penthouse and not charge her. He knows that she's not going to like that, but he doesn't care. He wants to make sure that she is taken care of.

"Zander, she's currently staying at my hotel there in Seattle, you'll have to be very discrete when you follow her. I don't wish to lose you or Peter. She'll be hurt if she finds out Peter is there. Keep him as far from her as you can." Dave says once Zander answers the phone.

"How the hell did you find that out?" Zander says in amazement. They had just barely landed in Seattle.

"She used her bank card to check in. It has my name on it and the receptionist wanted to know if I have special instructions for her."

"You told her to give her the penthouse didn't you?" Zander wants to groan.

"Yes, and everything is to be comped. I want her back but if I can't have her then I want her happy. Make sure she is happy."

"Yes, sir." Zander hesitates before continuing, "Boss, what if we see her with a man?" He knows the terms of the alliance as well. Right now they are still engaged no matter what either of them might want.

"Don't interfere unless he's hurting her in some way. She deserves to find happiness in this life. Heaven only knows how much hell she's already suffered." Dave tells Zander heavily. He couldn't tolerate seeing Eve with another man. That's the main reason he didn't jump on the plane to go for her himself.

Zander thinks Dave is crazy, but says, "As you wish boss. We'll need access to the hotel's cameras."

"Everything is set for you and Peter. Eat all your meals in the room or out of the hotel. I don't want her finding you there."

"Of course, boss. We know how to trail someone and believe me, neither of us want Eve to know we're here." Zander is about to hang up when he looks up and sees her in the bar. "Oh, shit."

"What is it?" Dave demands information.

"She's in the bar and she looks bad. She looks exhausted and about to pass out. Why the hell haven't they given her her room yet?

"Boss, has Eve ever had alcohol before?" Zander asks horrified as Eve picks up a drink that looks like sex on a beach.

"Not that I know of why?"

"Because she is currently drinking." Zander says and shudders. This is bad, very bad. Eve needs all her senses to deal with things and the alcohol will dull them and leave her helpless.

"I'll call and have them cut her off. Make sure she gets to her room safely."

Zander hangs up and motions Peter to check them in.  While Peter goes to the reception he heads to the bar. He stays far enough away from her that she won't feel him but watches her closely. He silently curses as he notices the signs of inebriation has already started in her.

When she stands and starts to fall he rushes forward to catch her. She passes out and he easily picks her up. The waitress hands him the cane and has a bell hop get her bags.

Zander only stops at the desk long enough to grab the key card for her pent house suite. Eve murmurs about needing to be ready by ten for something. "Make sure that Miss Saunders has medicine for a headache, a bottle of water at nine. You'll need to send a maid in to wake her and help her get ready. Dave isn't going to like that you didn't have her go up sooner." Zander tells the woman furious at her.

"I had to get the suite ready. I sent someone in a few minutes ago, but he was told she wasn't ready to go."

"Miss Saunders is underage and you served her alcohol, that is what Dave is the most upset about. We have a strict no alcohol to underage people policy for a reason." Zander motions for the bellhop to lead the way and leaves the stricken receptionist behind.

"We're down a floor from her, room 2149 for you and I'll be next door. They already have it set up for us." Peter says handing Zander his key and looking with concern at the passed out girl in front of him.

"I'll be taking care of her, I just hope she doesn't spend the night being sick."

Peter gives him a commiserating look. If she is she'll be less than thrilled to find Zander there. 
"I'll get your bags unpacked. The receptionist said that she is staying for a week, or until she finds an apartment."

"Dave isn't going to like that. How the hell do we get her to a safe place?" Zander mutters to himself.

"I think the first question should be, how are you going to take care of her in her state without her finding out that we're here?" Peter shoots back.

Zander gives him a dirty look, "Thanks for that, I needed a reminder of just how thin of a line I'll be walking tonight."

"Anytime, boss. Need me to do anything?"

"Yeah, order me something to eat. I'm sure that she won't be waking anytime soon and I'm starving." He doesn't dare leave her in this state, should she start vomiting it could be disastrous for her.

"You going to tell the boss?" Peter hides his snicker.

"I have no choice, she's drunk and he needs to know why I'm jeopardizing things by staying with her." Zander grits out displeased with this whole damn situation. If the boss had just kept it in his pants then this wouldn't be a problem.

He'll never get the look of utter betrayal that Eve had on her face when he saw her sitting on the stairs, out of his mind. He never wants to see that look on someone he cares about again. He couldn't imagine doing that to someone he loves like he knows the boss loves her. Or thought he loved her. Now, after everything, he's not so sure.

True the boss has been a mess since she left, but if he had cared he wouldn't have done anything to hurt her in the first place would he?

He sighs, life is never that easy and clean cut. Tempers had been high that night, especially the boss's with his worry over Eve and his guilt. Now his guilt is killing him.