The Executioner

Chapter 15: Elliott

Waking up next to someone wasn't something Elliott had done in years. Not since...

"Katie?" Her back was to him and the long gorgeous locks fell in waves down her back. She stirred, rolling on her side and snuggling into the pillow. That's when the sleepy haze left his brain and the sick feeling in his stomach came in full force. It was a slap to the face. It wasn't her, wasn't his Katie. His throat tightened and the guilt flooded every ounce of him.

Elliott had to go. He had to get away. What the hell was wrong with him? He eased off the side of the bed and slipped into his boots trying not to wake her. How was he supposed to explain why he was losing his shit if he didn't even know himself?

The morning air was chilly, and welcomed. He needed a drink. At 7am. He needed something to make this go away.

Last night, kissing Scarlett, it felt right. But waking up next to her, seeing someone else, feeling the panic set in, it was anything but.  He spent hours sitting on the couch in his room at the club, downing tequila shots, and staring at the wall. It was almost noon before his phone went off.

Scarlett: Hey where'd you go?

He took another shot.

Tank: Coming back in today. Church tonight at 8. How's the girl?

Another shot.

After the bottle was empty, he finally started feeling better. His thoughts were hazy and his chest wasn't tight. Usually when he had moments like this, he talked to LC. But now he was lost. And he'd probably get gut punched by the old bastard if he knew Elliott had shared a bed with his daughter.

"Sorry old man." He said to no one. "She sure is something though."

Knock knock knock

Zac opened the door just enough to fit his head through. The room was dark so the back light from the open door cast shadows all over the room but there's no way the large frame and shaggy beard belonged to anyone else. Elliot let his head fall back to the couch.

"You alright?" Zacs rough deep voice almost echoed through the quiet dark room.

"Better than I was this morning." Elliott held up the bottle.

"Wanna talk about it?" Man of few words, this one. Zac entered the room and closed the door letting the darkness take back over. "Was it Scarlett?"

"She wasn't Scarlett this morning when I woke up next to her." Elliott let his head roll from side to side.

"What happened?"

Elliott told him what happened. About how he had called Scarlett by the wrong name. How he felt the pressure build in his chest when he thought he had finally woken from the nightmare. The anger that flared at his own stupidity and the guilt he felt for even mistaking it. Scarlett hadn't asked for his issues and he had brought them right to her bed.

"She was asleep man, she didn't hear you. Don't feel guilty for having a past and don't feel guilty for wanting a future. Katie would be pissed seeing you like this." Zac got long winded which surprised Elliott

"She'd turn fire engine red and lose her mind on me" he smiled at the thought. And then his mind flashed back to Scarlett. He could have had her last night and now he was beyond glad he didn't. Not because of her but because of him.

"She'd want you happy man. She'd want you living." Zac decided to leave on that note leaving Elliott fading in and out of a drunken cloud. The dark enveloped him and he didn't wake again until the boys banged on his door for church