Chapter 09
1640 Words
BLAISE’S POV
“Is everything alright with you, sir?”
I lift my gaze to find Albert standing before me. He’s been peering down at me for God knows how long, his hands folded neatly in front of him.
I shake my head. “Nothing.”
“You’ve been sitting there for the past hour,” he says, studying me.
I look away.
Albert is my butler, but I’ve never really seen him as just that. He’s older than I am and has served me for eight years now, often saying he knows me better than anyone else. Most times, I think he might be right.
I exhale and slide Claudia’s photo across the table to him. “My father wants me to marry her.”
Albert picks up the photo carefully, adjusting his glasses before looking down at it. He takes his time, studying her face instead of reacting immediately.
After a moment, he says, “She’s rather beautiful, don’t you think?”
I frown. “I don’t care about that.”
He straightens, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “I know. I was just pulling your leg.”
I shake my head. “He wants a marriage certificate in one week, and I don’t even know anything about this woman.”
“Maybe you should meet her,” he suggests. “Who knows? You may like her.”
My lips curve in distaste. “I won’t.”
Albert steps closer, lowering his voice as he leans slightly toward me. “Are you still hung over, Bla—”
“No.” I cut in, not allowing him to finish the name. “I… I’ve moved on from her.”
I meet his gaze and he’s watching me with a knowing look, an amused expression on his face like he doesn’t believe a word I just said.
I c**k an eyebrow. “What?”
“I don’t believe that’s the case,” he says calmly. “Or all your blind dates would have been more successful.”
“They weren’t successful because they weren’t my type,” I snap, scowling. “I’ve moved on from Blair and I’m not into her anymore. As a matter of fact, I’ve set clear boundaries between us and there’s no way—”
My phone starts buzzing on the counter, cutting me off.
Irritated, I reach for it because who calls someone at ten p.m.? But the moment I see the name flashing on the screen, I freeze.
Albert has clearly seen it too but he says nothing, and only smirks, the look on his face far too pleased.
Why is Blair calling me now? Is everything okay?
I pick up the call anyway.
“Hello,” I answer.
Immediately, her giggle floats through the phone. “Blaiseeee… where areee you?”
I stiffen. Slowly, I rise to my feet and take a few steps away from Albert, lowering my voice.
“Blair,” I say carefully, “are you drunk?”
There’s a pause, then the unmistakable sound of liquid being poured into a glass and she laughs again. “Nooo… why would I be dunk?”
She’s drunk or close enough. I close my eyes and rub my forehead.
Blair rarely drinks because she can’t handle it, and hates the feeling. The fact that she’s calling me at this hour, sounding like this, tells me everything I need to know: whatever she’s been holding together is finally spilling over.
“Where are you?” I ask, softer this time.
“At home,” she replies. “I’m starv…ing and my head hurts and I can’t move my legs.”
My grip tightens around the phone. “You’re hungry? Didn’t you eat dinner?”
“Not… really.”
“What about Marissa?”
Her voice drops to a whisper. “She’s sleeping. I don’t want to wake her up.”
I exhale, running a hand through my hair with the phone still pressed to my ear. Going to her at this time is a mistake. I know that.
I lift my gaze to Albert, who’s watching me far too closely, and shake my head.
Anyone else could bring her food. Marissa is there, Jack would come running if she called him and this doesn’t have to be me.
And yet…
Her slurring my name, and admitting she hasn’t eaten, settles heavily in my chest. Blair has never been good at asking for help and the fact that she called me at all means she’s not okay.
I drag a hand down my face.
“Damn it,” I mutter under my breath. Then, speaking into the phone again, “I’ll bring you something to eat, okay? I’m on my way.”
There’s a soft, sleepy sound on the other end. “Okie.”
“And stop drinking,” I add firmly.
I end the call and lift my gaze to Albert as he smiles widely at me.
“Don’t say a word,” I warn him, as I turn on my heel and head upstairs to change.
***************************
By the third ring of the doorbell, Blair finally opens the door.
She staggers the moment I step inside, and I reach out instinctively, catching her with one arm. Her brown eyes are wide as they lock on mine, her cheeks flushed, and rosy. She smells strongly of alcohol, but beneath it is still that faint, sweet, flowery scent I know so well.
I ease her to her feet and guide her carefully toward the sofa.
“Sit,” I instruct, forcing her down gently. “How much did you drink?”
She pinches her fingers together, fidgeting. “A little.”
I glance around the room and spot the empty bottle lying on the dinner table. I exhale, my chest tightening. A whole bottle. When… when did she start drinking?
“You drank on an empty stomach,” I tell her as I bring out the wrapped chicken I picked up for her.
She sways toward me, pouting like a child who doesn’t want to be scolded. “I don’t want to eat,” she grumbles.
I twist open a bottle of water and move closer. Gently, I push her hair back from her face and bring the bottle to her lips, making her take a few sips. When she finally stops, she looks up at me, her eyes glassy, and twinkling as she smiles.
“I want to kill her.”
I blink. “What?”
“Skylar,” she slurs. “I hate her.”
Anyone in her position would. If it were me, I would have already run her over with my car. Or maybe I wouldn’t considering all the years I tried to hate Blair after she married Oliver, I never could.
I grab her shoulders, trying to pull her to her feet. “Blair, you need to sleep.”
She slumps back against the sofa instead.
“She said she’d hurt Hailey when Oliver takes her,” she whispers, tears suddenly pooling in her eyes. “She said I should beg her.”
My eyes twitch at her words. Did that Skylar woman really say this to her? That she would hurt Hailey?
I look down at Blair. She’s crying now, shoulders shaking, and my jaw clenches hard as anger coils in my chest. I don’t care how difficult it will be but I will help her get full custody of Hailey. Oliver will not be allowed to use that child as leverage, not now or ever.
I pull Blair into my arms, holding her close, and rubbing slow circles against her back. “It’s okay,” I murmur. “Everything will be fine.”
“My baby…” she whispers, still sobbing.
“I’ll protect her.” I pull back just enough to wipe the tears from her cheeks, then cup her face, forcing her to look at me. “Listen to me, I promise I’ll keep her safe.”
She lets out a small, exhausted groan and then her body goes slack, slumping against me.
“Blair,” I whisper as I pull her closer and she lets out a weak groan in response.
I lift her into my arms and carry her upstairs to her room. Luckily, Hailey had shown me her bedroom the other day. The room smells like Blair, and everything is neat, just as she always is. Even her bed is perfectly arranged.
I lay her down gently, then open her drawers until I find a pair of socks and slide them onto her feet.
When I’m done, I pull the blanket over her and stand there, staring down at her for several seconds. Even in her sleep, she looks small, fragile and heartbroken.
The Blair I used to know was cheerful, full of light, laughed easily, and lived boldly. I want that woman back. I want to bring back the spark in her life. And I will.
Just as I turn to leave, her hand clamps around my wrist. I freeze, my pulse picking up, and turn to her.
Her eyes are still closed when she whispers, “Stay with me.”
My heart slams hard against my chest. Slowly, I kneel beside her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Blair… you need to sleep. I can’t—”
Her grip tightens. “I…” A fresh tear rolls down her cheek. “I don’t want to be alone.”
I swallow, my thoughts racing on what to do. After a moment, I exhale and give in.
I slip off my shoes and ease onto the bed beside her. Carefully, I pull her closer, wrapping an arm around her as she settles against me.
“I’m here,” I murmur. “I’m not going anywhere.”
- Writer
