Chapter 297: Uninvited Plus-Ones
So, Ellis nodded. As Ellis and Maya left, Cameron stood firmly at the door. Under Andrew’s puzzled gaze, he calmly dialed Easton’s number. True, Easton and Ellis were divorced. But Ellis was still Emma’s adopted daughter, technically making them cousins!
Maya was being harassed by a scumbag, and while Cameron wasn’t personally inclined to teach Andrew a lesson, Easton probably would be. Every dog had its day, and it was time for this scumbag to meet his match. Once the call connected, Cameron hastily explained the situation. As he listened, Easton’s expression darkened, his voice icy, “Tell Andrew to wait for me.”
Unexpectedly hearing this from Easton, Cameron grew curious about why Easton and Ellis had divorced. Easton showed no signs of wanting to ditch Ellis just because Victoria had returned to the country. Moreover, with the Brooks family’s decline—rumored to be connected to Easton—he hadn’t stepped in to help. And then there was Morty, who mentioned he had someone he liked, telling him to get ready to meet his wife. It had been a while, and Morty hadn’t mentioned any progress on that front. Cameron found the world and other people’s loves and hates increasingly puzzling.
Cameron put his phone back in his pocket, stared at a distressed Andrew, and said with a touch of schadenfreude, “Easton told me to tell you, you wait for him.” Pleased with his good deed, he turned and headed to the club’s main entrance to find Ellis. Andrew, on the other hand, looked like a man facing his doom, internally screaming, “This is bad, I’ve really stepped in it now.”
Maya, relieved to be rescued by her friend, patted her racing heart and then opened her arms to hug Ellis. “I was so scared, thank goodness you got here in time!” Ellis hugged Maya back, offering comforting warmth. After a moment, they separated.
Ellis asked, “Did that jerk Andrew do anything else to hurt you?” Maya shook her head, “No.” Dealing with clients was common in her line of work, but she hadn’t expected Andrew to be such a monster, forcibly making her drink and not letting her leave. Luckily, she had the presence of mind to excuse herself to the restroom and call her friend for help.
She was also grateful she had called her friend over; otherwise, given Andrew’s aggressive behavior and the complicity of others present, she might not have escaped his clutches tonight. “It’s okay now, don’t be scared,” Ellis said, feeling a sudden regret that she hadn’t twisted his head off when she thought about Andrew’s vile actions, “I’m here.” Maya’s body still trembled with fear as she clung to Ellis, burying her head in her neck.
“I was a bit foolish, forgetting to tell you to bring backup. If you hadn’t found someone, we…” Maya’s voice trailed off, filled with lingering fear. Alone, she and her friend couldn’t have forced Andrew to let them go.
“Cameron wasn’t my backup; he just offered to help on his own,” Ellis clarified. “He seems like a good guy then.” “Yeah.” “Are we waiting for him here?” Maya looked around, remembering Cameron’s instructions to wait for him at the main…
“Let’s wait.” Seeing some dust on Maya’s coat, Ellis began patting it off, advising, “Next time, be more cautious when dealing with male clients. Always bring a colleague or someone you can rely on.” “I’ve learned my lesson!” Maya took the lesson to heart.
As they chatted, Cameron appeared. Ellis waved to him. “Cameron.” Cameron nodded in acknowledgment and then turned to Maya, asking, “Your friend okay?” “She’s fine.” “That’s good.” As she spoke, Cameron looked down at his watch, and Ellis, unsure of his intentions, patiently waited.
Realizing it was well past eleven, almost midnight, Cameron thought. He couldn’t predict how long it would take for Morty to arrive, and considering how conspicuous Ellis and her friend were, it felt unsafe to let them go home alone at this hour. Besides, from his call with Easton, it seemed Easton might also show up. They couldn’t just disappear before Morty and Easton arrived.
Glancing around, Cameron suggested, “I can smell the alcohol on your friend; how about we find a diner and grab some late-night food, maybe get some soup to help sober her up? It’d be good for her.” Ellis, also catching the strong scent of alcohol on Maya, agreed with Cameron’s suggestion and looked to Maya for her approval. Maya had no objections, gratefully replying, “Sounds good, thanks.”