EIGHT
1342 Words
The Christmas soiree was still in full swing; people were still dancing, celebrating—being oblivious of the turmoil within her. The most exhausting part was that she had to also pretend she was all cheerful and cheerful while watching Matt let Maggie suck his face off.
The whole thing was almost upsetting to Lila, it had her tugging at Nigel's sleeve lightly.
"Let's get out of here." She said quietly.
Nigel glanced at her, eyebrows raised. “Suggesting something, Lila?” he asked suggestively.
Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. "That's not what I meant,” she muttered, already stepping away from the glittering crowd. She didn’t wait for his response, weaving her way through the guests with practiced ease.
Perhaps she needed to be away from him too, perhaps she needed a moment on her own; she needed a moment to think. However, he followed her without hesitation, his easy strides catching up to her determined pace as they exited the grand ballroom.
The air outside felt cooler, the muffled sounds of laughter and music fading into the background as they wandered down the long corridor.
“Where to?” he asked, his voice casual but curious.
“The bar,” she said shortly, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor.
Nigel smirked. “We're patched?" He asked knowing it wasn't about being thirsty.
“This isn’t about being patched,” she snapped, throwing him a glance over her shoulder. “It’s about drinking.” she intended to get drunk, to get wasted, and maybe get laid while she was at it.
Like yesterday, the bar in the VIP section was quieter than the ballroom, its soft lighting casting a warm glow over the plush seating and polished counters. Lila made a beeline for the barstools, dropping into one with a decisive thud.
“Whiskey. Neat,” she ordered before the bartender could even greet her.
Nigel settled beside her, leaning one elbow on the counter as he watched her with mild amusement. “Celebrating our triumphant evening?”
She let out a short, bitter laugh. “Sure. Let’s call it that.”
He raised an eyebrow but said nothing, ordering a scotch for himself. He could tell that things were getting a little heated within. While he was finding the whole thing entertaining, it was definitely different for her.
The bartender slid her drink across the counter, and she grabbed it with a practiced ease, downing it in one go. The liquid burned its way down her throat, but she didn’t flinch. She placed the glass back on the counter with a clink and gestured for another.
She needed more, she needed to feel the burn going down her throat and warming up her chest till it settled in her already heated stomach. All the while, Nigel watched her with growing curiosity.
"How good are you with alcohol?" He asked her.
She shrugged.
"Good enough." She replied. Yes, she had puked her guts out a couple of times, and she had ended up passing out ungracefully due to having drank more than she could handle, but it was fine.
He took a sip of his own drink, studying her carefully. “Right."
Lila blew out a breath, swirling the amber liquid in her second glass. “This is turning out to be the worst holidays ever.”
Nigel tilted his head, his lips curving into a faint smile. “Why do you hate the holidays so much anyway?”
She rolled her eyes, tipping her glass back again. “Why do you hate the holidays?” she turned the question on him.
He shrugged.
"I don't know." He replied.
Arching a brow, she spoke again "You starred in a holiday movie."
"I'm an actor. I play roles, it's what I do." He replied.
The third drink came quickly, and Nigel frowned slightly as she reached for it. “Lila…”
“i don't need a lecture right now,
He held up his hands in mock surrender. “Fair enough. But if you pass out, I’m not carrying you all the way back to bed."
Bed.....
Him taking her to bed right now wasn't a bad idea. But she merely shook her head.
“You’d hate that, wouldn’t you? Well nevermind, the damsel in distress act isn’t exactly my style.”
Nigel said nothing, watching as she downed yet another glass. Her movements were steady, but there was a subtle shake in her hands, a tremor she probably didn’t even notice.
“You should drink too, I mean, everyone has some s**t weighing down on them” she said, her voice quieter now.
He leaned back, swirling his drink thoughtfully. “Yes, but I'd rather not think about it right now." He replied. Thinking lead to drinking, and he didn't want to drink right now; at least one of them needed to be sober to look out for the other.
It was almost unnoticeable, the way her eyelids were beginning to drop slightly, the way her hands were becoming unsteady, but he was watching her closely, and he could tell that it wouldn't be long before she became a mess.
"Hm" she shrugged simply. It was fine if he didn't want to drink.
Emptying another glass, she felt her head getting lighter, perhaps too light. But that was what she wanted, wasn't it? She wanted to feel lightheaded, she wanted to numb everything thing she felt, she wanted to block out all the thoughts in her head.
"Have you had enough?." Nigel asked.
Shaking her head, she reached for another glass, and it suddenly felt like everything and everyone in the bar spun around her in an instant, causing her to sway slightly.
"Whoa." She spoke, the word sounding slurred.
Nigel shook his head. She clearly has zero tolerance for alcohol, but yet she insisted on drinking more. He watched her empty another glass before he decided to step in.
"You've had enough." He said. Pushing his seat back, he stood up and took her hand to help her up as well. "Let's get you inside before you become a damsel in distress."
She tried to protest but found herself unable to comprehend the words leaving her own mouth. It appeared she truly was drunk. She snickered at how pathetic she was as she let him help her down gently. He fussed over her for a moment; probably paid for the drinks and exchanged small talks with the bartender before giving her his full attention.
"Alright Lila, I got you."
~~
The walk to Nigel's suite was brief, thankfully. Lila had remained calm and compliant; she focused on putting one foot in front of the other. But on getting there, she let herself fall into his arms completely.
Letting her heated breath caress ear sensually, she spoke.
"Take me to bed." She slurred.
Clearing his throat, he shook his head.
"That's what I'm doing." He told her.
But that wasn't what she meant.
"f**k me." She clarified. "Now."
He chuckled whilst shaking his head still.
"Sounds tempting, but you're drunk. Stay still,” he instructed, kneeling to slip off her heels. She didn’t protest, too tired—or too drunk—to argue.
He lead her to the bed and gently guided her to lie on it. Pulling the covers over her, he brushed her hair from her face. “Get some sleep, Lila.”
She murmured something incoherent, her eyes fluttering shut as exhaustion finally overtook her.
Nigel stood for a moment, watching her in silence. She looked so small, so fragile, lying there with her guard completely down. It was a side of her he doubted many people had ever seen.
With a sigh, he poured himself a glass of wine from the minibar and settled into a chair near the bed. He swirled the deep red liquid thoughtfully, his gaze lingering on her sleeping form.
Lila Michaels was a puzzle, one he wasn’t sure he had the patience—or the heart—to solve.
- Writer
