Another message
1087 Words
Ruth stood rooted to the floor.
Of all the clubs in California...
Of all the VIP lounges...
This was the last place she had expected to see him again.
Michael also looked up.
His brows lifted in surprise.
"Miss Bennett?"
Ruth blinked.
He remembered her.
"Doctor Michael."
Michael stood with a smile.
"I almost didn't recognize you."
Tristian eyes narrowed.
"You two know each other?"
Michael nodded.
"She was my patient."
“What a small world." Rowland said.
Ruth forced a smile.
"It really is."
Before anyone could say another word, another figure walked in.
Scott slipped one hand into his pocket as he approached, his expression as calm and unreadable as ever.
Without saying anything, he took the empty seat in the middle of the lounge.
A glass of whiskey was placed in front of him almost immediately.
He barely looked at it.
His attention remained on the file he had opened on his tablet.
Michael chuckled.
"You'll work yourself into an early grave one day."
Scott didn't even look up.
"I'll survive."
Jackson rolled his eyes dramatically.
"Ignore him."
"He says that every night."
"You remember miss Bennett right" Michael asked.
Only then did Scott close the tablet.
His dark eyes lifted and it landed on Ruth.
He remembered the frightened woman lying unconscious in the hospital.
He remembered the same woman standing beside a damaged taxi only hours ago.
Tonight...
She looked different.
The dress suited her and more importantly she was smiling, not too much though.
Just enough to soften the sadness that always seemed to linger in her eyes.
Ruth nodded politely.
Rinna looked from Scott to Ruth with wide eyes.
She leaned close and whispered,
"So this is him?"
Ruth gave the slightest nod.
"The mysterious benefactor?" Rinna whispered again.
Before Ruth could stop her, Rinna stepped forward with a bright smile.
"Thank you for helping my friend."
She pointed at Ruth.
"She told me everything. The hospital bills... the car... everything."
Scott looked at Ruth.
"Anyone would have done the same."
"Not everyone," Rinna replied sincerely.
"If you hadn't helped her..."
She didn't finish the sentence.
She didn't need to.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Scott wasn't used to gratitude.
People usually wanted something from him.
These two women didn't.
Michael smiled knowingly.
"I've known him for years."
He looked at Ruth and Rinna.
"He still doesn't know how to accept a simple thank you."
Jackson laughed.
"That's because he's allergic to emotions."
Scott shot him a look.
Everyone laughed.
Even Ruth. The sound caught Scott's attention.
He looked away before she noticed.
Jackson clapped his hands together.
"Enough standing."
"Sit."
Rinna happily accepted first.
Ruth hesitated before taking the empty seat opposite Scott.
A waiter appeared almost instantly.
"What would the ladies like?"
"Non alcoholic wine is fine," Ruth answered.
Rinna shook her head.
Jackson blinked.
"Non alcoholic wine in a club?"
"I came here because someone refused to take no for an answer. Soo yeah"
She looked directly at Rinna.
Rinna grinned proudly.
"I did."
Jackson pointed at Rinna.
"I like her already."
Rinna smiled shyly.
Tristan leaned back.
"Most people come here pretending to be interesting."
"You don't."
Ruth wasn't sure if that was a compliment.
Michael decided to rescue her.
"So..."
"How have you been since leaving the hospital?"
"Much better."
"No headaches?"
She shook her head.
"No."
"Good."
Michael nodded with satisfaction.
"I told you she'd recover well."
Scott quietly picked up his whiskey.
He didn't drink it.
He simply held the glass while listening to everyone else talk.
Ruth noticed the drink had been sitting there since he arrived.
He didn't seem like the kind of man who came to clubs to drink or even to socialize.
Almost as if he sensed her watching, Scott lifted his eyes.
Their gazes met again.
This time Ruth looked away first.
Her cheeks warmed slightly.
She reached for the bowl of mixed nuts on the table.
At the same moment Scott reached for it too.
Their hands stopped inches apart.
Scott slid the bowl toward her instead.
Neither of them noticed Michael watching the exchange with growing amusement.
Jackson clapped his hands loudly again.
"Enough serious talk."
"This is a club."
He stood.
"Who's dancing?"
Everyone laughed.
Michael immediately shook his head.
"My knees retired years ago."
Jackson looked toward Ruth and Rinna.
"What about you ladies?"
Rinna stood immediately.
"I'll dance."
She grabbed Ruth's wrist.
"Come on."
Ruth laughed nervously.
"I'll embarrass myself."
"So?"
"No."
"Please?"
Before Ruth could answer...
Her phone vibrated.
The smile disappeared from her face the moment she unlocked the screen.
Come to the house.
Another message appeared almost immediately.
Now.
Her breathing slowed. Then a photograph loaded underneath.
The same photograph Caleb had threatened her with.
This time there was another message.
Or should I send this to your little friend?
Every trace of colour left Ruth's face.
The phone almost slipped from her fingers..she quickly masked her expression but Scott already noticed. One second she had been laughing.
The next she looked terrified.
Ruth hurriedly picked up her handbag.
"I'm sorry guys, I have to go."
"So suddenly?" Jackson asked.
"I just remembered something important."
Rinna frowned.
"Just stay a few minutes."
"It is work -related and urgent." Ruth whispered
“Oh ok“ Rinna said understandingly
"But we came out together."
"Mingle, I think someone here likes you."
“What.“
She turned toward Michael.
"It was nice seeing you again."
Then she looked at Scott.
"And..."
"Thank you."
Scott held her gaze for a moment and then he saw her hands shaking.
Before he could respond, she had already turned away.
She almost ran out of the lounge.
Rinna apologized awkwardly.
"She has an engagement, work stuff"
Michael nodded understandingly.
"It's alright."
Scott's gaze remained fixed on the empty doorway long after Ruth had disappeared.
He didn't know why.
But the fear he'd seen in her eyes...
Looked painfully familiar.
The same kind of fear he'd seen once before just before everything in his own life had fallen apart.
After a while, Scott stood up.
"I'm leaving."
Jackson frowned.
"The night's still young."
"I've got work."
"So suddenly?" Tristan asked.
Scott slipped one hand into his pocket.
"I've lost the mood."
Without waiting for another reply, he walked away.
The three men watched him leave.
Jackson was the first to speak.
"Typical Scott."
Michael watched the empty doorway for another moment before finishing his drink and then he smiled to himself.
"Guess it's just us." Rinna muttered.
- Writer
