"Order whatever you want," Elena was on her phone as she told Rick and Maya.
Elena didn't scream, cry or create a scene after catching her fiance in the garden.
She simply looked at her pathetic, half-naked fiancé, told him the wedding was off, and then, she had turned her piercing ice-blue eyes to the shadows, locking dead onto Rick and Maya.
"You two," Elena ordered, "Stop sneaking up on others. With me. Now."
And that was how Rick found himself sitting in a circular leather booth in a high-end, exclusive lounge in the city centre.
Rick sat perfectly relaxed, leaning back in his Italian suit, while Maya sat glued to his side, still wearing her blue hospital scrubs, looking like a deer caught in the headlights.
Sitting directly across from them was the Ice Queen herself.
Elena had her smartphone pressed to her ear.
"Yes, cancel the catering," Elena said coldly into the receiver, "Keep the deposit. I don't care. Just make sure nothing is delivered to the venue. The wedding is off."
And just like that she hung again for the nth time already.
Underneath the table, Maya reached out and pinched Rick's thigh hard.
Rick flinched slightly, shooting her a sideways glare as he watched Maya mouth the words, 'Do something!' at him.
But Rick wasn't going to play the peacemaker. So he picked up a small piece of lemon, and shoved it directly into her mouth while Elena wasn't looking.
"Umm!" Maya let out a muffled squeak of protest as the sour juice flooded her tongue. She grabbed the lemon, glaring at Rick.
"Keep quiet and enjoy the show," Rick whispered into her ear, as he casually rested his hand on her thigh under the table.
A waiter in a crisp black vest appeared at their table.
"Bring me a bottle of your best Nirvana whisky," Elena ordered, not even looking at the menu. "And a bottle of Grey Goose for the lady. Bring glasses. Leave the bottles."
"Right away, Dr Vance," the waiter nodded rapidly, practically sprinting back to the bar.
Elena ran a hand through her dark, severely tight bun, pulling the pins out. Her dark hair tumbled down around her shoulders. She then unbuttoned the top two buttons of her crisp white blouse, revealing the deep, pale cleavage.
"Dr Vance," Maya started, her voice trembling slightly, "I am so sorry. You don't deserve that. You are a brilliant surgeon, an amazing woman... That bastard... He is an idiot to throw you away for someone like Chloe."
Elena didn't say a word. She just stared blankly at the polished wood of the table.
Rick leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"To be fair," Rick said casually, "A dead bedroom makes guys do incredibly stupid things."
"That poor guy did say that you guys still haven't... You know..."
"Maybe he was just looking for a bit of tension release. Sex is important, Doc. You can't just ignore a man's basic biology and expect him to stay loyal forever."
"Rick! Shut up!" Maya gasped, kicking Rick sharply under the table.
Elena slowly raised her head. Her ice-blue eyes locked onto Rick. If looks could kill, Rick would have been sliced into a million bloody pieces.
"I brought you here to ensure your absolute silence, Mr. Smith," Elena whispered, her voice dangerously low, "Not to listen to you share your point of view for my ex-fiance."
"I am just playing devil's advocate," Rick smirked, entirely unapologetic.
"Play it again, and I swear to God I will drag you back to your ward," Elena hissed, leaning over the table, as her breasts pressed against the wood, "I will strap you to a hospital bed, order a completely unnecessary prostate exam."
"And I will personally perform it with a handful of crushed glass instead of lubricant. Do you understand me?"
Rick chuckled, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "Loud and clear, Doc. My lips are sealed."
The waiter arrived, quickly putting the expensive bottles and three heavy crystal glasses on the table before scurrying away.
Elena grabbed the bottle of Nirvana, unscrewed the cork, and poured the glass full. She did not sip it away slowly and instead poured it down her throat in one gulp, slamming the heavy glass back down onto the table.
Then she poured another.
"Drink," Elena commanded, pointing at the vodka bottle.
Maya didn't argue, as she quickly poured herself a heavy shot of Grey Goose and downed it, wincing at the burn.
Rick poured himself a modest measure of whisky, sitting back to watch the show. He wasn't going to get wasted, as he needed his head to be clear.
And within a few minutes, the atmosphere at the table shifted entirely.
As bottles of the expensive alcohol flowed like water, the cold, untouchable Ice Queen completely melted away, replaced by a bitter, sloppy, and deeply angry woman.
"Ten years," Elena slurred, swirling the amber liquid in her glass. Her cheeks were flushed bright red, and her blouse was slightly stained, "I gave that pathetic loser ten years of my life."
"I paid for his medical degree. I helped him pay mortgage for his clinic. And even though he was a shitty doctor, I kept him afloat."
"And he repays me by burying his face in a cheap whore behind my back?"
"Why?"
"Because I did not want to sleep with him?"
"Trash!"
"Yesss... Men are absolute trash," Maya agreed loudly, her words slurring together, as she slammed her empty glass on the table, "My sister's boyfriend... He dated her, but whenever my sister wasn't around... Ughhh... That cheap bastard."
"Exactly!" Elena pointed a manicured finger at Maya, as her gaze locked with hers, "They are pigs. All of them. Driven entirely by whatever is between their legs."
Rick sat quietly, sipping his drink, as his eyes wander freely over the two beautiful women sitting in front of him.
Elena locked eyes were locked with Maya, as they stared at each other, two gorgeous, heartbroken women staring in the depth of each other's eyes.
"It always has to be a man, doesn't it?" Elena sighed heavily, as she leaned in forward slightly towards Maya.
"Always a stupid man," Maya nodded, completely wasted.
Elena looked at Maya's face for a few seconds before her gaze moved down to her lips. She took a sip from her glass as she let her eyes linger on them before shaking her head and moving back.
"And yet it has to be a man," Elena sighed.
"Alright, ladies," Rick said, checking the time. It was nearly 2:00 AM, "I think that's enough for one night. You are both going to have a massive hangover tomorrow."
"Don't tell me what to do," Elena snapped weakly, trying to pour another drink, but she missed the glass entirely, spilling whisky onto the table.
"Time to go," Rick declared, standing up and buttoning his suit jacket.
He looked around the bar, and it was almost empty.
He raised his hand, calling the nearby waiter, "Check please!"
Rick reached into his jacket pocket, ready to pull the whole 'I forgot my wallet' routine to see how they would react. But the waiter just shook his head politely.
"No need, sir," the waiter said quietly, "Dr Vance is a premium member. The entire bill has already been charged to her tab."
"Is that so?" Rick paused.
He then looked at the massive wall of expensive liquor behind the bar, and hade an idea.
"In that case, grab me two unopened bottles of the Nirvana, and a bottle of your best champagne, and bring it out to the car. And yes... Don't forget to put it on the doctor's tab."
"Of course, sir," the waiter nodded instantly.
Rick turned back to the booth. Neither woman was in any condition to walk.
He reached down and hauled Maya up by her arm. She let out a sloppy giggle, her legs completely giving out. Rick caught her easily, wrapping his arm tightly around her waist, letting his hand rest heavily on her plump hip.
He walked around the table and grabbed Elena, as she grumbled something highly vulgar under her breath and tried to swat his hand away. Rick ignored her completely. He grabbed her firmly by the waist, hoisting her up.
He walked out of the bar, practically carrying both women.
He held Maya under his left arm and Elena under his right. He could feel the soft, boobs rubbing against his sides with every step.
They stumbled out of the bar and into the cold night air. The valet was already waiting out front, holding the door open to a sleek, pitch-black Porsche.
Rick practically threw both women into the plush leather backseat.
Elena groaned, resting her head against the window, while Maya immediately slumped over, passing out on the leather seat.
The waiter hurried out, handing Rick a heavy paper bag clinking with the expensive bottles of stolen liquor.
"Have a good night, sir," the waiter said.
Rick took the bag, handed the valet a nod, and slid into the driver's seat of the Porsche.
He closed the door. The interior of the car was dead silent, save for the soft, drunken breathing coming from the backseat. The engine hummed to life with a low, powerful purr.
Rick gripped the leather steering wheel.
He had no actual money. He didn't have his wallet to book a fancy hotel room. He absolutely couldn't take two drunken hospital workers back to his rundown, depressing apartment building where Emily was probably still.
Rick looked at the glowing digital navigation screen mounted in the centre console.
He tapped the screen, and then opened the maps.
Rick looked into the rear-view mirror. He stared at Elena flushed, passed-out face.
"Well, Doc," Rick smiled, "Since you paid for the drinks... Consider this me paying you back."