Chapter 26 “Down this bottle, and It’s on me,” drawled Gage Slater, Nola’s second uncle, the infamous sexual predator of Jindale City, the epitome of a sleazebag. Hideous, disliked, yet a notorious player. Elysia didn’t know him from Adam, and she blinked in confusion at his proposition. “Me? Drink It?” “Yep, you. Not a drop left, you hear?” “But… isn’t that a bit appropriate? It’s your tab, and this bottle isn’t cheap.* “When I say it’s fine, it’s fine. This bottle’s a grand, you drink it, it’s on my dime.” As Gage spoke, his lecherous gaze roamed over Elysia, unashamedly ogling her. Elysia realized she’d run into a real lowlife. She fought the urge to punch him and forced out an apologetic grin, instead “Sorry, but I had some cold medicine before coming here. Can’t mix it with alcohol.” The man’s mood soured at her excuse. “Then take the bottle with you. We don’t want it.” Elysia was stunned. “The bar has rules. Once a bottle’s opened, it can’t be returned.” “Heh, did I ask you to open it? You decided to open it on your own. If it can’t be returned, you’re footing the bill.” Elysia held back her anger and said, “You asked me to open it; that’s why I dared to. There should be security cameras in this room to check.” At that, the rm erupted into laughter, “You can tell she doesn’t get out much. Security cameras at a bar? What if someone wants a little privacy for some fun? Ha!” Elysia’s lips quivered, speechless, her fists clenched tightly as she silently seethed. She had never been to a place like this before! Someone chimed in, “Honey, Mr. Slater taking a shine to you is your lucky day. Drink up, and don’t be ungrateful. Do you even know who Mr. Slater is? He could scare you stiff! But hey, if you keep him happy, you could be set for life.” Elysia realized this greasy old man was someone of status. They were about to cheat her, and if she fought back, she knew she’d be at a disadvantage. The average Joe always loses against big money. The bottle cost a hundred grand, which was a year’s salary for many, yet only a mere evening’s pleasure for the wealthy. What could she possibly do against them? had to cover that cost, she might as well be dead. She didn’t have that kind of money. After a few seconds of silence, Elysia managed another apologetic smile, “My mistake, Mr. Slater. It’s really loud here, so how about we go somewhere quieter to chat?” Gage’s interest was piqued at her suggestion, a lecherous chuckle escaping him as he rose to his feet. “Sure, let’s find a nice quiet spot for a… deep conversation.” The room hooted, “Yeah, go deep, real deep! Ha!” Elysia felt sick to her stomach but kept her composure as she walked out. Tarquin stepped out of the elevator just in time to see Elysia slip through the service door. He stood there, his expression inscrutable. Moments later, Gage exited the room, hurriedly following behind her, muttering, “Baby, I’m coming, hehe.” Behind the safety door of the bar was a place where stories unfolded. Dimly lit and sparsely populated, it was the go–to spot for the desperately thirsty to quench their desires. I like your style, babe. You had me at hello. I’ll treat you right, don’t worry. Make me happy, and you’ll be rewarded. Just look at those lips… get on your knees and put them to use…” The words were loaded with innuendo. Lowell, uncomfortable, said, “It’s Ms. Thorne and Gage…” A scream suddenly pierced the air. owell’s face turned pale. “Tarquin, Ms. Thorne might be in trouble.” arquin frowned, reluctant to get involved, but thinking of Elijah, he quickened his pace owards the commotion. nd then he witnessed a scene beyond belief…