Page 12 of Sage

Hans took no time to respond. "I'll take a jack and coke, short." he had been craving a drink since he escaped the forest for a second time.

"I'll have another Witches Brew." Sage winked, smiling sweetly at the waiter.

He nodded at them and headed back to the bar to input the order into the system.

Sage gestured to the table next to the piano. "Would you like to move over to a table so we can talk?" She stood up and took a couple of steps before Hans cut her off and pulled her chair out for her, pushing it in as she went to sit down. "How gentlemanly of you."

"I know it might be hard to believe, but…" Hans paused and stared at the beautiful woman sitting across from him, her eyes putting him under hypnosis. "I've always been a gentleman." He shook his head coming back into the present moment.

"Yes, because a true gentleman attempts to burn a woman's house down while she's sleeping."

"You left me no choice!" He raised his voice and the room fell silent around them, eyes shifting toward their table. Sage giggled nervously and raised her hand to wave them off and assure any concerned bystander that she was safe. "It's not like you were just going to let me go." Hans finished more quietly.

The two sat there, the deafening silence roaring louder than anything Hans had ever experienced in his life. James brought over their drinks, laying coasters down before placing the drinks on top of them. "Can I get you two anything else?" he asked as Hans reached into his pocket and started to pull out his wallet.

"Just keep 'em coming, and place them on my tab," Sage interjected.

"As you wish." James sauntered off and began mingling with what appeared to be some of the regulars at the lounge.

Sage swirled her glittery drink that tasted of passionfruit. It had a purple base and was topped off with a green liquor thatgave it the essence of a cauldron, and it was garnished with a slice of pineapple and a cherry.

"That is one helluva drink," Hans laughed, "but it makes sense for you."

Sage looked offended. "And that is one boring drink you've got there. Also fitting." She smirked through the glass as she took a sip.

The two continued to talk like old friends, the essence of betrayal barely lingering in the air the more time passed and the drinks kept coming. Eventually, the bartender announced last call and they decided it was time to call it a night. Sage staggered her way over to the bar to close her tab and the bartender informed her that he had already called a cab for her and Hans.

"C- can you b- believe it?" she slurred her words. “That bastard won’t let us go home.” She began to laugh hysterically over the thought of being trapped at the Lounge until she sobered up.

"N- no." Hans' sarcasm still lit up a room no matter how much he had to drink. "He said we had to take a cab home."

"Home?" Sage taunted. "Together?"

"I guess so." Hans shrugged. They stumbled toward the door and he held it open while Sage stepped out onto the pavement, stopping and turning toward Hans.

"But then you'd know where I was staying." The thought seemed to have sobered her up.

"I said I'm sorry, okay?" It was Hans' turn to seem annoyed. "What more do you want from me?"

He wrapped his arms around Sage’s waist and pulled her in closer to him.

The cab pulled up to the curb and flashed its lights at them, notifying it was time to go.

"Look, I'm sure the driver would take us to our separate places. Maybe he'll take you home first?" Sage offered up a suggestion that Hans was willing to take. They got into the back of the cab, leaving their cars behind with plans to pick them back up at separate times in the morning.

Chapter Nine

Mistakes were Made

“Ladies first, where to?” the driver inquired. Sage sat there, zoned out, deciding on her next move.

I could have him drop me off in the general area. Her thoughts were interrupted by him clearing his throat. “Miss?”

“Sorry, uh, you can drop him off first,” she insisted.

“I’m not letting you ride alone,” Hans whispered in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. Sage was frustrated but proceeded to give the driver Marco’s address.

Hans started to chuckle. “See, it wasn’t that hard was it?”

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