Abel (5th Street 4)

Unable to take it anymore, she changed the channel again, only to see more photos of her and Sam. She switched it again just in time to hear the commentators of TMZ refer to her as the 5th Street Cougar.

“Well, I don’t know if cougar is the right nickname for her,” one of the guys joked. “Cougars tend to stick to strictly younger guys. McKinley is actually older than she is. How ’bout ‘heavyweight punching bag’? They all get a jab at her. Eh? Eh?”

Nellie turned the television off, trying desperately to compose herself. The tears were already trailing down her face. This was a disaster. Now she knew why her phone was still silent and Abel’s was probably as well. No one wanted to alert them of the stories. Abel had promised to not watch any of the coverage, and they were probably all praying he hadn’t heard anything about it. Roni may even be upset with her.

How the hell could she have been so clueless about Sam? Then an even more terrifying thought slammed into her violently. Abel may not have known before he left today, but as with her, it was just a matter of time before he did. Would he possibly believe that she’d known all along who Sam was? That she’d purposely set out to humiliate him like this? Maybe as retaliation for Rachel?

Rushing to the bedroom with her heart in her throat, she knew she had to get to Abel—had to explain it to him before it was too late. The timelines on those photos with her and Sam at his hotel in Los Angeles were all screwed up. The captions suggested she’d spent the entire day with him in his hotel then he took her home late at night when, in fact, they’d stayed out late because of the trip to the emergency room for Gus.

Nellie had a better grip on her breathing now, but she was still wheezing. She had to stay calm. With this much drama all at once, her inhaler would be useless if she really lost it.

She’d packed an elegant cocktail dress, and for such a huge occasion, she would’ve preferred to spend more time getting ready. There was no time, so she did her face quickly and put her hair up in a twist. It would have to do. With her heart still pounding harder than it had been all morning, Nellie grabbed her clutch and ran out.

The elevator door opened, and she nearly ran into a grave-faced Andy, who stood right in front of the doors. “Andy, I have to get to Abel,” she said as she stepped out of the elevator.

“Do you now?” he asked, his face still harder than she’d ever seen it. “Haven’t you done enough?”

“But I didn’t know. If I had known—”

“Look, the damage is done. He’s going nuts over all this, but we think he still has a chance at the fight if he could just get his mind clear of this shit. You showing up is not gonna help.”

“But I have to explain,” she said, barely able to catch her breath, and she began digging in her purse for her inhaler.

“Let me be honest with you, Nellie.” Andy stared at her coldly. “He sent me down here to get you. He’s furious about this, but I don’t think you going down there now is a good idea at all. Neither do any of the guys. I saw the way they all looked at me as I left. They’re all hoping I don’t find you.”

“But he wants me there,” she insisted, the emotion of knowing Abel was furious with her now overwhelming her.

“Not for the reasons he may’ve earlier.” Andy snapped back. “He wants to let you have it now. I’ve never seen him so disgusted.”

Feeling the warm tears fill her eyes, she shook her head. “I had no idea and I can explain it all.”

“Explain all you want after,” Andy stared at her, not even attempting to hide his utter contempt for her. “If you care for him at all, you’ll stay away until after the fight. You’ll have plenty of time to explain then. Do you really think that his getting into it with you just before the fight and getting himself more riled up than he already is, is a good idea?” He lifted his brow. “He doesn’t really want you there, Nellie. He’s just too worked up to listen to reason. He’s so pissed off that he thinks telling you off will somehow make him feel better.”

Taking a hit from her inhaler, which at this point was pretty useless, she stared at him as she felt the warm stream of tears pour down her cheeks and continued to wheeze. “Tell him I’m so sorry. I really had no idea.” She stopped to inhale a slow trickle of air that flowed through that familiar straw-like opening in her chest. “Tell him I love him.”

She wanted to turn and get back in the elevator, but it didn’t feel right, not anymore. How could she sit in his luxurious suite, waiting for him after everything Andy had just told her?

“Just wait for him here.” Andy said, pushing the button for the elevator.

“No,” she shook her head, still struggling to breathe and wheezed loudly. “I can’t. Tell him to call me when it’s over.”

“Wait,” Andy touched her arm as she began to walk away. “This way. You’ll get mobbed if you go out that way.”

Leading her out the back door, the one she and Abel had arrived in that first day, he quickly hailed her a cab. She slid into the back seat, clutching her purse. “Tell him to call me.” She urged Andy again.

Andy nodded, closing the door. She had no idea where she was headed. All she knew was she had to get away. Andy stuck his head in the front window and said something to the driver, but she couldn’t hear what he said over her wheezing. From the look on the driver’s face when he turned to look at her wide-eyed, Andy had told him who she was.