Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 32879 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 132(@250wpm)___ 110(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32879 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 132(@250wpm)___ 110(@300wpm)
Enzo saw Hank pay close attention to his glass. Clearly, the man was hurting.
It had been two years since Carla had died, and both Hank and Adele were both hurting. He had a feeling Adele was handling it a little better, but then, she could openly mourn the death of her mother.
“I can imagine for a young girl, her father always making promises he couldn’t keep, she’d become a laughingstock of the school. It wasn’t long before the little girl I loved so much stopped running to me. In fact, she stopped coming to see me. Carla would let me in the house and go to her sewing room, and I would stay in the sitting room. Adele would stay in her room. She’d never come to see me. The presents I got her would remain unopened, or they would be returned. I don’t know if Carla knew she returned the presents I sent. I stopped going. Adele went from loving me to hating me. At the funeral, she wouldn’t talk to me. We stood on opposite ends of the grave, and she wouldn’t even look at me.”
Hank blew out a breath, and then laughed. “And I’ve got my kids here, who would bend over backward for my attention, who want nothing more than to please me. How fucked up is that?”
Enzo didn’t say a word.
Adele was hurting. She didn’t have anyone in this world, but Hank did.
Enzo stepped toward Hank. “Are you sure you want me to repay my debt this way, by making her my wife? She’ll be an easy target.”
“She will at least know that I care,” Hank said. “And right now, that’s all that matters.”
He didn’t believe that to be the case, but he didn’t argue.
Hank saw him out, and Enzo climbed into his car and made his way back to the bar where Adele worked.
It wasn’t quite as busy as last night, but there were still a lot of people milling around. He recognized Arnold, working behind the bar. The moment Arnold caught sight of him, he moved toward his spot.
“What can I get you?”
“Scotch.”
Arnold raised a brow, but where Adele got the scotch from last night, this man did the same, grabbing a glass. Enzo looked around the bar, but couldn’t find Adele.
“Where’s Adele?” he asked.
Arnold hesitated in pouring the scotch. “She’ll be a little late tonight.”
“When does her shift start?”
“It’s not her shift tonight, but Bishop will let her work.” Arnold put the lid back on the scotch. “You do realize what today is, right? I assume you know Adele.”
“Yes, I know her.”
“So, you know the deal her mother made with her, right? That she was never allowed to visit her grave site on the anniversary of her death, but she could do so the day after.”
“Adele’s visiting her mother.”
“Yes, and every night, without fail, the day after, Adele comes to work. I don’t even think she gets paid, but we all know she’s hurting.”
Enzo didn’t like how much this Arnold guy knew about Adele. Once she was his wife, she’d never work another day in her life.
“Speak of the devil,” Arnold said.
The barman was looking at a spot past his shoulder, and he had no choice but to spin around to see. Adele was coming through the door. She had her bag on her shoulder, arms folded, and he saw she’d been crying. Enzo got to his feet, about to go to her, but Adele didn’t even look his way as she passed.
“I wouldn’t interfere if I was you,” Arnold said. “All she wants to do is work. It helps to numb the pain.”
No, it doesn’t.
Sitting at the counter, he played with the glass of scotch. He wasn’t much of a drinker, and he was pretty sure this stuff was straight poison and in no way good for him.
He watched as Adele tied her long brown hair up. She was once again in the standard uniform. No one got in her way as she rounded the bar.
“All right, babe?” Arnold asked.
“Yeah, please tell me it’s busy.”
“You’ve got company.” Arnold pointed toward him and Enzo raised his glass.
Adele stopped and he saw her hesitate. He watched as her hands clenched into fists. He wasn’t sure if his presence was going to give her a reason to fight or run away.
Enzo waited, and he didn’t have to wait long as she squared her shoulders and approached him.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
He saw the fire in her eyes and knew this woman was a fighter.
“I’m having a drink. Isn’t that what paying customers are allowed to do?” he asked.
“There are a lot of other bars that I’m pretty sure are fancy enough for the likes of you. You didn’t have to pick this bar.”
He wrinkled his nose. “Actually, I did. You see, Adele, this bar has something all those other places don’t have.”