AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey,” I whisper and jerk my chin toward the café. “Can I come in?”
Stepping aside, she holds the door wide and gestures inside. “Sure.”
With a loud click, the latch hits the striker plate and the door locks behind us. Alessandra shuffles away and walks through a door off to the side. I follow in her wake but stop at the entrance of what looks like her office. For a beat, I lean against the doorjamb and watch her.
Hair has escaped her ponytail and hangs haphazardly down her back and near her cheek. Her brows scrunch then relax again and again as she stares at the papers on her desk. The faint half-moons under her eyes earlier today are now darker, more prominent. And the smile that always tugs up the corners of her mouth is nowhere to be seen. In fact, this is the first time I have seen her sullen. Truly down.
My molars grind until pain stabs my temple. My fingers curl in, nails piercing the skin of my palm. One degree at a time, my blood begins to boil.
I have never been the type of person to hate another. Yes, people irritate the hell out of me every now and again. But hate is a powerful emotion. One that smothers and steals joy without effort. Even when Gabby threw my heart in the sink and turned on the disposal, I didn’t hate her.
Whoever this is, whoever has Alessandra dispirited and defeated… I hate them.
Shuffling into the office, I take a seat in one of the guest chairs. Her eyes don’t meet mine as she continues to stare down without purpose. She hasn’t moved an inch since her butt hit the chair. Like she is broken or waiting for something to jump out and wake her from this nightmare.
“Let’s leave,” I whisper into the stale air. “All this can wait.”
She inhales deeply, holds the breath for one, two, three seconds, then her entire body sags, wilting on the exhale. Chin dropping to her chest, her frame begins to shake. The muted sound of her sobs takes over the silence.
Up and out of my chair, I dart around the desk, spin her to face me, haul her upright and wrap my arms around her. At this, she cries harder. Fisting my shirt and tugging me impossibly closer. Shaking in my arms as tears trail down her cheeks, dampening my shirt.
“Shh, shh, shh.” I tighten my hold. “I’ve got you.”
Hour-long minutes pass without a single word said. One hand trails up and down her spine in slow, measured strokes while the other massages the back of her neck. My lips kiss her hair often.
When her sobs quiet, I inch away from her, frame her face and tip her head back. Bring her eyes to mine and drop my lips to hers. Taste the salty tears on her lips. Kiss her soft and gentle. It’s nowhere near enough but is what she needs in this moment.
“Come on.” One of my hands falls away and takes her hand. “Let’s go.”
“I have so much to do,” she whines then sniffles.
“It’ll still be here.” I give her hand a slight tug as I take a step back. “But we need to take care of you first.”
Reluctance mars her expression, but after a beat, she takes a step in my direction. With a nod, she takes another step and reaches for her purse on the hook. “Yeah. Okay.”
We shuffle out of the office and I head for the back door while Alessandra flips the lights off. She slips her hand into mine as I open the door and we walk through. A loud clap echoes around us when the door shuts.
Giving her hand a squeeze, I kiss her crown. “Head upstairs. I’ll be up in a sec. Need to grab something from the car.”
Her head bobs as her hand slips from mine and she drags her feet to the stairs. I watch after her until she reaches the top, unlocks the door, and steps inside. When she disappears from sight, I exhale the breath I’d been holding. The ache beneath my sternum from the past month slowly creeps to the surface. Fisting the small beating organ. Digging its claws in. Not out of longing. More out of need.
The need to fix this. Find the person wreaking havoc on her life. Punish them for stealing her light. Penalize them for vandalizing and making a mockery of her business. Hold them accountable for casting a shadow on her heart.
Taking a few calming breaths, I grab the bag from my passenger seat and head up the stairs. I twist the handle without knocking and smile at the fact that she left the door unlocked. I toe my shoes off and stow them next to hers.
Wandering toward the kitchen, I spot her as I round the corner. Palms on the counter, her head hangs forward, shoulders rising and falling with each labored breath she takes.
I pad across the room and set the bag down beside her on the counter. Sweep her hair off her neck and press my lips to her warm skin. Rest my hands on her hips and curl my fingers slightly. Watch as she visibly shivers. The almost imperceptible action tugs at the corners of my mouth.
“Got you some things.” I kiss her neck again then straighten and shuffle back a step.
She spins in my arms. Lifts her puffy red eyes to mine. Swipes at her cheeks. “You did?”
“Mm-hmm.” I nod and pull the first item from the bag. A bottle of her favorite cabernet sauvignon—thanks to a long list of tips from Lena. “First, wine.”
Her eyes light up then water. “Y-you bought me wine?”
Opening one cabinet after another, I locate her glasses. Set one on the counter then hunt for the bottle opener. She rolls out a drawer, riffles through it, then hands me the fanciest bottle opener I’ve seen. In seconds and with little effort, a pop fills the air as the cork breaks free. I fill the glass and hand it to her.
