Chapter 6
The bar was a sensory overload of thumping bass, sticky floors, and the heavy scent of alcohol. It was exactly what I needed. I wanted the noise to drown out the suffocating silence of the secretarial pool, and I wanted the burning liquor to numb the icy terror of my mother’s ultimatum.
I ordered a gin and tonic, sitting on a high stool at the far end of the counter, trying to melt into the shadows. For a few minutes, the burning throat and the dim lighting worked. The heavy knot in my chest loosened a fraction. But my peace in this world was always a fleeting thing.
"Hey, beautiful. Why is a girl like you drinking all alone in a dark corner?"
A thick, overly disgusting voice shattered my sanctuary. I flinched, looking up to see a heavily built man sliding into the stool next
