A deathly hush fell over the bar. Through her drug-induced haze, Alice caught glimpses of menacing figures surrounding the mixologist and the bear-like man. These men weren't just hired muscle; they had the cold, ruthless air of people familiar with death. At Raymond's silent command, they closed in.
The two men started begging on their knees, but it wasn't long before the room was filled with their screams and the gruesome sound of knives slicing through flesh.
Alice, still in Raymond's arms, couldn't tell if this was real or a dream. She clung tightly to his shirt, inhaling the familiar scent of cedar and cigars. That comforting smell wrapped around her like a blanket, lulling her into a dazed submission.
She stayed in those arms for what felt like forever until Raymond laid her on a
