“I just need a minute.” Eloise held her hand up. Between Nicholas’s words and possibly seeing Valentino today, she was about to toss her dinner. She squatted down into a ball, covering her head with her arms as a vivid memory hit her.
“Eat, b***h!” the fat man shouts, jamming a roll at her mouth. “Eat, or you’ll get my fist again.”
She shuddered. Was that him in town, or was she losing her mind?
Hugo’s footsteps echo as he comes closer. He doesn’t speak but simply puts a hand on her shoulder, a friendly gesture to let her know she is not alone.
She took comfort and let her stomach settle. After a few moments, he went back inside, and she stood, breathing through her nerves, and headed for the door.
She finds Bryan talking to John.
“Bryan,” she said, “can I speak with you?”
“Sure thi
