FourOClock.PDF by Elemental Alchemy

Author:Elemental Alchemy [Alchemy, Elemental]
Language: nld
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 5

Elizabeth poured herself a shot of whiskey, downed it in a single gulp, and then poured another. The alcohol warmed her, clouding her already foggy brain. Brody was asleep upstairs, and Johnny had been happy to lay beside his old friend—his old lover—for a little while. They both knew he would need to get up soon, but Elizabeth wasn’t in a big hurry to tear him away from Brody. Especially since she needed time on her own to come to think about what had just happened.

The sex was amazing. It was always good with Johnny, but things had been taken to a new level, and Elizabeth wasn’t sure why. She didn’t want to think Johnny was only truly happy when he was with Brody. Especially since he hadn’t 55

FOUR O’CLOCK

treated her any different. He touched her like she was precious. He had kissed her like he couldn’t get enough of the taste of her. She hated Dead Man’s Corner, and sometimes, she hated the saloon, but Johnny made everything worth it.

What would happen after four o’clock that afternoon? She didn’t believe Johnny would leave her for Brody and a new life in South America, but would he always wonder? Would a part of him be gone anyway? Or was she just asking for trouble by obsessing over the question? Elizabeth hadn’t made it this far, hadn’t survived so many years, by obsessing over things out of her control. But then, she had never been in this sort of situation. She had never watched her husband with his male lover before.

Johnny’s past had never been so close to their lives.

Elizabeth traced the rim of the glass with her finger, staring in the amber liquid. There was work to be done—there was always work to be done. She didn’t have time to stand around and let her mind wander. She didn’t like sitting still.

Even when she was taking care of the bookwork for the brothel. But now she just couldn’t get up the motivation to sweep the floors, polish the glasses, check on the girls, and prepare for the trickle of customers that always began after lunch. She wished Johnny would come downstairs. She was sure she’d be able to concentrate if he was in his regular spot behind the bar.

“Well, where’s Johnny?”

Elizabeth looked up, startled out of her thoughts. Spencer stood at the door, flanked by two very tall, very wide men.

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FOUR O’CLOCK

The Gorman brothers. Elizabeth always winced when they climbed the stairs up to her girls. She had never been able to kick them out, but only because they had never quite crossed the line. They danced on it, though.

“Seeing to some business. Do you want a drink?”

“What do you say, boys? Do we want a drink?”

Both of the men grunted. Elizabeth calmly overturned three fresh shot glasses and filled each one. “That’ll be fifty cents.”

“And we want three girls.”

The Gorman on his left grunted, and Spencer’s smile widened. “Make that four girls.”

“I told you last night that you’re not welcome in the brothel,” Elizabeth said tightly.

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