"A brutal stabbing had taken place sometime around 1:30 am this morning in Ibiza Harbor, leaving one woman dead near the docks." The female news reporter announced from one of the TVs along the cafe's wall.
There was a visible shift in the cafe's atmosphere as conversations died down, voices hushed, and heads lowered with the tragic news. Even the familiar mechanical buzz of the coffee machines seemed to fade away.
"An investigation is being handled by the Ibiza police. A detective on the case says that evidence indicates that the death was a likely result of a failed robbery."
"Oh God," Dorian muttered from beside me, face falling as she gripped the counter.
The news had struck close to her heart. She had lost her parents in a similar manner just two years ago.
A thief saw them exiting one of the island's restaurants after dinner. He decided it was the perfect pair to steal from. Her parents ended up being shot and killed that same night. All for whatever jewelry her mother was wearing at the time, her purse, and her father's wallet.
Humans could be despicable. Cruel.
"Hey, I got this," I gently grabbed at her wrist, her face immediately lifting up. Brown eyes looked at me, my reflection lying within their pained pupils. "Why don't you take some time in the back?" I smiled kindly. "Levi and I can hold down the fort while you take a few minutes."
She sniffled, rubbing her cheek in an effort to coax relief through her before the corners of her lips lifted into a small smile. A smile that she was doing her best to fight through the bad memory. To fight through the pain. Poor Dorian. "Yeah, sounds good." It didn't take long for her to make her way down the hall toward the break room.
Sometimes words weren't needed to communicate how we felt. All we needed was someone willing to be there for us.
I took the rag I had in hand and started wiping down the counters as I listened to the anchor finish her report on last night's attack.
As glamorous as Ibiza could be, it was also filled with its tragedies. There was no denying that the island was also a hot spot for drugs. And that greed ran rampant. Extravagant parties were constant features of the island. After all, Ibiza was hailed for its nightlife. But between the glam and glitz lies scandal and corruption.
"Good morning, Cat." Levi greeted me with a dimpled smile as he joined me behind the counter, starting his shift at the register.
Two customers came in and ordered hot cocoas and croissants. It was a chilly February morning. We served them quickly before Levi's jade eyes darted around the room, searching for his girlfriend without any luck.
"Where is she?"
"Dorian's in the employee's lounge. She needed a break." A silence teeming with understanding filled the air between us. "Sometimes, she's too hard on herself, and you know how she hates to bother anyone whenever she's feeling any type of negative emotion." I hunched my shoulders, blowing out a breath.
"It's not in her nature to ever seem like a bother to others," he muttered as he fiddled with the buttons on a machine. "I get it, but I just wish she knew that I'm here for her. We both are."
"She does, but Dorian has to warm up to the concept of being vulnerable again." I shrugged, wiping off some coffee grains that littered the counters. "She hasn't even shared all details about the day she visited the coroner's office with me." I sighed sympathetically, unable to imagine seeing both her parents lifeless bodies. "Be mindful of that, although I'm sure you'll be the first she'll open up to once she's ready. She really likes you, Lev."
YOU ARE READING
PENTHOUSE 521
Romance[18+ ONGOING & SLOW UPDATES] "Be careful with the games you play," he added. His voice slashed the silence underlined by a lower, ominous tone. A warning. Did I even hear him correctly? What were all these new sides Niccolò had shown me tonight? I t...
