Aden

Chapter Twelve

Leila

Was there a stronger word for being so heartbroken? All I knew was that every day hurt, but that word was nothing to the hollow and broken piece barely working in my chest.

The organ was there, barely, and it fucking ached. It felt like someone reached in while I was still alive and ripped it right out, stabbed it a thousand million times, then shoved it right back.

It was there. It hurt and I felt the pain with every breath I took and with every step I took. I felt it at night when I cried myself to sleep. I felt it during the day when he stopped coming by the bar for a drink.

Pain and I have grown close in the months and years that passed after my father's death and that night, and you would think one would get used to feeling like this.

As much as it hurt knowing Aden passed by, missing him hurt more. It was pathetic and pitiful, but I really did miss him. I spent most of my days longing for him, thinking about him, and missing him.

It made me wonder if he thought about me as well if he hated everything because I wasn't with him. I told myself I had a right to be furious, but I was losing track of why the hell I was so mad.

Aden and I had a past, a friendship, and now we were trying to build a relationship. I guess his being honest about what really happened that night had to count for something.

He didn't have to tell me. He could have kept it from me. I mean, he did save me that night. He held me in his arms, took me to the hospital, cared for me, and then dropped me off. He did make sure I never walked home at night ever again.

He made sure to never walk away until my lock clicked. He was there to hold me whenever I cried and God even when I was mad at him, I wished he was holding me.

The bar's been closed for a week, and I was thankful that I didn't have to serve anyone because of how drained I felt. I had workers along with some of the bikers coming in and helping me with the cleanup. The only way I knew it was a week was because that's how long it's been since I've seen Aden.

I try my hardest to keep it together, but sometimes I break down in the middle of lunch whenever I remember him buying me food. Other times, it'd be about something stupid.

I'd see Aries and he'd remind me of Aden, and I'd cry. They tried to comfort me, but I'd just hide in the bathroom until I stopped crying and was able to be back out.

Tomorrow would be day eight and the bar was up and running again, and it would have taken longer if Alex and Aries hadn't gone and bought me new tables, and chairs, and paid for pretty much everything including new televisions.

Alex hinted that it was all from Aden, and I didn't even know what to say to that. I didn't know if they knew about our fight, or if Aden confided in them. It's not like he was much of a talker, but with how his brothers looked at me, it made me wonder if he did decide to tell them.

The minute I flipped the sign to open and unlocked the doors, it was like nothing ever happened. My usuals walked in, ordered their drinks, and played pool while some sat and watched the football game airing.

The comforting feel I felt in my chest at how natural it was to be working and standing behind the bar, had me feeling slightly better today.

Luke and Suzy worked the bar while I mostly stayed in my office since it wasn't too packed. A knock on my door had me looking up from my computer screen to see Aries walking in with his headphones around his neck.

"Hey," I smiled.

"Guess what!" He exclaimed and his excitement had me jolting up.

"What?"