Chapter 132 We listen but we don't say
Hank’s POV
The kiss from Nora was subtle, almost like a fairytale, but it left me feeling irritated once I learned her name.
Despite her sudden departure, the backup singers didn't bother me again. I half-expected Nora to continue flirting or escalate things, but she didn't.
Was I disappointed? I couldn't say for sure. The kiss had bothered me, yet her subsequent ignoring of me left me feeling terrible. I initially thought it might be part of her game, but as the show went on, it became clear she was intentionally avoiding me.
There were moments when she seemed to be approaching me, only to veer away at the last minute.
I couldn't understand if she was pretending or regretting her actions. It would have been nice for her to acknowledge me, especially considering she was Molly's best friend.
Fate brought us to the same booth, but she continued to ignore me, even as we faced each other.
Marie's flirtation caught me off guard, but my focus remained on Nora. When she abruptly left with a flimsy excuse, I knew it was because of me. I lost track of her as soon as I left the booth, and my concern grew when Gio instructed Zak to keep an eye on her due to her vulnerability when intoxicated.
The words weighed heavily on me, prompting me to search for her, especially after Zak also lost sight of her.
Amidst the loud music and crowded bar, I decided to split up with Zak and began my search. As I made my way through the crowd, I eventually found her at the bar, accompanied by Marie.
It was puzzling as I distinctly remembered leaving her in the booth and advising her not to follow me. To my surprise, Nora slapped Marie, causing her to storm off in anger.
Approaching her, I asked, "Mind if I join you for a drink?" in an attempt to be friendly. She smiled. "Sure." However, the moment I sat on the bar stool, she stood up and left.
"Do you know anything about her?" I asked the bartender. He smiled. "Nora used to manage this club."
That made sense. She knew her way around than anyone else. I had been here many times, but I never knew she managed it. Perhaps it just wasn't her shift during my visits.
"Now, she's famous for singing with Molly," the bartender added. I smiled and asked him, "Do you know what that girl said to her?"
"We listen but we don't say," he replied. I opened my wallet and dropped a few hundred-dollar notes on the table. "Tell me."
"The other girl was warning her to stay away from someone, calling her a wannabe using her fame to hit on a guy. Knowing Nora, she never dated anyone, not even the billionaires who tried to hit on her. Rumors said she suffered one heartbreak once and refused to fall in love again."
"A couple of times, the guy came to look for her, but she poured drinks on him. That girl, Marie or whatever, made her upset. So, are you the one they were talking about?"
Was it so obvious? Forcing a smile, I replied, "Thanks for the information."
Her actions made me misjudge her when she kissed me, but why did she suddenly withdraw?
Perhaps she regretted it, but I also loved the chase. Finding her again was difficult, but this time she was surrounded by four men. As I approached, I noticed Marie slipping away into the crowd, and Nora's face was marked with red fingerprints.
One of the men held Nora firmly, and I was surprised that amidst the dancing, no one seemed concerned about Nora's condition.
"What's happening here?" I inquired. Nora appeared disoriented, her eyes closed and blood trickling from her nose. A surge of anger welled up inside me, inexplicable yet intense.
"What do you want?" one of the men holding Nora snapped, with another backing him up. "Back off and don't interfere with our fun."
Marie witnessed the scene but remained passive, indicating her involvement. "That girl is mine," I declared, echoing Nora's words from our encounter two days prior when she kissed me. I pointed at Marie and moved to intervene.
"You're lying. The lady who contracted this one, claims she is single, and we paid her generously for some entertainment with this one," he countered. I questioned whether it was truly Marie and resolved that if it was, she would face consequences.
"Which woman are you referring to?" I pressed.
"The blonde in the blue cocktail dress who was here a moment ago." My fingers instinctively balled into fists as I punched one of them on the nose, causing blood to ooze out instantly. He fell flat on the floor before I kicked the second one in the groin and punched his jaw as he fell.
The foolish dancers had all stopped now, and the guy holding Nora threw her at me. He was about to run, but I grabbed Nora with one arm and kicked the back of his neck, causing him to fall flat on the floor.
The last one was begging on his knees. "Please, the girl told us to deal with her."
"Get her," I instructed as I carried Nora, but it didn't mean I was going to let the idiot go. The moment he returned, I choked him with one hand before slamming him to the floor.
That was when my other hand slid under Nora, and I lifted her in my arms bridal style.
"What the heck happened?" Gio's voice dominated the music. I saw one of the guys about to stand and kicked him hard before pressing my foot on the hand of the one who held Nora earlier.
The audacity of him using his filthy hand to touch her enraged me, but I remembered the woman involved and glared at her. Gio seemed to have understood the meaning of my gaze and questioned her.
"What did you do?"
"Don, what are you talking about? I hope you are not implying I'm involved in..."
"Don't even dare to lie," I growled. She shivered, staring pleadingly at me. "Hank, please, I can explain."