No one knew how long it had been.
What they did know was that every bottle on the table was now empty!
Elio swayed as he rose from the couch, and his arm outstretched towards the bartender, "More booze, and make it quick!"
"Elio, our boss already said, you can't have another drop. Let me help you to a room so you can rest?"
"Why can't I have more? You think I can't foot the bill, is that it?"
Elio was unsteady on his feet. He stumbled a few steps, crashing into a pillar. A nearby waiter quickly rushed to his aid.
"Of course not, Elio. We all know you're good for the money. We just don't want you waking up to a nasty hangover tomorrow. Come, let's get you to bed."
"I don't want to sleep; get off me!"
The bartenders exchanged a glance before one of them said, "Take Elio to a room, and bring him some iced water and aspirin."
As Elio was being led away, he kept on ranting, "I want a drink. Don't touch me! I can afford it. Don't you hear me? I can buy anything I want, women included! What's the big deal?"
"Clara, if he ever mistreats you, don't expect me to step in! You chose to go back to him!"
"And Emmett, you... you're a damn jerk, picking on Clara! I'll kill you!"
The waiters, hearing Emmett's name, were anxious to avoid any trouble. They wished they could just silence Elio before he caused a scene.
If anyone in the bar knew Emmett, it could spell trouble.
If news or rumors about Emmett spread from this bar, they would be in deep water!
If the room hadn't been carpeted, he might have hit the floor hard.
The waiter with the phone sighed and continued dialing the number.
After several attempts, someone finally picked up, but it was a man's voice.
"Hello! Are you a friend of Mr. Elio's?" the waiter asked hastily.
"Who's this?" The deep voice carried a natural authority that made the waiter inexplicably uneasy.
But he hadn't done anything wrong, so why did he feel this way?
"Um... I'm a bartender at the club. He's had too much to drink and kept insisting that we call this number. If it's not too much trouble, could you come and pick him up?"

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