Page 27 of Death Raiser

“Yeah.” I took a sip of coffee and winced. The hot liquid burned my tongue and I cursed. Before Pierre turned away, I tapped the treat bag. “What’s this?”

“Two cookies, compliments of Steve,” Pierre answered.

“Steve?” Estelle asked, reaching over to lift the edge of the bag with one perfectly manicured nail.

“The barista,” I answered, the familiar face and name finally clicking into place from my last visit.

“It’s safe,” Pierre said. “I watched him retrieve them from the display case. I figured if you didn’t want them, we could—”

“Pffft.” Estelle waved at him. “I never turn down chocolate chip cookies.”

Pierre nodded and turned away to take up his post beside his vampire colleague.

Estelle pried one cookie out of the bag and took a bite. She closed her eyes and moaned. “Fuck, this is good.”

I smirked and tried my coffee’s temperature again. “I can see that.”

Estelle took another bite of the cookie before jerking her chin toward the bag where the other one waited. “You’re not going to have one?”

“I prefer my calories in liquid form.” I lifted my takeout cup.

Estelle shrugged and took another bite. “I’ve heard how you talk about tacos enough to know that’s a lie.”

I laughed and sank back into the booth. “You got me.”

We sat in silence for a few moments while Estelle inhaled both cookies and I sipped my latte.

“Is Gregor ever going to let me pay for the last treatment?” I finally asked.

Estelle sighed and lowered the last of her cookie. “Honestly? He’s probably saving your IOU card for a rainy day. Are you surprised?”

“No.”

“Does this make things weird between you and me?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Good.” She gave me a sympathetic smile before nodding at the café. “So you come here often enough for the barista to know your drink and give you free cookies?”

“Not really. I’ve only been here once.” Kang had bought me coffee, sat across the table from me, and told me I smelled nice.

“Your scent is intoxicating,” he’d said while standing behind me. The rumble of his deep voice had caressed the sensitive skin on my neck while his hands had rested on my hips, the warmth of his touch spreading through me like a fire.

My cheeks heated.

Estelle’s eyebrows shot up. She didn’t miss much—she’d had a few lifetimes to learn how to read other people. “Must be some latté.”

She glanced at her cup. She’d been too busy eating the cookies to try hers yet.

“It is nice. But enjoying my first coffee here got interrupted. It was all a part of a case.” Wanting to jump Kang hadn’t been, but I left that part out.

“Shame.”

“Maybe it was for the best.” I probably would’ve taken Kang home. Hell, I still wanted to take Kang home, but I also worked with him, and he was still keeping a secret from me. Maybe it was for the best that circumstances forced us to slow down a little.

We finished our drinks, waved at Steve as we left, and drove to my place. I said goodbye to Estelle and Antonia in the car and Pierre walked me to the front door of my apartment. We hadn’t had much of a chance to talk privately tonight—he took his role as a guard seriously and I didn’t want to mess with that.

“I’m glad to see you’re doing well,” I told him.

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