Page 298 of Assassin

When she sat down, he looked up.

“Yes?” he asked.

It was time to eat crow.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “You don’t deserve to be treated the way I treated you. Sometimes, I forget that you do have my back, and that we’re partners—not only at work, but in life.”

He said nothing.

“It’s scary being in a relationship. I’ve never had one before—well, one I wanted. I’ve been forced, and I always expect the worst.”

He let her talk as she poured some wine into her absconded glass.

“No one has ever known me—the REAL me, Jax. I am always expecting to be hurt. I’m sorry that I let you walk away. I hope you can forgive me and let me stay here with you.”

He didn’t say anything.

Instead, he lifted a finger, and a waitress headed his way. When she put down two plates of pasta, her favorite kind, she looked up.

“How did you…?”

He slid his phone over.

On it, there was a text.

‘Marry the girl. She loves you.’

Yeah, Alyona knew where that had come from. Apparently, her ‘father’ had sent him a text, and he wasn’t just looking at his phone to contact her.

“I had already ordered. I know you, Alyona. Despite how much you try to fight it, my heart knows yours.”

She reached across the table.

“I’m sorry.”

He knew he could make her suffer, or he could accept that she still showed up. It was baby steps.

But he’d take it.

“You’re forgiven. Garlic bread?” he asked, offering her a basket of warm bread.

She took a piece and stared down at her alfredo. He had lasagna, and both looked delicious. It also didn’t surprise her that he’d ordered her favorite thing.

The man just knew her.

“Thank you for dinner.”

He laughed.

“Oh, you’re buying after the runaway girlfriend stunt. You can bet on that.”

She grinned.

“Deal.”

Immediately, he cut his giant piece of lasagna in half and slid it onto her plate. She used two forks to share her alfredo.

And they ate.

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