Page 67 of Dark Love

“That’s the deal. Take it or leave it.” He swirls the cocoa around.

“Has anyone told you that you’re devious and slightly evil?” We both know I’m going to cave.

“On a nice day.”

“Well, they’d be right. Hand me the plate. But if I don’t like it, I’m spitting it out, regardless of how unladylike that is.”

“Duly noted.”

Who am I kidding? I’m not going to spit it out. My mother would know. She always knows when I do something wrong. The thick slice of bread is crusty and slightly warm. There’s a crunch from the granola and sweet but slightly acidic dressing. The salty and spicy pastrami balances out the creamy avocado. “That’s actually good.”

“I told you it was.”

“Were you really going to hold my cocoa hostage?”

His lips tip up. “Yup.”

“I’m still not sure about all those clothes.”

“You don’t need to be yet.”

Yet?!? I lift the toast to my mouth.

“Give me your phone while you eat.”

My phone?

“Dahlia, whatever this weekend was, I don’t want this to be the last time I see you.”

“You don’t?”

“No. I don’t. So, while you eat, I’m going to put my number in your phone. Then you’re going to go to work, and after that, I’m going to message you to make arrangements for us to see each other again.”

How do I respond to that? Yes, absolutely! I want to see you again. But what a smart person would do is walk out the door without a word.

Be practical. He’s a crime lord.

Be logical. You two would never work together.

Be smart. I slide the phone across the bar to him and take another bite.

Tomorrow… tomorrow, I’ll be all of those things. Today I want the impossible.

Life For A Life

Vex

“Is he still alive?” I slam my car door closed in front of what appears to be a simple storage facility that I own under a shell company.

Payne shakes his head. “Sadly. How is Ms. Fleur doing?”

“Her hands still shake, and I think she might have had a panic attack.” Being powerless, watching her pain burns like acid in my gut.

“Did you make sure she’s getting help?”

The idea of another man helping her… Dahlia’s mine to care for and protect. “She’ll be fine.” I’m going to make sure of it. “Don’t let me go nuts in there.” Payne is good at pulling me back from the edge. Though, I’ve never felt as close to it as I do now. Murder is a necessity. Something I have to do because of who I am and the people in the world. It’s not something I take pleasure in. You find a roach in your house, you kill it. You don’t do a dance over its corpse and celebrate its death.

But killing this man… this roach… he’s too low even for a roach… this blight on humanity could be the first to tip me over the edge. He hurt Dahlia in a way that can never be erased. I can protect her, but no one can take the realization away that life and safety are smoke and mirrors.

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