Page 83 of Soul Food

“Huh?”

She giggled, aware of how confused she made me. “I know you said you were taking a break, but even I couldn’t pass up this phone call.”

I raised up, rubbing my eyes. Shit. It was going take a second before my vision cleared. “What phone call?”

“S&M wants you to perform live. Not an interview. No talking. Just singing.”

Nothing could have perked me up more. S&M was the hottest talk show in the country right now. The two older women were hilarious as well as smart. Every year the two of them invited me on their show and as much as I loved watching them, I never would. I watched those two pry information out of the most private people in Hollywood. They were a force I knew I shouldn’t go up against.

“How? More like why?” I asked her. “They’ve always wanted interviews with me. After all these years, they’re finally asking me to sing instead of talk?”

Jayne squealed. “Yes!”

I thought about the cons. “When do they want me?”

“Next week.”

Yes. Oh, my God.I would still be alive. How sad that this was what made me happy again. My career was my life, and I was okay with that.

“If there’s no talking involved, then yes, I want to perform. I’m dying to sing for the world here.”

Literally.

Chapter Twenty-Four

RUTH

Instead of going inside, I called up John and asked him to turn around and come get me. The old man was a saint—he didn’t complain at all. He came back and drove me to the park where I gave him money to buy his lunch while I walked around.

I was already in casual clothes when I thought I would be hanging out at the studio today, so I felt a sense of relaxation as I ventured around with no destination. Kids played while their parents stood or sat on the bench.

I felt the urge to smile until I saw him walking parallel from me. The sun did nothing to soothe the chill that he forced from my bones. I slowed my pace, but never took my eyes off his. He walked as I walked, only on the other side. Gray eyes watched me intently, eyes that I knew could change ruby red in an instant.

He was wearing casual clothes, and it hit me then. His appeal. His intimidating nature. His build and height were way beyond average because he wasn’t even a part of this world. I hadn’t noticed I stopped walking until he did as well. He placed his hands in his pockets and watched me.

Who he is as a demon, and who he was before you found that out, maybe there’s an in between where he can be both.

What was he doing here? No. What was he doing all the time watching me? Why did he do it? I shouldn’t be curious, but it was suddenly all I could think about.

The soul reaper stalked me. It petrified me. He said he would stay away, but I didn’t think he knew how. One thing I could admit, he was always doing as I wanted. Except when it came to this.

I was overcome with the strange urge to approach him. I had so many reasons to fear him, but the soul reaper wouldn’t take my soul today. With that thought, I turned my feet in his direction. He waited for me; the sun filtering his pale skin and doing wonders to my already tattered heart.

The first thing I said when I approached him was, “I thought you would stay away like I asked.”

“When Lars can’t look after you, of course I will be there,” was his dark, dreary response.

I fought the ugly urge to roll my eyes. “You’re the only thing that’s wanting to kill me. You know how crazy you sound?”

“Nothing good comes out of you dying before your time is up for me.”

“Go to hell,” I muttered, then corrected myself. “Or should I say, go back to Hell?”

“Don’t worry, I plan on returning to the Underworld soon,” he had to go and point that out. It hit me again that he was in fact different. He didn’t belong in my world.

“Have you no heart?” I gave him a shove. He never budged. His body was built like a brick. I hated how much I knew that for a fact. Now I was standing there staring at his chest.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

---