Page 38 of Dmitri

I’ve run into the arms of a killer and will finally be at peace if this big brute will just put a bullet in my head. Snap my neck with his big hands. Snuff me out with my own goddamn pillow.

Addie will be better off without me. I’ve pulled her too close to danger just by being her guardian when I am supposed to save and protect her from all this awful shit.

My brain shuts down, and I retreat into this dark space where I feel nothing. I don’t hear or see anything either. I’m a shell with a heartbeat, and that’s it.

On the back of the bike, I check out and accept my fate.

???

“Daelyn.”

I blink, finally snapping out of my mental retreat.

Dmitri’s holding my face, his expression concerned. “Jesus.” Only when he swipes my cheeks with his thumbs do I realize he’s taken my helmet off. “Why are you crying?”

Am I? Huh. It doesn’t feel like I’m crying.

And I don’t have an answer to give him. It doesn’t matter anyway. Tears don’t sway devils. Kaleb taught me that.

“Talk to me,” he urges.

I look around to see where we’ve ended up. I don’t recognize the parking lot, but it’s packed. The sun is bright in my eyes. People are walking around, and kids are running down the sidewalk. The scent of something delicious wafts in the breeze.

“Daelyn.” Dmitri shoves his face into mine. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I say, slamming my mask into place. “I… the sun is just really bright, and it made my eyes water.”

He sees through my lie immediately. His jaw sets, brows digging down as he glowers at me. But he doesn’t press me even though we both know I’m full of shit because his helmet’s tinted visor was over my eyes the whole ride.

“Come on.” He holds his hand out for me, and I climb off his bike. I’m not even sure how he stabilized it while I was in my head, or for how long.

Whatever. It doesn’t matter. “Where are we?”

“My favorite place for breakfast.” He clasps my hand like we’re a couple out on our weekly date. “Since I didn’t know your favorite, I figured we can go to one of mine.”

I numbly follow him and when we step inside, I’m suddenly hyperaware of how underdressed I am for a place like this. Embarrassment heats my face. “Do they have a dress code?”

“Why?”

“Because everyone looks so nice.”

“So do you.” He squeezes my hand and heads towards the hostess.

She smiles up at him. “Good morning. How many?”

“Morning. Two of us.”

“Would you like a booth or table?”

“Wherever we’ll have privacy,” he answers, making my heart gasp.

“Sure thing.” She grabs two menus and tips her head. “Follow me.”

Dmitri stares straight ahead, still holding my hand, and I keep wondering why on earth I chose this crappy outfit today when I should dress to the nines to lure this man into my web of lies and deceit for Kaleb.

“Perfect. Thank you so much,” Dmitri says, as we approach a booth in the back corner of the restaurant. Letting my hand go, he gestures for me to have a seat first. Once I slide in, he sits across from me and steeples his fingers.

I busy myself with the menu. The prices aren’t listed, which makes me uneasy. “So… What’s good here?”

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