Page 4 of His Dark Pact

“Here.” He crouched to retrieve her note and handed it back to her.

“Thanks.” She took the cash, distantly aware that she still had to pay for the bread. “Do I know you?” Clearly, he knew her. He’d called her by name.

“Please, let me introduce myself.” His focus remained fixed on her face. “I’m William Kyle. I knew your late husband, Graham.”

“Graham.” Amy whispered his name, simultaneously sad at his loss and guilty at the way she’d been ogling the stranger.

Graham would have tutted and rolled his eyes at the way she was staring at another man like a hormonal schoolgirl.

“Yes,” Kyle went on. “Graham and I worked together a few times.” His face fell. “I heard what happened to him. Please accept my condolences.”

“Thanks,” she repeated, unsure what else to say. “I don’t remember him talking about you.”

“It had been a while.” He pressed his full lips into a hard line, inviting Amy to imagine, albeit briefly, what else his mouth could do. “I’m sorry to have missed the funeral.”

“It was a small affair.” She feigned a smile as she recalled the miserable event. She’d wanted to celebrate Graham’s life, but naturally, she’d had no funds available. She’d had to take out another loan to pay for the catering and the payment package to deal with even the basic service. His loss had only intensified her problems.

“I wished I’d made it.”

Standing beside him, Amy had to admit she wished he had, too.

Stop it!She chided herself.He’s paying respect to my dead husband.

“If only we could turn back the clock, eh?” Her laughter sounded hollow as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

Amy wasn’t sure what it was about the enigmatic Kyle, but suddenly, she was conscious about the way she looked. She wasn’t even sure if she’d brushed her hair before she left the apartment. She rarely thought of those things anymore.

“Indeed.” One of his dark eyebrows twitched, drawing her attention to the gesture.

How had Graham done business with Kyle and never mentioned him? True, she hadn’t met many of his business associates, but she was sure she’d have remembered someone like the guy standing in front of her.

“I interrupted you.” He motioned to the blasted machine that had been tormenting her.

“I was trying to pay for my bread.” Her focus fell to the note in her hands. “I despise these machines.”

“They can be... temperamental.” Kyle smirked.

“That’s one way of putting it.” She’d intended to be in and out of the store in minutes, not standing around arguing with technology. Kyle, though, had offered a welcome interruption.

“Will you allow me to try?” He took a step toward her. “I have a way with these things.”

“Sure.” She thrust the note at him, vaguely cognizant that she shouldn’t be handing over her only remaining money to a complete stranger, yet still prepared to do so.

“Save your cash.” Shaking his head, he reached into his pocket. “I have coins for this.”

“No, no.” Amy sensed heat pooling in her cheeks. “I can’t let you do that.” She lurched forward to compel the money into his hand, but he dismissed her with one raised palm.

“You’re notlettingme do anything.” An emotion she didn’t recognize glinted in his eyes, and for the first time, she noticed what a deep shade of blue they were. “I’m offering to help.”

Before she could think to argue, he’d slipped a coin into the slot to pay for her bread and waited as the machine processed the transaction and counted his change.

“That’s very kind.” Ambushed by his generosity, she stood stunned as he collected the smaller coins and her receipt. “Please, let me repay you.”

“I wouldn’t hear of it, Mrs. Kendal.” Presenting her with the bagged loaf, he smiled. “Consider it my good deed for the day.”

“Well, I’m exceptionally thankful.” That was putting it lightly. The pennies the bread had cost might not have represented much to a man who could afford such a sharp suit, but it meant a hell of a lot to her. “And please, call me Amy.”

“Grateful enough to let me buy you dinner, Amy?” His lips stretched wider, as if he realized how cheeky he was being, yet knew he could get away with it.

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