Page 48 of Voracious

“Never dumb, take the keys out of my pocket for me.”

I regret it as soon as I’ve asked her. I should just put the boxes down. But she doesn’t pause and waits until we reach thecar to slip her hand in my front pocket. I swear she’s doing it purposefully and looks up with her hand far too close to my dick and smiles up at me with misplaced gratitude. I want her, she knows that I do, yet she’s playing with my head and pulls her hand out, and goes into my other pocket that actually has the keys in.

There’s no desire on her face, it’s just gratitude and that kills my lust.

“Go in the car, I’ve got it.”

She nods with that smile still on her face and drops the keys on top of the boxes after unlocking the doors.

I have never placed anything in the car with more care than I do with the boxes of stickers. Getting in the car, Ana’s head pops up, sparing me a glance, still smiling.

Fuck, I’d kill and die for that smile.

I don’t drive home and go to the breakfast place she’s been researching, needing to soak up more of her without her thinking she has to repay anything. I know if she ever tells me the full extent of what the fuckers did to her, I’ll burn the entire world so no one gets close to her again. While my hellion is busy introducing herself to the smiley faces, I send Tali a message so that I can take over his hobby.

Me:

Don’t water Len today, it’s been dealt with

Vitya:

I thought pissing on the dead was weird? Now you’re copying me. Dick.

And piss on your own dad. That one’s mine

Ana has studied menus, rehearsed orders of what she wants when she thinks no one is noticing, and her head snaps up when I pull over. The joy on her face is multiplied, seeing the café shewanted to visit. She’s spent hours researching their menu and I hope she’s back to her normal state. Her smile is unrestrained, and she carefully places the sticker sheet upside down on the dash before getting out of the car.

Without anything to hide behind, the real Ana slips out. The contacts have the same effect on her eyes as they do her personality, it dulls everything. She doesn’t struggle to smile, and her shoulders are lighter as I follow her inside. The waiter seats us, but I stop him before he can leave since I already know her order.

“Buttermilk pancakes, no blueberries. Vanilla French toast. Two steak and eggs, lemon iced tea and a normal one.”

My little hellion fidgets, waiting for the waiter to fuck off and she’s so endearing, having manners that she’s picked up from God knows where.

“Thank you, for my stickers. I know you didn’t do it purposefully.”

My entire body relaxes with the knowledge she doesn’t hate me, and her usual chatter starts about nothing of importance. She could read the menu out to me, and I’d still be engrossed on her every word.

How the fuck has she kept this part of her alive? She’s like a diamond in a world that wanted her to be coal.

She changes topics and tilts her head to look at my jaw then my temple. “Who did you fight? Someone new? I thought you were against Leon, but you would easily beat him.”

I sit taller and puff my chest out, hearing the ease in her voice.

“I did, the lineup didn’t change apart from you.”

Her brows come together as her iced tea is set in front of her and I think she’s forgotten I’m sat here when she leans forward to try it. Her nose scrunches up and she pushes it towards me.

“Yeah, that’s nasty, you can have it.”

She does the same with the lemon iced tea but takes a second sip to test her taste buds before settling for the drink. I order her a coffee because there’s no world where she settles for anything, and she remembers her previous thought.

“So, who hit you? Was it Vlad? He’s a dick but I’ve seen you spar, and you’re matched. Did you hit him back?” she asks with her tears forgotten. “Did you record it so I can watch it?”

The waiter comes back to set our food down. I want to kill him for making her stop talking. But Little Miss Manners says thank you and her smile is solely directed at me as I push her plates over.

“It wasn’t him, I got clipped a few times.”

I want to see the world through her eyes, all the little things she gives importance to. But they only shine so brightly because of how dark her memories are.

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