Page 34 of The Good Char
“Everyone leave.The Good Char is closed for the rest of the day,” he bit out, never letting me go.
“What?I’ve been standing here for like?—”
Dzik lifted me and turned to face the man.
“Sorry.Sorry.I’m going,” the man mumbled and I giggled.
“What’s so funny?”he snarled at me, his hand rubbing my lower back softly.
“You, grumpy pants.You.”
He groaned and put me back on my feet.“Don’t make me tell you again, Kimmy.Leave.You’re off today.I don’t want to see you back and I definitely do not need any conversations about pants with you.Go!”
“Yes, sir!”I saluted, right before I jumped up and gave him a peck on the cheek.
Dzik gave me more than enough to cover my late bill and then some.He had a heart of gold whether he wanted to admit it or not.It was little moments like these where I knew I was no longer the naive girl I was.Being around Dzik grounded me into reality and where I once saw the world through rose colored lenses, he helped remind me that it wasn’t always that way… but he was there to catch me anyway when I didn’t know I was falling.
He growled as I skipped away, feeling light on my feet, knowing that my dream at being independent was at my fingertips.
Chapter21
DZIK
She thoughtshe could keep her secrets from me.
As I stood there, in the shadows, watching her flit around her little apartment, I curled my lip at the dilapidated neighborhood and its location.How this place wasn’t scheduled for demolition years ago was beyond my understanding.
I had been checking in on her for the past few weeks.Human authorities would call it stalking, I called it making sure my damn employee made it to work alive.
She only recently started visiting more often instead of veering back toward her parent’s home in the nice suburbs.I didn’t pretend to know what was going on in that little pretty head of hers but I knew one thing, she wouldn’t make it without me.
Hell, just the other day I stumbled upon a bastard messing with the communal mailbox while I was getting a closer look at her little hell hole she called a residence.I made quick work of him, weeks of frustration pouring out of me as I choked him unconscious, dragged him out into a more secluded area and began clawing his skin until I reached tendons and muscles.Lost in the euphoria of torture, my flesh suit ripped and once I was done bathing in his blood, I had to sneak back into the underworld, dragging him with me.
Melkgard scowled and complained that I had dirtied the meat but it didn't matter.Because it seemed I gave Daniel a companion for his stay.
Watching her light turn off, I grunted and straightened from leaning against my Camaro.This time around, there weren’t any further distractions as I made my way inside the building, taking more of the visual atrocity in.It was evident whoever ran the place pocketed all the money.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the master planted another demon here.
The scuff of a shoe had me turning to find a man down the hall from Kimmy’s apartment, staring at me for a few seconds before he disappeared into his own hell hole.
Peculiar, but not my damn problem.
I had curated a copy of the key to Kimmy’s place and quietly unlocked her door and made my way inside.The sound of light snores floated in the air as I walked a few more steps to find her sleeping soundly on a mattress and box spring that sat directly on the floor.
How she found it within her to come to work as bubbly as she did nonplussed me.Or perhaps she was delusional from lack of sleep and appropriate sustenance—that would make more sense.
Standing at the foot of her bed, I watched her breathe.
It was nice not hearing her blabbering a million miles a minute, something I had come to learn was a reaction to her worries, frustration and nervousness.
Taking a few steps forward, I leaned down and stared at her relaxed face—one I came to expect everyday.
“Who are you, Kimmy Ngo?”I whispered as I inadvertently took in her scent again.The musk was lighter… until she turned and slapped me in the face.
Gritting my teeth, I cursed her under my breath as I shook my head.
“No, of course I’ll get you a corndog!”she giggled then drifted back into silence.
