Page 15 of The Killer's Prize

“Nothing fancy.” They retreated to the dining table and set down to eat. Jessie’s mood finally changed when she took forkfuls of the pasta.

“Oh, my God, Sergio. This is amazing. I never knew you could cook.”

“My uncle taught me.”

“Did your uncle raise you after your parents died?”

“Enough questions about me.” Talking about Carlo amounted to opening another can of worms. Carlo was the last thing he wanted to talk about. “I want to get to know you better.”

“You seem to already know everything about me, my history, details about my life.”

He sat back against his chair. “Most women in your shoes would be frightened.”

“I’m not like most women.”

Sergio chuckled, unable to help himself. It had also been a long time since anyone made him laugh. “Yes, I’m well aware.”

“Most men,” she said in that wonderfully soft voice of hers that held nothing but quiet strength. “They’d run after hearing how fucked up I am. I’m damaged, Sergio. I pretend to be like everyone else, but I’m not.”

Sergio slipped out of his chair and went to her. He brushed the back of his hand against her cheek. Like before, she leaned in close, gripping his fingers to the point of point. He stroked her hair with his free hand. “You don’t need to wear masks around me. I don’t care that you think you’re damaged, Jessie. That only makes us perfect for each other because I’m not entirely sane either.”

“You’re a killer.” Jessie’s tone wasn’t accusatory. She’d only stated a fact.

“That’s right. There are only two things I’m good at. Killing’s one of them.”

“What’s the other one?” She asked.

He thumbed her bottom lip, watching as she closed her lips over the digit and sucked. Damn. His dick thickened in his jeans. Sergio could yank her to her feet. Shove her over the table, lift that shirt up, and kick her legs apart. No, Jessie would part them willingly for him. She’d practically beg him to fuck her and he’d take and take until she grew addicted to his cock, to him. That way, she’d never leave him.

He moved away from her, breathing hard.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” he told her.

****

Sergio didn’t talk much throughout the rest of dinner, Jessie noticed. He took his seat and they resumed eating. She thought she wouldn’t have any appetite, but it turned out she was hungrier than she thought. She even took seconds.

“I like a woman who appreciates good food,” Sergio remarked.

Jessie put the serving fork down and colored. The few men she’d dated in the past always made off-handed remarks about her weight. She’d been teased about it her entire life. Jessie had been a target of bullies back in high school and the names they’d called her still left tiny scars on her heart. Sergio was the first man to appreciate her figure, the curves she was proud of. He looked at her like a hungry wolf again, like a man who’d been starving for years in the desert.

She cleared her throat and worked on her second plate. “What else did your uncle teach you to cook?”

Sergio took a sip of his beer. He’d offered her a can earlier, but she refused. Jessie wanted to be sober the entire night, and she got drunk easily. The mention of his uncle seemed like a touchy subject for Sergio. She was about to change the topic, but he opened his mouth.

“I can make a mean mushroom and bacon risotto and lasagna.”

“I’d love to try those.” She never had a man cook for her before. This was a first. Jessie wasn’t much of a cook. She’d always be too tired after her shift at the restaurant and usually heated up frozen dinners or grabbed take-out for dinner.

“You’ll have the opportunity. We can do a little grocery shopping in town soon,” Sergio said.

She blinked in surprise. “I thought we were lying low?”

“Hillcrest Pine is in the middle of nowhere. They won’t find us for a while,” he said. “Victor doesn’t know about my past or where I grew up.”

She considered his words. “Then I’m looking forward to our trip. I’ve come to a decision.”

“What’s that?”

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