Page 20 of Till Death Do Us Part

I smiled and scooted up in line. Talia was no-nonsense and refused to take part in any type of decorating. I sent a similar text. I really wanted a moment to play a dinosaur game on my phone before I had to get back to work.

“I have another gift for you.”

I would have jumped if Felice’s hand wouldn't have been on my lower back. He must have felt the shock go through me like a tremor, though, because the pressure and warmth of his touch increased. It burned through the black silk blouse I wore. His hand was precariously close to the top of my ass.

“No offense, but I'm good in the gift department.”

He grinned. “No earrings then?”

“Yeah, I'll pass. Have enough of those. Especially ones made of my attacker’s blood.”

His face turned serious. “Have you been sleeping well?”

He asked the question, but it seemed like he already knew the answer to it. He wanted to hear me say it.

“Honestly, yes. And I wasn't paralyzed with fear as I left the house or walked down the street. I'm not back to business as usual, but I'm not where I was.”

I couldn't bring myself to thank him for what he'd done, because it seemed…an odd thing to be grateful for, but I hoped he heard the relief in my voice.

We moved up a spot and I braved a glance at him. He wore a cashmere black sweater and black slacks. His hair was slicked back to perfection, and his eyes glistened like green gems from all the natural sunlight flowing through the windows.

Even though the place mostly smelled like all the different items on the fresh menu, his cologne floated through it. It was the first time I could place a specific scent. It was citrusy. Not entirely out of place.

He was though.

This was a carnivore of a man amongst herbivores. Maybe that was why he wore it. To cover up his true scent. Not going to catch a plant eater smelling of blood.

The glance turned into more. He turned his head and we stared at each other. He reached out and barely touched the edges of my hair.

“So beautiful,” he whispered.

I shivered, and there was no hiding it. “Lo did it before I left for work this morning. I needed a change.” I wasn’t sure why I felt compelled to explain. Maybe because my pulse raced, my breath felt shallow, and I needed something,anything, to say other than the truth.

I’m so glad you’re here. I like when you touch me.

Gael, a guy working behind the counter who knew us as regulars, called my name, holding up my bag. I went to take it, but Felice grabbed it from him first.

“I’ll take that.” I went to grab it from him, but he took my hand and led us toward the door.

“Wait!” I tugged on his hand. “Shit.”

Elsa had come in, and she was looking for me.

Felice let me go when we came to a table where a man in a suit sat. Felice set the bag down and started rummaging through it.

Elsa waved when our eyes met. She side-stepped the thick lunch crowd to get to me. “I needed some fresh air and thought I’d walk back with you. Food’s not done yet?” She looked between me and Felice. “Oh. I thought you were bringing our food back—”

“I am.”

Her eyes clearly stated she was confused.

“I have to bring this food back to the office.” I went to put my to-go box back in the bag, but Felice smoothly moved it and handed it to the guy in the suit.

“Bring that back for Ms. Lang,” he ordered.

“Wait!” My hand shot out. “That has my dressing and bread in it.”

The guy in the suit handed the bag over. Felice dug around, pulling everything out. He gave it back and the guy went to wait by the door for Elsa.

---