I heard the footsteps coming, and I had to turn. It was either Dana, which meant I had to pick up my pace, or the wonderful customer, which meant time for a happy face and the can-I-help-you attitude.
“You still work here, Anthony?”
Oh my God. I knew that voice. I knew it whispered in my ear, across the table over dinner, in the middle of the night when he talked in his sleep.
“Carl?”
I wouldn’t turn. I wouldn’t see him. Not now. Not with things going so damn well with Leon. I didn’t need that kind of shit in my life. But apparently he didn’t know that. Or didn’t think that. Or he just wanted to be a dick. Whatever it was, he came around in front of me and leaned on the shelf. Right where I needed to put the stock, of course. He looked so much older in just two years.
“You got this job right when we broke up. I figured for sure that you’d have moved on by now.”
“Why?”
“Well, it’s not exactly a solid career choice.”
I muscled past him, box of spices in hand, and faced the shelves. “It’s a good job. Pays my bills. Can’t ask for more than that.” Maybe if I was cold enough, this could be over. Then I could feel guilty for the next month.
“Hey, come on—”
“Come on what?” I whipped around and set the box on the floor at my feet. Stupid fucking coincidence rearing up to make my life hell. “Why are you here?”
He paused for a few seconds, then reached his hand over to the shelf and grabbed a bottle of Worcestershire. “Just needed this.”
I snorted. “You need Worcestershire sauce at ten o’clock at night? Do you really think I’m going to buy that?” Dana peeked her head around the corner. Damn it. Must have gotten too loud. I leaned in close to him. I remembered that cologne, the leathery, spicy smell of it. God, I’d bought him a bottle of that for our first Christmas. I knew he had other colognes. Why that one? I loved the way it smelled on him. “Just tell me why you’re here, Carl.”
He sighed and put the bottle back on the shelf. At least he wasn’t stupid enough to try to keep that ruse going. “I wanted to see you. You know, I miss you. I thought we were pretty good together.”
“We were. Until you cheated on me.”
He cringed at that, but what was I supposed to say? It was the truth. “I fucked up. Big-time fucked up. I admit that. How can I not?”
He reached over to touch my arm, but I yanked away. “Carl, don’t.” I stayed quiet. Didn’t even look at him. I couldn’t. It was too much. “It’s too late.”
“Babe…”
“No.” I shoved the spice bottles into place. “Don’t call me that. Not now.”
“I always call you babe.”
It took a few seconds before I was calm enough to respond without smacking him. “We’re not dating anymore. I’m not your babe.”
“But you could be, though.”
Fuck that. Fuck him. Fuck fate for sending him to the store with this tonight, of all nights. “I hope you’re not saying what it sounds like you’re saying, ’cause that would be incredibly stupid.”
“I want to get back together with you, Anthony. That’s what I’m saying.”
Of course. What was the worst thing that could happen to me at that moment? My ex coming back and wanting to get together. So why wouldn’t it happen? “Sorry, Carl. No.”
“Come on, it was one mistake. You have my word I won’t do it ever again.” He squeezed my biceps and pulled close just the way he used to when we were together. It still shot chills across the back of my neck. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get back on your good side.”
“I said no, and I meant it.” I shrugged out of his grip. As soon as I did, I felt so light. I could hardly hold back my laughter. “I’m done. Completely.”
“We were so good together, ba—Tony.” He stared down at the ground, shaking his head. “It can be good again, if you just try. I want to prove myself to you.”
Damn him. We did have good times, and he wasn’t some evil jackass. But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t let myself. “I’ve got a great guy, steady work. I’m sorry things haven’t worked out for you yet, but I can’t do this. I’ve moved on.” Not a total truth, but I definitely wasn’t going to leave Leon for him. “Is there anything else you want to say?”
He opened his mouth but then just closed it again, shook his head. He reached over and touched my shoulder again, and I let him. “I wish it could have worked out better. That’s all.”
He walked off. I hated doing it. Hated being that cold, but I didn’t exactly have another option.
Dana slipped into the aisle, leaned against the shelves. “So, everything good?”
“Fine. Sorry about that.”
She nodded and walked away, left me there with my spices and my guilt.
* * * *
Dana was uncharacteristically nice after that. She knew I didn’t have that much work to do. It was pretty obvious, looking at my pallet. But she let me go on a nice, long break. Long enough that it was worth me going outside.
Honestly, when I saw Silver, I wasn’t that surprised. Not with the way my night was going. It was different this time around. He looked at me. He’d never done that before. It felt like worms squirming around just under my skin. I always knew he recognized me. Why else would he keep showing up? But this, knowing that he knew where I was, that…no. Just no. I shuffled through about a million thoughts on what to do. I even considered running back to Montana. They didn’t have fucking unicorns there.
I would have said the same thing about California a few weeks earlier, though. So maybe they did.
Silver snorted and then turned around. He was giving me a little longer before he came back and killed me. The last I saw of him was a swish of long, silver tail sweeping around the corner of a building.
* * * *
The pallet was nearly done. Dana walked by, and I made a big show of wiping my arm across my forehead, leaning against the shelves.
“God, don’t work me so hard,” I said.
She shook her head, a tight smile drawing up the corners of her mouth. “I let you off easy ’cause you had that crap with your ex. That’s it. So don’t get used to it.” She winked and tossed me a jangling key ring, which fell straight through my fingers to the floor. She sighed, walked over, and picked them up. “Go ahead and unlock the door. Then clock out. Unless you can possibly think of something else useful to do around here.”
I shrugged and grabbed the keys. “I can always think of something. Doesn’t mean you’ll like it.” I left before she could say anything more about it, keys in hand. I made a note to get her something nice for that. Not much of something, with my pay, but something. Aside from Terry, I didn’t get a whole lot of sympathy unless I called Mom. A Mom call came with lots of strings attached.
I stepped outside and unlocked the store for the customers. Something covered my vision and plunged me into dark. I almost screamed, but there was a quiet hissing in my ear.
“Shh.”
It calmed me long enough to think. “Who are you?”
“I should be insulted. You’ve seen me naked, after all.”
Leon. I knew the voice. Slightly hoarse, slow, and throaty. I pulled one hand down and kissed him on the palm. “What are you doing here?”
“I know you’re not off yet, but you weren’t picking up your phone.”
I patted my pockets. No square bulge. “Sorry. I probably left it at home.”
“It’s fine. I knew how to get ahold of you.” He leaned down and kissed me, sliding his tongue past my lips. He cupped my ass in his hands and lifted me up. I curled my legs around his torso and let my full weight fall into him. He didn’t shake or readjust. It was all simply perfect.
Except that Dana interrupted us. I looked over when I heard the door squeak, and there she stood, arms crossed. “It couldn’t wait until you were officially off the clock?”
“Sorry.” I jumped down and shrugged. “Passion overtook me?”
“Whatever. I don’t want to find you fraternizing during work hours again, you hear me? Now get in here and clock off. Then you can suck all the face you like.” She stepped one foot back inside and then stopped. Her face softened, lips bowed back up into a smile. “And this is off the record, but you did good with this one. Way better looking than that other jackass.”
California: where appearances really are everything. Dana closed the door, and I looked up at Leon.
“Just give me a minute. Then we can go back to fraternizing unhindered.” I snorted as I turned around. The first time I’d gotten busted at a job for “fraternization.” It may have put a bit of a spring in my step. Maybe.
Chapter Six
After work, we headed over to a little coffee shop. Another back-alley trek to another place I’d never been before. It was big with lots of windows to let in the natural light. The overheads weren’t even on, but it was so bright. The pale colors inside the coffee shop probably helped. Leon had gone to the counter to order, leaving me to sit there and play with the coffee stirrers.
“Shit.” The word was loud enough to stand out amid the coffee shop murmur and the hissing of the milk steamer. I turned around and just froze. No matter what I tried, no movement. No thought. No words.
Carl walked over and sat across from me. Not smiling this time. “This looks bad. I’m not stalking you or anything. This is the coffee shop I go to now.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. “I specifically picked this place because it was way away from your apartment. You know, so we wouldn’t run into each other and have shit be awkward? What are you doing all the way over here?”
A question. Questions took answers. Had to think. Make my mouth work. “My boyfriend took me for coffee after work.”
“Shit, shit, shit.” He scrubbed his hands across his face. “All right, fine. I really didn’t intend this. You made yourself very clear—”
“I believe you, Carl.” I looked over at the counter and saw Leon turn around, a square white mug in each hand. “But my boyfriend’s coming back with the coffee right now. You should probably leave.” Them meeting would just be the extra icing on top of my crap cake.
Carl nodded and rose from his seat. “Really, honestly, I’m sorry about this. And about the store. Talking about it at work is not cool.”
“All right, fine. Just get gone.” I didn’t have enough caffeine in my system for this.
“We’re good?”
Damn it. Why wasn’t he leaving? Did he want this to be awkward? “As good as we’re getting. Now go.” I glanced over my shoulder. I had maybe ten seconds, as long as I could count on someone getting in Leon’s way. “Please.”
Carl opened his mouth but closed it right away. His eyes widened, and his neck muscles tensed. “I think it’s too late.”
Leon set the steaming mugs down and wrapped an arm around my waist, squeezing too tight and staring straight at Carl. “Having a nice talk?”
Great. If it was already this awkward, how much more wonderful would it be once he found out our history? “Leon, this is Carl. He and I dated a few years ago.”
His hold on me tightened even more, almost painful. “You dated this…ruffian?”
“Ruffian?” Carl took a step closer. His eyes narrowed. “Where do you of all people get off calling me a ruffian, you animal?”
Fuck. “You two know each other?” Great. Kill me now.
“Yeah,” said Leon. “I’ve had some dealings with Carl at work. We don’t exactly get along. If I’d realized the sort of trash this place let in, I would have picked somewhere more appropriate for a date.”
Carl nodded, his jaw tight and his eyebrows knitted. “I was just having the same thought. But if being near me is so completely intolerable, I’ll find somewhere else to have my coffee.”
“No.” Leon slid a ten-dollar bill from his pocket and stuck it under the napkin holder. “We can go. You can thank me for it later.”
“Will do.” Carl fixed his gaze on me. “It might not be safe to be around him. This guy’s got some pretty big secrets.”
Leon stood up and stomped forward. “That’s enough from you.”
“Fine.” Carl stalked up to the counter with his hands balled into tight fists.
Leon dragged me out the door onto the sidewalk and then he was off, ignoring traffic as he darted across the street. I had to jog to keep up with him.
“Hey, calm down,” I said.
“You dated that guy?” He didn’t seem to be calming down. “Why?”
“He’s cute? We had fun together? He’s smart? I cared about him? Pick a reason.” What was this? “Why are you getting so bent out of shape? It was two years ago.”
Leon stopped dead and leaned against a brick wall. “He’s trouble. If you keep running into him, you tell me, all right?”
“What do you mean, he’s trouble?”
“He can get violent. I’ve seen it when I’m at work. I wouldn’t put very much past him.” He shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut. “Not after the shit I’ve seen.” He darted his eyes from side to side. “Come on. I still owe you coffee. We can go to Paolo’s.”
I nodded, and we took off. Slower, fortunately. If going to Paolo’s again calmed him down, I was all for it.
* * * *
“Are you sure Paolo’s not pissed?”
Leon nodded. “Positive.”
“You made him open early twice in the same week.”
“I’ve done worse to him before.”
Whatever Leon had said, Paolo’s glare certainly read pissed to me.
He delivered two steaming mugs and a pitcher of cream. “I’m afraid the kitchen isn’t ready to serve guests yet,” said Paolo. “You’ll have to settle for coffee.”
“That’s fine.” Leon got up and whispered something in his ear. I didn’t even hear one word of it and not because I didn’t try.
Whatever he said, Paolo’s features softened. “Although if you’re particularly peckish, I may be able to struggle something together.”
Leon shook his head. “I like coffee.”
“Yeah. Me too.” Didn’t want to undo whatever Leon had just managed to do. “Thank you.”
Once Paolo went away, Leon leaned forward. “I’m really sorry. Kind of a crappy date so far.”
I thought back to Largo and that asshole Terry tried to hook me up with. And my first encounter with Silver. The blood. The corpse. “I’ve had much worse.”
“Well, consider your favor paid up. You sure as hell don’t owe me anything now.”
He stared into his coffee, stirring it even though he took it black.
I tried to pull him out of his own head. “Hey.” No response. I reached over and grabbed his hand. “Hey, listen to me, Leon. I’m happy just spending time with you. We could be chilling out on my couch, watching reruns of The Golden Girls, and I would be blissfully happy.” That sounded like a damn good time, actually. “Our dates don’t have to be productions.”
Nope. No response, still. I pulled my hand back, but it didn’t budge. Leon’s fingers wrapped over mine, holding me in place. But he still wasn’t looking up. “Golden Girls?” he muttered. “Could we make it I Love Lucy?”
I chuckled. “I think we could find a way to arrange that.”
He scooted his chair around the table to sit next to me, never letting go of my hand. He brushed his lips against the nape of my neck, went higher, and nibbled on my earlobe. Good thing I was sitting. Otherwise I’d have been a puddle for Paolo to mop up. Thank God we were alone. Making out in an abandoned building already pushed the limits of my exhibitionist streak.
When I heard the door open behind me, I shoved away from Leon and knocked him over. “My God, I’m so sorry.”
He spoke without looking at me. “Run.”
“What?” I heard him whisper it, but I couldn’t make any sense of it. Why run? “What are you talking about?” Maybe he’d really taken a hard hit on the head when he fell.
In a single fluid
motion, he got to his feet, turned around, and pushed me behind him. “It’s too late.”
Too late? My body numbed and tingled. Every movement felt slow, as if dragging through a sea of honey. Even my mouth felt heavy and sluggish when I tried to speak. “You’re scaring me.” I peeked around him, and the world slammed straight back into me. I collapsed to my knees.
Carl. His face blank, he trained a handgun on Leon. Two figures dressed in complete black, their muscles bulging against the fabric, stood behind him. They each held a military rifle. One of the barrels sat right in the center of my vision.
Carl took a single step forward. “You’re getting sloppy. It shouldn’t have been that easy for us to find you.”
“Just because you found me, doesn’t mean that this is done.” Leon whistled, and Paolo stepped out of the kitchen, a foot-long knife in his fist.
Carl snorted. “Don’t tell me how to do my job.” His eyes flickered over to me. “I don’t want Anthony involved any more than you do. So come quietly so he doesn’t have to be.”
“Carl…” My voice shuddered out of my throat. “What are you doing?” This wasn’t him. This wasn’t the man I’d dated.
The gun shook a little in his grip, and the corners of his mouth turned down but nothing more. “I’m sorry, Anthony. It should never have involved you.”
Before I could ask anything else, Leon grabbed me around the wrist and held tight. Hot pain ground deep down, all the way to the bone. My fingertips tingled, feeling wicking away. “Leon, what—”
“Quiet.”
Carl sighed and shifted his finger down to the trigger of his gun. “Three seconds. One.”
He didn’t get anything more. Paolo tossed his knife. It thunked to the floor and skidded toward Carl and his cohorts. Not a successful attack but a successful distraction, to be sure. In that same split second, Leon yanked me around, and we burst through the kitchen door and then out the back. Cords of agony ran from my wrist all the way up into my shoulder.
“Leon, my arm.”
“We can’t slow down.” He glanced over at Paolo, running along next to us. “I’m sorry.”
Silverfall Page 7
