Better to Eat You

by Savannah Skye

  Jules was giving her till tomorrow morning, then she was going to go to her apartment to check up on her.

  I could wait, right? She probably just needed some time away from me to get her thoughts straight. What had happened between us had been powerful stuff.

  Pausing in the cleanup, I sank onto the couch, and itched at the scruff on my face. Trent had been calling me a caveman as I hadn’t shaved in days. I’d been too distracted.

  Maybe I shouldn’t wait. What if whatever she’d been running from in her past had finally caught up with her?

  Did it make me a crazy stalker or a concerned boss to send my meathead cousins to make sure my lead dancer hadn’t skipped town? That she was still breathing?

  Grabbing my phone, I brought up Nicky’s number, my thumb hovering over the call button.

  At that moment a soft knock sounded on the door, and I glanced at Toro, but he just grunted. Shrugging, I got up, guessing Trent had forgotten something.

  Opening the door, I said, “Hey, what—”

  But the words died on my lips as my gaze collided with Bella’s.

  “Um, hi.” She was shivering on my doorstep, teeth chattering, wet hair plastered to her head, clothes soaked through, and her face so white, her freckles looked like specks of dark ink.

  “Bella?” I asked, wondering if I was hallucinating.

  “Sorry to bother you, but uh…” She attempted a smile, but then her face crumpled and tears streaked down her face.

  Had she been out walking in this God-awful weather? Regaining my powers of locomotion, I pulled her in. “Bella, what happened? Where have you been?”

  She seemed shell-shocked, her eyes unfocused. “Oh, I’m sorry, it has been a coupla days…”

  Cold fear crept up my spine looking at her. All of the light and sparkle was snuffed out of her.

  I steered her towards the bathroom. “Let’s get you out of those wet clothes before you catch pneumonia. Take a hot shower and then we’ll talk. I’ll get you something to wear.”

  “Thank you,” Bella said in a small voice.

  Once she was in the bathroom, I rushed into the guest room set aside for my sisters, and dug through the drawers. No dice. Christ, the one time I needed something. Pulling out my phone, I called Diane, and a smug voice answered.

  “Bella Lesaude, huh?”

  “Excuse me?” I asked, thrown. Maybe Diane hadn’t been kidding about being psychic.

  “That’s the redhead I just let into the building, looking for you. She’s gorgeous, if a little water-logged,” Diane said, clucking her tongue at me. “I promise I won’t look into her…Yet.”

  “Santo cielo,” I muttered. “You’re the worst sister-in-law ever. Your husband is probably laughing his ass off in heaven, though.”

  “I’m sure of it. So what did you call me for?”

  “Mind if I borrow clothes for her?”

  “Sure. Now, you be nice to her, Colt. She looked like a sad, little drowned cat. Good thing she’s got the Capestrana prince wrapped around her pinky finger.”

  “Good night, Diane. Drive safe,” I murmured and hung up. Glancing at Toro as I padded into the kitchen to find the spare key, I called out, “You know she’s texting Trina right now, so the whole family’ll know all my business within the hour, right? So much for threatening Axe and Dante to keep it on the DL.”

  I jogged downstairs and into Diane’s apartment, grabbed a handful of clothes, and headed back upstairs. Bella was still in the shower, so I rapped once and left the pile outside the door. Then I went into the kitchen, grabbed the kettle, and flicked on the stove.

  In spite of the fact that Bella had shown up terrified, freezing, and soaking wet, there was a hum of relief buzzing through me. She was physically unharmed and she hadn’t left town. Those two things meant more to me than I wanted to consider.

  “Toro, you gonna keep sleeping or what? You want supper?” He blinked one eye open and then rolled over. “Yeah, Trent was a wild man today. Too much Cap’n Crunch. My bad.”

  “Are you talking to your dog?” Bella asked, appearing in the doorway. She was wearing a baggy grey shirt and pajama pants. Her face was fresh, her wet hair knotted up in a bun, and some of the sparkle had come back into her eyes.

  “Yup. I like it because he doesn’t talk back to me.” I walked towards her. “Hey, you. Clothes okay?”

  “Perfect.” Bella closed the distance between us and wrapped her arms around me. A jolt of happiness sang through me and I hugged her back. “Sorry I’ve been MIA.”

  “You’re grown. But I gotta admit, I was getting a little worried about you.” I hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but there it was. “Bella…” I pulled back, holding her elbows, and looking into her face.

  The teakettle whistled, and I let her go, pulse pounding. She followed me into the kitchen and I silently made her a mug of hot cocoa. Then we wound up sitting side by side on the couch.

  Bella glanced around with raised eyebrows. “Tornado go through here?” Then her eyes fell on the pile of toys Trent kept in my apartment. Her back stiffened. “You have kids?”

  “Nah, nephew. This is like his second home, he spent the day here.”

  “Oh, okay.” The relief on her face was evident and I socked that information away for later examination. “That’s sweet.”

  “Bella, talk to me. What’s going on?” I asked gently. “You looked terrible when you got here.”

  Shrugging, Bella took a sip from her mug, and said, “I was stupid. Got robbed on the street… Kid had a gun. Took all my cash from Jules, earrings, bracelets, even my bus pass.”

  “What?” I shot to my feet, fists curling, rage blasting through me in a rush of heat. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?” I studied her face and she shook her head. “What did he look like? That fuckin’ punk, he’s dead meat. And how much cash? I’ll get it for you, right now.”

  “I was more bummed about the bus pass,” Bella tried to joke, but then she sighed. “Can’t believe I let this happen. I’ve done loads of traveling in way sketchier places and never had that happen.”

  “It wasn’t your fault,” I said, kneeling in front of her. She looked down, biting her trembling lip. “Hey, all that matters is that you’re okay.” Reaching out, I squeezed her knee.

  She just shrugged, put down her mug, and didn’t look at me. “I guess.”

  “Did you call the police?”

  She nodded slowly. “They caught him a few blocks away. That might be part of why I’m crying. He was young and looked like he was all tweaked out. Probably just needs rehab and now he’ll be stuck in the system. I got my stuff back, so that was good, but I just feel…sad.”

  She had a soft heart under all that toughness, and I stroked her cheek gently. My heart wasn’t nearly as soft, and I was glad that punk-ass was off the street.

  Watching Bella, I had the sudden urge to have Diane check up on her past after all. I still couldn’t help but wonder if all of this was because of something else.

  Something else like whatever she was so desperately trying to hide.

  Petty theft by gunpoint was pretty rare in Ehlrich. Not to mention, she’d been MIA for days. I didn’t want to think she was lying to me, but some things just weren’t adding up.

  That said, what I was absolutely sure of was that this was no act. Bella was shaken to her core, utterly devastated by whatever had gone down. Fury and agony pounded through me watching her suffer like this. No matter what, I had to be there for her right now.

  Suddenly a sob tore from Bella’s chest and her shoulders shook. My body moved on instinct. In one motion I had her in my lap on the couch, tucking her head under my chin, and wrapping my arms around her.

  “Bella, I got you. I got you.” The words felt clumsy, but I forced myself to keep going. “I swear to God, I’ll head down to the jail and make sure that punk learns his lesson.” Kissing the top of her head, I joked, “I can even get Jules to come with me, pull her brass knuckles on ‘im. That’ll teach ‘
em.”

  Bella gave me a trembling smile and fisted her hands in my shirt. “Nah. He’s got enough problems. Just hold me, will you?”

  For a long time, we quietly sat like that, just holding on to each other.

  When the shaking finally stopped, I shifted her gently to the side to find the remote. “I’m going to put something on the TV to keep your mind off it, okay?”

  She nodded and I turned on the TV. Going into the menu of movies, I found a collection of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers flicks and started Swing Time.

  Sitting up, Bella pulled her hair loose, and shook it free. Then, reaching behind her, she grabbed the blanket hanging over the back of the couch.

  Next thing I knew, we were curled up together, watching Lucky get put in his place by the unflappable Penny. Bella let out a real laugh and a knot in my chest loosened. Breathing in her delicious scent, a warm glow of satisfaction began to fill me from head to toe.

  I could get used to this.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Bella

  It worked.

  Every man loved a damsel in distress. To be the white-knight hero who came and saved the day. Apparently, even a snitch, blood-traitor like Colt Capestrana wasn’t immune to that instinct.

  Now, though, as I sat in the circle of his arms, the line between reality and fantasy was blurring again, and I felt like I was tumbling down another rabbit hole of my own making.

  Why did I keep doing this to myself?

  After visiting Justin, I’d been firm in my resolve the whole drive home. Then I got to my building, and without thinking, had hopped on the elevator. Right as the doors had closed, a sweet, sexy text from Colt popped up on my phone. And by the time I got to my floor, hysteria was rising in me, threatening to crack apart everything.

  Could I really be so cruel as to make him fall in love with me?

  The attraction was real, even if everything else was a lie. I couldn’t ignore how his honesty and alpha side had freed me in the club dressing room. He’d made me feel like I was everything he’d ever wanted. And that was just one night, just the tip of the iceberg.

  It was intoxicating.

  Once inside my apartment, I’d crawled into bed, and fallen asleep for hours. Dipping in and out of nightmares, I’d woken myself more than once by crying out. Then I’d slept through rehearsals the next day. When I’d gone to call in sick to Jules, another text from Colt had appeared, and I’d hastily hidden my phone away.

  The next two days were a blur. Spinning in hopeless circles inside my mind, I’d stayed hunkered down, too afraid to face the world, too broken from my visit with Justin. I’d slept, then paced around my apartment for hours, and eaten next to nothing. My brother was beyond my help and Colt had me second-guessing even my own name. It got to the point where I considered packing up and going back to Paris.

  Today, I’d gotten up and found my phone. I had way more missed calls, texts, and voicemails than I’d expected. Most were from Colt and Lisa, but a few were from Dante and Jules. For a second, I’d felt horribly guilty about worrying all of them, but then I’d made the mistake of listening to one of Colt’s voicemails.

  The second he’d said “Bella”, a piteous sound tore from my chest. Then I’d thrown the phone across the room, grabbed my coat, and stormed out of the apartment.

  What had happened to all my resolve? Was I really so spineless?

  My life flashed before me like a fucked up HBO movie. Me and Colt, dancing the Argentine tango and then him loving me from head to toe. Justin, screaming about the Capestranas, his knuckles split open as he glared at me.

  Don’t fail me, sis.

  That was how I found myself in the cemetery, in the pouring rain, clutching a sad little bouquet of wilted roses. Kneeling on my father’s grave, I’d begged him to give me a sign, anything. Gasping with sobs, I tried to rally the strength of my bloodline…to find the right answer.

  Then I’d pounded my fists on the ground, screaming as the wind rose, and the rain lashed at me.

  Rocking back and forth, I’d prayed between numb lips for help from him, from my Ruffino ancestors. I needed to know how to do this. How to not fail my brother or my family.

  How to be a good daughter, a good sister.

  Two hours passed before I left. Decision made. Plan in place. Emotionally destroyed, soaking wet, and half-frozen.

  I found my way to Colt’s door. Deep down, an instinctive desire had been clawing at me to go there anyway. That was terrifying, but my heartbreak almost drowned it out. It must have been fate when that lovely woman and her young son had exited the building just as I walked up. Both of them had looked at me curiously as I tried the door.

  Dully, I’d wondered if these well-dressed people would call the police. Probably thought I was a lost druggie on a bender. But then the woman had asked me who I was looking for, and when I’d said Colt, it was like the golden ticket.

  Her face had lit up and then she was introducing herself, letting me inside. Telling me to go right on up, Colt was home.

  And when Colt had opened the door, haggard, and with a few days’ worth of a beard, his eyes lighting up with relief and joy at seeing me, my soul had twisted up again.

  There was no need to fake being a damsel in distress at that point. I definitely fit the bill.

  I’d cried in his shower, then again when I’d found the clothes, and finally in his arms.

  Now, pressure was building behind my eyes again, warping Fred Astaire’s impish grin. I carefully rubbed my eyes, trying to hide it. But Colt’s arms tightened, as though sensing there were fresh demons to keep at bay, and my heart fluttered.

  As the movie progressed, my body began to relax, the knots unraveling in my muscles, and the aches fading away.

  “You should’ve been born back then,” I blurted out.

  “Hm, you think?” Colt laughed and nuzzled my hair.

  “Oh, sure,” I teased. “You were dashing in that old-school getup.”

  “Dashing, huh? Gee, thanks, you’re a swell gal for noticing,” Colt said in that fast, smooth ‘30’s affectation. “Maybe we’ll get dressed up and go swing-dancin’ sometime.”

  “Maybe,” I whispered, then put a hand over his mouth. “Now, shh, I’m watching this.”

  “You started talking first,” he whispered, his scruff tickling my palm.

  Then Penny and Lucky began to dance, and I sat up a little straighter. Completely enraptured, I watched the rest of the movie like that, almost forgetting where I was. When it ended, I turned to look at Colt, and then snorted with laughter. He’d nodded off, his breathing soft, and face almost heartbreakingly handsome in its gentleness.

  Suddenly my stomach let out a huge growl. My cheeks went hot as I watched Colt’s forehead crinkle.

  “Someone’s hungry,” he murmured, eyes still closed.

  “Shut up!” I lightly slapped his chest.

  “Woman, you woke up the dog.” He grinned and opened his eyes.

  Suddenly a wet nose pressed against my arm and I looked down to see his dog staring up at me. Tentatively I patted him and he panted happily at me.

  “Toro’s probably hungry, too.” Colt picked me up as he stood, and I squealed, not expecting that. “What, forget how strong I was?” He did bicep curls with me and I began to laugh.

  “Oh, my, well, how could I, Mr. Capestrana?” I attempted to say in a Southern Belle accent, but I was laughing too hard.

  He chuckled, kissed my forehead, and then gently placed me on the couch. “Here, you relax, watch more old movies, and I’ll make you supper.”

  “Oh no, I’m watching you cook!” I said, scrambling to my feet, and following him into the kitchen. Colt was wearing a muscle tank and baggy sweats and he still looked like a ripped Greek God. “Can’t believe you fell asleep during that movie, though. Shameful,” I remarked, sliding onto a stool.

  He made a face. “Ah, I was resting my eyes. If you were dealing with a monkey of an eight year old all day, you’d be wiped t
oo. Besides, you know how many times I’ve seen that movie?”

  “How many?” I asked.

  “Couldn’t even count. It’s how my mom and Ange convinced me that dancing got you all the ladies. Both of them used to swoon over Fred Astaire, practice swing together in the kitchen. They were a pair, those two.”

  “Your mom a dancer?”

  “No.” Colt’s face closed off. “She just loved art. Music, books, painting, singing, dancing. Was a bit of a savant like that.”

  Was.

  Discomfort crawled into my gut. I recalled hearing she passed away when I was young, but must have forgotten. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pried,” I murmured.

  “I brought it up.” Colt walked away, taking his time feeding Toro. A powerful urge rose in me to comfort him, hold him close, and tell him for once it was going to be okay. That shook me up again and I didn’t hear him when he came back and spoke.

  “What?” I asked, feeling stupid.

  Colt reached across the island and touched my forehead. “You’re still out of it, girl. Sick?”

  “No, why, do I look bad?” I touched my face. Suddenly I realized this was the first time Colt had seen me without makeup or in decent clothes of my own. “Well, I’ve been a bit run down.”

  “Bella, you’re beautiful.”

  Colt said it so simply, so earnestly, I could almost see the swirl of colors as that line blurred even further. “I didn’t mean it like that. I wanna know if you’re okay.”

  “I’m okay. Great,” I lied. “I was jittery after the mugging but I’m fine now.”

  His eyebrows rose a fraction and I saw a muscle twitch by his mouth. Liar, his eyes said, but he didn’t push it. Instead, he began telling me stories about his best friend’s son, Trent, while pulling out ingredients. My mouth began to water when he started prepping, dicing, and boiling water.

  It was the sexiest cooking show I’d ever seen.