Page 29

What if.

What if I would have forgiven Danny? What if I would have looked past everything he did and kept loving him no matter what? Would he be sleeping beside me instead of Samuel?

I shake my head, because I know even if I had Danny, I’d never truly have him. He’s married to the streets. My bed would only hold me at night.

Samuel’s a beautiful man. He’s a hard worker, now the lead man of a construction crew.

I love him. I really do.

But there is nothing exciting about our life.

Walking over to the counter, I tilt my head when I see a note I didn’t notice before.

Meet me in the alley. -D

My heartbeat soars and my throat becomes dry. With shaky fingers I fold the note and slide it into my trench coat’s pocket. It’s pathetic how fast I grab my keys and exit the shop. Jumping into my SUV, I crank it and hurry to the south side.

My mind races with things it shouldn’t.

Why would he want to see me after all this time? Why wouldn’t he just come to my shop and talk? He obviously knows where I work–––slipping notes inside when I’m not there. What if Samuel had seen him? Anger replaces curiosity and I find myself mad at Danny, but then again, I’m always mad at him. Why has he never visited before now? Why not just call me like a normal person?

But Danny’s never been normal. He’s always been outside of the lines, on the wrong side of the tracks and mixed up in things he shouldn’t be.

And the dark side of me loves every bit of it.

But the reasonable side of me rolls her eyes. You stupid woman. You point out the bad, only to replace it with an excuse.

“Ugh, I’m ridiculous.”

Thirty minutes later, I pull into our old neighborhood. I head down the hill, rubbing a finger over my jaw as I remember the day Danny crashed into me.

And boy did he crash.

I roll past my old house, the one I lived in with Mama. The one I ran from when she left this earth, to seek comfort from a boy I had no idea would change my whole world.

I lift the locket around my neck that I’ve worn every day since I took it off my mama’s. I press it to my lips and head on down the street to the alley I ran into the night she told me the cancer had spread.

Flipping down the visor, I run a finger under my eyes and pull up to the curb. I take in a deep breath and open the car door. Standing, I hold on to the edge of the door, looking around for any sign of Danny, and then I see a black car parked on the other side of the road.

The door opens and Danny climbs out the passenger side. I narrow my eyes as he adjusts his jacket and walks toward me. His chin is up, his eyes darting to me.

A black knight on his way to save no one.

I shut the car door, pulling my coat closer to shield my body from the cold wind. Danny walks past me and into the alley. I look at the car, seeing someone in the driver seat, but not making out who they are.

I look back at Danny just before he disappears into the alley. I follow behind him, and once both of the buildings surround me, Danny turns around.

His eyes drop down my body before he looks at my face. His hair is slicked back, shaved on the sides, his face scruffy. His clothes are all black, even the Tom Fords on his feet.

He’s a dark god in an ominous alleyway.

The only skin not covered by ink is his face. It’s pale from lack of sunshine and winter. Doesn’t matter, though. He could be whiter than a ghost and still be breathtaking. Like a vampire, who’s forever frozen in time, young and beautiful. Evil and pursuing his next prey. Danny’s looks are steadfast.

“You look good, Bex,” he says.

I narrow my eyes. “Why am I here?” I act like that compliment did nothing to me, but there’s no denying the racing of my pulse.

“Because you want to be,” he responds.