Page 63

This morning the sun was out and it felt like an entirely different day. As if the rain from yesterday was an omen for a bad day.

I kept on my toes as I walked Aria to school and on my way to work. But nothing seemed strange or out of the ordinary. Maybe Ezio really is losing his mind and yesterday was some weird fluke.

Luckily, the restaurant is much busier today because of the nicer weather and it helps me keep my mind off everything. By the time I get a break for lunch, I am starving. I rush into the kitchen and nod at one of the cooks before grabbing a sandwich out of the refrigerator and slumping against the island where Magda is busy making desserts.

“Good day for business,” she says.

I nod around a mouthful of bread. “It’s so busy.”

“Makes up for yesterday.”

“For you,” I say after swallowing a bite of food. “I feel like I am running in circles.”

“Did you want help with the tables?” she asks me.

I shake my head. “I’m fine. Rosa and I are handling it.”

She smiles at me, and I shove the rest of the sandwich into my mouth. “Okay, back to work.”

“Would you be a dear and throw the trash out before you head back to your tables?”

I look at the overflowing trash cans. “Of course.”

I tie up the bag and push the back door open with my back. I drop one bag to the ground then sling the other into the dumpster followed by the second bag. When I am about to go back in, I am grabbed from behind. A hand over my mouth and I immediately curse myself for being careless. A repeat of yesterday flashing through my brain but I know there can be no way it ends the same. A far worse ending will come out of today.

I am dragged to a small alcove in the building where a door used to be and pressed into the archway. It isn’t until then that I smell the familiar scent and know it’s Kilian.

He spins me around, letting go of my mouth, his hands flying to my jaw. “Are you okay?”

I push him off me. “You scared the shit out of me.”

“Sorry,” he says as he studies my face. “I said your name, you just didn’t hear me.”

“You can’t be here,” I say as I look around him and down the alley, making sure no one is around.

“It’s safe. I checked.”

“What the hell, Kil?” I brush hair out of my face and he closes the gap between us.

“I was worried as fuck when I texted you yesterday afternoon and got a weird response back. I was ready to jump on a plane and head here to make sure you were safe. I actually did jump on a plane. It wasn’t until I was in the air that I got the message from my associate when you texted that other number.” His thumb traces over my lip. “What the hell happened?”

I tell him. About Ezio, the weird comments he made, the threats.

“He was here?”

I nod.

“You promise me that you will stay safe?” he asks.

“What are you going to do, Kilian?” I worry my lip between my teeth.

“Don’t worry,mo stór. I am just keeping you safe.”

I don’t believe a word he is saying. “You know what Ezio was doing here?”

“I have a slight inclination as to what.”

I pull him into me. “But you can’t tell me?”