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seven

. . .

Mia

“ O ne caramel macchiato and a cranberry orange muffin,” I say, placing the order in front of a female college student. “Can I get you anything else?”

I barely hear her dismissive response because he’s here again for the third day in a row. The stranger from before. The one who caught me crying in the back of the store. Finn is sitting at a booth in the corner, a paperback in hand.

But I can tell he is aware of my presence.

If he is a college student, I’ve somehow never seen him before. I would have noticed those intense eyes and that dark smile. He is just a customer, and I am getting far too distracted.

I return my attention to my job.

The morning rush is dwindling into the afternoon, but there is still a lot to do.

The espresso machine is on the fritz. I haven’t done the stock yet, and Alice is out sick.

In short, it is one of those days, and I don’t have time to wonder about this stranger.

Even though he looks absorbed in his book every time I glance at him, I feel his gaze staring intensely at me while I work .

For the next hour, I managed to ignore him. After cleaning up three spills, fixing the espresso machine, and finishing up stock, I finally have a moment to breathe.

And Finn is still there.

I notice that his plate is empty and his ceramic mug as well. For the past three days, he has asked us to keep his order coming, so I head behind the counter and grab a slice of lemon cake and his black coffee.

“Mia, it’s a pleasure to see you, as always,” Finn says as I approach.

Sliding his replacement food and drink onto the table, I flash him my best customer service smile. “It’s good to see you again, sir.”

He reaches for the mug, and his hand brushes against mine. The roughness and warmth of his hand send a shock through me. My pulse quickens, and I swallow nervously.

This shouldn’t be happening, especially since I haven’t broken up with Justin yet. Guilt seeps into my soul, and I immediately pull my hand away.

“Hmm, sir . I could get used to that,” Finn drawls, taking a sip of his coffee. “How is your morning going?”

“Going pretty smoothly,” I say in a friendly tone, trying to ignore his ‘sir’ comment.

He chuckles. “Mia, you don’t need to do the customer service thing with me. I was here when that toddler launched a smoothie at another table.”

“Okay, fair. It has been a bit of a circus here today,” I say, cracking a smile.

“How long have you worked here?” he asks, and I wonder why he’s asking so many questions about me. I start to get a little worried.

“A couple of years.”

“You’re pretty good at it, making all those drinks like a pro,” he says .

“I should probably get back to work.”

“Take a break. Come sit with me instead.”

There is no mistaking the flirty way he says it. And in his smile is something like hope. He wants me to say yes.

“I can’t do that. I can’t just ignore the other customers,” I say sternly.

“Well, that’s a shame. I appreciate your company,” Finn pauses. “You are remarkably beautiful, you know.”

A mix of pleasure and doubt runs through me. He’s just being polite. After all, my rolls are showing over the top of my jeans and around my apron.

“Thanks,” I finally say in a professional voice. “You are very kind.”

There is still so much I don’t know about this man. Finn just showed up one day, and now he never seems to leave. Despite how crazy it sounds, it doesn’t bother me entirely.

I like his presence in the cafe.

But what is someone like him doing in this little cafe in the middle of nowhere? I have never seen him with a textbook, and frankly, he looks way too sophisticated to be frequenting an establishment on this side of town.

“You know, Mia, I’m not one to blow smoke. When I say something, I mean it.”

My breath catches because I believe him. Suddenly, a voice sounds behind me.

“What the hell, Mia?”

My stomach plummets immediately. Justin is standing in the doorway, glaring at me as I talk to Finn.

Fuck my life .

Fin n

I know it’s trouble as soon as that scumbag walks into the cafe. His eyes are ablaze, and every step he takes is an angry stomp.

“Justin,” Mia says, and I hate the fear in her voice. “I didn’t see you there.”

“I need to talk to you,” Justin says, his words an angry hiss. His eyes cut to me. “Away from customers.”

Mia nods, her eyes already watering. “Of course. Just give me a moment.”

“Now, Mia.”

My fists clench at my sides. I hate the way he speaks to her. I want nothing more than to interject and end this. Right here and right now. But Kane would get upset if I ruined everything, especially since she’s starting to trust me. So I wait and listen.

“I need money,” Justin says, antsy and agitated as they talk quietly away from the tables, but I can hear them very clearly with my alpha wolf senses.

Mia sighs. “I can’t give you any right now.”

“Why not?” he demands.

“Because,” she responds slowly. “I just paid the rent. I’m flat broke. Why do you think I picked up an extra shift?”

I watch Justin, ready to jump in if his anger explodes. I can see it simmering beneath the surface. The clenched fist, the agitated motions. The guy is a powder keg.

“God, Mia. We’re barely getting by, and it’s because you can’t get a better job than this dump,” Justin says cruelly. “Flirting with every male you see. Such a fucking whore, aren’t you?”

I watch as Mia deflates. Apparently, Justin’s words cut her deep. Seeing her wilt like that makes me want to rip Justin’s head off and use it as a basketball.

“I told you, the job market is tough right now. Especially if you don’t have a degree. ”

That she feels the need to explain herself to him gets under my skin. If she could only see her worth, she would realize what a waste of space this loser is.

“Well, you better come home with a big wad of tips today,” Justin says, his words dripping with malice. “Maybe I’ll forgive your flirting if you can do that.”

Mia flinches, and my heart wrenches in my chest. She’s afraid of him.

Why the fuck is she still with him?

Justin turns on his heel and stomps out of the cafe, flinging the door open so hard it bangs against the wall.

In the aftermath of his temper tantrum, Mia looks defeated.

She hangs her head, clearly embarrassed.

But within a few moments, she wipes the look of shame from her face and gets back to work.

It’s almost as if she's accustomed to this kind of treatment. She has learned to compartmentalize.

It breaks my damn heart and I pull out my phone and shoot a text to Jace.

I need you to keep an eye on Mia while I break into her apartment. Justin just stormed in here like an asshole, so I know he’s out of the home.

The response comes through moments later.

Jace

Was Justin violent with her?

No, the cafe is crowded. He wouldn’t dare do anything here.

But the moment he becomes violent, we’ll take care of it.

Jace

On my way.

I know Jace will stay true to his word, and he is easily the fastest of the three of us. He will be here soon enough. Ensuring that I leave a generous tip, I make my way out of the cafe, unable to see Mia anymore.

By the time I make it to the apartment, I’ve run off some of my anger and frustration. Now, I’m just focused on doing what I can to help Mia. Whatever it takes, I will get her out of this situation.

The security on these apartments is a joke. I am inside within seconds.

Once again, I am blown away by the scent of Mia. It lingers here. I breathe in that honey scent deeply and feel my body relax.

It’s time to get to work.

Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long to scour the apartment. The place is the size of a glorified closet.

A pile of bills on the kitchen counter grabs my interest. Most of them have the word “overdue” stamped on them in red letters. The paper is creased and crumpled as if Mia has held and pored over them more than once. I can imagine her sitting here, trying to make the numbers work in her favor.

But there’s only so much she can pay for when she’s a part-time barista.

Without a moment’s doubt, I scoop up the delinquent bills and shove them into my pocket as a new, fierce determination rises in my chest. I will get her out of this nightmare. I want to see her safe and happy. I just have to convince Kane to help pay these off.

Justin’s temper is growing by the day. If we don’t help her now, Mia could be in real danger. Until we are ready to approach her, I want to ensure that she has nothing to fear.

As I slip out of the apartment, I take one last deep breath of the honey scent and close the door behind me. Until we have a more permanent solution, I will protect Mia from the shadows.