Page 50 of The Devastation You Reap

After a couple of minutes, the other customer leaves and I watch as Letty locks the door behind her and flips the sign to closed before letting out a sigh.

"Long shift?" I ask when she heads over with my coffee in a takeout cup in hand.

"Long day," she says, smiling at her colleague who looks like she's about to disappear out the back before dropping onto the bench opposite me.

"Regretting it yet?" I ask as she pulls her cell out and taps away at the screen, probably messaging Kane.

"Never," she says with a wide smile. "I'd work all the hours if it meant Kane and I got the life we have together."

I can't help but smile at the happiness that radiates from her.

There was a time not so long ago that I'd have done anything to protect her from Kane, but it turns out that the only person she needs to protect her is him. It just goes to prove that things really aren't always simple and straightforward.

"He's coming to pick me up, I've just told him to wait for a bit so we can talk."

"Great," I mutter.

"Well, that's what you're here for, isn't it?"

I shrug, sliding down in the seat a little more as I reach for my coffee and take a sip, regretting it instantly when it damn near takes a layer of skin off my top lip.

"I guess."

Coming here and seeing her seemed like a good idea as I walked away from Macie. She's my voice of reason and I know that she'd never judge me if I ever found the courage to confess all my sins to her. And now that I'm sitting opposite her, staring into her dark eyes, I'm wondering if it was a mistake.

I should have just gone home and locked myself in my room. But I guess it's too late for regrets because I'm here now and she's looking at me like I'm about to bleed my secrets all over the table between us.

"So who is she?"

"You are aware that you're all a bunch of gossips, right?"

"Meh," she says with a laugh. "You totally rained on Micah's parade there, you know?"

"He isn’t right for her," I say without thinking, which only serves to make Letty even more interested in what I've got to say.

Leaning forward, she rests her elbows on the table and waits.

"Her name is Macie. She's… different."

"So I heard. Micah said that she’s shy, quiet. Not exactly the usual jersey chaser you hook up with." She raises a brow as she waits for me to argue.

"Maybe that's the appeal. I don't know," I say, scrubbing my hand down my face.

"You know, I've never seen you ever interested in a girl. It looks good on you. You look… I don't know, more relaxed."

I can't help but laugh. "Trust me, I really shouldn't be after what I just walked away from."

A smile curls at Letty's mouth. "She making you work for it?"

I can't help but smile to myself as I think about Macie's innocence. I tell myself that it's just because I'm already a little too invested and excited about ruining it, but I know that's mostly a lie. While I might want to ruin her, punish her. There's also a part of me that wants to claim her. Make her mine.

"Yeah. She's driving me crazy."

"Good. It's about time someone made you put a little effort in."

"I can do effort, I've already taken her on a date."

"Shut up, you haven't," Letty gasps, her eyes widening in shock.