Page 20 of Making the King

On our way back to the beach shack Rochus—Rocco—lovingly calls home, we stop at a drive thru and get some food. Despite my insistence that I don’t need my own meal, Rocco ignores me. And maybe he’s right to because putting Mindy in her place has made me hungry.

“I’m not fucking discussing this again,” he snaps. “You need to eat more.”

Scowling, I turn around and look at him. I don’t like being told what to do, especially not when he’s right and I’m wrong. I know I can’t keep myself going like this, especially not if I’m going to keep my promise to Julietta.

“Okay,” I say, trying not to giggle at the shocked expression on Rocco’s face. “But I don’t like banana shakes, and I want extra large fries.”

I don’t know whether I like banana shakes or not, I’ve never had one. I’ve never even been to a drive thru. While we wait in the line of cars, I use the time to study the menu placed between the lanes.

The options are overwhelming. How do I know if I like pickles on my burger? Or if the chicken nuggets are good?

“Do you know what you want?” Rocco asks when there are only two cars in front of us.

“Umm…” Hesitating, I skim the menu again. “I’ll take the large cheeseburger meal, a vanilla shake, and… five cookies.”

My stomach rumbles in agreement.

“Anything else?”

I turn my head to look at Rocco, unsure why he’s asking me. Then I look back at the sign, pondering what else I might want to try. “Mozzarella sticks,” I say. “And maybe an ice cream.”

“Is that all?” Rocco chuckles.

Feeling self conscious, I wring my hands in my lap. Did I order too much? I did, didn’t I. “Maybe I don’t need the mozzarella sticks,” I sigh. “Or the cookies.”

Damn, I really wanted the chocolate chip cookies. They look so delicious in the picture, and so does everything else.

“You can have whatever you want,” Rocco says. “Personally, I’m a big fan of their curly fries and shakes.”

Rocco drives up to the window and places the order. Not only is he ordering everything I asked for, he’s also ordering other things and different flavors.

A knot forms in my stomach as I realize I don’t have any money to pay for my food. So far, Rocco’s been keeping me fed, and even bought me new clothes. But I can’t keep taking his money. Okay, so technically I am working for it by doing the books for Dirty Diamonds.

That reminds me…

“Cain owes me a favor,” I rush out once he’s paid and driven to the next window, where we wait for our food. “He wrote that in a comment after I corrected the shift schedule.”

Huh, I never knew there’s so much waiting involved.

Rocco turns his head and looks at me. “Is that so?”

I nod eagerly. “Yes. Do you think I can use it to pay for my share of the food?”

His eyes twinkle with mirth, but he doesn’t answer me until we’ve received our food and are heading back to the beach shack.

“Look,” Rocco says, breaking the silence. “If Cain owes you a favor, that shit is priceless. He doesn’t give out favors easily. So I’d save it for something you really want.”

Without meaning to, I stare longingly at the bags of food resting in my lap.

“Cara.”

Stupid tears gather in my eyes because I know he’s about to tell me I can’t have any of the delicious smelling food.

“Look at me.”

Refusing to let him see my shiny eyes, I keep my gaze fixed on the paper bags for the rest of the drive. I even hold on to them when we’re back at the shack, refusing to part with the food just yet.

My stomach hurts, it feels like it’s gnawing on itself as pangs of hunger make me feel lightheaded and like I might collapse.

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