Page 82 of Before Dawn

I huffed a quiet laugh, feeling my pulse spike under her gaze. “Hot?”

“Definitely,” she confirmed, her lips curving as she wiped a bit of mustard from the corner of her mouth. “Youknowyou are. The tattoos, the way you carry yourself… It’s all part of the package.”

I smirked, nudging her shoulder. “Careful now,amor,39 you might just make me blush.”

She laughed, a warm, melodic sound that wrapped around me. We finished eating in easy silence, the kind that didn’t need to be filled with words. OnceI closed out the bill, we walked back to the car, and as soon as she slid into the passenger seat, she synced her phone to the Bluetooth. Lana Del Rey’s voice spilled through the speakers, sultry and hypnotic.

As I started the engine, she shifted toward me, her expression suddenly serious. “Before we go any further, I need to tell you something.”

I turned to her, giving her my full attention. “What’s up?”

She hesitated, tucking a curl behind her ear. “I recently got out of a relationship. I’m over it now, but I felt like it was worth mentioning.”

He must’ve been a real dumbass to lose a woman like her.

Was he the idiot making her pay for dates?

“I appreciate that,” I said. “Everyone has a past, and whatever you did before me, doesn’t matter.”

She let out a soft, breathy laugh. “I just wanted to be upfront because… I don’t think this will be our last date.”

A slow, knowing smile tugged at my lips. “It won’t be our last date.”

She exhaled, relieved by my reaction. “I know it’s not exactly first-date conversation, but—”

My chest tightened as a memory flashed through my mind—her crying in the airport, that lost look in her eyes.

“Was he the reason you were upset that day?” I asked, my voice gentler now. “Or why you asked about paying me back earlier?”

She nodded slowly, her gaze dropping to her lap. “If I wasn’t paying for something, I wasn’t getting it. And if I did get anything, I’d be reminded of it. Over and over.”

A sharp, protective rage coiled inside me.Es un maldito imbécil.40 I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my anger in check. The last thing she needed was for me to explode over something she’d already walked away from. Taking a deep breath, I forced the tension from my shoulders.

“There’s nothing I appreciate more than honesty,” I told her, voice steady. “And I know that no matter how ‘over it’ you are, talking about it still isn’t easy.”

She met my eyes, the gratitude there hitting me straight in the chest. “I know… but I appreciate you listening.”

Without thinking, I reached over, my fingers brushing against hers in a slow, deliberate touch. The moment they met, a spark shot through me—sharp, electric. Her breath hitched, and her eyes widened slightly, like she felt it too.

“Is this okay?” I murmured.

A small smile curved her lips as she gave my hand the lightest squeeze. “It’s perfect.”

I exhaled, something inside me settling. I hadn’t planned on touching her, but now that I had, I knew I wouldn’t want to stop.

I’d make damn sure she felt the difference between what she had before, and what she deserved.

As our hands lingered, I noticed a flicker of unease in her eyes. It was subtle, but it was there—something on her mind. Before I could ask, she broke the silence.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” I said instantly, though I could see the hesitation in her expression. Without thinking, I pulled the car over and turned to face her fully. “What’s bothering you?”

She took a slow breath, like she was choosing her words carefully. “When you were talking about China last week… and coming back to work…” She trailed off, and I sighed, already knowing where this was going.

“You’re wondering why I push myself so hard, aren’t you?” My voice was quieter than I intended.

She nodded.

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