Page 41 of Silent Heart

I arched a brow. “Placing a last-minute order.”

“The fryer’s off. Grill’s scoured.” He crossed his scrawny, badly tattooed arms over his chest. “Kitchen’s closed, Harley.”

I waved him off. “I’m taking them frozen—I’ll cook them myself.”

“You don’t get to just come in here and take food,” he boomed.

“What’s going on?” Angelica pushed through the swinging door and surveyed us.

“Ring me up for an order of mini corn dogs, two cheeseburgers, and fries?” I asked the bartender, who would lock up tonight.

Angelica smirked knowingly. “Go get ‘im, Harley. I’ll cover this.”

“No, no!” I shook my head. “I’ll buy my own dinner.”

“Seriously, we’d have sunk if it wasn’t for the extra help tonight. Dinner’s on me.” Angelica cut a look to the cook. “Got a problem, Todd?”

“Come on, bro, let’s go to Pine Lawn Tavern,” Scott said with a nudge to Todd’s shoulder.

Devon was already at the POS computer, clocking out. He waited for the others, smacking his box of cigarettes against his palm. “I never thought to take the shit home frozen, Harley.”

I hummed under my breath. “It makes it so they aren’t soggy, and I don’t have to reheat.”

“How often you do that?” Devon asked.

I finished up the last of the three boxes. “Often enough.”

Shooting the one cook I liked a grin, and throwing a goodnight to Angelica, I hurried out the back.

“Yeah, that’s right, you go get that rich boy real good,” Tami called after me.

The urge to punch her, to knock her lights out, made my fist clench. While it would feel so good, I knew it would only make her the victim. I slammed my car door, shutting out the voices of my past.

Fortunately, anticipation for the future kept me company the entire drive. Kole came to me. Sought me out. Helped, defended—thought of. I smiled at the flowers. If I didn’t know any better, I would say he was a little obsessed with me. Different in a good way, I didn’t mind the attention. And while the sensible part of me needed some ground rules—such as how long this thing between us had—I also was driving over the speed limit to embrace it!

***

Nerves fluttered in my stomach as I crept through the great gate. It was already open, sparing me from making an awkward call over the intercom. Was Kole expecting me? It couldn’t be anyone else…right?

I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth. By the time I reached the front door and cut the engine, I managed to worry off a piece of dry skin, making the lip throb. Blood spilled over my tongue, and I tried to suck the tang away so it wouldn’t be noticeable.

Light bloomed in my peripheral. I swung my gaze to the front door, where a large, muscled frame was shadowed by the light pouring out from behind him.Holy cow. Kole was hot. It wasn’t just that he was a big guy. There was a…something about him. It wasn’t just the violence that simmered under the surface. He was like a wild animal, a loner. Apredator.

And I was the tasty little morsel popping over for a bite and chat.

If I’m not careful, I’ll be on the menu.

Laughing at my own joke, I stepped out of the Passat. “You left without your supper.”

I held up the takeout bag by way of explanation.

Kole studied me silently.

“You didn’t already eat, did you?” I asked, pushing back the wave of unease. What if I misread the situation? Worry gnawed in my chest.

“Not yet.” Kole stepped to the side, sweeping his arm for me to venture inside.

Going straight to the kitchen, I began to unload the takeout bags. Words tumbled from my lips in a random blabbering. I turned toward the stove, looking for a skillet—

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