Page 93 of The Devil's Weakness

“Are you planning on doing anything today,Princess?”

I’m snapped out of my worried fog by a very annoyed Elena. Brushing tears from my face, I answer her.

“Excuse me?”

“You’ve been standing against the register for, like, ever,” she says with disgust.

“You know what, whenyourbrother goes missing, let’s see how well you take it.”

“What are you talking about?” she questions.

“Michael? My brother? He’s been missing for two days, so excuse me if I’m a little preoccupied.”

A look of recognition shines in her eye when I mention my brother—followed by an amused smile I want to slap off of her face.

I roll my eyes and walk away from her. I can’t take any of her bullshit today. I feel my phone vibrate in my back pocket as I’m walking, and I pull it out quickly.

I've been waiting for a phone call or some word to come in about Michael, and every time my phone rings, I feel both dread and hope that he’s been located.

When I look at the screen, I see a text from Blade. I click on it to open it up.

Carson: Is there anything I can do to put a smile on that beautiful face of yours?

I look around the diner, expecting to see him sitting at one of the tables. In my fog, I must have missed him coming in.

Carson: Across the street.

I lift my head, and my eyes make contact with his gigantic form leaning against his bike. Arms crossed, sunglasses and scowl in place as always.

Anyone else who saw him would probably cross the street. All I want to do is run into his arms.

Me: I would kill for a hug.

Carson: I’m rubbing off on you. No need to kill anything, though. Meet me around back.

I lock my phone screen and push it back into my pocket on my way into the kitchen. I pass Elena as I walk, who is texting furiously on her phone, but I couldn’t care less about that right now. I tie up the trash bags and bring them out back with me, using them as an excuse to go outside.

When I open the door, Blade is already standing there. Tall and commanding, with a sharp expression on his face. You’d never know that he has a sweet bone in his body by looking at him.

Well, he’s sweet where I’m concerned, anyway.

He usually looks so hard and dangerous.

Seeing him back here reminds me of the first night we met. This is the first time we’ve been here, together, since then. I pass by him and throw the garbage bags into the dumpster. When I turn and face him again, his sunglasses are off, and I can see the heat in his stare.

I walk toward him, and he pulls me into his arms. Cupping my cheek, he lifts my face, so I’m looking him in the eye. They’re the same gray color that they were that night, two years ago, but I see so much more than danger in them now.

“You know, if someone had told me two years ago that we’d be standing here like this now, I never would have believed it. I’ve burned for you ever since that night. I couldn’t leave you alone.”

“I noticed. When I would catch you looking at me, I always thought it was a warning to keep my mouth closed about what I may have heard or seen that night.”

“No, little girl. I wanted to take you home with me that night. I imagined doing all manner of depraved things to you.”

I feel my eyes go wide with desire, thinking about it as a blistering fire burns deep within me.

“I imagined being with you, knowing it would never happen. You’re too good for me. We shouldn’t even be together now, but I’m selfish. I’m tired of sacrificing my own feelings. I’m not a good guy, but I want to be the kind of guy you deserve.”

With that, I rise onto my toes and wrap my arms around his neck. As our lips meet, he lifts me up and walks me into the door of the diner, holding me against it. He places me back on the ground, but only long enough to free himself from his jeans. I untie my apron and let it fall to the ground. We’re hidden pretty well back here, but there is still a nervous excitement about someone catching us.

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