Page 44 of Craving Francesca

Everything was silent for a moment.

“I’ve got food for Myla?” the delivery driver called out warily.

“Yeah, man,” Rumi answered, letting go of Gray. “In here.”

“Oh, good. It’s a lot of food. I was a little worried it was a prank.”

“No prank, just a lot of hungry people,” Rumi announced happily. “I’ll take that one. You got more?”

“I’ll run back and get it,” the delivery guy mumbled.

I moved out of the way as Rumi carried a box of food into the house. Gray had shifted to the side and was gripping the porch railing like he was trying to kill it.

“Gray?” I called out softly.

He spun toward me in surprise.

“Thought I told you to go inside.”

“You’re not the boss of me.”

“You hear him?”

“I heard him.”

“He’s been botherin’ you at work?”

“He bothers me everywhere,” I replied, stepping out onto the porch. “Work, home,here.”

“You report it?”

“Hell no.”

Gray nodded as I stepped in next to him at the railing. “You wanna tell me what he did?”

I thought about the moment I’d realized he hadn’t been using a condom without my consent. My skin crawled with disgust and embarrassment. “No.”

“All right,” he said with a sigh. “There any way you can steer clear of him at work?”

“No,” I confessed, my voice small.

Gray’s jaw flexed as he watched the delivery guy pile two boxes on top of each other.

“I’ll figure it out,” I assured him. “Thanks for stepping in tonight.”

The buzz I’d been enjoying was completely gone.

“Don’t drop ’em,” Rumi called as he raced down the stairs. He grabbed the boxes. “More?”

“One more,” the delivery guy confirmed.

“Cool, bring it up on the porch.” He turned and carried the boxes back toward the house.

“I still need to get paid,” the driver called out worriedly.

“Oh, I’ve got it,” I said, pulling the cash out of my pocket. “How much do I owe you?”

I went down into the yard and exchanged payment for the last box of food, adding on a generous tip. When I turned back toward the house, Gray was no longer on the porch.

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