Her heel just edged over the tile of the bathroom floor when she said, “Fel?—”
A fist pounding on her door cut her off. Dahlia froze, caught for a split second by the thought that it might be Cecilia.
She wouldn’t knock,she reminded herself as Devon whirled around.
She watched with dawning horror as he clumsily unholstered his heavy gun and reached for the doorknob. Tearing it open, he’d barely raised his gun when a deep voice drawled, “Hello, fucker.”
The flash of a bolt going off reached her before the whine of the discharge did, and a full second before Devon’s body dropped to the ground in a heap, most of his head missing.
Dahlia slapped her hands over her mouth to muffle her scream. Her body locked as a man in a long black coat stepped over the body and casually tucked his gun away. He was tall and lean, with wide shoulders and a head of wavy black hair that curled around his ears and neck. A distinctive white lock of hair was a jaunty little swirl that just brushed his eyebrow.
His nose was straight. His eyes were a cool gray. And when he put his hands on his hips and looked at her, he smiled like he didn’t have a care in the world.
Recognition was a lightning bolt through her entire body.
Even if she hadn’t spent three years as his reluctant penpal, she would’ve recognized him from that awful night in the bar, when they dragged the bloated, poisoned body of his uncle Julius out onto the dance floor and he’d taken a drink with it sitting at his feet.
She’d know her boogeyman anywhere.
“Hi, pet,” he greeted, rocking back on his heels like a little boy too excited to stand still. “D’you miss me?”
Boogeyman
What’d you do yesterday
are we really going to pretend like you don’t know
like you don’t see everything I do with your beady little boogeyman eyes
First, my grandma said I have big beautiful eyes and she only lied about 75% of the time so it must be true
Second, of course I know, but a good partner still asks
please excuse me
What are you doing
laughing myself to death
I hope you appreciate that you’re the only person in the world allowed to laugh at me
I’d appreciate it more if you didn’t need it so badly
Who needs to be laughed at
everyone. It keeps a person humble
There’s your problem. I’m amazing. I have no reason to be humble
And neither do you
You’re fucking perfect, Dahlia
NINE
Felix tookin the little apartment with a sweeping glance. “This is nice. I like your wallpaper.”
Dahlia didn’t reply. She stood stiffly in the doorway of the bathroom. There was no relief at the sight of him, but he hadn’t really expected any. His girl wasn’t the type to appreciate a man riding to her rescue.
