“Within the week.”
My gaze hardens slightly as I absorb that.Not happening.
“You’ll get the job done, won’t you?” Emerald asks in a suspicious tone.
I let the pause stretch. “You’ll get what you need.”
He sighs loudly. “I knew you would say that. Don’t make me regret this, Obsidian,” he warns.
I end the call without another word, the silence of the alley settling around me again. For a moment, I just stand there, letting it all in. Someone wants Nora dead, and now I have to find out who. But first, I need to protect her.
I’ll be the one standing between her and anyone who wants her gone. Whether she wants me there or not. I push off the wall and head back toward the café, my steps steady.
Chapter Three
Nora
The bell at the café entrance rings, and I just know it’s him.
Asher…
My fingers tighten slightly around the edge of the tray as I steady myself. I force my attention to stay on the table I’m heading to, but it’s useless. I can feel him. Even from across the room, I feel it.
That pull. That same invisible thread that’s been there since the beginning. Only now, it feels…tighter. By the time I turn back toward the counter, he’s already there. Waiting.
“Hi,” I say, hoping my voice sounds more normal than I feel.
“It’s busy,” he replies, his gaze flicking briefly around the café before settling back on me.
“A little,” I admit. “Mornings usually are.”
There’s a pause, like he’s considering something, then, “When do you get off?”
The question catches me off guard. I blink. “Um…six.”
He nods once, like that confirms something for him. “I’ll be here to pick you up.”
My heart stumbles. “Pick me up?”
“For dinner,” he says, like it’s obvious. “Tonight.”
For a second, I just stare at him. Because this wasn’t what I expected.
Almost an hour ago, he’d come in as usual, but it wasn’t like before. He was distracted, distant, like something else had his attention. I spent the minutes after his exit overthinking it.Replaying everything, wondering if maybe Debby was right. If maybe I’d imagined something that wasn’t really there.
And now…
“You want to take me out?” I ask, just to be sure I heard him right.
“Yes.” Simple. Direct.
I swallow, suddenly very aware of Fred watching from somewhere behind me. He is probably listening to every word. Still, it didn’t stop the warmth blooming in my chest.
“Okay,” I say before I can talk myself out of it.
His expression shifts to a warm smile. “Six,” he says. “Be ready.”
“I will.”
