AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Grabbing my wrist, he pulled me against him. “Let’s get some dinner.”
He seemed in a far better mood now.
A quiet breath of relief escaped me. I hated him being so quiet. His naughty smirks and wide grins were the things that made my heart throb with inexplicable happiness.
The diner was bustling with activity. I looked all around, taking in the old-fashioned booths, the waitresses in bright yellow uniforms, and the walls pasted with photographs from several decades ago.
Mikhail led me to a booth at the back and we sat down.
“Why do you look so excited?” Mikhail asked. “Are you hoping for round two in the men’s room?”
“What? No!”
He chuckled as I stammered.
“It’s just that I’ve always wanted to come to a place like this,” I said after gathering my thoughts. “My friends back in school preferred restaurants hosting famous chefs and after Callum rejoined the family, I was never allowed to eat outside without his supervision. I never got a chance to do something as simple as having pancakes in a place like this.”
A somber look came over him. “You should tell Yakim about these things,” he said in a grim tone. “It’ll help him understand the life you’ve had to live with your brother.”
“Would he treat me better?”
He gave a nod. “Leon heard some pretty fucked-up things coming out of Callum’s mouth when he went to deliver our location to him. That’s what made Yakim keep you with us instead of handing you over to him. He took a huge risk to do that for you. You already saw the consequences last night.”
Just as I was about to ask what Leon heard, a middle-aged waitress came over to our table.
“Coffee?” she asked in a bored voice and proceeded to fill two mugs on the table without waiting for an answer.
“Thanks,” I muttered, accepting my cup.
“What can I get you?” she asked briskly.
“A steak dinner for me,” said Mikhail with a sweet smile.
The woman rolled her eyes at him and fixed her impatient stare at me.
“I...uhh...” My gaze raced down the menu card. “The fried chicken with gravy and fries, please.”
The waitress moved away without a word.
“I like it here,” I said with a smile. “No one expects me to put any effort into being polite. It’s freeing.”
Mikhail stared at me with a strange emotion in his eyes.
“What?” I questioned.
“Just checking if you’re faking it.”
An ache went through me. Tears suddenly pricked my eyes, making my vision go hazy.
What would it take for them to trust me?
“Are you crying?” he asked in a suddenly worried tone.
I brushed the tears away. “I’m fine.”
“Youdoknow how to lie.”
Silence fell over us. Laying my head on the table, I avoided looking at Mikhail.
