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His outburst caught the attention of a few other people in the diner. The heavy-set cook with thick eyebrows glares at Gabriel. The two waitresses stop taking orders to stare at us. Even the cheating husband and his date turn in our direction. The question in all their eyes ask if I need help. If only they knew. However, for the first time, I do not attempt to ask for help.
“I didn’t mean to offend you.”
The fire in his green eyes simmers as he leans back in his seat and looks away from me. Slowly, everyone goes back to minding their business.
The diner isn’t that packed tonight. Other than the couple beside us, only two other people are in here. An older man reading a paper and another younger guy that’s wearing a trucker hat.
“It saved my life.”
His words catch me off guard and I turn back to him. He isn’t looking at me, but I don’t doubt for a minute he isn’t paying attention to me.
“How so?” I ask, truly interested in how becoming a killer at seven saved him.
This time he does look over to me.
“I was different from most kids my age. Troubled. I needed this.” His gaze runs from me, finding something else to look at. “It feeds my darkness.”
I understand that more than he thinks. I know what it’s like to have a darkness inside you. One that calls out to you and beckons for your attention every time you let your guard down. I feed my darkness with pills, coke, weed, and even alcohol sometimes. My vices are less bloody than his, but at least he’s not inflicting the damage on his own body.
“I can understand that.”
Those sharp intelligent eyes flick back to me. His brows draw together, and his face tightens. He doesn’t believe me. I laugh.
“Come on, Gabriel. The only reason we met tonight is because I walked into a man’s house willing to sleep with him for money. Clearly, I have some shit going on too.”
His smile spreads slowly but turns his already attractive face to downright stunning.
“The bad wig gave it away first,” he says.
I burst into laughter covering my mouth. He watches me laugh; the smile still planted on his face. The door to the diner opens setting off the bell over the door. Gabriel focuses on the newcomers. From the way he watches them, I can guarantee he’s taking in everything he can about them.
When his gaze falls back on me it narrows. “Is it my turn now?”
Not sure how I feel about this. However, I’ve been asking him questions and I guess it’s only right I allow him to do the same.
Sitting back in my seat and folding my arms across my chest, I say, “Go ahead.”
He doesn’t speak right away, which makes me squirm a little.
“Who did you see die?”
My body stills so suddenly, chills run up my spine. The images of blood on the wall and on my favorite nightgown flash through my mind. I shut my eyes and try to catch my breath as I fight back the memories of that night. My lungs seem to shrink in size as I struggle to get enough air flowing through them. The old ache in my shoulder flares up.
The harder I attempt to push the images away, the faster they come back to me. The sound of my father’s voice calling my name has me gripping the table.
I’m startled when a heavy hand lands on top of mine. When I open my eyes, green irises are staring back at me. He takes my hand off the table, leans forward in his seat, and places my hand over his heart, palm down. The steady beat pulls me out of my memories like a life buoy.
For what seems like forever, we are suspended in time. My hand to his chest, his gaze locked in on mine, and complete silence.
I don’t know anything about this man other than he’s a killer that is hellbent on killing me. However, as dark as it may seem, I have more of a connection with him than I’ve had with anyone in the last fourteen years. Maybe, it’s because he’s just as damaged as I am.
Our waitress comes back, breaking into our moment.
“Can I get you anything else?” She looks between the both of us as if we’re the weirdest people she’s ever come across.
Removing my hand from his chest, I place it in my lap.
“No thank you. I’m good,” I say without looking up from the table.
