Page 17 of Drowning in Darkness

I tuck a curl behind my ear. “Sorry, weird night. I’m a little jumpy. Let me grab your coffee order and pie. How do you take it?”

“Strong and black.”

He doesn’t thank me as his big body brushes against mine while he moves inside. Did his fingers skim my hip? It’s hard to tell what’s intentional or not in this cramped space. Except I glance up and find the line has moved forward so much that he should have waved for me to go inside and keep an appropriate amount of space between us.

I clench my jaw and step up to Rosemary, the owner, to place our order.

“Oh, are you getting pie?” Honor whispers over my shoulder.

“No, it’s for your donor.”

She scans the room and waves at Christopher, who is seated so he can stare straight at us. No, at me. Stop making everything about yourself. I won’t be that girl.

She brushes her arm against mine and leans in. “I know you met him at the ball, and he’s a little intense. Normally I wouldn’t do these meetings in person as I prefer to keep them remote, but he was passing through and insisted he needed to get a deeper understanding of the foundation before he cuts me a check for five hundred big ones.”

“Five hundred thousand?” I whisper.

Honor chuckles. “No, million.”

“Holy shit.”

“Yep. So despite the creepy vibes, he intends to give up that money. If you aren’t comfortable, I can call Fox.”

She’s already dragging her phone from her purse. I put my hand over hers. “No, it’s fine. It’s good to face a little fear. It’ll help reinforce in my brain that nothing bad happened because we sat near a guy.”

“You’re doing so much better than you realize,” she says as our tray slides toward us. “Give yourself some grace.”

I square my shoulders at her words, grasp the tray, and turn to face Christopher with a smile, which he returns.

See, evil men don’t smile like that.

Wrong. I’m so wrong. And I know better, because even the devil seduces with a smile.

EIGHT

STEPHANIE

Every fairytale warns you about the beast. None of them prepare you for falling in love with it.

Christopher Burnside donates his promised five hundred million to the foundation and follows it up by demanding I be his lead contact to update him on how his funds are being spent. Trying to be the most supportive friend in the world, I agree while wanting to scrub my skin raw from the way he looks at me when Honor isn’t watching.

There’s something very, very wrong with that man. I’d bet the rest of my days on it. We step out into the sunshine, but it doesn’t help to chase the chill away. Christopher shakes Honor’s hand but continues to stare at me like he’s imagining how I’ll sound when he breaks me. He can keep on dreaming because it’s never going to happen. His lips twitch as if he can read my thoughts.

“I’ll look forward to my first update next week,” he murmurs in my ear as he takes my hand and pulls me in closer than decorum allows.

I keep my mouth closed. If you have nothing nice to say, then say nothing at all. It’s a motto many of us would benefit from. His grip tightens around my hand, making my bones creak. Yes, very fucking dangerous. I get your vibe, Mr. Burnside, and it’s a complete turnoff.

Honor links my arm and pulls me away. “Forgive us. We have another meeting we’re late for. Thanks so much,” she hollers over her shoulder at him with a wave in the air.

I glance back to meet glacial eyes. His jaw tics as if he isn’t amused at being dismissed by Honor. I’d bet the real problem is not Honor herself, but because she’s a woman.

“We have another meeting?” I wonder.

“No,” she breathes, unlocking the Escalade and nodding at me to get inside.

She says nothing until we’ve passed the billionaire still decorating the sidewalk like he could will us back with his force of will alone.

“What do you think of him?” Honor murmurs.