Page 103 of A Wild Darkness

“Good.”

“Okay, I’m going in.” With adrenaline coursing through my veins, I rest my hand on the latch of the passenger side door, but before I open it, a warm hand has found the back of my head. I turn around right as Sebastian snakes his wrist around my hair.

“You can do this,” Sebastian says. Then, with a gentle tug, he pulls my head, leans in, and brings his lips to my forehead. “I will watch you the entire time.”

My eyelids close. My insides liquefy. His lips linger on my skin, and it’s the most beautiful feeling.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“Are you sure you two only fucked that one time?” Hayden blurts out, staring at us in the rearview mirror.

Sebastian ignores him and slowly pulls back. “Don’t eat or drink anything.” His finger caresses my earlobe, bringing my attention to the earpiece. “I’ll be right here the entire time.”

I nod. “I know.”

And with that, I step out of the SUV into the cool alleyway. I turn back, glancing at Hayden. He gestures toward the back door of the café, and I return a nod in acknowledgment. Then, after one deep breath of precious air, I make my way around the front of the vehicle and head into the building.

The scent of fresh bread and herbs infiltrates my nostrils the moment I enter the café. I can’t explain why, but I get washed in comfort. The smells remind me of being on vacation, enjoying a nice evening out with friends, giving me an ounce of familiarity.

Scanning the room, I assess each area of the restaurant. The dining room is larger than I expected, but cozy.

I spot Pete right away.

With a quick reminder of what Sebastian and Hayden prepped me for on the drive here, we discussed a loose plan on how to approach Pete and what things I can say to capture his attention. Since I entered through the back of the dining room, near the restrooms, I can approach Pete from behind.

He’s sitting in a small corner booth toward the front of the restaurant while sipping on a cup of tea with one leg bent over the other. He’s young and easier on the eyes than Larry, and for a reason I wish not to explore, his looks make the possibility of having to flirt with him less revolting.

Rolling the small bag of powdery substance between my fingers, I gather the courage to roofie a serial killer without being noticed. Men do this to women all the time, and I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t give me gratification to give it back to them.

I need to get him to the motel room.

I swallow every ounce of trepidation I have and head straight for his table.

“Hi.”

Pete’s eyes shift from staring toward the busy dining room to lock with mine. “Hello.”

“May I sit?” I smile.

He pauses for a beat, his forehead furrowing. “Sure?”

Does he not recognize me? He must know who I am. Is there something I missed about approaching other members in public? It’s too late now.

I slide into the side of the booth, taking a quick inventory of what’s on the table. A glass of water, hot tea, and a muffin, although I can’t tell what kind. “It’s nice running into you here.”

Pete clasps his hands together under his sculpted chin. “Is it?”

My hands sweat. “Yes, it is. I feel like we haven’t really had the chance to get to know each other yet.”

“And you want to get to know me?” Pete’s ice-blue eyes harden. “What about your killer boyfriend?”

“Oh, he’s off doing killer boyfriend things. You know how it is.”

He shakes his head slowly. “Actually, I don’t, because if I had a woman like you on my arm, I wouldn’t let her get more than a few feet from me.”

Damn, this guy is intense.

I giggle at his comment, faking the flattery. “He doesn’t know I’m out right now.”