Page 65 of Written In Flesh

“I’m ready. I’ll have the BLT with fries and a chocolate shake please,” I order and feel my cheeks sting from smiling so much.

“I’ll take the Cali burger, fries as well and a S’Mores shake,” he says and hands her our menus. Our server takes them and wraps her knuckles on the table before walking away.

I cannot stop staring, taking in every inch of the place and marveling at how much of a relic it is. Not one thing is different. The entire building is like it’s encased in a protective bubble.

“This really means a lot to me,” I tell Madden, my gaze focusing on his. “Thanks for bringing me.”

He reaches across the table and takes my hand in his again. “I would do anything for you, Skully. Making you happy tonight is all I need.”

A blush rises on my cheeks. “So far tonight is perfect,” I tell him, loving the smile that curves his lips. “I didn’t get to say it yet, but I watched your meets over the weekend. I ended up working both days at the Deck. Good job!”

Madden’s eyes widen in surprise, from the fact that I watched or that I was giving him praise I don’t know. “Thanks, Angel. I’m sorry I couldn’t get to see you until today,” he says, his jaw clenching slightly.

I shrug and twine my fingers between his. “It’s okay. You texted me still. You called and asked me to dinner once you were back.”

“I plan to ask you a lot more.” He laughs, and there’s a flicker of something in the depth of his eyes. Something that looks a lot like a promise.

My eyes flick away from the emotions in his. My chest squeezes in response to his words with hope. “Did we do this a lot? Before, I mean,” I ask. I have to know. A part of me wants to hear what happened, the whole truth, while another part is still afraid. I’m scared to hear about how horrible I was.

Madden drops his eyes to the table. “It was a little different being in high school. We rarely had time alone.” His brow pushes together like he’s unsure about the memory.

“It’s okay,” I tell him, wincing slightly. “I don’t think I’m ready to relive it yet anyway.”

His gaze shoots to mine; his eyes filled with concern. “I’ll talk about it anytime with you.” His throat bobs as he swallows back his emotions.

“Can I tell you something?” I peek at him and run my thumb over his knuckles. He opens his mouth right as our food is placed in front of us. Madden thanks our server and hands me napkins before sliding the ketchup my way.

“Why are you saying it like that? You sound scared. Did something happen?”

Panic squeezes my vocal cords for a second. I haven’t told him about my nightmares or what happened the other day in the bathroom. Partly because this new phase feels fragile. I’m not ready to do anything that could potentially ruin this truce. “It’s about something Killian said to me. I didn’t want you to be upset if I bring him up.”

Madden’s shoulders tense, but then he blows out a breath and brings his steely eyes to mine. “What did he say to you?”

My gaze roams over Madden’s face, taking in the way he’s holding himself. He looks like he’s about to take a dagger to the heart, and I feel guilty. “He said maybe my memories aren’t gone. What else could that mean?”

“I don’t know, Skully. Maybe he thinks they’re locked.” His hand squeezes mine one more time before reaching for his burger.

Following Madden’s lead, I grab up my BLT and take a bite before moaning at how great it is. Madden’s eyes snap to me, and he grins.

“Good as you remember?”

I nod and swallow before smiling at him. “Yup. I do remember this.” We both laugh and keep eating. I ask him about swimming, and he asks about my photography. We keep it light and forget for a while about what is waiting for us in our world.

A vibrating buzz sounds from his pocket, and Madden brings his phone out. Concern flashes on his face as he answers it. “Aero. What happened?”

I flag our server for the check, and she brings it over. I try to give him space as they talk, but I can hear the urgency in Aero’s voice down the line.

“Call Heath too,” Madden says, his gaze lifting to mine. “Skully and I will head there now.”

He grabs the check and throws down cash before helping me out of the seat. Madden’s hand rests on my lower back while he escorts me outside. Snowflakes fill the air, and there’s a dusting already covering the windshield.

“What happened?”

“The Gate was punctured. Someone did this. A few demons escaped. The hounds are hunting, but it’s all hands on deck. The less the council knows the better,” Madden explains while we walk to the passenger side of the car.

“Are you sure you want me there?” I ask, feeling nervous about what this could mean.

“Yes, we need you, Skully,” Madden answers.