Page 65 of This for That (The Edge of Retaliation 1)
He grumbles something, and then gets out of the bed. “Me too. Fuck.”
I chuckle and get a quick shower, before changing for the day. Tanner puts his clothes on, and then we both grab a coffee before walking out to my car and kissing long, and deep, and so damned sensually that I want him to bend me over the hood and be done with me right there. Instead, I pull back and tell him I’ll see him tonight, and then I get in the car and head to work.
I try to call Ethan on the drive, but he’s not answering my calls. After what happened the other day, I was a bit upset, but after a few days, I cooled down and felt better about things. He’s still not answering. It gives me anxiety, because he is my friend and I really don’t want to lose that.
I arrive at work and get straight into the swing of things. Andrea stops and chats with me about the other night, and how she found a super-gorgeous man to take her home, and then we get to work. It’s a busy day, and an even busier night, with a group of older ladies having their monthly book club meeting at the café. They’ve paid for us to give them all a three-course meal, so we’re run off our feet making sure they have the time of their lives. They do, of course.
When the night is done, and we’ve locked up, I slump against the wall outside as Andrea has a cigarette. The other girls disappeared as soon as the doors closed, wanting to get home to their families. Fair enough, I suppose.
“That was crazy.” Andrea laughs. “Who knew old people could be so damned hungry?”
I chuckle. “I know, right? I swear we put out a hundred courses and not just three. My lord. They went nuts over that dessert. Great recipe, by the way.”
Andrea made a gorgeous cheesecake with raspberry swirls. It looked freaking amazing. The ladies all gobbled it up and asked for the recipe, saying they’d never tasted anything so good in their lives. I had to laugh at that. Until I tried a piece, and holy moly, it was so delicious.
“It’s my mom’s recipe,” Andrea tells me. “She used to make it all the time for my sister and I’s birthday. We love it.”
“I can see why,” I tell her.
“I suppose I had better get home and try to sleep; I’m opening early tomorrow. You’re not on tomorrow, so I guess I’ll see you the next day.”
I wave goodbye to her, and then head down the street to my car. I can’t wait to get home, have a shower, and crawl into my bed. Tanner said he would come over after work, but honestly, I think I’m going to be passed out by that point. Still, having his hard, warm body beside me will be nice.
I reach my car and fumble through my purse for the keys. It’s dark around here, because I had to park around the back of the café. I look for my phone when I can’t find the keys, desperate for some light.
A hard body slams me against my car, a hand covering my head and smashing my face against the cool metal.
I freeze.
Everything inside my body stops, and for a moment I can’t think or do anything but pant desperately, wondering what the hell is happening?
Then my fight mode kicks in, and I start squirming when I realize the person behind me isn’t letting me go.
Something hard presses against my back. When I realize it’s a gun, I stop moving, terrified.
“Don’t move,” the angry male voice growls. “Do not move.”
“Please,” I whisper, terrified. “Take my car, my wallet. I don’t care.”
“Are you afraid, Callie?”
What?
What’s happening?
I don’t understand.
How does this person know my name?
“Who are you?” I stammer, my heart racing, palms sweating, and knees trembling. I’m so afraid I could cry and vomit all at the same time.
“I could shoot you, right here, right now, leave your dead body in the alley for someone to find. What do you think about that?”
Oh God.
Oh God.
He’s going to kill me.
“Please,” I beg, tears bursting forth. “Please, don’t hurt me.”
“I wonder if that’s what she felt, when your car came hurdling towards her. I wonder if she was desperate, just like you are right now. She didn’t get away. She didn’t get to run. Instead, you slammed into her, taking her life. Imagine if I do that to you, Callie. Take your life while you’re terrified. Leave you here, dead. Destroy your family’s lives.”
This is about Celia.
Oh God, this is about Celia.
“I didn’t mean to hurt her,” I cry, too scared to push back, terrified of how it’ll go for me.
“I’m not going to mean it when I pull this trigger, either. At least, that’s what everyone is going to think.”
