Chapter Twenty-Three
Since Diablo hadbeen gone, all sorts of awful scenarios played out in Fallon’s head. She didn’t know what she’d do if something happened to him. He was her life, her love, her everything, and she couldn’t dare entertain the thought that he may be killed.Stop acting like a weak ninny. He’s been in the club for a long time. He knows what he’s doing.But she also knew that life could change in an instant without any warning.
“I’d like to get this,” a thin man said as he laid his book on the counter.
The customer’s voice brought her out of her reverie. She rang up the book and bagged it, grateful for the line forming at the cash register; if she kept busy, she wouldn’t think of Diablo and that he may be hurt.
As she rang up the last customer in line, her phone pinged. Her heart jumped, hoping it was Diablo. She quickly opened the text, but disappointment settled in. It was from Annie, the woman she’d met in Tula several weeks before. They’d gone out for coffee the previous week.
Annie:Hey. R u up for dinner and music. Bored out of my mind.
Fallon sighed. She wasn’t really in the mood to listen to music, but she figured it’d be better than sitting alone and thinking about Diablo.
Fallon:Sure. Where and what time?
Annie:The Burger Hamlet @ about 7?
Fallon:That should work. See you then.
Happy that she had plans for the evening, she went over to the boxes stacked against the wall and opened them. After picking up several books, she began arranging them on a nearby table. As she worked, a strong sense of foreboding hit her. Her eyes watered and she quickly said a prayer for Diablo’s safe return.
For the next half hour, the feeling of doom grasped her no matter how hard she tried to shake it. The hairs on the nape of her neck stood up and an icy chill seized her.What’s the matter with me?She turned around and her breath caught in her throat when her gaze fell upon a man of medium height with dreadlocks. His face had numerous piercings and the coldest eyes she’d ever seen. He speared her with his stare, and shivers shimmied up her spine. She turned away, but she still felt his eyes on her.
“Did you open the boxes that came in this morning?” her colleague, Jerry, asked.
His voice startled her and she jumped.
“Are you okay?” Jerry said.
She giggled nervously. “You just startled me. I opened the boxes and am arranging some of the books on the display table.” She shifted her glance to the front and searched for the man who’d creeped her out. He wasn’t there. Looking around the small bookstore, she didn’t see him anywhere.
“Did you see a guy with dreadlocks standing by the door?” she asked Jerry.
Shaking his head, he said, “No. Why?”
“Oh nothing. He just looked kind of scary.”I wonder if I imagined him. This thing with Diablo has got me all jumpy.Grabbing more books, she continued displaying and stacking them until it was time to close the bookstore.
When she was home freshening up, her phone pinged.I hope it’s Diablo. She went over to it and opened the text, grimacing when she saw it was from Shanna.What the hell does she want?
Shanna:Ur dad is sad that u haven’t returned any of his calls.
Fallon:I’ve been busy.
Shanna:It’d be nice if you talked to him.
Fallon scrunched her face. “What are you up to, Shanna?” she said under her breath. She’d had enough of her fake concern.
Fallon:Gotta go.
She didn’t answer Shanna’s subsequent texts. Not trusting her at all, a sense of foreboding overcame her again. It wasn’t as strong as it’d been in the bookstore but it was there, seeping through her pores and wrapping around her nerves, and she couldn’t shake it.
Forcing herself to get ready for her night out, she jumped into the shower, applied a small amount of makeup, and slipped into her short black skirt and knit top. The skirt was much tighter than what she was used to wearing, but Raven had insisted she buy it, and she had to admit she loved the way it looked on her. Grabbing her purse and glancing one last time in the mirror, she made her way to The Burger Hamlet.
Annie sat at a two-seat booth along the wall. Fallon liked her. Annie was very different from her: vivacious, adventuresome, and calm. She was also pretty with her dark hair and chestnut brown eyes.
“This hamburger is amazing. I heard it was a good restaurant. Have you been here before?” Annie said before taking another bite.
“No. I’m new to Alina. Did you move here?” Fallon replied.
