“Are you ill?” I ask curiously.
“No,” she mutters. “I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten anything since earlier today.”
I pause for a second, “Define earlier.”
She looks like she’d rather not but answers me regardless, “Around 1pm.”
“It’s 12am right now. You’re saying you’ve gone almost twelve hours without having a bite to eat?” I grit out.
She lifts her hand to her mouth, biting on the edge of her nail for a second. Then she seems to remember herself and drops it with a frown.
It’s cute.
In the back of my mind, a voice questions when I started finding people cute but I ignore it.
“I forgot, okay? It happens sometimes. Plus, I’ve had a very busy day,” she defends.
“This is unacceptable,” I state before looking towards the front seat. “Get us to the nearest restaurant or diner so we can purchase her a meal.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
“You don’t have to do that,” she argues.
“Actually I do. Think of how mortified I’ll be if you die from something as simple as malnutrition.”
“Why would you be mortified?”
“Because I’ve never witnessed such a natural death,” I reply. “I imagine it would be a shock to my system.”
Most of the time, death comes with violence for me. Violence, blood and gore.
Surprisingly she seems to find my comment funny. The smile that flickers against her lips is a sight to behold. Everything about this woman is captivating. I stare at her for a couple of moments, unable to look away. She notices of course, clearing her throat, her eyes drifting like she’s figuring where to put them in the wake of my attention.
I solve that problem by looking away, concentrating on my iPad once more. Two minutes later and we’re pulling up in the parking lot of a diner. Its yellow glow seeps through the windshield and I pop open the door with a frown, stepping out of the car. I don’t think I’ve ever willingly stepped into an establishment like this before.
Liliana slides out after me, excitement in her eyes. Which makes sense considering how hungry she must be. When the guards try to follow us in, I raise a hand to stop them. I doubt my enemies would try to murder me inside a place called Pop’s diner.
The doorbell chimes above my head as we walk in. Liliana walks ahead of me, while I stand at the doorway for a beat, my eyes glancing around. I’m half scanning for possible threats, half taking it all in. Considering it’s 12am, there’s no one else here apart from the workers.
When Liliana glances back with a question in her eyes, I move to join her at the counter.
“Welcome to Pop’s diner, what can I get you?” a fresh faced brunette woman says from behind it.
“What would you like? A salad?” I question, my eyes scanning the menu hoisted against the wall.
I’ve never been to a place like this or any type of restaurant with a woman before but I’m guessing that’s usually what they eat, especially this late at night.
“Ha! Fat chance,” she smiles before looking towards the employee waiting patiently to take her order. “I’d like a double cheeseburger and fries, plus a strawberry milkshake. Large please.” Then she turns to me. “What would you like?”
My expression morphs into disbelief, “It’s the middle of the night.”
“Your point?” she asks unblinking.
Amusement rolls through me. “I’ll have nothing. That many carbs this late isn’t healthy. My body is a temple.”
“Don’t judge my food choices, Rafaelle,” she says scowling, “Plus, what do you mean temple? Look at you.”
She gestures at the tattoos lining my skin and I smile.
