But the odds of getting any of that were nowhere near being in my favor.
So, for the moment, I just said, “Sure.”
32HELENA
Grim took me home after dinner—which he again refused to let me pay for.
Instead, more vintage cash came out of his wallet and went into the bill presenter, but the waiter didn’t say anything. His lack of comment combined with the fact that he never asked if we wanted dessert gave away our server’s eagerness to be rid of us. Or, rather, Grim—who (this time at least) wasn’tunfriendly.
He did, however, exude a certain… aura.
One that promised to end everything you held dear. That aura, though—it hit differently for me.Muchdifferently.
Like I couldn’twaitto be drawn into his event horizon and crushed by that black hole pull…
If only I could be so lucky.
After parking The Judge in my usual spot outside my building, Grim escorted me up to my apartment door. We took the stairs instead of the elevator, because I guess neither of us wanted to play with fire any more than we already were.
“Do you want to come in?” I asked him. “I have some ice cream in the freezer.”
“There’s strawberry shortcake in your fridge, too,” he said, his deadpan bluntness along with the statement itself shocking me.
I squinted at him, perplexed. “Wh—how did you—?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Wait a second,” I said, hands going to my hips. “Not so fast. You’re saying you’ve beenbackin my apartment?”
“It’s from that bakery close to the library.”
He wouldn’t meet my gaze, but that didn’t keep me from blinking up at him, floored. Right before I sucked in a huge, loud gasp, a major revelation crashing over me. “Oh my God, it wasyou.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“You did too!”
“Whereelsewas I going to stash it?” he asked.
“No!” I piped. “Youfixed my string!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, his voice gruffer than before.
But he wasn’t getting off the hook that easily.
“You fibber, itwasyou!” I narrowed my eyes at him. “How many times have you been in my apartment?”
“Am I in trouble?”
“Were you checking on me?”
He didn’t answer. Which was answer enough.
“I never saw you,” I said. “So it must have been after I went to bed.”
He swallowed hard. “You going to tell me off?”
“Well,” I said, folding my arms, “Icanif you want to come in and have some stalker-berry shortcake with me.”
