Page 76 of Dead Pretty

“People have died because of me too.”

The rest of dinner went as it should. Normal conversation. Likes, dislikes.

No more talk of death.

I was careful to make sure it didn’t stray into the path of my past. Even though I was desperate to know about Jack’s. Well, more so of what he’d said.

“People have died because of me too.”

But our waiter appeared with our meals, interrupting before anything more could be said. And once our food was served and we were alone again, I opened my mouth to ask just exactly what he’d meant with that statement, but something stopped me.

Because hadn’t I said pretty much the same thing to him and then flat-out refused to expand on it?

He doesn’t have to tell me a damn thing. And if I had asked him to explain his words, I would have only been putting myself in danger of having to do the same.

So, I said nothing and let the conversation over dinner take a normal turn.

Now, we’re heading back home on his motorcycle. My ass only a little chilly from the snow. Jack did a good job of cleaning off the seat before we got on it. Although my helmet was as cold as hell. Jack offered me his to wear, but it was too big for my head.

So, he pulled out a beanie from his helmet bag, put it on my head, and put my helmet on top.

I know my hair is going to look a mess when I take the beanie off. But I’m warm, and the beanie smells like Jack, so it’s hard to be bothered by the thought of fluffy hair.

The date is almost over. It’s not like it matters how my hair looks now.

No, that’s not a pang of disappointment in my chest at the thought of my time with Jack coming to an end.

Okay, it totally is.

But who says the date has to be over the moment we get back?

I could invite him in for a drink.

And sex.

I mean, it was pretty clear from the conversation—not the one about death—that sex was on the menu for tonight.

And despite his death line, I want to.

I can’t exactly be turned off by what he said … as I said the exact same thing.

Maybe Jack hasn’t attracted the attention of a serial murderer, like me, but he was in the military.

People die at the hands of soldiers. And soldiers die at the hand of war. Many, many lives are lost because of war.

And Jack was stationed in Syria, where a war was happening.

It would be a surprise to me if that wasn’t what he meant when he made that statement.

And my gut tells me that Jack is nothing like Tobias.

Nothing in the way he behaves gives any indication that he’s a total psycho.

Not that I ever knew Tobias. I said hello to him a couple of times, and that was it.

How scary is it that a man I didn’t even know terrorized and changed my life forever?

Nope. I refuse to let my mind veer down that path tonight.