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“Get on with what exactly?”
“You know why I am here,human.”
Grimm has a one-track mind. Palming the edge of the counter behind me, I swallow my growing panic. “No, you promised. One week of dates. Remember?”
My heart thrums as he continues staring blankly at me. He can’t back out of our deal.Please, please don’t back out.
The bell jingles above my door as another man steps in. He’s barely across the threshold when the door suddenly slams closed. The lock turns on its own, and the shade falls to cover the window at the top. The neon open sign fizzles with a pop and then goes dark.
Taken aback, I spread my hands in surprise. “What the—”
He crosses his arms with an unreadable expression, but then his eyes narrow as if he’s contemplating something unpleasant.
“I will experience thismoviethat you suggested, but don’t get your hopes up. I will still be reaping you at the end of this.”
Letting out a breath, I close my eyes briefly and pull myself together. Okay, good. Not going to die today.
“Does this mean you’re going to comply with our deal? If I win, you’ll leave me alone?”
His eyelids twitch as if trying to blink. Not a no, but not a yes. He wouldn’t be here if he weren’t though, right? He’d just unalive me and be done with it.
Swallowing hard, I can’t deny the flutter of excitement that he came back. Maybe he put a compulsion over me or something to make me accept his presence more easily.
Or, maybe not. Maybe there’s something more than that brewing between us.
The thought gets pushed aside as I rememberIt’s a Wonderful Lifeis playing at the old cinema on Main Street. He should love it considering it’s about a man having a mental breakdown and contemplating suicide.
My mouth and throat are suddenly dry as I reach behind the counter for my coat and slip into it. He watches me with blatant curiosity, as if he’s fascinated by something as simple as getting dressed.
My body heats from the intensity of his gaze. Fumbling with the buttons, I finally manage to get my hat on and coat fastened, cram earmuffs on my head, and move to meet him at the door. Why does he make me feel so flustered as if this is a real first date? The kind with anactualhuman?
It doesn’t matter. Whatever it takes to get through this with my life.
“Okay,” I chirp, plastering on a smile. “Here we come, date number one!”
Chapter Four
Grimm
“Where are you taking me again?” I ask, already forgetting the plan. Morgan pulls me through a series of interlocking alleys and roads. We pass many humans and even more children bundled up together as they hop around and scream with ear-piercing glee.
I flinch at the noise. The human realm is much too loud. I prefer the silence of the afterworld, where even the tortured souls sent to burn for their misdeeds are muted.
“To the theater, remember? We’re going to go see a movie.”
Another child brushes past us and slams into my side. Patience… it is not required for a Reaper. But by all things otherworldly, I wished it were because at least then I would have enough of it to see this ridiculous ‘deal’ through to its end.
Morgan thinks I have no honor. I have honor. I have plenty of honor. I see the souls of the dead to the afterworld. What more honor is there than that?
I huff. “Right, the theater.”
“We’re her—” She suddenly stops and turns around. Bright brown eyes pierce my soul, and I take a step back. She looks so… cute with those little puffs of fluff on her ears and that little ball dangling from the hat on her head.
“I just realized something,” she says.
So did I, apparently.
“Go on.” I motion for her to continue.
