Sleepy Head
Vex
If the dark circles around Dahlia’s eyes were anything to go by, she needed all this sleep. It’s been more than twelve hours since she fell asleep on my chest. Her untouched melted ice cream sits by the nightstand on my side of the bed next to my empty one.
I should read a book. Or turn on the television. Do anything but stare down at the locks of amber gold and chestnut hair splashed across me. The light has been shimmering on it since sunrise. Dahlia needs automatic blackout shades.
And a bigger library, if I’m going to keep a few books here.
Couples usually fight for closet space… are we a couple?
Dahlia is mine. Nothing else matters.
She starts to stir. Gently, I rub circles across her back to help her settle. It’s worked several times through the morning, even though it’s pure torture.
Instead of settling back into sleep, she lets out a small noise that’s a cross between a mew and a whine .
After years of practice, I’m able to stay in one spot without moving for hours on end, but this is the first time I’ve ever enjoyed being stuck in one spot.
Though what sane man wouldn’t kill to be right where I am, drinking in the perfume of Dahlia’s silky hair? The light coconut and berry scent reminds me of a tropical drink.
Does she want to go on an island vacation?
Dahlia in a bikini… I’d rent a private island to spend a week with her in a bikini. Rented islands come with staff. I’d buy the island. We could stay there all alone for weeks, doing nothing but—
“What time is it?” Dahlia whispers into my chest.
“Almost noon.”
“Really?” She lifts her head up and pushes her hair out of her face.
The wild mused tresses dance around her face, enthralling me. “You must have had a long day yesterday.”
Her head flops down on my chest. “Can we stay in bed all day?”
Does she really think I’m going to say no to that? “Absolutely. Right after I make us brunch.”
“You know if you keep spoiling me like this, I’m never going to let you leave.”
That’s what I’m hoping. Maybe that way when you find out the truth about me, you’ll be in so deep you won’t want to run away. “You in the mood for anything?”
“Hmmm.” Her nose crinkles as she ponders the decision. “We could just have ice cream.”
I can’t help the chuckle. “For that, I’m going to make you an omelet with veggies in it.”
“Oh, the horror. Whatever will I do? Do you know bacon goes really well with eggs and so does sausage and ham?”
How can a woman be that cute? “Careful now or I’ll make you a protein shake.”
“I’m shaking in my boots. ”
With laughter maybe. That stubborn woman doesn’t fear me at all. “You should be.” I lift her away from my body before any fleeting willpower I might have left deserts me and I kiss that button nose of hers before I fall into her lips.
“Nah. You’re a teddy bear.”
Bears have claws.
***
It’s easy to see why Dahlia bought this place. I stir the veggies in the frying pan and give her hot cocoa a few flicks of the whisk. This is a place to settle down. A little piece of the burbs in the city. There’s just enough space for a family. With a sharp crack on the counter, I break an egg into the bowl. Six eggs should be enough for the two of us.
My phone alerts me to an incoming message.
Ignore it.
But it’s not the phone that I can ignore.
Dyce: Call me.
That’s not happening here.
Me: What?
Dyce: I need a meet.
Why today? I had the whole day planned. A day of blissful nothing reading, eating, and getting to know Dahlia while letting her get even more comfortable with me.
Me: Monday
Dyce: It can’t wait. He followed me home.
I turn off the oven.
Me: Where are you?
Dyce: Safe now. Had Maddox arrange a safe pick up.
Me: He can’t handle this ?
Maddox and his crew are mostly legit, but they aren’t afraid of getting their hands dirty on occasion.
Dyce: No.
Me: Where?
Dyce: The library
That’s going to open up a whole new host of problems if Luisella is there today. She never lets me walk by without a whole host of questions that I refuse to answer.
Me: An hour?
Dyce: Fine.
I turn the oven back on to a slightly higher heat. There isn’t time to lollygag.
Who was crazy enough to follow that woman home? Not only is Dyce a piranha of a lawyer, but she’s also related to Maddox who runs the Deathadders. At one time they were a small-time gang… now they’re complicated. If she wants me involved, it isn’t simply a husband who’s threatening his wife’s lawyer. Maddox could take care of that on his own.
Dyce found something. Something big. Something that’s going to take my time. Time I should be spending with Dahlia.
She’s going to ask questions that I can’t answer.
***
“Anything I can do to help?” Dahlia walks into the kitchen. Her slightly damp hair is looped up into a loose bun on the top of her head.
All I want to do is tug what’s ever holding it up out so that it tumbles down around her face. What I don’t want to do is tell her I’m about to leave. “Breakfast is just about ready.”
“It smells delicious, veggies and all.” She takes two plates off of a display shelf and sets them on the bar near me. “Do you want some orange juice? ”
Yes, but there isn’t time. If I’m going to be on time for the meet, I need to be out the door in fifteen minutes. “No, thanks.” I pour her cocoa into a mug and top it with some mini marshmallows I found in the pantry. She might not have actual food in the fridge, but her pantry is jam-packed with every ingredient imaginable and some I’ve never even imagined… who thought of strawberry chocolate chips?
Dahlia eyes the cup with eyes of longing and the sweetest little smile. “You know you don’t need to bribe me to eat ‘every’ meal.”
Bribery hadn’t even come to mind this morning. Dahlia looked like she needed a pick me up even after all that sleep. Has she been suffering from insomnia since the… My hands flex around the frying pan handle. I should have killed the slime. Ripped him limb from limb for what he did to her.
Now’s not the time to think about him or even ask about the dark circles around Dahlia’s eyes. But when I finish, Dahlia has some explaining to do. I slice the egg in half with the edge of the spatula and slide the smaller half onto Dahlia’s plate. The yogurt and berry parfait I made finishes the meal off nicely.
“That looks delicious.” Dahlia reaches for the plate and freezes. “Why aren’t you making yourself a plate?”
And now to the bad part. “I need to go.”
“What? But we had plans. Books and bed aren’t exciting plans, but they’re plans.”
Books and bed with Dahlia are the most riveting plans I ever made. “I’m sorry. Something came up and I need to leave.”
“Something came up… at work? But I thought the club is closed right now. How could something—" Her mouth snaps shut. “You have to…”
I have no idea what I have to do, but most likely someone is going to die today, and it isn’t going to be me. “I have to go.”
Her eyes get wild and her hand starts to tremble.
Dyce can wait. There’s no way I’m leaving Dahlia when she looks like this. I stride around the corner and pull her into my arms. “Dahl.”
“Vex? ”
How can I expect her to get comfortable with me when I hide everything from her? “Go ahead and ask. If I can answer, I will.”
“Are you going to be in danger?”
She’s worried about me. Dahlia isn’t worried about the monster that I am. She’s worried I’ll get hurt. That worry I can assuage. “No, Dahl. I’m meeting an acquaintance.”
Dahlia lets out a long sigh.
There’s no need to worry about the death and destruction that comes after.
“When will you be home?”
Home… Four little letters rock my world, making everything go topsy-turvy. “I don’t know. Possibly a few hours, or I might not make it back until tomorrow.” If this takes until tomorrow, someone is going to pay in blood.
“Oh…okay.”
Temptation is the pouting lips begging to be kissed in front of me.
Walk away. Time isn’t standing still, even though every second with her feels like a lifetime of beauty. “Now go eat before your egg gets cold.” It takes more effort to let my arms fall away from her body than it does to do a hundred pushups.
Which I haven’t done today.
I hustle upstairs to get dressed.
***
As I walk down the steps, there are only a few more moments that I can enjoy this utopia Dahlia lives in. When I walk out the door, the emotionless killer inside of me needs to come out.
“Vex? Is that you?”
It better be me or someone is dying before I walk out this door. “Yeah, Dahl.”
“I’m coming.” She rushes to the foyer. “Good, I finished in time.” Dahlia lifts up a little floral thermos and matching lunchbox .
“What is that?”
“Your breakfast.”
My what?
“I wasn’t sure what you’d have time for, but I didn’t want you to be hungry all day. So this is a protein smoothie with kale, spinach, apples, celery, and some berries. You can drink it on the way. And if you have time, I made your omelet into a sandwich.”
“You made me breakfast?”
“Uh-huh.” Dahlia nods. “But I don’t have anything to bribe you with. I’ll think of something and give it to you later.”
I grin down at her because there’s no other choice. No one has made sure I was taken care of since my mot—Don’t think about her. Not now. Not here. “You keep thinking about that, Dahl. I’m sure you’ll come up with something.” I take the ridiculous-looking containers. “See you soon Dahl.”