My body warmed. “Is it good?” I asked quietly.
She opened her eyes again and nodded, letting out a small whimper.
My shoulders relaxed, and I watched her take another bite, this one faster. I smiled.
My mother’s homemade marinade was fantastic, but I’m pretty good at cooking it just right, too.
I looked at my own plate and pulled it forward again, picking back up my knife and fork.
“Well, I’m glad I could change your mind about steak,” I said, cutting back into my own.
She swallowed. “I’ve actually never eaten steak.”
I took a bite of the tender meat, the juices sending my taste buds on a high. “Ever?”
She shrugged one shoulder, looking away as she chewed another bite.
“What do you usually like to eat?”
She sliced into the steak again, making short work of it. She must be hungry. “Eggs, toast…” she told me. “That kind of thing.”
“Can’t be that filling.”
But she just looked away again, ignoring my prompt for more info. I let my gaze drop to her hands. A thin line of black smudge lay under her nails, and the black jacket she wore was frayed at the cuffs. Eggs and toast, huh? I got the sneaking suspicion that was all she could afford, goddammit. What did Gabriel pay her?
Well, I guess that was on me now, wasn’t it? I’d sort something out tomorrow, then.
“You never used to wear those gloves,” I pointed out, gesturing to the leather, fingerless gloves she wore. “Is there a reason now?”
“So I don’t tear my knuckles when I hit you.” She stuffed another bite of food into her mouth.
My chest rumbled with a laugh I held in. Hey, I might let her get in a punch. She wouldn’t win, though.
She downed the steak, green beans, and most of the potatoes, finally opening her bottle of water and taking a long drink.
She looked…satisfied, oddly enough.
I don’t know why, but it felt good to feed her. She wasn’t the kind of person to let others do things for her, so this was going to be a rarity. I may as well enjoy it.
She took another long gulp and capped the bottle, wiping her mouth on her sleeve.
I finished a few more bites while she sat quietly, fiddling with the napkin on the table.
And then she finally spoke up, breaking the silence. “I don’t know where he is.” She raised her resolute eyes, meeting mine. “And if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”
She wasn’t trying to be difficult. Just honest and straight with me, and I turned her words over in my head, finally nodding.
I brought the napkin up and wiped off my mouth, setting it back down and holding her gaze. “I understand. I’m still not letting you go, though.”
Banks
Present
A shrill ringing pierced the air the next morning, and I jolted awake, pawing the nightstand above my head for my phone. It dangled over the side, and I grabbed it, ripping out the charger as I blinked away the exhaustion. Gabriel’s name appeared on the screen. I answered it immediately.
“Banks,” I said, quickly clearing my throat as I sat up and swung my legs over the bed.
“A messenger will bring the contract to his dojo this morning,” he informed me. “Make sure he signs it.”