by Sam Crescent
“And if we don’t say anything?”
Shadow squatted down and pulled out his butterfly knife from the side of his boot. He began to play with it, the blade and handles spinning and flying round his fingers and wrist with expert accuracy. He’d perfected his skills with a blade over the years, almost as flawless as his expertise behind a sniper rifle. The crowd stood transfixed until the first fool made a move for his knife. Shadow stabbed him in the arm as a warning. This entire show was his attempt to keep thing as civil as possible, with the least collateral damage.
His patience was endless. Or so it seemed.
“Leave while you can, or next time it’ll be more than your girl’s window you have to worry about.”
In a flash, Shadow turned and had his blade pressed against the man’s carotid artery. “What the fuck did you just say?” His instinct to protect Riley was off the fucking chart. The thought of one of these bastards putting their filthy hands on her, made him all too eager to take every one of them out. Fuck the consequences. He didn’t even recognize himself.
“N-nothing.”
“Any of you so much as breathes on her, I’ll kill you.”
“You taking a knife to a gunfight, junior?” He felt the muzzle of a gun at the back of his head. Why couldn’t they leave well enough alone?
“Shadow!” Riley called out.
He smirked. It would have been fun to have Killian by his side about now. It would be a good time regardless. Shadow squatted, turned and brought his knife up into the man’s throat, blood spraying out in every direction. When the man’s gun dropped, Shadow kicked it away.
Then he saw the asshole with the beard holding Riley in front of him, his arm across her neck. “I’ll kill her,” he shouted. “Drop your knife.”
Shadow stood up straight, slowly, methodically.
He tossed his knife on the pavement and began walking forward.
When the old bastard thought he’d won, Shadow pulled his Glock from his shoulder holster, aimed, and nailed him right between the eyes. Riley screamed, backing away from the body as it dropped in a heap. It only took seconds for him to curse his decision. Riley had just gone from neighbor to witness, and Boss wouldn’t like it.
What was he thinking? He could have handled this without a body count. Fuck, he shouldn’t even be here. Riley made him act completely out of character.
“Come here,” he said, holding out his hand.
Riley ran over to him, her face blanched. She held his hand, and he made his way inside the bar. The music still played, most of the patrons taking cover after witnessing the gun show outside. Once in the middle of the bar, he called out, “Who owns this place?”
A couple people pointed out one man sitting at the end of the bar. Shadow approached him.
“One of your customers broke a window at the bakery. You aware of that shit?”
The man shook his head.
“You’ll be paying for the damage?”
He nodded.
“If it happens again, I mean anything, I’ll come after you, your family, and your pocketbook. Understand?”
When he nodded again, Shadow repeated himself more loudly. “Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
Shadow wanted to do a hell of a lot more, but he restrained his urge to bring a firestorm of hurt on the asshole.
As they walked out of the bar, heading back to the bakery, Riley hadn’t said a word. She was tough, but not many were used to Shadow’s world of blood and carnage. Maybe a bit of humor would help. “If you went through insurance, your rates would go up,” he said. “It’s better this way.”
Chapter Four
Riley couldn’t believe that she’d just witnessed a bloodbath, and she wasn’t running away screaming. She cleaned up debris on her bakery floor as Shadow pinned up some boards to cover her smashed window.
He hadn’t said a word, and neither had she.
They worked in silence.
What was even scarier than this mess? What had gone down at the bar wasn’t the worst thing she’d ever seen. Being on the streets, she’d seen men completely torture others and then leave them for the rats. One thing she’d learned, never ask too many questions. And no one really wanted to know the answers.
“You’re full of surprises,” Shadow said.
“Huh?”
“Usually I’m the one hoping someone else will shut the fuck up, but right now I’m hoping you’ll talk.” He stared at her with his arms folded. Shadow wore dark gray joggers and a white wife-beater under his jacket. His body was rock hard, and she had to remember not to stare too long. It was nearly time for her to get things ready for work. Her day started before dawn. The life of a baker never stopped. “Talk, Riley.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“You saw me shoot a man, and even though there was a scream from you, you’re not telling the police?”
She nibbled her lip. “Police are no good. They tend to cause more trouble than they fix. I don’t trust them.”
Shadow had actually helped her. Why would she report him for protecting her?
The insurance company would completely cripple her if she was to make a claim. They already demanded enough as it was. Half of her problem was the outrageous rent on her unit. She couldn’t catch a break.
“That’s a big … judgment you have.”
“Believe it or not, I’d rather trust you than a cop.” She poured the broken shards into the trash, and then stood, holding onto her shoulders. She really just wanted to cry. This was not how she wanted to start her day.
Maybe she really was fighting a losing battle to keep this dream alive, to make something of herself. Most of the kids she’d known growing up were addicts, dead, or in jail. She wanted so much more.
She released a breath.
“Again, you’re not talking.”
“I don’t know what to say, Shadow.” She dropped her hands, and looked around the small space. “I think it could be time to sell up. To face reality that some people get what they want, and others have no chance in hell of ever getting it.”
“All you want is a bakery?”
“A successful one. I don’t want millions or to go jet setting around. I just want a bakery that has people coming back for more. It’s been my dream for as long as I can remember.” She shrugged. What good were dreams when they were crumbling down around her?
“You don’t strike me as a quitter.”
She stared at him. He brought out so many of her feelings to the surface—the desire to be wanted, the need to put up more walls. “You shouldn’t be thinking about me.”
“Why not? I think about you. That’s why I’m here.”
Riley stopped. “Nobody’s ever helped me before.” She knew nothing about Shadow. Instead of worrying about the dead bodies at the other side of the plaza, he was looking at her in ways that made her heart race.
“I don’t normally help women out of uncomfortable situations, but I’ve got some free time on my hands. Those guys could be trouble for you. I’m thinking of sticking around for a little while.” He sat down on one of her chairs. “I like this place.”
She wasn’t really sure if she should take him seriously or not. Distrust came naturally to her. “I just watched you kill two guys. The way you fought… I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Yeah, spattered his useless brains all over the place. Probably the best thing I could have done,” he said. Then he looked directly at her. “I didn’t like his hands on you.”
Putting a hand to her forehead, she closed her eyes, counting to ten. “You know this doesn’t bode well for me. Are you like a hitman or something?”
“Or something.” He winked at her.
“This is way too much for me, and way too early. I need coffee.”
“I’ll have a coffee. I’ll have some cream and sugar, too.”
He’d literally killed for her. The least she could do was get him a coffee. He also offered to be her personal bo
dyguard, and right now she didn’t want to be alone. No one else in her life ever cared what happened to her or what someone did to her. This man, her neighbor, pretty much a stranger to her, had taken a life for her. In a weird way, she was kind of touched.
Shadow was really sexy to look at, so at least she won’t mind the view. No, she shouldn’t be thinking about how sexy he was, or the fact she liked looking at him, or that she thought it was sweet he killed someone. That was what made her weird.
Making them both some coffee, she also toasted up some bread, and found Shadow at the table clicking away on his cell phone. Putting a plateful of toast on the table, and his coffee in front of him, she took a seat. “You don’t have to stick around, you know?”
“I’ve already organized a new sheet of glass. They should have it here within a couple hours.” He grabbed his coffee. “I’ve got nothing else to do.”
“A window company that comes that fast at this time of day?” she asked, intrigued by him. “And what kind of job do you have that means you don’t have to go to work every single day?”
“The one that makes me the boss.”
She stared at him recalling the conversation she witnessed the other week. “You’re not the boss.”
He tensed up. “How do you figure?”
“The way that guy talked to you. He’s your boss. I could tell.” She took a sip of her coffee.
“You’re way too observant.”
She looked up at him. “I’ve had to be.”
“Yeah, why is that?”
Riley laughed. “You really want to know about my past, don’t you?”
“You said someone like you doesn’t get to have your dreams. Tell me about you, Riley.”
She sighed. “That’s just me having a pity party. Ignore me.”
“Is that why you’re alone?”
She frowned, wondering if she’d missed something. “I don’t—”
“You’ve got no man in your life. There’s no best friend. You’re a loner, and you hate being around fake people. I saw the look on your face at the party. You didn’t want to be there. You close up whenever anyone gets too close.”
He’d nailed her spot on, and her barriers instantly went up. How could this stranger unravel her after a few words? “You know, I don’t have to listen to any of this. Thank you so much for dealing with this stuff, but maybe you should go.”
She took a slice of toast and her coffee, leaving him alone. Entering the kitchen, she tore into her toast, and began to preheat the oven.
“You also run away from everyone and everything.”
“Screw you.” She turned to face him. “You’re not this squeaky-clean guy, just so you know. You’re a mystery. You’re as much of an outcast as I am.”
“So, I’m not trying to be something I’m not.”
“And I am?” She glared at him, feeling like a cornered dog.
“What do you call this?”
“This is my dream, asshole. Is this what you want? You want real? Fine. All my life I was the piece of shit that everyone wanted to be rid of. The kid no one wanted, not even my own parents. I’ve always been either too fat or too ugly. The foster system was no cake walk. It was worse than the streets. That’s what I know. My bakery, it’s mine. I can do one thing that’s good, and I bake. I’m good at that. Actually, you know what, I’m fucking great. I’ve seen the looks on people’s faces when they try something I’ve made, and it means everything to me.”
“The suburban house?”
“It’s a nice neighborhood. Why shouldn’t I live here? The people might be fake, but this is the life I’ve always dreamed of.” She was panting now, her anger at a fever pitch.
“Is that how you can read lips?” he asked. “The streets.”
This made her frown. “What does it matter if I can read lips? Growing up, it saved me. I was able to know when shit was going to go bad.”
Silence fell between them, and she kept on staring at him, waiting for him to say something else.
He held his hands up. “I’m sorry.”
She took a cleansing breath. “Yeah. Me, too. I think the early morning murder and mayhem has messed with my head.”
Shadow smirked. Why did he have to look so damn sexy when she tried to hate him? “I’m going to stick around to make sure they stay away from this place.”
“If I die because you started something, I’m so going to come back as a ghost and haunt your ass.”
“I look forward to the company.”
He walked toward the front, looking out the good panes of glass.
“Maybe in death I’ll finally figure out your secrets,” she said.
Shadow turned back toward her. “Maybe one day I’ll show you exactly what I am.”
She didn’t like that he made her crave to know more about him. He was just some guy, not important to her in the slightest, and yet, here she was, panting after him like a damn schoolgirl.
She had to be strong and focus on the day’s baking, and ignore the sexy man and the last few hours.
Once she finished the toast and had her hair wrapped her up, she was ready to begin the day’s baking. Riley was good at blocking out reality and carrying on in spite of it. Instead of worrying about bodies, police, money, and Shadow, she started baking some cupcakes. She was in a brownie cupcake mood. Every now and again she’d peek a look around the kitchen and find Shadow playing with his phone.
“Stop looking at him. Stop caring what he’s doing. You don’t care that he’s this super-hot guy that stuck up for you.”
She made sure to whisper her little beratement so that he didn’t hear her. He was the first guy in all of her life to actually give a shit and stick up for her. As much as she didn’t want to care, it made her heart flutter, made her feel special.
Once the cupcakes were cooling, she made up the chocolate fudge frosting. Time went nowhere, and before long, she’d gotten everything baked, and her mind was still all over the place. The moment the counter was filled, and she felt like herself again, she nodded at Shadow to open the door. He did so without a second glance at her.
What did he think when he looked at her?
Why did she even care what he thought? It wasn’t like they were ever going to get together. He could get anyone he wanted. And she couldn’t stand him.
Total lie.
She didn’t like how she couldn’t get him off her mind. He managed to calm her temper, make her smile.
The window company came as promised, leaving her store better than when it started.
“I’ll pay you back for that,” she said. “It might take me a while.”
Shadow shook his head. “I didn’t ask for your money.”
When some of her early clients came in, she was waiting for comments on the crime scene outside. She’d refused to look, wishing it had all been a bad dream. They said nothing.
Riled dared to peek out across the parking lot when she looked at the new window.
“How is that possible?” she whispered.
“What?”
“It’s like nothing happened. Two men died over there. This isn’t possible…”
“I took care of it.”
Again with the riddles. Who the hell was Shadow?
There was a lull, so she decided to people watch. One woman read a list of instructions, and Riley smirked.
“What do you see?” Shadow asked. He’d got up and moved closer to her, and even though she wanted to ignore him, she didn’t, and instead told him.
“The woman on the bench is reading a form on how to treat constipation.” The woman’s lips were moving, and she found it funny that no one else knew what the woman was doing.
“That’s a pretty good gift.”
“It’s nothing.” She looked toward another woman who was talking on her phone in the parking lot. “That woman there needs a doctor’s appointment. She has itching down below, and thinks it’s herpes.”
“It must keep you entertained to know other peopl
e’s secrets.”
“It passes the time, and I don’t know everyone’s secrets.”
****
Later that night Shadow was spending way too much time in his basement watching Riley. She was … unique, different, and he didn’t know what to make of her. Today she’d been a mixture of fire and ice. Not once did she go to the police or put a call through. The window had been repaired, and he’d supervised the guys who did the job.
One of them had been trying to hit on Riley, to get her number and ask her out. There was no way in hell he was allowing that to happen, so he’d told them that she belonged to him. She was his woman.
Damn it.
This was not supposed to be complicated, and yet that was exactly what was happening. Shadow’s life with Killer of Kings was extreme—murder and everything seedy in the world. Riley was right about him. He was living a lie, just like she was. Shadow lived in the suburb because he was essentially playing house. The feeling of normalcy gave him a high, even if counterfeit, because it had always been out of reach.
Running a finger along his lip, he watched as she leaned across her bed to grab the far book. It was one for frostings, and had so many notes scrawled over the pages. She had notes everywhere, which were all about baking.
All day he’d watched and listened as she worked. Her passion was her shop. It was her one place in the world that no one could take away from her.
The insurance company was a dodgy one. He didn’t like it. The owner of the plaza was even worse, charging rents that were through the roof, and Riley didn’t have any protection from any of that shit. He didn’t like it when the big men took advantage of others. She just wanted to make a life for herself.
He got up from the basement, and grabbed a couple of beers from his fridge. Not caring that it was a little after eleven, he jumped the fence into her backyard, grabbed a stone, and threw it at her window.
Shadow was an expert marksman, and if he wanted to, he’d have totally smashed the glass. He wanted her attention, not to cause her more trouble.
Seconds passed, and when he threw a second stone, she finally came to the window.
“What the hell are you doing?” she asked, leaning outside. The negligee she wore was a cotton one with a cute little duck on the front. It was totally the opposite of what he expected her to wear, and yet it suited her.