***
"Are you on the schedule today?" Sam's smile was wide, teasing.
"I'm always on the schedule." I made my way behind the counter and tucked my purse under the safe. "I love this place. Remember?"
"I do." Sam pulled something from his back pocket. "Here's this. Some guy stopped by an hour ago and said to make sure you got it."
I took it from him and nodded. "Did he leave his name?"
"No. But I've never seen him before." He shrugged and moved up to the counter as a young girl asked for a cup of water.
"Thanks," I mumbled and grabbed a rag to wipe down tables. I stopped by the first table and lifted the picture to my face. A large group of teenagers huddled together with big smiles on their faces. It took me a minute to recognize any of them.
Erik.
Denise.
Mikey.
Nathaniel.
Several more were in the picture, but my eyes continued to run over each of them. So they all knew each other. I glanced up and scanned the restaurant, finding nothing out of place.
What the fuck was going on? Was Erik really willing to help me? To kill a woman he obviously knew?
I let my eyes scan the picture again, picking up small details that told more of the story. Erik's arm around Nate's shoulders and the two of them laughing together. Denise's head in Nate's lap, her tongue out with a sexy look on her pretty face. Mikey had his fingers on the sides of his mouth, stretching it out, his eyes crossed.
The bell dinged on the front door, and I jumped and let out a soft yelp. My eyes met Nate's and he paused as if caught in the act.
"You all right?"
I nodded and tucked the picture in my back pocket. "Yeah. Of course. How are you?"
He moved toward me slowly, and I couldn't help but notice his ear was hurt. "I'm good. I miss you."
"You haven't seen me for a day." I reached for him and pulled him into a quick kiss. "I'm on the clock."
"Then clock out." He kissed me again and slid his hands down my hips, pulling me in tightly. "I need to talk to you about some stuff."
I glanced back at Sam. He nodded. "Get out of here. Come back tomorrow?"
"Sure." I pulled my apron off as the picture fluttered from my pocket and dropped to the floor. I dove for it but wasn't quick enough.
Nate snatched it up and glanced down, his beautiful eyes moving slowly across the faces. "I remember this well. I was seventeen and it was the day before we all stopped talking to each other."
"Someone dropped it off earlier." I tossed my apron toward the laundry basket as I walked around the counter to grab my bag. I glanced over at Sam. "What did the guy that dropped it off look like?"
"Dark hair, beanie, mean looking. Thug?" Sam smiled and reached out to grab my arm. "Be careful, okay? I don't know who he was, but I don't like the feeling I got from him."
"I will." I squeezed Sam's hand and moved back to stand in front of Nate. "You know this girl?" I brushed my finger over Denise's face.
Nate glanced up and studied my face, but didn't say anything for a minute. "You jealous cause her head’s in my lap?"
"Should I be?" I tugged the picture from his fingers as my heart raced. What game was he playing with me? Was he as innocent as he appeared to be? Surely not.
"No. She's a whore." He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and moved us toward the exit. "She had her head in everyone's lap. Married some rich guy last I heard." He leaned down and kissed the side of my head. "You wanna tell me why Erik Bertinelli stopped by to see you? He's a dangerous man, Jenna."
I stopped and turned to face him. "No, I don't."
He nodded. "All right. Can I ask that you stay away from him? He kills people for a living."
I glanced down the street and tried to think through what the fuck I was going to say.
"Jenna." He gripped my chin and forced me to look back up at him. "I'm going to ask nicely once. Stay away from Erik. He loves beautiful women and doesn't care who's involved when he finds one he wants."
"When is the last time you saw Erik, Nate?" I reached out and touched the side of his ear. "And how did this happen?"
"Funny you should ask." He took a step closer and glanced down at me with an intensity that scared me as much as it turned me on. "He came by this morning to deliver a message."
"What?" I took a step back. "Erik did this to you? With what?"
I reached for him again, but he gripped my wrist and pulled it just behind his back, trapping me to the front of him.
"His gun. He's a cold-blooded killer, baby. Why are you involved with him? Tell me so I can figure out a way to get you out of whatever you're getting into. Does this have to do with your brother? Tell me so I can help you."
"Would you?" I wrapped my other arm around him and forced myself to stare into his eyes. I needed to know. "Would you kill the girl in the picture if I told you that she killed my brother? Would you help me?" I ran my hand over his ass and squeezed softly. "Please?"
He nodded. "Of course I would, but it seems like you already have all the help you need, baby doll. Erik is the killer here. Not me."
"I thought you wanted me away from him." I moved into step beside him as he turned and walked us toward his bike.
"I do, but if you're contracting him to kill someone, just make sure you're really ready to be deemed a murderer." He stopped by the bike and picked up my helmet, handing it to me.
"Would you still want me if I was?" I put it on and got on the bike.
He smiled and shook his head. "And here I thought I was falling in love with a good girl for the first time in my long life. Seems like I'm playing the fool here, angel. Is that the case?"
I shook my head 'no' and waited until he got on the bike to snuggle up against him. After pulling up the face guard I leaned in toward his damaged ear.
"Did you love her at one time, Nate?"
He turned and popped up his guard. "What?"
"Did you love her? Denise?"
"Her name isn't Denise, Jenna, and no. I've only loved one woman in my life." He popped his face guard back down and turned, starting the bike and pulling out into the mid-morning traffic.
I had no clue where we were going, but truth be told, I didn't care. Erik wanted me to understand the connection before I pulled the trigger. I knew it now. They were all old friends.
It was a warning. I was risking my relationship with Nate by killing one of his childhood friends, but maybe that wasn't the case. From what I could tell, Nate wasn't going to stand in my way, nor throw me out on my ass if I came back with blood on my hands.
I only had to decide if I was capable of taking a life. Maybe Nate was right. Maybe getting Erik to do it was the best way of keeping myself from regretting the moment my life changed for as long as I lived.
Either way, one thing was for sure. Nate wasn't going to leave me hanging dry when everything went down, nor was he willing to get involved.
He might not love Denise, but he had feelings for her. I wanted to know the extent of them before I moved another step forward.