JODIE
“This place is fancy,” I breathe as Toby pulls up in front of an expensive looking Italian restaurant.
“I promise I’m not being flashy or trying to impress you,” he says, killing the engine and twisting to look at me.
Desire licks across my skin from the dark and hungry way he assesses me. He’s told me more than once since he picked me up how much he’s missed me this week. He sounds so sincere, I can’t help but believe him. Especially as the connection we’ve shared since that very first night crackles louder than ever with our few days apart.
I study him, really study him, trying to see all the lies behind his eyes, to peel back a little of his mask that he has to be wearing. But I can’t find it, leaving me to believe that it’s either all bullshit, or he really is that well-trained.
“Luckily for you,” I say, forcing myself to speak. “I’m starving.”
His eyes drop to my lips, and everything below my waist clenches with need.
“Yeah,” he agrees, his voice raspy as he runs his thumb along his bottom lip. “So am I.”
He leans forward over the centre console, his hand disappearing under the curtain of hair that’s hanging around my shoulders until his hand wraps around the side of my neck.
His brow touches mine as he stares down into my eyes.
A million silent words pass between us. I just fucking wish I knew if I could believe the ones that come from him or not.
My heart rate increases as his manly scent fills my nose and the warmth of his skin burns, turning my blood to red-hot lava.
His lips brush mine in the sweetest of moves that makes my chest clench.
“I need you so bad, Demon. But if I start, I’m not going to be able to stop, and I need to feed you before we get to that,” he confesses, his deep voice rumbling through the enclosed space around us.
“Okay,” I breathe, silently more than happy to bin off this part of the evening and just enjoy what he has to offer.
He remains still for another two seconds before he rips himself away from me and throws the door open. “Don’t move,” he shoots over his shoulder before slamming the door.
My head spins with desire and confusion as I watch him round the bonnet before pulling my door open for me like a gentleman.
“Wow, you’re going all out tonight, huh?” I ask when I place my hand in his and let him pull me up.
“Nothing less than you deserve,” he growls, tucking me into his side and wrapping his arm around my waist.
In this moment, it’s so easy to believe that this is it. That this is us, no lies or cover-ups.
But I know deep down in my soul that’s not true. There is more to him, I just know there is.
I just have to hope that it’s not as bad as my imagination is leading me to believe. I mean, it can’t be, can it?
Toby greets the maître d' as if he knows him, and I guess to be fair, he probably does. Just like all the staff at Hades.
I let out a heavy sigh as he tugs on my arm and leads me toward a table in the very back corner of the restaurant. It’s tucked right behind an ornate partition, and I can’t help but notice how perfect it is for the discussion we’re about to have. The privacy is surely appreciated.
“Louisa, your server, will be over shortly,” the maître d' assures us before taking off.
My stomach growls loudly as the scent of what I can only assume is going to be the best Italian of my life floats in the air around me.
The grin that pulls at Toby’s mouth tells me he heard it.
“So, tell me about your week,” he prompts, reaching across the table to take my hand.
“It’s been about as shit as all the rest of my weeks recently. You really want to hear about it?” I ask, screwing my nose up.
“At least one good thing must have happened.”