Chapter Three

“I think 4B likes you,” Sarah whispered into Waverly’s ear.

Waverly chuckled, and input her last customer’s order on the POS. “He’s my neighbor. I think he’s a creep. Always butting into my conversations and watching me. It’s weird.”

Sarah leaned her elbows on the counter next to her and stared his way. If he ate that pie any slower he’d turn into stone, Waverly was sure of it.

“He’s been searching for you all night. Like he has to know where you are. Why don’t you go home with him? You can make a run for it if you’re not into it. You’re just right next door.”

“No,” Waverly said, pressing enter and turning to look at Sarah. “I’m about to graduate—”

“And when was the last time you went out with a boy, Waverly? It’s sad. I’m sure your vagina is screaming for some kind of attention.”

“Ewe, don’t talk about my vagina. She’s sensitive.”

Sarah laughed loudly. “Okay. Whatever floats your boat. If you want to be stressed and unfulfilled, who am I to judge, right,” she said. “Your shift ends in ten minutes.”

“Like I forgot,” Waverly said, retying her ponytail. “I have tons of homework to do tonight. I’m glad Dan let me take the short shift today. I had to beg.”

Sarah placed her palm on her shoulder. “Two months, Wave. You’ve got this. If I ever have kids, I’m gonna make sure you teach them. You’re great.”

Waverly chuckled. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. My internship is going well, but sometimes those kids test me.”

“They wouldn’t be kids if they didn’t.”

Waverly’s last table, other than her nosy neighbor, left, so she stalked over and stood next to him. His blue gaze lifted toward hers, and for a brief moment, her breath caught.

He was much cuter than Ethan. Good thing she didn’t like him, or she’d have fallen head over heels by now. Those eyes were so deep, and attentive, as if he was really listening and waiting for her answer. “Do you need anything else? My shift is ending.”

“No,” he said, standing up. “I’ll go pay now.”

Waverly put her hand out and her fingers brushed his chest, causing a chill to rake down her spine. He was freezing. How weird. She was sure it was a normal temperature in there. “Wait a second, Mister. You’ve waited for my shift to end. Do I need to be escorted out by the cooks? Because that is really creepy.”

He glanced at the kitchen window where the last cook on duty stood. “No, don’t invite him outside.”

Waverly folded her arms, officially creeped out by this guy. “Why? So you can rape me in the alley outback?”

He slid his thumb against his bottom lip, drawing her attention to how plush and pink they were. “If I wanted to rape you I would have broken into your apartment already, shortcake.”

Waverly’s mouth opened in shock. “Right. Please see yourself out of this restaurant and out of my life. You’re a Grade A Asshole.”

He looked like he wanted to say something, but Waverly didn’t give him a chance. She walked toward the back, tossed her apron underneath the waitress station, and grabbed her keys.

She stuck her head into the kitchen.“Bye, guys. See you this weekend.”

They shouted back, but Waverly was high-tailing it out back. The alley air was thick and humid since it was springtime in the south.

She wiped her hand over the back of her neck while walking toward the employee parking lot.

The streetlamp flickered like it always did, and a stray cat scurried from the dumpster. Fiddling with her keys, she hurried toward her Honda, feeling like someone watched her.

Maybe it was the fact that her new neighbor was a bigger creep than she realized, and she felt like he would follow her home. Or his warning about the redhead hung over her.

When her car came into view she sighed in relief.

Until a shadow loomed from behind a row of hedges and several people walked out in front of her. It was the group of college kids from her table.

The exact one Drake had been worried about. Maybe he knew this would happen? Maybe he knew them more than she thought and she should have listened.

Apparently.

“Well, look who is all alone. Is that fear I smell?” the redhead asked.

Who smelled fear? A demon?

Clutching the strap of her purse, she folded her arms over her chest. “Guess again. I think that’s your upper lip you’re smelling.”

The girl next to the redhead gasped, and for a brief moment, Waverly did feel scared. Scared that she would go to these extremes to confront her over a few words tossed back and forth.

“You have a really big mouth, but lucky for you, I’m about to shut you up for good.” For good? Like, kill her? Waverly’s heart began to beat faster.

The redhead stalked toward her, but Waverly stood her ground, noticing her eyes turn red and flicker back to their original color.

Waverly grabbed her purse and spun around, aiming to hit her in the head, when something raced by her, knocking Waverly back into the dumpster where she hit her head.

Waverly groaned, reaching up to touch her head, she noticed the blood sliding down between her fingers, and her vision darkened.

She did not do blood. At all.

She hated it.

Waverly fell forward, her face pressed against the gravely asphalt, while a pair of boots stopped in front of her. She imagined the redhead would kick her while she was down.

It wouldn’t have surprised her in the least, but she couldn’t keep her eyes open. She sent up a prayer she wasn’t raped or beaten to death, and fainted, like the wimp she was.

Waverly woke up staring at the ceiling of a vehicle that wasn’t hers, but the pressure in the back of her head throbbed so badly that she shut her eyes again.

The bumpy ride knocked her around, but she was too out of it to care. She vaguely recalled someone carrying her. Maybe Sarah had found her. Or she was being brought to the hospital.

At that point, she didn’t care. Her head hurt too badly. Darkness consumed her, and she was placed somewhere warm.

A soft sigh escaped her, and she snuggled into what she assumed was a pillow. She’d figure it all out after a little nap.