Chapter 185
Xena’s POV
William had just opened his mouth when the waitress interrupted him. “Your food is here. This is the pulled pork without bread.” She set the plate in front of me. “Ribs for this lady. Pulled pork with bread for this gentleman, and lastly, the brisket.” Yara carefully arranged our food. “Anything else you need?”
“I think we’re good. Thank you!” I told her, while curiosity clawed at my insides about what William had been about to say.
After Yara left, I picked up my fork and started eating. Neither Ryder nor I pressed
William about what he’d wanted to say; we just ate in silence. Ryder glanced at me but
remained quiet. We continued eating, the atmosphere between us delicate and tense.
Every now and then, Ama would look up, then shake her head and return to her food. Honestly, I found her obvious struggle to tell me something rather amusing. Every
movement betrayed her discomfort, like she was bursting with some earth–shattering
secret.
I finished first and waited patiently for the others to finish, my gaze drifting absently toward the window. Suddenly, I spotted two black cars pulling up, and my heart sank. I gently nudged Ryder’s leg to get his attention. I felt him follow my gaze as we both watched Tatum and his pack members get out of their cars. A chill ran down my spine.
“Ama, are you done eating?” I asked, my voice calm despite my accelerating heartbeat.
“Almost,” she answered, seemingly oblivious to what was about to happen.
“Let me rephrase that–you are done eating. We need to leave.” I looked directly at her, my tone leaving no room for argument.
William appeared alert, while Ryder pulled out his wallet and tossed a hundred dollars on the table just as Tatum walked in. He scanned the room briefly before spotting us. Though my back was to him, I could feel his gaze on me like an icy blade, raising goosebumps all
over my skin.
“Well, what a pleasant surprise,” his voice sent chills down my spine. My entire body recoiled at his presence, and I hated the feeling. I forced myself to remain composed.
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Chapter 185
*Indeed a surprise, Ryder said, placing his hand on my thigh. “Though we were just leaving.**
“Oh, that’s too bad. I should have come earlier. Ms. Harris, I hear your shop is almost finished with renovations?” His fake pleasantries made my stomach turn.
“Yes. Actually, there are still a few things to do. To be honest, I’m grateful it was vandalized. This renovation is…..” I noticed his eyes suddenly sharpening before quickly
returning to that unsettling smile.
*Glad to hear there’s a silver lining. I’d still like to make an appointment with you,” he
said with a smile.
*Unfortunately, it’ll be about a week before I can start scheduling appointments. I have a backlog of work to complete before I take on new appointments. There were plenty of people scheduled before my shop was destroyed, and they need to be accommodated first. I’m sure you understand.” My tone was polite but firm.
“I see. Well, I’ll wait for your call then,” Tatum said.
“Yes, I believe Yara is trying to seat you. If you don’t mind, we need to leave.”
Tatum looked back at Yara, who was indeed waiting for him.
“Alright. I’ll see you Saturday. Save me a dance.” He stepped aside, allowing Ryder and William to slide out of the booth. Yara led them to a booth on the other side of the restaurant. We made our escape quickly, but deep down, I had a feeling we’d encounter Rogues on our way home. Somehow, I just knew Tatum wouldn’t let us off so easily.
Once outside, I pulled Ryder aside. “I’m worried he’ll send Rogues after us. Can we take a different route? The four of us would be fine, but with Ama here…*
Ryder nodded, and we headed toward the motorcycles. “William, Ama, follow us. Watch for
Rogues,” Ryder said as we put on our helmets.
After starting the motorcycles, we quickly left. Ryder turned onto a random street, completely taking us off our usual route. My insides were on high alert, every sense sharpened, prepared for any potential threat.
“What was that?” Ama suddenly shouted. My head whipped around, my heart rate
