Chapter 11

Delilah entered the dining room and walked to the bar. She'd spotted Samson sitting in a booth at the back, laughing with a table full of beautiful people.

"What can I get you?" Bruno asked when he saw her waiting there.

"Nothing yet. I'm just…headed to Samson's table to get their order."

Bruno nodded. "Good luck."

She turned in the direction she needed to go, closing her eyes for a minute to settle her thoughts. When she opened them again, Samson was looking at her, the side of his mouth lifted in an almost imperceptible smile.

She held back on the scowl she wanted to use as protection and instead maintained eye contact and walked toward him.

"This had better be worth it," she mumbled behind clenched teeth as she made her way across the room.

It was quiet in the restaurant. It would have been better on a busier night. With fewer people to fill up the space, it would be easier for Samson to spot anything suspicious. But this pickup was happening soon whether she liked it or not, and she was the one who would have to keep his attention from wandering.

"Evening, Samson," she said.

"Delilah. I didn't know you were on tonight."

"You keep track of my schedule?"

"No, I simply observe. I didn't notice you anywhere when I came in, and you definitely aren't the same waitress who was serving us."

"Your waitress wasn't feeling well. I'm filling in briefly."

"Must be my lucky day."

"Yours, maybe, but not the sick waitresses." She pressed her lips together. If she didn't stop attacking him, she'd lose her chance.

"What about you?" he said. "Is it your lucky day?"

"I'm doing okay."

"Is that so?"

"What can I get you guys?"

"I'll have a whiskey. Neat," Samson said.

"And for your guests?"

"They're not staying."

Delilah noticed the surprised looks around the table. "Okay. One whiskey coming up."

She took deep breaths on her way back to the bar. There were so many conflicting emotions she was battling. On the top of the list at the moment was how she was helping Marc, but the trembling in her stomach belonged solely to Samson.

"Whiskey," she said to Bruno. "You know how he likes it."

"I sure do."

When he brought the drink back, he held it back for a second. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just not happy having to come in on my day off."

"You have a hard time saying no to your cousin?" He grinned.

"Something like that." She took the drink from him and went back to Samson, whose table was now empty. He'd made it easy for her without realizing what he was doing. But she had the feeling she wasn't the first person to attempt to deceive him.

"Your friends didn't waste time leaving," she said when she set the drink down.

"Why don't you sit?"

She couldn't appear eager. He'd know something was wrong. "I'm working."

"You're filling in."

"Same thing."

"It's not busy tonight. If your boss complains, send him my way. I'll smooth things over."

She bit her cheek in mock indecision. "I shouldn't."

"There are probably a lot of things you shouldn't do. But I'd like you to sit nonetheless. I'd like to apologize for the other night."

"Apologize? For what? Punching that guy?"

"No. I didn't do anything wrong there. Sit. Please."

If she could keep the topic to things like apologies, this might turn out less taxing than she'd expected.

"Okay, but I can only stay for a minute."

"That's the most time I've had with you since we met."

"That's not true. We spent a good hour with the police."

"I mean socially. I hope it's a sign of things to come."

"I guess we'll see how this couple of minutes goes."

"I thought you said you only had a minute."

"You're going to argue with me about it?"

He laughed. "No, please, stay as long as you like. I'm surprised you're willing to stay at all. Can I get you a drink?"

"I'm still on the clock."

"Suit yourself."

"So, your apology?"

"I knew you weren't going to let that go."

"Not a chance. You seem to delight in making my life miserable."

"Miserable? Is that how I make you feel? I can assure you I take no delight in that. What I do enjoy is our banter. And trust me, you give as good as you get."

"I'm not sure where the apology is in all of that."

"That's because there wasn't one."

Her eyes shifted to the door, and she saw Marc enter. She took a glass of water that sat untouched on the table and took a sip, making sure to keep eye contact with Samson. She couldn't afford to let him stray now.

"I give up. What are you sorry about?"

"When I asked you out. I could see you didn't take it very well."

"I don't ever remember you asking me out."

"When you came to check up on me. See if I was okay."

"Oh, that. You didn't ask me out."

"I did. I distinctly remember."

"You asked me back to your place. There's a big difference."

"Is there?"

"Maybe not in your world, but there is in mine."

"It wouldn't have mattered. You'd already made up your mind about me the moment I walked in. Before I ever said a word, you'd already decided."

She shook her head. "You hit on me while you were on a date. What was I supposed to think?"

"I never made any promises to them. They knew what they were getting."

"And that makes it okay to use them?"

"Do you think it's okay for them to use me?"

"Is that what happens?"

He smiled sadly. "Most of the people in my life do."

"Are you trying to make me feel bad for you?"

"No. I give as good as I get. But I wouldn't do that to you."

"I don't believe you."

He crossed his arms. "Then go."

She pushed her tongue into her cheek. It had been easy up until now, but if she was going to protect Luca, she'd have to change tack. She'd have to lie. At least she'd prepared for it.

"This is hard for me."

He leaned forward. "Why?"

"I had a bad breakup recently, and when you came in looking as good as you do, it scared me." She squirmed in her seat but kept her discomfort off her face. "I don't want to get hurt again."

He slowly reached across the table and touched her hand. "You think I would hurt you?"

His focus was so completely on her, she found it hard to breathe. But she wouldn't allow herself to drink from his deep, dark eyes.

"I don't know. You could." She didn't like how small her voice sounded, but at least her plan was working. He wasn't looking anywhere else. And neither was she. She couldn't if she tried.

"I wouldn't," he said. "I wouldn't ever hurt you."

"Maybe."

"Maybe you should get to know me better."

"Maybe you're right."

The smile left his eyes as he pulled his hand back. "What are you doing here?" An edge had appeared in his tone.

"What do you mean? You invited me to sit. I thought we were having a conversation."

"So did I. Why are you lying to me?"

"What?"

"You're lying to me."

"No, I'm not." She was desperate to look around the room to make sure Marc wasn't in sight, but she kept her unblinking eyes on him.

"Do you know what I do for a living?" he said.

"I've heard, yes."

"Have you heard that I'm very good at my job?"

"It's been mentioned once or twice."

"There's a reason I'm so good."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah. One of the reasons is because I can tell when people are lying. Why are you? What are you really after?"

She bit her lip, stalling for time, but when he pulled his eyes from hers and looked around the room, she got desperate and realized she'd have to expose something deep within herself to bring him back. A terrifying thought. The last thing she wanted was for Samson to see beneath the surface. But if she didn't, Luca could be in serious trouble.

"You're right," she said. "I've made a mess of this. I was—" She was about to lie again, but she couldn't afford anything besides the truth. "I was trying too hard."

"Trying too hard to what?"

She chuckled nervously. Being honest without compromising Luca meant compromising herself. "I don't know if you realize this, but you can be very intimidating."

"You seem to handle me okay."

"You think so? Then you can't always tell when someone is lying. But I was being truthful about a bad breakup. I've had a very rough year, and it's not just because of a lost relationship."

"What happened?"

"I lost everything, including a great business on the West Coast. That's why I'm here working in this restaurant. And as great as my cousin has been to me, I've been knocked down a few pegs. I'm struggling for confidence, and you're full of it. I don't like it."

"What happened to cause an amazing woman like you to lose her confidence?"

"Do you always have to do that?"

"What?"

"Be charming."

"You don't like it?"

"I can never tell if you mean it or not."

"But you make a lot of assumptions."

"I have to."

"Why?"

"To protect myself."

"You don't have to protect yourself from me."

"You're doing it again."

He folded his hands on the table and shook his head against the wide grin that covered his face. "I asked you for the truth, and I guess I'm getting it."

"Do you find it refreshing or annoying?"

"I'm not sure yet."

She smiled despite herself.

"There we go," he said. "It's not often I get one of those."

"What, my smile?"

"Yeah. It's beautiful—" He bunched his lips together. "Sorry."

"So you don't mean it?"

"Oh, no, I definitely mean it. I always mean everything I say to you. But it makes you uncomfortable."

"It does."

"You're obviously not accustomed to compliments."

"Or I worry you're trying to get something from me."

"Really?"

"Is that not what's happening? The other night you invited me to your bed."

"I can see how you would misunderstand."

"You were quite clear."

His face flattened. "It's not what you think."

"Then enlighten me."

"I'll tell you if you tell me the details of what brought you to Virginia."

"Okay. Deal. You first."

Samson twisted his whiskey glass around on the table. He hadn't touched it. "I'm not used to people caring about how I feel. It was my defense mechanism. I knew it would push you away."

"You did not."

"I'm dead serious."

She could see that he was, and she remembered Luca's words about her wanting to fix a broken man. "I really made you uncomfortable asking you how you were doing?"

"You did."

"I won't do it again."

He clicked his tongue. "I'm not the only one with walls."

"We all come with our baggage."

"Yes, we do. Speaking of which. It's your turn."

She still had some time to cover, and her failures were not secrets. She had nothing to lose by being honest with him about her past.

"We had a massive failure in our software. Everything was riding on it."

"The failure was your fault?"

"No, but they needed a fall guy."

"Or girl."

"Yeah. And the company had a lot of debt I didn't know about, so now I'm bankrupt."

"I'm sorry. Truly."

"I had everything riding on it. I lost my house, my car, everything. I came here with my tail between my legs."

"You said you had a bad breakup. Was that part of it?"

"Yeah, but I don't want to talk about that."

"I understand probably more than you'd believe."

"You're right."

"You don't think I've had my fair share?"

"You say that, and yet you walk in here with the world at your feet. And I'm supposed to believe you have pain?"

"Why not? You saw it the other night."

"You never told me what that was for."

"I'm probably not ready to tell you now."

Her phone buzzed twice in her pocket, signaling Marc was clear. "I should get back to work."

"What time do you get off?"

"Don't ruin it."

"I wasn't going to invite you to my house, but that doesn't mean I can't ask you out."

"I've got a book at home awaiting my return."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Then it will be there when you get home."

"I will not be another girl on your arm."

"You wouldn't be."

"Only because I refuse to be taken in by you."

"And yet, here you are."

"I need to get back to work." She stood.

"Wait. What if I promise not to touch you or proposition you?"

"Uh…I don't?—"

"Please. I'd like to show you something." He didn't have the usual mischievous grin on his face. In fact, it was probably the most fervent she'd ever seen him.

"Show me what?"

"It's a surprise."

"I don't like surprises."

"The only people who say that are those who have never had a decent surprise. Trust me. This one time. If I screw it up, I will never set foot in here again."

"No, that would be terrible."

"Really?"

"Not for me. For Luca."

"Oh."

"You bring in a lot of business, and he appreciates it."

"Okay then, I'll bring in as much business as he can handle, but I'll leave you alone for good."

"You will?"

"Don't look so excited."

She tipped her head sideways and grinned.

"I really hope that smile means I've changed your mind," he said.

"You sure do know how to make a hard-to-resist offer."

"Hard to resist or impossible?" His eyes sparkled.

Samson was the kind of guy who knew how to make offers people couldn't refuse. It's why he lived the life he did. He knew what to give people in order to get what he wanted. But it was more than his offer that was hard to resist.

She could spin it like she was doing it for Luca, but she was curious about this surprise and also couldn't deny that having him out of her hair after tonight would be best. After their conversation, she wasn't sure how good she'd be at resisting him in the future no matter how bad she knew he'd be for her.

"Okay. You have a deal. Let's go."

"What, now? I thought you were working?"

"I was filling in. Unless you've changed your mind."

"No way."

He slid out of the booth and tried to take her hand, but she tucked them behind her back. "I told you. I don't want to be a girl on your arm."

"Okay. If you find it too hard to control yourself when I touch you, I'll keep my hands to myself."

"That's not charming at all," she said as she followed him to the door.

He just laughed.