The Princess And The Criminal

5

SAWYER

What the fuck had I been thinking. I groaned again then flipped the burger patty.

She looked the same, but the innocence that came with teenage years was gone.

"So..."

"I'll explain later." I smiled at Old Mason and assembled two burgers.

When I made it back to the front she was looking around silently. I wondered if she had been avoiding the diner. We had so many memories in it together.

"Two tomato slices."

She smiled and picked the burger slowly. "You remember."

I tilted my head. "Was I supposed to forget?"

Her cheeks coloured, but to avoid the question she bit into the burger. The moan that followed could've killed me.

"Since when are you working for Viper?"

I watched Noah lick her lips and place the burger down. I knew that move, she was going to try to run away from the already too small burger I made. Not under my watch.

"This is my second year. She offered me the job immediately after I finished college."

I nodded and bit into my burger, three times bigger than hers. I never planned to go to college, was never my forte. But I would've loved to see her in the college space.

"What did you study?"

Noah frowned and tilted her head. She was confused, I wondered why.

"Uh... business management."

That had her mother written all over it. But I wasn't going to bring up the fact that she had not pursued the fashion and design she wanted to pursue... for parents that shoved her to every available pageant, they were strangely against her getting a fashion and design degree.

We were quiet for a while. An awkward silence that was never there before.

She fidgeted in her seat.

I nodded at the burger. "Finish that."

Her eyes flicked over the burger, she pursed her lips. "Ah... I'm fine."

"I know you probably haven't eaten anything today. Finish the burger."

"No really I—"

"It wasn't a request Noah." I gritted.

Her face turned red and she shifted more in her seat, then picked the burger. I let out a satisfied hum and leaned back in my seat. My burger was done and I opened my beer.

She struggled with the last bite, she always did, even though her burger was a mini.

I smiled. "Good girl."

Noah stilled, food still in her mouth. Her jaw slack but mouth still closed. Her eyes wide and face red.

I looked down when I realised what I had said. And how she had reacted.

"I should go."

I frowned as she picked her phone and keys.

"Hey, I'm sorry."

Noah shook her head with a smile. "It's... it's not you Sawyer. You know we can't do this."

She sounded like she was in pain. I hated it.

When I tried to touch her she flinched. My heart dropped.

There were tears in her eyes and her voice thick. "I'm glad you're out of prison... and you're doing well..." She held back a chocked sob. "..But we can't."