Beautiful But Deadly

Chapter Four

IV

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His gaze immediately snapped up to meet mine. He had deep brown eyes and fairly dark lashes.

"Nice to meet you, too," he humored huskily. His voice was relatively deep.

I smoothly got up from my stool and made my way to the one next to him. He looked sort of surprised and confused that I had come over, his brows furrowing as he looked me up and down. I reached over and took a fry, looking back up to meet his eye as I took a bite. The taken aback expression remained on his face.

"Long day?" I asked tiredly.

"Yeah, well, you could definitely say that," he responded knowingly, looking back down at his fries as he took another.

"Strawberry milkshake," the waitress brought it over to me with a smile. I handed her the money and brought the straw to my lips as he looked over at me again.

"Strawberry?" He asked judgmentally.

"What about it?" I asked, putting it back down on the counter.

"Chocolates better," he stated, eating another fry. I shook my head.

"I'm gonna have to disagree with you on this one," I told him, taking another fry.

"Why are you taking my fries?" He asked, lowkey annoyed.

"Because you haven't stopped me yet," I replied, grinning as I ate it in one bite. The corners of his lips turned up as he shook his head, running a hand up the back of his neck.

"So tell me," I continued after taking a sip of my mediocre milkshake, "what's your name, angsty-diner-boy?" He let out a soft chuckle at the nickname.

"Blake," he said, and my heart skipped a beat- it is him. This could be a breakthrough for the case. "And you are?"

"Ava," I told him and grinned as I took another sip, barely getting anything since the straw was too thin.

"Did you get in a fight?" I asked, gesturing to his busted lip. His eyes flickered away from mine, as if he remembered what had just happened and it sparked a subtle anger within him.

"Yup," he kept his gaze away from mine and on his fries.

"Lemme guess- someone crashed your frat party?" I fake pouted, and he rolled his eyes over to me with a snicker.

"Yeah, right," he took a deep sigh before deciding to continue, "my step-father is an asshole." You got that right.

"Your step-dad punched you?" I acted surprised.

"Well I mean, I punched him first, but yeah," he shrugged. "I don't know why the fuck my mom even married that prick anyway."

"Have you asked her?" I questioned, noticing him immediately tense up as the emotion in his eyes turned heavier.

"Nah, she uh, she's been missing for about a week," he told me. My throat immediately knotted in my throat. Holy shit. It was difficult for me to hide my expression before he continued.