Deadly Pleasure

Chapter 4

Next day began without any trace of murder that had taken place in the front of my café yesterday. I stared for five seconds at the normal sidewalk without any body or blood before huffing and entering the shop. Lucia was already there and handling a wailing and complaining old woman. She signaled me to not interfere knowing my overenthusiastic responses with unruly customers. I shrugged and went to my place behind the counter listening to the banter.

"I want my money back! What you gave me there was poison!" she exclaimed angrily as Lucia tried to shush down her volume.

I snickered and opened my laptop to once again hope that somehow magically my profits increase. When I saw the balance and my mood was successfully squashed down to a pulp, an unwelcome person visited our homely café. Lucia shuddered when she spotted Mr. Dark and Dangerous sit at his usual spot. It was Friday and her turn to serve him his order. I stopped her with my hand and she raised her eyebrow.

Ignoring her horrorstruck eyes as I walked towards him, I made a mental speech hoping it was aggressive and powerful enough to scare him away. His eyes met mine and for a moment, I forgot all that I had prepared. His eyes had the colour of melted dark chocolate and I almost slapped myself for even comparing something of this man to that of that delicious thing.

My breath hitched as I stopped in front of him. His eyebrow was already quirked up in question and I tried my best to not make a fool out of myself.

"You're not allowed in this café anymore," I blurted out with no stammer and I heard a gasp behind me. Lucia had followed me and was just standing behind me.

"Of course she doesn't mean that. Holly likes to play such pranks on customers," she tried to cut in but I snapped. "You don't know this man, Lucia. He's not allowed in here."

"Holly," she glared at me but I overlooked her and saw the man smiling. He turned to look at Lucia and said politely, "I have no idea what's wrong but can I get my regular?"

She immediately brightened up and replied, "Of course!"

I scoffed and rolled my eyes at her reaction to him. As soon as she left my space, I turned to the man with narrowed eyes.

"I was being serious. Maybe the Starbucks right in front of us will be more welcoming to your charming presence," I told him with a straight face and a very sexy smile broke out on his beautiful smile.

"You, my dear, are probably the only person who makes me smile and want to kill at the same time," he said with a charming smile.

I sighed and changed tactics. "I am shit scared, okay? I don't want anything like that to happen again! Or at least witness. I promise I won't utter a word."

"You are shit at acting," he said seriously and then smiled brightly. I quirked my eyebrow up as Lucia placed his order in front of him. "This one is on us. Please excuse Holly's less than amiable behaviour."

"Lucia," I muttered in a warning tone and she pinched my butt from behind. It was then I knew she was really pissed with me. The last time Lucia pinched me on the hand was six months back when I almost berated a customer for not counting his change properly. I had patience issues.

"No, it's fine. I'll pay double for this. I understand the last time I was here, Holly was very mad at me for not paying." Something tickled inside me when he said my name. Lucia continued to entertain him with her sweet and very boss like attitude. Sometimes I really think I should let her take the reins to run the café. I apparently suck at it.

Sighing, I knew this was a lost game; I walked back to my place behind the counter. Fixing a coffee for me, I jumped when Lucia tapped me on my shoulder. She was glaring holes in my face and my whole body judging by her anger when she uttered slowly, "We need to talk."