Chapter 2 - She Thought He Was Just a Dangerous Customer Until Men Started Hunting Her
Sadie noticed the men outside before she noticed Silas changing.
They stood across from Marty's Diner in dark coats.
Too still.
Too deliberate.
Normal people moved.
These men watched.
One touched his ear every few minutes.
Another never looked inside directly.
He kept watching the reflections in the windows.
Sadie had worked the closing shift for three years.
She knew drunks.
She knew cops.
She knew lovers having public arguments.
She knew people waiting for buses.
These men were something else.
When Silas arrived at ten-fifteen, she immediately pointed outside.
“Your friends are back.”
Silas didn't look.
“I don't have friends.”
“That's sad.”
“I have employees.”
Sadie frowned.
“That's worse.”
He sat.
She poured coffee.
“You're tense.”
“So are you.”
“Because you're staring at those men.”
Silas finally looked toward the window.
His jaw tightened.
“Go into the kitchen.”
“Why?”
“Please.”
Sadie stopped.
The word sounded strange coming from him.
“You said please.”
“Yes.”
“Now I'm definitely staying.”
“Sadie.”
She smiled faintly.
“I'm not leaving you alone with suspicious strangers.”
Silas looked at her.
Then he realized something.
She wasn't afraid of him.
She was worried about him.
That was new.
Very new.
Before he could answer, the diner door opened.
A man entered.
Mid-thirties.
Black jacket.
Hands in pockets.
He smiled at Silas.
“Mercer.”
Silas didn't move.
“Elliot.”
Sadie looked between them.
The man was not friendly.
“I heard you found religion in prison.”
Silas's eyes became flat.
“Did you come here to talk?”
“No.”
Elliot's gaze shifted to Sadie.
“Then who is she?”
“My employee,” Silas said.
Sadie's eyebrows rose.
“Excuse me?”
Elliot smiled.
“Don't worry, sweetheart.”
Silas stood.
“Leave.”
Elliot laughed.
“You don't give orders anymore.”
Silas took one step forward.
“You're right.”
His voice was quiet.
“I give warnings.”
The entire diner seemed to shrink.
Sadie had never seen a room change because of a person's voice.
Now she understood how.
Elliot stared at Silas.
Then he smiled.
“Tomorrow.”
He walked out.
Sadie waited until the door closed.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
“People don't look at you like that when it's nothing.”
Silas sat down.
“You should go home.”
“I am home.”
“Your apartment.”
She blinked.
“How do you know I have an apartment?”
Silas realized his mistake.
He knew too much already.
Sadie crossed her arms.
“Who are you?”
He looked at her.
“Silas.”
“I know your name.”
“No.”
She stared.
Then understanding flashed.
“Oh.”
Silas didn't move.
Sadie whispered:
“Silas Mercer?”
He nodded.
Her face drained of color.
She had heard stories.
Every neighborhood had stories.
A man who owned warehouses.
A man whose enemies disappeared.
A man who went to prison and somehow came out richer.
A man whose name people avoided saying after midnight.
She looked at the door.
Then back at him.
“You're him.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“You didn't ask.”
“That is a terrible answer.”
“It's the true one.”
She grabbed the counter.
“You're dangerous.”
“Yes.”
“You have people watching this diner.”
“Yes.”
“And now everyone who sees me with you knows that I know you.”
Silas stood.
“I'll make sure they leave you alone.”
Sadie laughed in disbelief.
“That's not how it works.”
“It is now.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You don't get to decide that.”
Silas stared.
Nobody spoke to him like that.
Except her.
Again.
Always her.
Then one of the windows shattered.
Sadie screamed.
Silas grabbed her and pulled her to the floor.
A bullet lodged in the wall.
The lights went out.
“Stay down.”
“I know what down means!”
Another shot.
Silas moved toward the kitchen.
He gave one silent signal.
The men outside answered.
Seconds later, gunfire erupted in the street.
Sadie pressed herself against the wall.
She hated that she was shaking.
She hated more that Silas noticed.
He crouched beside her.
“Look at me.”
She did.
“Breathe.”
“I am breathing.”
“Slowly.”
She tried.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
His hand remained against her shoulder.
Steady.
Warm.
“You're okay.”
“You don't know that.”
“I do.”
“How?”
“Because you're with me.”
She stared at him.
Then she said quietly:
“That's what scares me.”
He had no answer.
The attackers fled.
Nobody inside was seriously injured.
But Sadie couldn't stop shaking.
Silas looked at the broken window.
“Pack a bag.”
“No.”
“Sadie.”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“I won't leave you here.”
“Then stay.”
The answer stopped him.
“Stay?”
She swallowed.
“Just for tonight.”
Silas slowly nodded.
That night, Sadie slept in the diner apartment upstairs.
Silas sat outside the door.
He didn't sleep.
At four in the morning, Sadie opened the door.
“You're still there.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I said I'd stay.”
She stared.
“You really don't sleep?”
“Sometimes.”
“You're strange.”
“So are you.”
She smiled.
Then she held something out.
A lemon candy.
Silas looked at it.
“You kept one.”
“I always keep one.”
He took it.
“Thank you.”
She sat beside him.
Their shoulders touched.
Neither moved away.
And for the first time since prison, Silas realized he had found a place where nobody was asking him to be feared.
May you like
Sadie only wanted him to be honest.
That was much harder.
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