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She shrugged out of her jacket and hung it up beside her satchel on the hook that was nailed to the grease-stained wall She grabbed a “clean” apron, put it on, then stopped in front of ht is that bad already, huh?”

I laughed and shook ular drunk asshole”

She screwed up her nose “Which one? We get so htly”

So true

She gaveand looked out to the front, her nose wrinkling again “I have to work a double today I can’t coood, but Lina… I hate people”

I laughed, the sound shooting out of me before I could stop it “Same”

We both turned and headed back out to the front I followed behind, seeing if the drunk was still out there… optimistic that one of these times he’d stu at the wall, probably thinking of all the ways he could get back at soo Because men like him were mean while drunk, but sober… he was probably a nasty bastard

I was checking to see if his food was ready when I heard the diner’s front door open I glanced overa beat before taking on an erratic note as I watched alked in The man was one I’d seen here many times over the past two months

And he was ainto gear

I didn’t know hie, occupation He always paid with cash, always kept to himself He never spoke more than as required to order his food And his expression never gave anything away No frustration, no exhaustion No pleasure or hatred Nothing It was as if he had no e in

He was tall, with short dark hair, and he carried an air around hier The power he wielded was breathtakingly clear in just the way he walked, in the way he held hith in his body was evident despite the dark clothing that shielded it from view