/TWO WEEKS LATER/
Samuel walked out of his room and into the living room. And he caught a familiar scent and let out a mental groan. “Hello big bro.” The sound of Max’s voice came from the sofa.
“Hello Max.” Samuel watched the game the guy in the blondified dreads was playing while listening to the sound of Max’s thumb mashing the button of his PS8 console. “Should I ask how you got in here?”
Max’s eyes remained on the screen. “Come on big bro you know that a guy’s got to have his secrets.”
Yeah secrets. He was going to have to switch apartments. “So I take it you managed to get the feds off your tail?” he asked
Max won the round with one more hit. “You know it.”
“So you heard about what happened then?” Samuel asked.
Max kept the console beside him and looked at Samuel. “I came here as soon as I could. How are you feeling?”
Samuel thought to the slash on his stomach. “As good as I can get.” He answered.
Max did not buy it. “Are you?”
Samuel replied in a low voice. “Yeah.”
Max’s eyes let go of Samuel’s face and went to where his hand tested on his lap. “I’m sorry I was not there for you.”
For all his murderous capability, Max was still a bit tender when it came to the thought of loosing those he cared about.
“Don’t beat yourself up. If you were there it would have been more work for me and none of would have gotten out alive.”
“None of us?” Max asked quizzically.
Samuel let out a deep breath and took a seat on the other seat. “My assistant and I were on the top floor when the bomb was counting down. I had to hurl us both through the glass wall before it went off. Crashed into a building and got the shit beaten out of me by those cowardly ass fuckers. Blacked out and they got to her.”
“Damn.”
Samuel continued. “She tried to help me. They nearly fried her.”
Max put his arms on the sofa head. “So how is she?”
“Worse than I am.” He answered.
“Fuck.” Samuel saw the look on his face.
“She is still alive.”
“Oh ok. What are you thinking about?” Max asked citing the look he sported.
“I have not exactly been the best boss, Max.”
“What did you do, give her a pay cut, fuck her and leave her the next morning without breakfast?”
“Not exactly.”
Max gave him a curious look. “What does that mean?”
“I fucked things over and screwed up Max.”
“And what do those mean in your vocabulary?”
Samuel stayed silent. Thinking of how he had made things more than just a bit hard because he refused to come to terms with how he felt.
“Samuel?” Max called. “So what did you do?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing Max. Forgot I said anything.”
“Ok then.”
A few seconds before Max jumoed off the sofa and stood in front of him. “I know what you need.” He declared.
Samuel was confused. “And what would that be?”
“You just need something sweet.”
“Something sweet? Really Max?” The last time Max had said something would be sweet, he was not talking about sugar.
“Yup. Always helps me when I’m in a slump. You should try it sometime.”
He seemed to be implying to actual sugar this time. “It’s worth a try. I’ll ring up–”
“Oh no no no no. If you really want to get that happy feeling, hotel or store bought stuff just won’t do…unless it’s chocolate.”
“I’ll get chocolates then.”
“You’re not getting it, are you?” Max asked. Samuel shook his head. Max sighed. “Get dressed. We’re leaving.”
“And where are we going?” Samuel asked wondering what had gotten him so chipper. The only things that managed to do that was free food and a motorcycle show.
Max grabbed his jacket from the center table. “It’s a surprise.”
So that was why he snuck himself in here. Samuel gave him a bored and pointed look. “It’s nothing even remotely dirty, I promise.” Samuel was not buying it.
“For real. You don’t even need to go all out. Just grab a T-shirt or something.”
Samuel folded his arms and just sat there.
“Stop looking at me like that. I’m telling the truth!” Max begged.
Samuel kept the pointed look on his face “I don’t believe you.”
“Oh come on!”
They took one of Samuel’s less flashy cars and followed Max’s directions. If this kid was leading him to another one of those, then he was going to beat the crap out of him. His eyes caught something he did not expect. “We’re here.” Max beamed. His excitement mirroring that of a child he had seen once standing in front of the candy aisle in the supermarket a few years back. A line of people were waiting outside a shop with a sign on it that read ‘Dazzling Confections’
Max had directed him to Rita’s bakery.
Max took off his seatbelt. “Come on. They have some yummy things in there. You’re going to love it.” If not for the central lock being keyed to his fingerprint then Max would have jumped out the car already.
Samuel drove around up a bit. Hunting for parking space here was something else. “Let me actually park first, you ten year old.”
“Whatever bro. We have got to hurry up before these guys eat up everything.”
“The stuff really that good huh?” he asked.
“You would not believe. It’s like someone managed to put a warm hug and sunlight into the batter.”
Samuel’s mind went to witch work but then remembered Rita made some of the pastries by hand and she was no witch.
“I’ll take your word for it then, cookie maniac.”
“You won’t regret it.” Max beamed.
Samuel managed to find a parking space and they got out of the car. And walked towards the bakery.
Max walked with his hands in his pockets. “By the way, big bro.”
“What?” Samuel asked, the concoction of scents making his head spin a little after being inside so long.
“You’re paying.”
Samuel turned his face to him. “Pay for your own stuff you freeloader.”
“Oh come on. You know travelling ain’t exactly easy on the pockets. And besides, you owe me.”
“And you chose to cash in that I Owe You on cookies and shortbread?”
Max gave a nervous laugh. “Of course not, the I Owe You mention is so you don’t forget.”
“Ahuh.”
They both took a look at the line. “Gosh, that’s a lot of people.” Max said. “Didn’t think the place would become so sought after but I understand.”
Samuel scanned the length of the line and the old woman in the store directly opposite clenching her fists. No way he was getting in that line. “Figure that out yourself. I’m not waiting in a line that long.”
“Who said we were going to wait in line.” Max produced a slip of paper from his wallet and smirked. “Been saving this guy for a while now and I’m cashing it in today.”
Samuel raised an eyebrow. “What is that?”
“It’s a line pass. I bought one just in case this sort of thing came up.” He answered, caressing the piece of paper.
“You really like this place don’t you?”
Max nodded. “As much as I loved Bruno.”
His motorcycle. To think of it he had not seen it and this was the first time Max had mentioned it. “That’s right. I did not see your motorcycle anywhere in the parking lot back at the building. Where did you leave it?”
“Somewhere in Geneva.” Max replied feigning tears and a lump in his throat. “But we won’t talk about him right now.”
He made it all the way to Europe? “What exactly did you do that got the FBI on your tail again?”
“I don’t know, I’m a highly sought after man. All the agencies want me because of my gorgeous looks and besides a guy has got to have his secrets.” Max answered and winked.
Samuel rolled his eyes. “You mentioned the secrets thing before and please don’t call yourself gorgeous again.”
Max grinned. “If that’s not doing it for you then, how about glorious, sexy, drool worthy–”
“Please stop.”
“Fucking dreamy, God’s greatest gift to men–”
“Okay stop or I’m not paying for anything and you can catch a ride to wherever you’re staying.”
“Ok, let’s not be too hasty!”
The place was a lot bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. Samuel had not seen or been to Rita’s bakery at all. The pictures that were taken of it did a much better job of making it look nicer than it actually was in real life.
They walked in, Max brandishing his pass like it was some kind of victory flag. The people waiting in line outside and inside, did not appreciate it. The smell of fresh bread, cakes, muffins and a whole other host of goods hit him like a gentle breeze. They grabbed him by the nose, made his mouth water and clung to his stomach and made it rumble. Max was already at the counter ordering before he could had crossed the room halfway.
With five strides he was beside Max and Samuel was sure he had already ordered half of everything on display. Sugar crazed punk. How did his teeth stand it? “Yes, we will take that too.” Max told the brunette and by we, Max meant him. “Do you have any of those peanut butter and chocolate buns?”
“They are still in the oven Sir,” The woman answered. “Will you be willing to wait?” She looed at Samuel and smiled suggestively. Samuel did not so much as acknowledge it and before he could answer the question Max beat him to it. “Yes, we’ll wait.”
The woman gave a small smile. “Fantastic. How many would you like?”
Max was quick to answer. “A dozen.”
Samuel looked at Max as the woman at the counter took his order. “Anything else Sirs?”
“Want anything else big bro?” Max asked.
Was there really anything else left to order?“ Got anything with meat in it?” Samuel asked, looking at the menu displayed above.
“We have meat pies, sausage rolls, and a variety of sandwiches.” She answered.
“Get me the meatiest one.”
“Okay, how many?”
“I’ll take just one.” He answered. The rumbling in his stomach argued over his choice.
“Will that be to go?”
Samuel nodded. “Yes.”
The woman entered their orders into the computer. “Ok, that brings your total up to five hundred and thirty eight dollars, ninety seven cents.”
Five hundred?!
“You added the buns right?” Max asked. He sounded so carefree. Because he was not the one paying more than half a grand for cinnamon rolls!
The woman smiled. “Yes don’t worry. Please have a seat, I’ll have your things packed up and sent to your table.”
Max went to a table close to the wall and sat down. Samuel followed suit except he wanted to throttle the punk.
Max tried to ignore his murderous look until he became uncomfortable. “What? You know I don’t like it when you look at me that way.”
“Really?! Five hundred dollars?!” Whoever heard of paying that much for a couple of cookies. It would not break his bank sure but still.
“You know between you and me that that much won’t make a dent in your big ass bank account.”
For fucks sake, the most expensive thing on the menu was a thirty dollar mega donut stack. Just what had Max ordered and how many?!
The bell rang, signaling someone’s entry. Samuel and Max stopped talking, the presence of darkness and danger could not be ignored. Samuel knew it and Max from personal experience did too.
Samuel’s back was to the door so he could not see but the scent was unmistakable. And the amount rolling off this guy set off alarm bells in his head.
Samuel heard his footsteps approach the counter. “Oh hello Sir. Nice to see you today. Should I get the usual?” The woman at the counter asked.
Usual? So this guy frequented this place?!
“Yeah, I’ll have the usual and three peanut butter buns.” He answered.
“Ok. Anything else?”
The next words the man uttered sent a jolt through him and it sent his wolf growling. The teeth in his mouth sharpening and lengthening.
“Is Miss Rita around today?”
The words echoed in his mind. He wanted to see Rita? He knew about Rita?! How do they know each other? What did he want with her? This guy whoever, whatever he was, he was was an obvious threat, an obvious lethal danger. He could not be anywhere near Rita.
“She called thirty minutes ago. She is on her way, would you be–” The bell at the door chimed again and Samuel recognized that scent anywhere. It made his heart race.
“Oh there she is.” The woman answered.
Cold dread wrapped its arms around him. No.
Max saw the look on his face and looked puzzled for a few seconds before his eyes widened with the realization.
“Ah, good morning Rita.” He heard the man say.
“Good morning Kalzaar, what an unexpected surprise.” Rita replied. He could almost see the smile on her face.
Samuel had never wanted anything more than to rip her away from the man.