Meet Me by Dawn (By Dawn series book 1) ✓

Chapter 9

Edited.

I followed Atticus' directions and ended up a little outside of town, stopping by a large garage. If he intended to sell me or traffic me, then this was the place to do it. The place looked well-kept, with different cars lined up on each side of the gravel lot. He pressed a button on a key he took out of his pocket, and the large garage door opened.

"Drive inside," he said, unfastening his belt. I parked next to a big black Chevy with dark shaded windows. It looked expensive. I made a mental note of the type and model; I would have to Google it later.

Wouldn't it be weird for a guy who owned small businesses in a small town to afford expensive cars? Yes, it would.

"Is that yours?" I asked when he opened my door.

"Indeed," he replied, smiling, and allowed me to step out and look around. On one wall of the vast garage, there were plenty of tools and a long workbench lined along it. There were a few guys working on a car, but they didn't say much besides greeting Atticus.

I followed Atticus through a door into what I assumed was the office. The first thing I saw was an older lady – the 'bella'. She greeted us with a warm smile from behind a desk, where she seemed to be sorting through some papers and stapling them together.

"Dana has troubles with her car again. She says she needs it fixed now, and she'll be here in a few minutes tops," the old lady said. Dana Mikaelson. Maybe she was the bella. Her name was on my list; how convenient. Befriending Atticus didn't seem like the stupidest idea so far.

"She hurries me down here, and she's not even here," Atticus muttered with a bitter laugh. The old lady's gray eyes fell upon me as she reached out her hand.

"I'm Linda, and who is this young lady?" she asked.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Emilia," I replied, shaking her hand, relieved that the 'bella' wasn't his wife or something. The place smelled like oil, iron, and sweat. People walked back and forth through the door to the main garage with papers and tools sticking out of the back pockets of their jeans.

"Did she even say what was wrong?" Atticus mumbled, leaning on the desk, overseeing whatever she was doing. Then, giving me a quick glance and a smile, he turned his attention back to Linda.

I turned on my heel and looked around, leaving them to talk. I went to one of the big windows that overlooked the lot. A very luxurious, sleek black car rolled up, and a jaw-dropping gorgeous woman stepped out, this was definitely the bella. She wore a white crop top and navy-blue shorts, and her long black hair was pulled back in a high ponytail. It was unusually warm in this part of Ireland, with a new heat wave expected next week. I pulled my T-shirt to let some air through, but it didn't help. I watched as the woman leaned on the rear of the car, crossing her arms over her chest, and then pulled out a pair of sunglasses. She didn't look the least bit happy.

"Emilia," Atticus called out from behind me, standing in the door to the garage and gesturing for me to follow.

"The car makes a strange sound," the woman said loud enough for Atticus to hear as he approached her on the gravel outside the garage. She eyed me disinterestedly as I lingered back.

"Hello," she muttered in my direction. I watched as Atticus started her car while she leaned over the car door and spoke, but I couldn't make out what she was saying – it sounded like a low, angry hiss. I leaned back against my Impala and waited. Atticus opened the hood, stuck his head in, and she said something to him. Then he turned to her, pointed his finger, and whispered, "You are too moody for me to handle right now." I tried to suppress a chuckle, but she heard me and gave me a cross look over her shoulder. Bloody hell.