FALLEN: A New Adult Romance (First of the FALLEN Trilogy)

Lust, Greed & Other Sins

I follow her through the restaurant's back, and she opens the freezer's large metal door for me. I get in and turn around to face her as she closes it loudly behind me.

"What the fuck is going on, Ronnie?" I let out as the cold quickly gets to me, and vapour comes out of my mouth.

"I don't know. Why didn't you tell me about him?"

"What about him? I don't know him that much, Ron. He is my publisher, not my childhood best friend."

"He's an arse. That's what he is." She lets out, and I feel a bit bad to be happy it didn't go smoothly between them.

"Why? Because you didn't get to fuck him?"

"Oh no... I did, babe. That man is a beast. That's what he is."

"Ronnie, I don't want to know, honestly. And if you were pleased, I don't get what the problem is?" I arrogantly let out as I am annoyed that she blames whatever problem she has with him on me. I never encouraged them to be together. On the contrary.

"That wanker-"

The door opens, and the manager comes in with a severe look. I think he knows we like to hide in here, but he just went in to get his lunch before he left. I don't even wait for him to reprimand us. I shift both of them and leave this place.

I shiver to the warm air in the kitchen and make my way to my post at the counter to greet the customers. Ronnie waitresses the tables, and I notice her glancing at Marcel often. I don't know what happened between them. I am not sure if I want to know... I love the girl, but the fact that she is too superficial is against my nature. It bothers me a lot, and it had peaked last night when she thought she liked Marcel from his physique when he is so much more than his looks. Plus, if she had told me what happened between them, it would have tinted the way I look at him. I have just started liking him, which is a significant step from the hate I had towards him at the beginning. I won't let a one nightstand change that. Anyway, I have already enough on my plate to deal with more drama.

I got bored after a few hours, I have secretly danced to the South African songs playing through the restaurant from behind my counter, so I decided to offer a glass of wine, on me, to Marcel. He hasn't stopped working since we got here, and I think he could enjoy this glass of red wine. I glanced at him often as I served my other tables, always so focused, and he never stopped his hands from typing. It makes me happy to see him so devoted. It excites me.

I walk to his table, and his eyes quickly find mine as he straightens himself on his chair.

"I thought you might like this," I tell him, and I slide the bottom of the glass on the wooden table.

"Thank you, Grace. You are just in time. Do you think you can sit down for a few minutes?"

"Yeah, of course. What's the worst they could do? Fire me?!" I joke and take the seat in front of him.

"I had this idea. I think we need much more depth on our characters. You always describe Darcy as supernormal with nothing making her exceptional, making her relatable to every other girl, but I think we can use that to show Harry's true colours. He doesn't see her as boring as she sees herself. She is everything but that in his eyes. So, I have written a scene where she hears him speak to his mother."

"OK? I'm listening. Did you write it already?"

"Yes. It's right after she tells him she has had enough of having to deal with all of his issues that he needs to let her in and trust her. He doesn't know how to react, so he asks her to leave him alone. She leaves, end of the scene."