Blackfall: No More Restraint

Coffee and Bad Decisions

Chapter 3

Elara Finch discovered three things the morning after meeting Blackfall. First, sleep was apparently optional when the most wanted man in Ashfall City had decided to appear outside your apartment. Second, her mother had somehow developed a sixth sense for detecting emotional distress and had sent seven messages before eight in the morning, all of them variations of Are you okay?, Did something happen?, and the increasingly suspicious You know you can tell me things, right? Third, and perhaps most importantly, Elara had discovered that the human brain was apparently incapable of behaving normally after being told that a dangerous man had been watching you for three weeks and then hearing him whisper that you made him curious. She had spent half the night staring at her ceiling, replaying the conversation until she had become thoroughly annoyed with herself. It wasn't even what he had said. It was the way he had said it. Kael Arden had spoken as though every word had been carefully selected and every silence between them had been deliberate. He had stood close enough for her to notice the faint scent of rain clinging to his coat, close enough that she had been painfully aware of the fact that he was taller than her, close enough that when he lowered his voice beside her ear, every sensible thought in her head had briefly abandoned ship. It had been ridiculous. She had known him for approximately five minutes. Five minutes. Yet somehow, by two in the morning, she had found herself lying beneath her blanket thinking about his eyes.

Which was why, at six forty-three the next morning, Elara walked into the café looking like a woman who had personally declared war on sleep and lost.

Daniel looked up from behind the counter.

He stared.

Elara stared back.

"Don't."

"I haven't said anything."

"You were about to."

"I was going to say good morning."

"You were going to ask if I slept."

"I was."

"I didn't."

Daniel's eyebrows rose.

"Interesting."

"Not interesting."

"Very interesting."

"Daniel."

"Extremely interesting."

Elara dropped her bag beneath the counter and began tying her apron with more aggression than the fabric deserved. "If you say the words Blackfall or Kael Arden before I've had coffee, I will resign."

Daniel immediately reached for the coffee machine.

"Coffee?"

"Please."

"Strong?"

"Stronger."

"How strong?"

"Strong enough to erase memories."

Daniel nodded solemnly. "I'll see what I can do."

Elara turned away before he could see the smile she was fighting.

She hated that he knew her too well.

She hated even more that he was going to notice something had changed.

Because something had.

Not something enormous. Not something she could put into words. It wasn't as though she'd suddenly developed feelings for a stranger. That would be insane. Kael Arden was dangerous. He was wanted by the Vanguard Authority. He had spent years appearing on news broadcasts beside words like threat level, violent confrontation, and public danger. He could apparently manipulate gravity, which was a particularly unpleasant ability to possess if one happened to have a strong preference for remaining attached to the ground. There were probably at least twenty sensible reasons why she should avoid him.

Unfortunately, her brain had apparently decided to focus on the one reason why she wanted to see him again.

Curiosity.

That was all.

Curiosity was harmless.

Curiosity was normal.

Curiosity did not mean attraction.

Elara repeated that thought three times while wiping down the counter.

At six fifty-two, the café doors opened.

She looked up.

An elderly regular entered.

At six fifty-four, a university student entered.

At six fifty-seven, a delivery driver entered.

At seven twelve, Daniel leaned over the counter and whispered, "You're looking at the door every thirty seconds."

"I am not."

"You absolutely are."

"I am watching the customers."

"The customers aren't standing outside."

Elara glared at him.

Daniel smiled.

Then the bell above the door rang.

Elara looked up.

And forgot what she had been about to say.

Kael Arden walked into the café.

He wasn't wearing the black coat from last night. Instead, he wore a simple dark shirt beneath a long charcoal jacket, black trousers, and boots that looked considerably too expensive to have ever seen the inside of an ordinary café. His dark hair was slightly damp from the morning rain, and a few strands had fallen across his forehead. He looked completely out of place among the mismatched tables, cheap wooden chairs, chalkboard menus, and cheerful little plants Elara had spent months trying not to kill.

The café went quiet.

Not completely.

But enough.

A spoon stopped halfway to someone's mouth.

A conversation died.

A woman near the window stared openly.

Daniel froze.

Elara's stomach dropped.

Kael looked around the room.

He didn't seem bothered by the attention.

He never seemed bothered by anything.

Then his eyes found hers.

And there it was again.

That look.

Not the cold stare she'd seen on the news.

Not the expression of the man standing beneath a streetlamp while cars floated around him.

Something quieter.

Something almost amused.

He walked toward the counter.

Elara's heart began beating faster.

She hated that.

"Morning," he said.

His voice was exactly as she remembered.

Low.

Calm.

Smooth enough to be irritating.

"You're here."

He glanced around.

"So it appears."

She folded her arms.

"Do you usually enter buildings by stating the obvious?"

"No."

"Good."

"I usually enter through the roof."

Elara blinked.

Kael's expression didn't change.

She stared at him.

Then realized he was joking.

She laughed.

It escaped before she could stop it.

Kael's mouth twitched.

Daniel looked between them as if he'd just discovered a new species.

Elara cleared her throat.

"What can I get you?"

"Coffee."

She glanced at the menu.

"We have several kinds."

"Black."

"Of course."

She reached for a cup.

"Anything else?"

Kael looked at her.

"Not yet."

Something about the way he said it made her fingers pause.

Not yet.

She looked up.

He was still watching her.

Elara decided she had suddenly become very interested in the coffee machine.

"One black coffee."

"Thank you."

She poured the coffee.

When she turned back, Kael had chosen a table in the corner.

Of course he had.

The same corner from which he could see the entire café.

She carried the cup over.

He looked at it.

Then at her.

"You're staring."

"So are you."

"I asked first."

Elara put the coffee down.

"You're a terrible liar."

"I wasn't lying."

"Then why are you staring?"

Kael leaned back slightly.

"Because you're interesting."

There it was again.

That word.

Elara's cheeks warmed.

She refused to acknowledge it.

"That's a strange thing to say to someone you barely know."

"I know more about you than you think."

She stared at him.

"That is not reassuring."

"I didn't intend it to be."

She should have walked away.

Instead, she sat down across from him.

Kael looked mildly surprised.

Elara immediately regretted it.

"Don't make that face."

"What face?"

"The one you're making."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You look pleased."

"I am."

She narrowed her eyes.

"You really are arrogant."

"So I've been told."

"Frequently?"

"Very."

She laughed again.

Kael took a sip of his coffee.

Elara watched him over the rim of her own cup.

There was something strange about sitting across from him like this.

On television, Blackfall looked like a force of nature.

Here, he looked like a man drinking coffee.

A very intimidating man drinking coffee.

But still a man.

That distinction felt important.

"So," she said, "why are you here?"

Kael set his cup down.

"Coffee."

She stared.

"You came here because of coffee."

"Yes."

"You walked across half the district."

"Yes."

"In the rain."

"Yes."

"After spending three weeks watching this place."

His eyes met hers.

"Yes."

Elara leaned back.

"You are terrible at this."

"At what?"

"Normal conversation."

"I don't have much practice."

"Clearly."

A faint smile appeared.

Elara found herself smiling too.

It was absurd.

She was sitting across from Blackfall and teasing him about his conversational skills.

Somewhere in Ashfall City, a Vanguard analyst was probably having a nervous breakdown just imagining this scene.

The thought almost made her laugh.

Kael noticed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You smiled."

"So?"

"I wanted to know why."

She looked at him.

"You're very observant."

"I notice things."

"Apparently."

He held her gaze for a moment.

Then his eyes shifted toward the window.

His expression changed.

It was subtle.

So subtle that Elara almost missed it.

The amusement disappeared.

The warmth vanished.

His attention focused on something outside.

Elara followed his gaze.

Across the street stood a black sedan.

Her stomach tightened.

The same kind of car from last night.

Kael stood.

Elara looked at him.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

"That's clearly not nothing."

He walked toward the window.

Elara followed.

The sedan remained parked across the street.

Kael watched it.

The vehicle started.

Slowly pulled away.

Kael's eyes narrowed.

Elara looked at him.

"Was that the person watching me?"

"I don't know."

"You do know."

He looked down at her.

"I know someone is interested in you."

"That is not comforting."

"No."

"Could you try being comforting?"

"No."

She sighed.

"You're really bad at this."

"So I've been told."

He looked back toward the street.

Elara crossed her arms.

"Are you going to keep watching me?"

His eyes returned to hers.

"Yes."

She blinked.

"At least pretend to think about lying."

"I don't lie to you."

That answer caught her off guard.

Before she could respond, the café door opened.

A young man walked in.

Elara recognized him immediately.

"Mark?"

Mark smiled.

"Hey."

Elara smiled back.

Kael's expression became unreadable.

Mark walked toward the counter.

"I didn't know you worked mornings."

"Usually."

"I've been meaning to ask—"

Kael looked at him.

Mark stopped.

It wasn't dramatic.

Kael didn't threaten him.

Didn't say anything.

He simply looked at him.

Mark's smile slowly disappeared.

Elara looked between them.

"Kael."

"What?"

"Stop intimidating my customers."

"I'm not."

Mark swallowed.

Elara gave Kael a pointed look.

Kael sighed.

"Fine."

Mark glanced nervously at him.

Then at Elara.

"Are you free tonight?"

Kael's eyes moved toward him again.

Elara noticed.

Oh.

Oh, this was interesting.

She looked at Kael.

He was pretending not to care.

He was also holding his coffee cup slightly too tightly.

Elara fought a smile.

"I'm not sure."

Mark nodded.

"Okay. Well, if you are, maybe we could—"

"She has plans."

Kael said it so casually that it took Elara a second to process what he'd said.

She slowly turned toward him.

"I do?"

Kael looked at her.

"Yes."

"What plans?"

His eyes held hers.

"Me."

Silence.

Daniel dropped a spoon behind the counter.

Someone near the window coughed.

Mark looked like he desperately wanted the floor to open.

Elara stared at Kael.

He took another sip of coffee.

Completely calm.

Like he hadn't just announced to an entire café that Elara Finch had plans with Blackfall.

Her face heated.

"You can't just decide I have plans."

"I just did."

"That's not how plans work."

"It is now."

Mark looked at Elara.

"Should I...?"

"Probably."

He left.

The bell above the door jingled.

Elara waited until he was gone.

Then she turned slowly toward Kael.

"You."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Me."

"What was that?"

"I saved you."

"I didn't need saving."

"You looked uncomfortable."

"I was perfectly capable of saying no."

"I know."

"Then why did you interfere?"

Kael leaned forward.

"Because I didn't like him asking."

Elara stared.

"Why?"

He didn't answer.

She leaned closer.

"Kael."

His eyes lifted to hers.

"I didn't like it."

"That isn't an answer."

"It is the one you're getting."

She smiled.

"Oh."

"What?"

"You're jealous."

Kael's expression went completely blank.

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I'm not."

"You absolutely are."

He stared at her.

She smiled wider.

"You are."

Kael slowly leaned back.

"You seem very pleased with yourself."

"I am."

He watched her for several seconds.

Then he stood.

Elara's smile faltered.

Kael stepped closer.

Once.

Then again.

He stopped directly in front of her.

She had to tilt her head upward to meet his eyes.

His voice dropped.

"You enjoy making me jealous."

Elara's heart stumbled.

"Maybe."

His eyes flicked briefly to her lips.

Then back to her eyes.

"That's dangerous."

"Are you threatening me?"

"No."

He leaned slightly closer.

"I'm warning you."

Her breath caught.

For one second, the café disappeared.

There was only him.

His voice.

His eyes.

The faint scent of rain and coffee.

The space between them.

Kael lifted one hand.

Elara didn't move.

His fingers brushed a loose strand of hair away from her cheek.

The touch was gentle.

Almost painfully so.

He tucked the strand behind her ear.

His fingertips lingered for half a second.

Then he stepped away.

The sudden absence of his warmth felt ridiculous.

Elara stared at him.

Kael picked up his coffee.

"I'll see you tonight."

She blinked.

"Tonight?"

He looked over his shoulder.

"You have plans."

Then he walked out.

The café remained silent for three full seconds after the door closed.

Daniel slowly emerged from behind the counter.

Elara didn't look at him.

"Don't."

"I didn't say anything."

"You were about to."

"I was."

"Don't."

Daniel looked toward the door.

Then back at her.

"Elara."

"What?"

"That man is absolutely obsessed with you."

Elara stared at the door.

Her fingers touched the spot beside her ear where Kael's hand had been.

She swallowed.

"Yeah."

For the first time, she didn't sound entirely bothered by it.

Outside, Kael walked beneath the morning rain with his hands in his pockets and the faintest trace of a smile on his face.

He had come to the café because he wanted coffee.

That was what he told himself.

The fact that he had deliberately left the moment another man asked Elara out was irrelevant.

The fact that he had touched her hair because he wanted to know what it felt like was also irrelevant.

And the fact that he was already thinking about coming back tomorrow was—

Kael stopped walking.

He closed his eyes.

"Unbelievable."

For the first time in years, Blackfall had encountered an opponent he couldn't overpower.

A woman with no Anomaly.

No weapon.

No army.

No special training.

Just a smile, a sharp tongue, and an irritating habit of looking at him as though he were something more than the monster everyone else believed him to be.

Kael opened his eyes.

He continued walking.

He already knew he'd be back tomorrow.

He just hoped Elara wouldn't realize how quickly he'd become addicted to seeing her smile.