Arrow to the Heart: A Dark Cupid Romance

Chapter 13

ＤＥＣＬＡＮ

══════════════════

I've done a lot of bad shit in my life. I'm pretty sure it's coming due right now.

I pull into a parking spot in the structure across the street from the restaurant. It's a couple of floors up at the edge of the structure, and if I really needed to, I could probably get out of the car and have a clear view of the entrance.

"Get your earbud out," I say, pulling the hand brake as I turn to Eli.

He takes an earbud out of his pocket and holds it up pinched between his fingers.

"We really gonna do this?" he asks with a raised brow.

"You were the one who volunteered yourself."

"Yeah, for a dinner date. Not for letting you listen in while I go out with your dream girl."

"Then you should've kept your mouth shut. But no, you decide you've just gotta fuck with me and take Bree out. It's your own damn fault."

"I never expected you to turn it into a spy mission. But clearly I underestimated how deeply, deeply unhinged you are."

"Just put in the damn earbud."

He reluctantly slips the earbud into his ear and pulls out his phone to connect it.

"You know, if you want to go on a date with the woman, you don't have to do it vicariously through me."

"I would be happy not to listen in on your bullshit 'date', but you've proven you can't be trusted, so here we are."

"Please. I was backing your play."

"I'm sure your intention was totally innocent. Which is why you'll have no problem letting me listen in."

"You're paranoid, you know that? Always convinced I have these sinister plans."

"I know you well enough to know I should never leave you alone with Bree."

"And why's that? She is just a friend, isn't she? What could possibly be the issue?" He raises his eyebrows as if he's daring me to say otherwise.

"Have a great time on your 'date' Eli." My voice is tense and clipped.

I open a call to him and he answers it, then slips the phone in his jacket pocket. I mute my own phone and set it on the dash.

He grabs my shoulder and squeezes, looking into my eyes.

"You asked for this one, buddy."

He exits the car and the door closes with an unceremonious thump.

I sigh and put my phone on speaker, hearing nothing but the shuffle of Eli's walk and street noise in the background. After a couple minutes, I look at the clock and start to wonder what Bree's up to. She's supposed to meet Eli in ten minutes.

Did she dress up for him?

I grab my phone and hop out of the car, walking over to the edge of the parking structure to get a look at the restaurant, just in time to see Eli opening the door and heading inside. He's wearing a black bomber jacket, a dark blue fitted T-shirt, and dark jeans that are way too tight. It makes my balls hurt just looking at them.

Ouch.

I wish I could say he doesn't look good, but he does. That's one of the things about Eli—he's fit, tall, and so attractive it's fucking annoying. His clothes are always impeccably tailored and the man oozes charm. My Cupid markings always made me look like a punk, a juvenile delinquent in the making. Not Eli. No, he looks like a rockstar. There wasn't a girl in our high school who didn't swoon over him, even though it was pretty obvious they were barking up the wrong tree.