Chapter Text

I lean against the wall of the Cafe, a new one Tamlin insisted on going to after the new barista at the old one was being 'too flirty' with me, I didn't think he was flirting, but it's best not to fight Tamlin. I press the button on my headphones to increase the volume as I wait for my Tea. The shop is cute. Art like I used to draw lined the walls, and some of the traditional chairs and booths are replaced with bean-bags. I scan the room for Tamlin, who had already gotten his Coffee and find him sitting at a booth, looking down at his phone, like always.

"Green tea for Feyre" A lovely low voice breaks through the pounding drums of my music. I press pause and approach the counter, not looking at whoever the barista is. I reach for my tea and touch a soft hand, my eyes lift and meet a striking pair of violet ones. I feel my cheeks turn red when he doesn't break my stare. He slowly pulls back his hands, but I find myself unable to look away from his face, from cataloging the angels of his cheeks, the exact shade of his jet black hair, the sparkle in his eyes as if I was about to paint it. I shake my head to clear it You have a fiancé

He opens his mouth to speak, but I turn to walk away before he can, I like this café and I don't want Tamlin getting the wrong idea.

"Hey Fey," Tamlin says as I slide into the booth, not looking up from his phone. I pull mine out of my pocket and try not to feel discouraged at the lack of activity, ever since I started dating Tamlin I've started seeing less and less of my friends to the point that I doubt even my own sisters would recognize me anymore.

~

"Are you ready?" Tamlin asks the first full sentence he has said to me since we arrived.

"Yes, I am" We walk out together, his arm holding mine in what I assume to be intended as a loving hold, but in reality, I am wondering if I will wake up with bruises tomorrow.

Later that night I pull out Tamlin's favorite outfit of mine, a lacy, floral barely-there set of lingerie that makes my skin crawl, but I know that if I want any chance of getting him to say yes I need to pull out all the stops. I slowly, and what I hope is seductively stroll into the room where Tamlin is sitting.

"Hey Tam," I say approaching where he is sitting on the couch. "I have a question for you," I straddle him and his hands go around my back in an odd configuration. I pull myself closer to his body so my chest rubs against his. "What would you think if I got a job?" He freezes under me.

"Feyre" He says pressing his face into her neck. "Why would you need a job?"

I push his face off my neck. "Well, I just feel so useless and lonely at home all day."

"Feyre, I need you at home, it makes it easier for me to protect you"

I accept that answer and let Tamlin press his face into my neck and mark me, but that's as far as I let him get tonight, and I sleep on the guest bed.

~

I don't wake up until after Tamlin leaves for work. I put on a green button-down over the same jeans I've worn for days. As a spur of the moment decision, I wear a blue scarf to cover the hickey Tamlin gave me last night. I walk to the café and am greeted by the same barista as yesterday.

"How may I help you on this fine day?" He asks, I glance down at his name tag Rhysand

"Can I get a large green tea please?"

While Rhysand turns to make the tea I read the sign behind him. Help needed, face paint artist, email [email protected]

"Are you interested in that job?" Rhysand asks

"No, no, no, my boyfriend would never let me."

"You shouldn't let anyone tell you what you can or can't do." He says firmly, and a part of me believes him. He hands me my green tea. I sit in one of the bean-bag chairs and sketch him while he works, and judging by how he smirks at me he knows it. He stops me before I leave.

"Listen, I know Tamlin, he has done things, if you ever need me, just call," He says handing me what looked like a business card labeled Rhys, 836-365-8364 I pocket the card.

"Stay out of my relationship," I say. I hear him call out to me, but I don't look back.

That night when I get home I send an email from the private account Tamlin doesn't monitor to the address on the poster from the café. Putting my home phone number as the contact,

I get a text from Tamlin. Going out for some drinks with my friends tonight, I'm going to be late I skip dinner in favor of hiding in my room, I don't want Tamlin to see me when he gets home, he can be rough when he's drunk. He doesn't mean to be, but I can still feel the feeling of the wall against my head from the last time he went out for drinks with his friends. I lock the guest bedroom door. He just wants to protect me but sometimes I wonder if I would be safer without him.

That night my dreams are filled with violet eyes.