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You didn’t recognize Aleksander Kirigan the first time he came into your café. Which explained his smile when you asked him for his name for the order. It was only after he left that one of your coworkers informed you of his identity and then you felt like an idiot. Kirigan ran the largest and best school in the country for Grisha to hone their skills. He was the very public, and very pretty, face of Grisha rights with connections throughout the political and social hierarchy of your country and several others. The only excuse you had was that you’d been awake since 4 am and everyone blended together by eight.
After his initial visit, Aleksander came in at least three times a week, though he never had to give his name again. His smiles turned into a kind word or two which eventually turned into full conversations. Until finally, he asked you on a date. When he wasn’t wrapped up in his responsibilities for the school, he often parked himself at a table in the corner with some work while you kept his coffee full.
At first, you’d believed it was simply a way for him to spend more time with you. It hadn’t taken long for you to discover that wasn’t the only reason. It was a warm spring morning, sunlight pouring through the windows when a man entered your little café with a frown on his face. That in itself wasn’t unusual. The fact he waited for the line to empty without ever entering it himself before stepping up to the counter was more so.
“What can I get for you?” you asked, your usual smile on full display.
“You’re her. I knew you fucking were,” he said in lieu of a response.
“Excuse me?”
“You’re the Darkling’s bitch.”
It was the room behind the asshole that grew dark first, so you supposed you couldn’t blame him for not noticing immediately.
“Nice to meet you,” you said with a wide smile.
“You stupid—” He’d barely gotten the gun out of his pocket when a blade made of pure shadow cut through the weapon along with the hand holding it.
The man screamed and Aleks slid over a chair for him to fall into. “Towel,” he said with a glance to you. You tossed him one and he pressed it to what remained of the man’s hand. “Keep that there.”
After a quick call to summon the authorities, he turned to look at you with a blank expression. “Nice to meet you?”
Your lips twitched as you bit back an ill-advised smile. “It’s not like you were about to let anything happen to me.”
“While that is true, a smidge of self-preservation wouldn’t be the worst thing, would it?”
You simply grinned and he shook his head as he turned to address the officers that had just entered. While he was occupied you started shutting down the machines and cleaning up what you needed to close for the day. You didn’t have to make a statement simply because Aleksander Kirigan said you didn’t.
Once the man had been removed by medics with the officers following behind, you locked the door, flipped the sign to closed and taped another to the glass. Aleks’ gaze followed you as you stepped back behind the counter to grab a mop which you then pressed into his hands. “Make yourself useful.”
He huffed a laugh but cleaned the floor without a word. “You seem remarkably calm for what you just experienced,” he said when he’d finished.
You had already gathered his things and handed him the bag as you stepped into his space. Your hands rested on his chest. “I am never afraid when you are near, Aleksander. I don’t know how else I can convey that to you.”
His eyes studied your face for a beat before he pressed his lips to yours. After a moment, he shifted to take your hand in his. He led you out the door. “Ivan is waiting at the corner for us.”
You nodded as you locked up. It was only then he saw the sign you’d taped to the glass. Closed due to anti-grisha assholes. Underneath you’d written Assholes 0, Darkling 1.