Midnight Roots (Silver Creek Ranch)

Chapter Six

Heston

Last night was good. I still have a night terror, but Tessa's cries soothed me. She could never imagine what she would be in for. I hitch myself into my truck in the morning and calmly drive toward town. Breakfast at the Catch + Candle sounds like a fine idea. Cece said she was replacing Tessa with someone new.

I hope it’s the girl I saw yesterday. I’m almost excited to find out.

I pull up to the Catch + Candle and throw my truck into park. I glance down at the passenger footwell and see a lipstick. It must have fallen out of Tessa's handbag. I pick it up, and when I get out, I throw it in the back of the truck. It can just live there until whenever .

I stroll through the front door, and I pause. A beautiful woman is standing behind the counter—it’s her.

She reminds me of my last happy thought.My last happy memory before my life went to hell was being at Mom's house. We made candy apples dipped in fresh caramel, reminiscent of her flawless skin. Her hair reminds me of the perfect intricacy of Mom's homemade baskets, where we kids would take the apples to the local old folks' home to brighten up their day.

I clear my throat and walk through to the grill section, having hesitated too long. Cece has done well in hiring this one. She's more beautiful than any woman I've seen before.

I sit my ass down in my usual spot and take my ball cap off, hanging it on my knee.

Cece comes over with a smile and sits down beside me. "How are things going? "

"Better than expected," I say calmly. "Who's the new girl?"

"I'll introduce you to her. She's new to the hospitality industry, so go easy on her," Cece pats my shoulder and walks behind the counter. She comes back with the new server and smiles. "Dillon, this is Heston, he's a regular. You make sure you treat him well."

"Yes, ma'am," Dillon says and takes out her notebook. "What can I get you for breakfast, Heston?"

"A breakfast burger with chips and a glass of orange juice will be nice." I decide to make it an easy order for her. She jots everything down and gives me a warm smile.

"I'll be right back with your order." She heads over to the kitchen side and hands up the order before she looks around for the orange juice .

Cece goes to her rescue and directs her to the fridge underneath the counter.

She gets a clean glass, rinses it out just in case and fills it with orange juice before she brings it to me. "Do you want a straw with that?"

"No, thank you," I say, taking the glass and sipping it.

She nods and hurries off to check on the cafe side.

Cece sits beside me and looks at me.

"Well, how is your day going?" I ask.

Cece starts to talk, telling me about having to train the new girl and worried she's going to break a lot of dishes. I listen attentively, nodding in all the right places. Really, my mind is on Dillon. She is beautiful, and her skin glistens in the heat despite the fans in the diner .

The cook smacks the belle and yells, "Order up."

Dillon comes hurrying back, grabs the plate with the burger and chips, and sets it in front of me. "Any sauces or anything that I can get you? Top up that orange juice?"

"I'm okay, thanks," I say with a smile. "You're doing great. Keep up the hard work."

She blushes, and the coloring in her cheeks is enough to drive me wild. What I wouldn't do to give her other reasons to turn those sorts of shades.

Cece goes off to help in the cafe while I start on my burger. My mind drifts back to Tessa—Young Tessa, who is currently hanging from the beams in my spare room. Cuffed in irons is what I would say. Her body stretching as gravity drags her naked form down. She cried when I whipped her breasts, but they always start crying in the beginning. It's what they're made of in the end that matters most.

I remember the war, the torture that the other men and I did on the prostitutes. It's what wakes me up most nights. We would fuck them with whatever we found handy, breakable or not. We had a wine bottle break in a girl’s pussy once, and she bled out. The images still sit seared into my brain forever.

Some of the guys used her blood as war paint as a joke. I could have stopped it, but I didn't. Just like I could have stopped Tessa, but she has been asking for it. She threw herself around like a cheap hooker. She should have been more careful. There is prey and predator, and I'm not the one being hunted.

I never am.

I hunt .

No.

I trap. I lure in and trap. I don't actively hunt; I am just my charming hermit self, and they are attracted to me like flies. Stable income, stable home, truck. The American dream. Who wouldn't want a piece of that pie? Talking about pie.

I wave down Dillon as she checks in on me, and I finish my burger. "I'll take a slice of key lime pie and a cup of coffee."

"Coming right up. Just plain coffee?"

I nod. "Black, just from the coffee pot is fine."

She hurries off to get my request, and I watch her ass as she walks off. She has a well-rounded butt. The things I would do to it. Cece looks at me knowingly, and I smile at her. She knows something about my demons, even if it's not everything. Even if it barely scratches the surface.

Dillon brings my pie and coffee and sets it down in front of me. "You can bring the check."

Dillon bounces off, and there's something about her small, perky breasts bouncing with her that sets me off. I dig into my pie, happy for the distraction from where my thoughts truly wander.