Chapter 203
Chapter 203:
There was something in his tone — a knowingness — that made me pause. But I pushed the thought aside.
We sat at the small oak table. I poured the wine, the liquid dark as blood in the glass. For a moment, it felt almost normal. Just a man and a woman, sharing a meal.
“The sauce is good,” he said, his eyes locking onto mine. “You surprise me, Adella p>
“I’m not helpless, Dallas. That’s what I wanted you to see. I can take care of p>
Boom.
A loud explosion rocked the building, followed instantly by the dying whine of the refrigerator. The lights flickered once, violently, and then the world went dark.
𝘞𝗲 𝘂𝗉𝘥𝘢𝘵𝖾 𝘦𝘷е𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝖾𝖾k 𝘰𝗻
Total, suffocating darkness swallowed the room.
I gasped, freezing in my chair. My human eyes were useless — I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face.
“Dallas p>
“Transformer down the street,” his voice came from the darkness, calm and utterly unbothered. “Stay put p>
“I’m fine,” I said, my voice steady despite the adrenaline flooding through me. I stood, my hand brushing the table edge for orientation. “I have candles in the kitchen drawer. And my phone p>
I pulled my phone from my pocket and switched on the flashlight. The beam cut through the gloom, illuminating Dallas’s face. He hadn’t moved from his chair. He was watching me — not with concern, but with something closer to quiet assessment.
“I’ll get them,” I said, moving toward the kitchen. I rummaged in the drawer and found the box of long tapered candles I had bought on a whim. I placed one in the empty wine bottle on the table. “Do you have a lighter p>
“Better,” Dallas murmured.
He reached out and snapped his fingers. A small flame erupted from his thumb, hovering there like something conjured. He touched it to the wick.
The candle flared, casting warm, dancing shadows across his face.
“Resourceful,” he noted, his eyes gleaming in the candlelight.
“I told you,” I said, sitting back down. “I can manage p>
He didn’t return to his meal. Instead, he rose and moved past me toward the hallway.
“Dallas, where are you going p>
“It’s getting cold. The heating is electric,” he called back.
A moment later, he returned with a folded blanket — soft, gray cashmere. He walked to me and draped it over my shoulders, his knuckles grazing the nape of my neck. The touch sent a jolt of electricity down my spine, making me shiver more than the cold ever could.
“Better?” he asked, looking down at me.
I touched the fabric, frowning. “Where did you get this p>
“The hall closet. Top shelf p>
A cold drop of unease landed somewhere in my chest.
I stared at him. “I haven’t opened that closet yet,” I said slowly, my voice barely above a whisper. “I moved in three days ago. I’ve been organizing, putting things where I want them. But I haven’t touched that closet. I didn’t even know there were blankets in there p>