75

Nerthus

Even before the thought of passing under the table to sit away from him forms in my head, his groan gets my attention.

“Is everybody alright?”

Okay, Helen, now you are pushing your luck.

“This is really good.” He says, without even looking at him, and after a few awkward seconds, she walks away nodding her head.

Just as she is out of hearing range, he tilts his head at me. “If you change your seat again without my permission, I’ll shoot her.”

I laugh, his face remaining unmoved. “You can’t be serious!”

“What about the dinner with your friends?” He asks monotonously, and I pass my tongue over my teeth.

“Where is my money?”

He shakes his head, picking the bill out of his jacket again. Showing it to me by holding it up into the air, he throws it onto the table in front of me before he takes another bite.

“My friends have families,” I answer him, pulling at the dollar bill, and unfolding it.

“And so?” He asks, slipping out of his jacket to throw it on the seats in front of us.

H