Chapter 26

Just then, Helen's voice cut in, her eyes fixed on the security monitor. "Guys, look."

Delilah's fingers tightened around her phone as she turned to the screen. 

Her mind spun as she watched Marco's figure shift, stepping back and glancing around. 

There was no mistaking him now: the shape of his jaw, the mess of dark hair, the athletic build that hinted at more than a casual gym habit.

"What's he doing here?" Helen's voice was quiet, her eyes darting between Delilah and the screen, uncertain. "Is... is he following you?"

Delilah could barely answer. 

Part of her wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it, another part wanted to storm outside and demand answers. 

Why was Marco here? 

Why hadn't he simply knocked, instead of skulking around like a stranger in the night?

Ruby, however, seemed to find the whole situation mildly entertaining. "Well, if he wanted to make an impression, he's certainly doing it. But maybe next time he should try the doorbell?"

Delilah's tone was a warning. "Ruby."

But her mind was elsewhere, her heart thudding in her chest. 

She couldn't deny the strange excitement, the way her skin prickled as she watched him outside, as if seeing him in this setting broke down a barrier she didn't even know existed.

The footage continued to roll, showing Marco moving away from the door at last, his shoulders still tense. 

He glanced up once, his gaze lingering on the café camera as though he knew he was being watched.

Delilah cleared her throat, feigning casualness. "I’ll… I’ll speak to him, just to avoid any… suspicion." 

She grabbed a trash bag, her expression unreadable, and started toward the back door.

Ruby muttered under her breath, her voice a quiet thread of amusement tinged with something else. 

"Delilah’s friend is kinda sus…" Her voice trailed off as a realization hit her. 

Since when did Delilah have friends? 

If anyone held the crown for not having a social life, it was Delilah. 

She narrowed her eyes, a smirk edging her lips. "That lying chick."

Beside her, Helen blinked, catching the undercurrent. "Is something wrong?"

Ruby shrugged, slipping her gaze back to her phone with a knowing look. "Well, if something is wrong, we’ll see soon enough." 

She tapped the screen, the CCTV footage now playing in her hand.

---

Outside, Delilah’s shoes tapped against the cobblestone alley as she circled around to the front door, her eyes fixed ahead with purpose. 

She came to a stop, the trash bag casually hanging at her side as she saw him there, leaning against the doorframe, his figure almost casual yet entirely out of place in the café’s alley. 

The way Marco held himself, slightly too relaxed, sent a flicker of something dangerous to the edge of her mind.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice was steady, her eyes sharp.

Marco looked up, momentarily startled, but quickly masking it with a smooth smile, a look that somehow managed to keep the air thick between them. 

"I just came to check on you," he replied, his tone light.

Delilah’s gaze darted to the locked door. 

She didn’t need to explain; he knew she’d seen him through the CCTV footage, fumbling with the lock. 

Marco’s smile softened, his hand rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke, his voice carrying an edge of forced nonchalance. 

"I was really just checking up on you," he insisted. "I mean, why would you say you were coming to the café only to get here and find it closed up tight, blinds down?"

Delilah cocked her head, a faintly amused smile on her lips. 

"Cleaning the interiors," she replied smoothly, giving the trash bag a slight nudge. "I wouldn’t want customers wandering in during all that—best to keep it all behind the scenes."

She stepped past him, moving to toss the trash bag, though she could feel his eyes on her as she walked away. 

Marco’s gaze lingered, the slight confusion flickering across his face before he shook it off.

But as Delilah returned, she noticed the subtle hesitation in his stance, the way his posture shifted, almost like he was weighing her words. 

"Is something bothering you?" she asked, arching a brow, her voice soft.

"Yeah," Marco replied, his voice a low rumble. "Mrs. Hayden told me something… unsettling about you."

Delilah’s brow furrowed, her mind slipping back to that night—Mrs. Hayden, her eyes alight with barely masked horror, thumbing through her black book, as if she’d discovered a dark portal into Delilah’s mind.

"Go on," she murmured, holding his gaze.

Marco shifted, watching her carefully. 

"Mrs. Hayden mentioned that she’d read one of your books," he began, his voice filled with a strange, silent accusation. 

"She said there were… violent scenes in it. Crushed bones, repeated stabbing—things that don’t exactly fit with your…" He gestured to her neatly buttoned coat. "Your usual image."

Delilah let out a short, unexpected laugh. "I can’t believe she told you that." 

She met his eyes, something wry and unapologetic glinting in hers. "And you seriously believed her?"

Marco’s brow arched, unconvinced, yet curious.

She sighed, a subtle amusement playing at her lips. 

"I suppose it’s only fair to explain. You see, I studied English Literature." Her words were soft but tinged with a certain pride. 

"When I’m not so busy, I write dark romance. Mrs. Hayden must’ve found my journal, a place I jot down all my ideas." She tilted her head, her gaze daring him to question her further.

Marco looked at her, his mouth opening slightly as if to speak. 

It didn’t completely add up, and yet… the idea of Delilah wielding a knife in anything but fiction seemed absurd. 

She couldn’t be that violent, could she?

He exhaled, a slow, tentative ease settling over him. "Alright… but shouldn’t your coworkers be the ones handling the trash instead of you? I mean, it’s…" His gaze slid to the trash bag at her side.

"Disturbing?" Delilah completed his sentence, her tone a low murmur. "Because I’m a Capo’s wife?"

Marco shrugged, the barest hint of a smirk on his face.

"These are just petty things I do," Delilah replied smoothly. "Taking out the trash. And you really shouldn’t let Mrs. Hayden get to you." 

She met his gaze, unflinching. "If you doubt what I’ve told you, you can go online and search for my books. Who knows? You might even enjoy them."

Marco let out a soft chuckle. 

"I’m not much for reading," he admitted, shaking his head.

She raised an eyebrow, her voice slipping into a playful whisper. "Poor you… you’re missing out on a lot." 

With a casual turn, she began walking back toward the café.

Marco’s voice trailed after her, an echo in the cool air. "Do you need help with cleaning? My men are available… or I can find you some more workers."

"No need," she called over her shoulder. "I’ve got enough help."

She slipped back through the café’s back door, closing and locking it behind her with a click, her thoughts a tangled, buzzing whirl. 

As she stepped inside, she paused, her gaze landing on Ruby, who stood waiting, her arms crossed, her expression wary.

Ruby raised an eyebrow, her tone cutting through the silence. 

"Seriously? You said he was just a friend," she began, a slight sneer curling her lips. "Then why did you disable the audio on the CCTV footage?"