Chapter 17: My First Encounter With A Fontaine In the Wild

Roman's mouth curls up - his first smile of the day - and he gives me a nod. "Lead the way."

I turn and head back toward the restaurant before I have a chance to lose my nerve. Roman follows, a shadow on my heels. I'm not sure whether his presence reassures me or makes this harder. I can almost still feel his fingers in my hair, touching me so delicately, so deliberately. Better not to think about that right now or I'll never work up the courage to approach Dante Fontaine.

When we get to the front of the restaurant, Roman reaches around me and grabs the door.

"I thought I'd get us a table," he says in a low voice. "It will be easier to watch you, and you'll have a place to sit if you need a moment to collect yourself. Besides, I haven't eaten since breakfast."

I nod, hardly registering his words. My eyes are on the photographers we just passed. One of them is leaning against the wall and smoking a cigarette, and his eyes rise to mine. I quickly look away and follow Roman into the r