A Lover Like Him (The Perfect Lover book #2) (Espresso CRK)

Chapter 34

Before you read this chapter, please reread the warnings on the 'info' page, because I updated it. Thank you! ^.^

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Espresso's Pov

Caramel Machiatto's restaurant, near the center of the town, was bustling with business. Cookies filled the seats inside the restaurant, and the fancy metal round tables outside. I spotted an old cookie-eating ramen on a rocking chair by a shady tree, it was old man Cortado.

The air was cheerful and chatter, and cookies under age 16 weren't permitted to enter due to the bar in the center of the restaurant.

How ridiculous, considering Chocolate Machiatto helped work.

Although, as I peeked inside the restaurant, neither Machiatto cookies were there. Quickly, I moved away, before more than the barista and the random coffee cookie at the front noticed me.

Perhaps they're in the back, I thought, cloaking myself. I ducked my head as I looped to the back of the restaurant, an alley squished between the building and a large house.

I pressed my ear to the backdoor and tried the handle, but no luck. I'd send a coffee bean bullet and use the chattering background nose to conceal the sound, but I wanted no risks.

Heating my palms, the knob melted into liquid metal and dripped onto the stone steps like wax. The solid part of the knob left collapsed and fell onto the ground with a quiet clang, matching the noise of the pots and pans in the kitchen.

I pushed open the door and crept into the storage room, where ingredients such as cheese, beef, and an arrangement of coffee beans were kept, but no cookies. I contemplated stealing some coffee beans since one can never get enough coffee, but my eyes caught sight of a tiny bag hidden on top of the shelf. I took a closer look, and my eyes widened, recognizing the drugs.

A sudden click from behind me made me freeze, and I muttered a swear at how I didn't hear the cookie approach. I turned around slowly with my resting bitch face, to see a worker holding up a gun pointed at my head, quivering.

"What do you think you're doing?" I said coldly, glaring at him.

"What are you doing here?" The cookie asked, shakingly, finger on the trigger.

I narrowed my eyes, "What I'm doing here is none of your business."

The cookie stared back, gulping. He breathed heavily, "Whatever the reason, you shouldn't be here, and you shouldn't have been able to see our stash of opium. We even place a spell over it. How did you see it?"

A seal? Must have been weak if I instinctively broke it, I scoffed in my head.

"Must have been a weak seal then," I said mockingly, and he bared his teeth, "Next time, I suggest using a stronger seal... and hiding drugs such as opium better."

"I'll tell that to boss in your stead," he trembled beneath his nervous grin, "I'm afraid there's no next time for you."

This cookie I spotted giving out orders yesterday turns out to be a criminal, I mused, Nothing too interesting... it's a small town and people are bound to not be who they claim to be.

"Then shoot. Pull the trigger," I challenged him.

"You think I won't?!" He raised his voice, stepping forward.