The Start of Time

Chapter 3

The moment the pizza hits the table I'm shoving the first piece into my mouth. Wilder hasn't moved. He's just staring at me with those wide green eyes.

"Damn, Mary-Kelton. You don't have to fight for it."

"My bad." I mumble sheepishly, swallowing the massive bite I just took. "I haven't eaten since like eleven this morning."

He just smiles, shaking his head, pulling off a piece of his own, but his eyes never leave mine.

"Most people just call me MK." I shrug, finally breaking away from his start.

He squints those inquisitive eyes at me as if he's trying to figure me out in one, intense stare before smirking, "MK fits you better."

Well, of course it does.

He reaches towards the end of the table to grab a napkin, revealing some black and gray shading on his inner forearm that I hadn't noticed until now. When he hands me the napkin, I motion towards his wrist and ask, "What's that?"

"A tattoo."

"Really? I just assumed it was a branding from the cult that raised you." I pause long enough to take a sip of my drink. "Seriously, though. What is it?"

He turns his arm to show me a simple clock with a detailed rim and hands, but it's broken at the top. The pieces somehow merge into multiple small birds flying up and off to the left. It's a fairly simple idea, but the design is quite exquisite. The small numbers at the bottom are so small they're nearly unnoticeable.

"Is that a date at the bottom? Why the broken clock?"

"I just liked the design."

"And what if I don't believe you?" I ask quickly, nearly choking on my food. It's hard to eat and call bullshit at the same time.

"Typical MK. Gotta have a reason for everything."

Who's deflecting now, pretty boy?

"Well, how many do you have?" I ask before shoveling the rest of that piece into my mouth.

"Just this one for now and a small one on my chest, but I'm thinking about getting another one. Maybe on my back, like right where nails dig in when—"

Nope. No sir.

Don't even finish that sentence. Where does he come up with this shit?

"You know what, Wilder? I don't even want to know." I interrupt. "I believe now it's time for you to tell me something you've never told anyone. For real this time."

I grab a second piece of pizza while Declan attempts to look like he's thinking. This man is going to lie straight through his pretty little teeth, but it may be fun to see what he comes up with.

"I've never paid anyone for a date, but I did pay a girl to stop talking to Chris once." He says casually without making eye contact.

"Oh, really? What would make you do that?"

"She was a bitch. She only dated guys for money, and I knew she'd eventually cheat on him, leaving me stuck dragging his whiney, heart broken ass out of bed."

Up until this moment, I never pictured Declan Wilder as a real person with real feelings. As casually stoic and heartless as he likes to seem, there may actually be a tiny heart beneath all that cold exterior. He may do some stupid things, but it's kind of sweet that he did that for Chris. Interesting way of handling it, but there's definitely good intentions.

"Aww, who knew?" I tease. "There actually is a heart somewhere underneath that stiff playboy exterior."

"I swear, if he ever finds out, I'll—" he hesitates and trails off.