Chapter 8 - Exiting the Stage
Ten minutes later, table eleven was empty.
The white linen tablecloth was undisturbed, save for two folded napkins and a black Amex card that Nathaniel had quietly handed to the trembling manager to cover the meal, along with a tip that equaled three months of Wren's base salary.
As they walked out through the front doors of Blackwoods into the cool, rain-washed air of Providence, the city stretched out before them like a labyrinth of neon lights and wet asphalt.
Waiting at the curb was a low-slung, matte-black town car with tinted windows. The driver—a man in a sharp suit—held the rear door open immediately.
Brutus bounded up the steps of the vehicle with surprising agility for his size, curling himself across the floorboards of the back seat with a heavy, contented groan, resting his massive head right where Wren’s feet would be.
Nathaniel held the door open for her, gesturing with a polite, deferential nod.
Wren paused on the pavement, the cool wind catching the ends of her hair. She looked back at the glowing sign of Blackwoods, then down at the worn-out, glued-together work shoes on her feet.
"I'm keeping my job, you know," she said, looking up at Nathaniel with a spark of stubborn defiance in her eyes.
Nathaniel smiled, a rich, genuine expression that transformed his harsh, aristocratic features into something warm and alive. "I wouldn't dream of taking it from you. Though I might suggest buying a new pair of shoes."
Wren laughed—a light, musical sound that cut through the hum of city traffic.
She slid into the back seat of the town car, the rich scent of leather and cedar enveloping her. Nathaniel climbed in beside her, pulling the heavy door shut against the noise of the street.
May you like
As the car pulled away from the curb and merged into the evening traffic, sliding smoothly through the wet streets of Providence toward Ninth Street, Wren leaned back against the headrest. For the first time in three years, she didn't look at the door as a warning system.
She simply looked out the window, watching the city lights blur into streaks of gold and red, knowing that whatever came next, she wasn't walking alone anymore.
