Welcome to Fae Cafe (High Court of the Coffee Bean, #1)

by Jennifer Kropf

“You’re too kind-hearted,” he stated. “It’s weak.” “You’re still a monster. It’s scary.” He glanced at her, but she couldn’t see his eyes past his sunglasses. A laugh escaped her as he seemed unable to come up with a response. Cress reached over and took her hand again. “I like your laugh. It’s harmless in both an irritating and infatuating way.”

At first, he thought Thelma was thinking about all he’d said. He waited for a response, but as the minutes ticked by and he didn’t get one, he turned his ear to catch her rhythm. His heart slid a little deeper into his chest. Thelma Lewis’s rhythm was no more. Cress remained there, arms folded. A tear slid down his cheek. After a moment, he reached over and took the old woman’s hand, even though she didn’t hold it back. A low, quiet sob lifted in his throat, a sign of utter weakness he didn’t shew away. There on the beach, he cried for the old woman. He cried for the loss he knew Kate Kole would feel. He cried for the mother who was taken away from him. And he cried for the simple life he’d never been allowed to have.

Cress rubbed his temple where a fresh headache beat like a cruel war drum behind his eyes. It was better that Kate had no idea she was a target, that Cress had bound his death to his brothers’ survival, or that she was his forever mate. His tongue still felt hot from the falsehood. He knew the fairy curse would grow more painful the longer he didn’t tell the truth.