Blessed by Sapphires (A Dance with Destiny Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

currently furrowing his brow.
    Only once did someone knock on the door and bring in a flat white box and a blessed steaming cup of tea. It was foul compared to Aunt Marlise’s but it was especially kind of them to have tried. I smiled at the young woman handing me the bitter drink and she looked at me with pity in her eyes.
    I didn’t like how that made me feel, not one bit. I believe, if this is to be the common reaction, I prefer it better when I roamed about unnoticed.
    “Don’t you want any pizza?” He asked his question between large bites.
    I inclined my head toward him, respectfully. “I am fine.”
    “Aww, come on. You gotta try this incredible pie. Bet you’ve never tasted anything like it before.”
    The smell alone turned my stomach. I took a small bite of the grease covered bread he insisted on sticking in my face and prayed that would be enough to satisfy his demands. I used the foul tea to wash down the even fouler oil now coating the inside of my mouth. I presume the twisted look upon my face answered his next question.
    “You’ve got to be kidding me. You don’t like pizza? Everyone from around here loves pizza.”
    I choked out a cough and tried to clear my throat. “I’m not from around here.”
    “So I gather.” He stared intently at me. I returned his curious gaze. “Is there somewhere I can take you?”
    “Gratitude, but I can manage just fine.”
    “I can see that,” he said with a laugh. “But you’ll be hard-pressed to find a decent place to sleep around here that still uses keys.”
    I spoke not.
    “The precinct is no place for someone like you to spend the night, and I can’t just let you walk out of here not knowing where you’ll end up or what’ll happen to you.”
    “Gratitude for your concern, but it’s not necessary.” I reached for my book but he snatched it off the table. I could only stare at him, confused. “But, you promised.” Tears were burning the backs of my eyes.
    “Hey now, it’s okay. I’m not going to keep it. But I am curious as to how it ends. I only want to finish the story you feel is your life. I only want to find out what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours.”
    He smiled then winked, as if he were speaking to an injured child. I could only sniff and brush the tears away.
    The man stood up, still holding my book. “I’ve got the perfect place in mind—walking distance from here. I’ll finish your book tonight and return it to your lovely hands in the morning,” he promised as he led me back through the building filled with busy people and ringing boxes.
    “Hey, Chief!”
    He waved his hand in the air but didn’t look toward the yelling man. “Be back later, Snyder. Busy now.”
    We left the noisy precinct, heading out into the crowded streets. I fell behind almost immediately and lost sight of Chief. A strong hand grabbed mine, pulling me through the suffocating masses.
    “You’re gonna have to keep up, little lady.”
    The familiar reference brought fresh pain to my troubled heart. I reached out and took my next change of clothing from the nearby display rack being wheeled into a storefront. When Chief saw the new garments draped across my arm, his eyes flashed with fury.
    “Where’d you get that?”
    “The same place I always—”
    He cut my words off with a stern glare. “You can’t keep doing this.” Chief grabbed the clothes from my hand and pulled me inside the open shop. “I’m very sorry, Ma’am. My friend here took these clothes and I need to pay for them.”
    The elegant woman behind the counter looked at him and raised a single eyebrow as she replied. “These aren’t our clothes. We don’t carry anything like that here.”
    Chief turned those furious eyes back on me and spoke through gritted teeth. “Tell me where you got them.”
    “H-here,” I stuttered.
    He let out an exasperated sigh and jerked on my captive hand, dragging me from one store to the next, in vain.
    “Listen to me, Chief. God