Renee
I made it to the coffee shop before I crumpled.
Not literally—I didn’t drop or burst into tears. But something inside me gave out the moment I got in line and the scent of espresso wrapped around me like a blanket. The scent of it was strong enough to block out everything else. My hands were still trembling, and my jaw ached from how tightly I’d been clenching it since that creep tried to corner me. My guard lingered just inside the doors, scanning the space like we were in a war zone.
I just wanted a damn latte. With at least three shots of espresso.
Then, a different scent mingled with the coffee. Warm, rich, dark, kind of woodsy with a hint of smoke and something sweet. I thought it might be someone's drink until I heard his voice.
“Renee?”
I turned at the sound of my
