Chapter 400

Madison

The familiar routine helped. Steam milk. Pull shots. Wipe counters. Smile at customers. Repeat. Mechanical movements that required no thought, left no room for wondering what Alexander was doing or thinking or planning.

Half an hour passed. Then an hour. The café emptied as people headed home for dinner, leaving only a few regulars nursing their drinks and working on laptops.

The bell above the door chimed.

I looked up automatically, my customer service smile already in place.

Christopher Allen stood in the doorway, looking comfortable in his business casual attire. He raised a hand in greeting, his expression warm and familiar.

“Hey, Madison.”

“Christopher.” Relief flooded through me. Someone normal. Someone safe. Someone who wasn’t Alexander Knight and all the complications that came with him.

“Can I get you something?” I asked.

“Cappuccino. Extra foam.”

I moved to the espresso machine, grateful for somethi