Building Her Throne Burying My Heart (Claire) novel Chapter 118

Before I could even open my mouth, Deanna had already waved down a cab and disappeared into the night.

All I could do was watch her go, frustration bubbling up inside me. I took a steadying breath and turned my attention to Claire, trying to keep my irritation in check. “So, why did you call me? Is something wrong?”

She hadn’t managed to get the answer she wanted from me, so she changed the subject. “I’m hungry. I want pierogi from Elaine’s Pierogi.”

“There’s only twenty minutes before they close. I want it fresh, and it better not be mushy. If you mess this up, there will be consequences.”

She was threatening me, and I had no idea what kind of punishment she meant, but I knew it wouldn’t be anything good.

I glanced at the time. Even if I left right now, it would take over ten minutes to get there. By the time I arrived, they’d probably be shutting the doors.

“There’s a place right next to me, maybe I could just—”

Claire cut me off, voice sharp and stubborn. “I want pierogi from Elaine’s. Nothing else.”

She hung up before I could get another word in.

I let out a long breath, feeling the weight of her little revenge. Maybe if I was lucky, I’d make it in time, but even then, the pierogi might end up a soggy disaster by the time I brought them back.

Still, I couldn’t help myself. I had to try. I got in the car and headed for Elaine’s, which was right by the university. We used to go there all the time. The food was amazing, and it was always Claire’s favorite.

She used to crave it out of nowhere, sometimes even in the middle of the night. I’d drag myself out just to get her some, and she’d be over the moon when I came back with that steaming bowl. She’d even drink the broth down to the last drop.

Once, she asked me, “If I eat pierogi every night, do you think I’ll get fat?”

She waved me inside. “Hold on, I’ll make something for you.”

She took out the last bit of filling she’d planned to take home for her kids and started working. “I’ll pack the soup and pierogi separately. Just boil the dumplings and heat the broth when you get home. It’ll be perfect.”

Elaine was a lifesaver, even packing up the broth and all the toppings in little containers for me.

With everything in hand, I raced home, just barely making it in time.

Claire was sitting in the living room. She looked like she was about to say something, but when she saw the bag in my hand, her eyes widened.

“Where did you get that? There’s no way you could have gotten pierogi from Elaine’s at this hour!”