I ignore him, naturally, then turn towards the garage. “Jay?” I holler.
“Yeah?” he’s wiping his face with a towel as he walks over, then puts hisWitchercap on backwards, which effectively hides his buzzed hair.
“We got any 534s on hand or somethin’?” I ask him. When he reaches close enough, I discreetly grab him by the collar of his grey t-shirt and hiss, “Couldn’t you have warned me beforehand about the chimp being here?”
“What, and miss the Oscar-worthy look you have on your face right now?” He winks when I tug at his collar. “I just wanted to see how you reacted to him in little miss Adler’s presence, okay? Jeez, dude; relax.”
I glower at him. “Well, fuck you very much forthat,” I say, then add, “Make sure Varsha stays inside while he’s here.”
Varsha and Gavin had dated for a year, right before the asshole had decided to up and cheat on her with one of his customers. Varsha had visitedRadicalInkto get a tattoo, had chickened out at the end moment, and had instead fallen for Gavin’s charms. Shit was great between them, I guess, but then she’d one day found him ass-fucking a random chick in his shop, and she’d broken down completely. Closed herself off, in a way.
Gavin had tried to weasel his way back into her life weeks after their breakup, but when I’d put my blade to his throat and asked him to back off, he had. He knew better than to act against my warning.
But that was 11 months ago; that’s when we’d last seen him. The dipshit takes the long way home every single day just to avoid passing byFinesse, so I don’t know why he has chosen to show up here today.
Trying to figure out how men like him work, isn’t my job, but if he’s here with ulterior motives, then he sure as fuck isn’t walking out alive.
Jayce nods at my request, then says, “Why’s he here anyway? What’s a piece of trash like him doing withher?”
I sigh and let go of his collar. “That’s exactly what I’m trying to figure out.”
He raises a brow. “Are you now?” he muses.
I ignore the hint of surprise in his question. It is, after all, doing absolutely nothing to push aside my own confusion over my sudden interest in this woman.
“Find me that fucking battery, Jay,” I order.
He raises his hands in surrender and starts back-walking. “You got it, boss.”
Alex appears behind him, and when Jayce sees him, he turns fully, kisses him senseless, then whispers something in his ear before jerking his head towards Gavin.
Alex nods, then joins me outside. He gives Gavin a dismissive once-over. “Fuck you,” he tells him, so casually that I have to bite the inside of my cheek in order to stifle my smile.
“Thanks, man,” Gavin deadpans.
I cough, and Cignette looks thoroughly amused.
Alex’s brown hair ruffles chaotically with the warm wind as he faces her. “You wanna come inside and have a drink with Varsha and I while Ledge gets your car fixed up?” he asks.
“It’s barely 10 in the morning, Alex,” Gavin provides his two cents.
Alex looks appalled. “Please keep your irrelevancy in your pants. It’s really not needed here.”
Cignette is trying so hard not to laugh, whereas Gavin looks like he might fucking detonate in shame.
“I–” he starts, but Cignette cuts him off.
“I’m down,” she chimes with a grin, and my God, I feel something inside my stomach twist at that simple action of hers.
Dammit all to hell.
“Perfect; follow me.”
“Cigs, stop–” Gavin tries to grab her arm, but she’s already reached Alex’s side and is striking up a conversation with him.
I wait until they’ve gone inside, then slide my hands into the back pockets of my jeans before making my way over to a nervous-looking Gavin.
I widen my stance just a little as I come to a stop in front of him, and when a muscle jumps in his jaw, I narrow my eyes at him. “Why are you here?” I question.
