“I still have a lot more questions…” I muttered, which had a new round of laughter ringing out of him.
“Man, you shoulda heard everyone after you left. Bull and Scythe practically worship you now, and damn, was Crow pissed after that shit he was trying to pull backfired.” I frowned, not loving the idea of causing trouble.
“I didn’t mean to start anything. It just felt like he was trying to set Bash up, and that wasn’t cool,” I said, trying to explain where the cattiness had come from.
“So you were protecting Bash?” Match said, giving me a penetrating look.
“Bash doesn’t need me to protect him, but I’m also not going to stand by and watch someone try to fuck with him, especially if they’re using me to do it. That sets a precedent that I’m a weakness for Bash, and that doesn’t benefit either of us.”
Match was looking at me with a mix of surprise and approval.
“Whatever you say, killer,” Match eventually replied, moving the conversation to the mural he was working on at my apartment. He had already sketched everything out, and we had picked out the paint the week before. I gave him my key before heading into work so he could spend the day working on it. I couldn’t wait to see it, and was almost as excited for that as I was for my date with Bash later.
Focusing at work was proving more difficult than normal. I felt off-kilter, anxious about, well, about everything at that point. It felt like my life had been changing. The past six months, it had morphed. Charlie had wormed her way in and slowly started pulling me out of my shell and into her loud and colorful world. The little bubble I kept myself in had doubled in size rapidly, and it was both exciting and terrifying.
I could admit now, looking back at how I spent my time before I met Charlie, that I was doing the bare minimum. I never really put myself out there. I didn’t take any risks. Control was always my primary focus, so I kept myself insular. There was nothing wrong with that, and there was still a huge part of me that craved alone time, but that didn’t mean I had to actually keep myself isolated.
Shitty people were always going to exist, find a way to fuck up someone’s day, but I hadn’t given anyone the opportunity to prove me wrong. Pushing those nagging thoughts aside, my stomach growled, and I checked the clock. Seeing it was already after one in the afternoon, I made my way into the break room. Tyler was in there, finishing up a giant sub as I grabbed my lunch from the fridge.
“You look different, Fiona. Did you change your hair or something?” Tyler asked as I got myself set up at an empty table.
“Not really. Just wearing it down today.” I shrugged before focusing on the sandwich in my hand.
“Well, it looks good. You look pretty. Like, really pretty,” he said, grinning at me in a way that had me thinking of an old-school carnival barker.
A shudder ran through me as I focused on a piece of lettuce stuck in his teeth. Deliberately taking a bite out of my sandwich to avoid having to verbally respond, I gave him what I hoped was somewhat of a smile as I awkwardly waved my sandwich at him in some sort of acknowledgment.
He stayed quiet after that as I pretended to read on my phone, but I could feel him staring. Second thoughts regarding my outfit and leaving my jacket in my cubicle ran through my head. Instantly hating that thought, I became angry that Tyler was somehow making me feel responsible for him making me feel uncomfortable.What a mindfuck.
After lunch, I kept my head down and worked quietly until it was nearing the end of the day. Finishing up the last file I was working on, I went into the bathroom to freshen up. I was grateful to see my outfit was still in good condition—no stains or wrinkles—and my hair wasn’t too frizzy. Pulling out the small makeup bag I had added to my purse that morning, I quickly swiped on some mascara and eyeliner.
I didn’t wear makeup often, but I had spent more time than I wanted to admit watching videos on how to perfect liquid eyeliner. It was my only move when I wanted to dress up a bit. Making sure they were even, I rubbed some perfume on my wrists, then took a breath.
This is no different than any day the last few weeks.Bash had met me outside at the end of every workday. That lie got me off the floor and down to the lobby. Just as I was exiting the building, I heard my name from behind me. I turned, half in and half outside the building as Tyler jogged up to me.
“Hey, Fiona! Glad I caught you,” he said as he took the door handle from my hand, holding it open for me. Feeling awkward, I stepped forward and almost jumped when I felt his hand on my back. As soon as we were outside, I took a large step away from him, eyeing Bash’s SUV idling up ahead.
“Do you wanna grab a drink at Murphy’s?” Tyler asked, grabbing my arm as I turned to head toward the car. Taken aback, all I could do was shake my head as I gently tried to remove his hand from my arm.
“I can’t. I have plans. Have a good night,” I said, walking quickly toward the car, not realizing Bash had gotten out and was waiting for me on the passenger side.
“What was that about?” he asked, looking back at Tyler, who was still standing on the sidewalk where I left him.
“Nothing. Just a coworker,” I replied, confused by Bash’s angry expression. He finally looked away from Tyler and focused on me, his eyes softening as he took me in.
“You look beautiful, darlin’,” he said as his hand slipped under my hair to cup the back of my neck. Instinctively, I stood up on my toes as his mouth covered mine, causing me to lose all sense of time and space. When he pulled away, I dropped to the flats of my feet quickly, taking a minute to open my eyes. Bash’s lips were close to my ear as he whispered into my hair.
“Missed you today. Couldn’t get here fast enough.” His voice was husky, and I smiled, feeling tingly all over.
“I missed you too. So where are you taking me?” I asked as he got me settled in the passenger seat.
“It’s a surprise,” he said with a playful grin before giving me a quick kiss and closing the door.
Crossing the hood, his long legs ate up the space in quick strides as he got back into the driver’s seat. As soon as he was buckled in, Bash reached for my hand and put it on his leg, as he had done every other time we were alone in the car together. It was like he needed to know I was actually there, needed a part of us touching. I loved it.
Conversation in the car was easy. We talked about work. He filled me in on some drama at the shop, as well as my growing infamy based on my appearance the day before. We drove toward the clubhouse, and for a moment, I thought he might take us there. But when he passed the turn for that street, my curiosity was piqued. I had so many questions, but I tried to hold them in, trusting Bash.
We had gone further out of town than I had been since I moved there, and I was surprised to see open fields and clear skies. It was dark, and there were very few street lamps, but the moon glowed in the sky, highlighting our way. Eventually, Bash turned onto a street I never would have seen if I were the one driving. The road was unpaved, and he slowed the car down as the path narrowed.
