“I need flowers,” he said. Flat. Impatient. He slapped some money in the counter.
Jackie nodded. “Okay! What kind of—” Her eyes dropped to his vest again, and something clicked behind them. Her mouth opened before her brain could catch up. “Do you—uh—do you know Asher?”
The air shifted instantly.
The guy’s head snapped toward her.
He hooked a thumb under the edge of his cut and tugged it forward, pointing at the patch like it was a weapon. “Does this,” he said slowly, “look like Ruthless Vultures to you?”
Jackie flushed crimson. “I—I didn’t mean—sorry. I wasn’t trying to upset you.”
He leaned closer to the counter. “How do you even know who the Ruthless Vultures are?”
Jackie hesitated. Her eyes flicked to me just for a second, but it was enough for the guy to notice.
The guy followed her gaze, eyes landing on me as he’d just found something interesting.
My stomach tightened.
Before either of them could say anything else, the bell chimed again.
Asher.
His name didn’t get said aloud, but I felt him the second he stepped inside. The room changed the way it always did when he entered. He made everything feel right.
He didn’t see the Chrome guy right away.
He came straight behind the counter like he belonged there, because he did, and leaned in to press a quick kiss to my cheek.
I turned my head at the last second. My eyes were locked on the man across the counter.
Asher felt it. He froze, just barely. “What—” he started, then followed my gaze. The second his eyes landed on the Chrome Warriors patch; his entire body went taut.
“Asher Jake,” the guy spat, like the name tasted bad in his mouth.
The shop went silent.
Jenna stopped writing. Jackie stopped breathing. Even the cooler seemed to run quite.
Asher didn’t raise his voice. “What the hell are you doing on this side of town?” he asked.
The Chrome guy sneered. “I go wherever I want.”
Asher took a half-step forward, not aggressive, just enough to make a point. “Not here.”
The guy’s gaze slid back to me, slow and ugly. “If I’d known you were screwing one of the flower chicks, I wouldn’t have stepped foot in this place.”
I felt Asher tense beside me. Sharp, contained, and dangerous in a way that made my skin prickle.
The guy slapped the small bundle of flowers he’d been holding onto the counter like it was trash. “Don’t want ’em.” He reached over, snatched the cash back from the counter, and shoved it into his pocket. “Fuck the Vultures,” he said, already turning toward the door.
Jackie found her voice just as he reached it. “We don’t want your business anyway!”
The bell chimed sharply as he left.
Asher exhaled slowly, like he was forcing something down. He turned to me immediately. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t think—”
Jenna snorted. “That dude was a total douche.”
