ASHER
I’m fucking seething as we leave the restaurant.
Our girl went from enjoying her pasta to being deflated within seconds, and it’s all thanks to those stuck-up snobs.
We knew people would judge us because we know more than one relationship that isn’t just made up of two people, and we’ve seen the way they’re perceived. But it’s different now I’m in their shoes. It’s different now that Hannah is the one being stared at and judged.
I wrap my coat around her shoulders and guide her toward Rowan’s car. The idea of leaving her right now to drive myself home has unease rolling in my gut, but he’s better to help her through these insecurities than I am.
He’s steady in the face of adversity, whereas I want to beat the shit out of anyone who so much as side-eyes my girl, and right now she needs that steadiness. She needs to be reminded that no matter what other people see when they look at us, the only thing that matters is that she’s happy.
I open the door for her and help her slip into the passenger seat. She doesn’t need the help, of course, but helping her do basic things comes so naturally, I struggle to turn the instincts off.
“Thank you,” she murmurs.
“I’ll see you at home, okay?”
She nods, and I drop a quick kiss to her lips before closing the door behind her. If I give myself even another second, I’m at risk of fucking her right here and now. Going a full week without being inside my girl is making it hard to do much of anything other than rectifying that situation.
As if sensing my train of thought, Rowan pats my shoulder and rounds the car while I start toward my own.
Going from fucking Hannah at least every other day to a week cold turkey has been a lesson in control, but it’s what she needed, and I don’t begrudge a second of my blue balls.
My phone vibrates in my pocket as I reach my car, and I groan when I see Kovu’s name. He’s at the club tonight, and he knew I was taking Hannah out.
He might be a psycho fuck, but after falling for Camilla, he understands how important date night is.
“Hey, man,” I answer, slipping into the driver’s seat.
“We have a problem.”
I groan. “What kind of problem?”
“The kind where Jeffrey fucking Malone is sitting in the office waiting to speak to you.”
I drop my head back against the seat. All I want to do is go home and fuck my girl. Is that really too much to ask for? “He asked for me? Not Rowan?”
“Nope. He wants to talk to you and is spewing threats left, right, and center.”
“Brave man.” I chuckle.
“If he didn’t bring the cops with him, he’d already be at the bottom of the Hudson.”
“I’m on my way.”
I end the call and dial Rowan’s number as I pull away from the curb. The last thing I want is for Hannah to hear any of this,but she’ll worry if I don’t pull up at the house shortly after them—the lesser of two evils and all that.
“What’s up?” he answers. “You’re on speaker.”
“I need to stop at the fight club quickly. Kovu called, and there’s a hiccup I need to sort out before I can come home.”
“Is everything okay?” he asks.
“Nothing I can’t handle.” I’ll send him a text once I park, but for now, all that matters is setting Hannah’s mind at ease. “I’ll make it as quick as I can.”
“Be safe,” Hannah’s sweet voice says, and a smile tugs at my lips.
Fuck. I thought I knew what it felt like to be happy, butnothingcompares to Hannah being mine. She’s a little ray of sunshine in the darkness.
