"Maybe Bronx or Axel could help us figure out who made this account." They were great with technology and social media shit.
"Wouldn't hurt to ask, I guess."
I couldn't stand not knowing any longer. "Why'd you leave this morning?"
"Feels good, doesn't it?"
"Is that what it was? Retribution? Payback?" I couldn't tell if she was fucking with me or not. Either way, I deserved it.
"It wasn't payback, West. I wanted to get some homework done. And I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable." She smiled down at her cup as she fiddled with it, swirling the black liquid as she spun the cup.
"Uncomfortable? Were you running because of what happened last night or because of what happened two years ago?"
She eyed me carefully. "I wasn't running. I just didn't want it to be awkward. Didn’t want it to feel like we needed to have a conversation about what happened. I'm pretty sure we hadthissame discussion yesterday at The Diner."
Yeah, we did. I was turning into a stage five clinger around her. "I won't bring it up next time.”
"Next time?" She bit her lip.
"There's definitely going to be a next time. Let's not wait two years to do it again."
"Deal.” She extended her hand for me to shake. Her hand fit perfectly in mine. Her skin was smooth, her nails bit to hell from stress and anxiety, her grip firm.
"So," I cleared my throat as we released our hands. "How did you get from Axel's place to your house to here? I know your rust bucket is still sitting pretty in your driveway."
"When I was leaving Axel’s, Everett came out of a room–I think it was the den–anyway, he offered to give me a ride home. And then I walked here." She spoke quickly and popped another piece of cookie in her mouth.
"How convenient." I clenched my jaw and tried to keep my anger in check.
She snorted under her breath. "It was. I planned on walking the whole way home. I'd probably still be walking had he not offered to drive me."
"Icould've driven you if you'd woken me up..."
"But you need your beauty sleep," she smiled sweetly at me.
I laughed in response and her tongue peeked out from her lips. Fuck, this girl.
"As much as I love standard deviations, I have to get ready for work," she said, collecting the rest of her things.
"I thought you had the weekend off. I was going to drag you to Brass Knuckles."
"Delaney said someone called in so they need me. She made it very clear I was her last resort, and we all know I need the money, so I'll be taking the day and night shifts."
"I'll take you. What time do you get off? I'll drive you home too," I said as I picked up our mugs and placed them in the dirty dish bin.
"West...you don't need to do that. Gabby's been driving me there and I've been Ubering home. Although I don't want to keep asking Gabby for favors."
"I'm going to do it until we figure out who's stalking you. At least until Remington gets his shit figured out and we know you're not at risk for getting jumped. You've got your knife though, right?" I asked as we left the coffee shop and walked to my car.
"Always. I have mace too. I work until midnight, and it's a school night. I can't ask you to pick me up that late."
"Do you think I'm worried about getting a solid eight hours of sleep? It's not a problem and I don't care what you want. I'm doing it."
Ashtyn eventually relented and agreed to let me drive her to and from work. After I dropped her off, I would talk to Bronx about trying to track this fucker down and teach him a lesson.
24
Ashtyn