Chapter 6
ASHER
Lily was right. My motorbike looks better than it did before Monty took a baseball bat to it. Steve has done a great job at fixing my Triumph. I almost didn’t recognise her.
At first, all I could do was stare at her, mesmerised by how shiny she is now, not a speck of rust in sight. But then I remembered that Steve wouldn’t have done this for free, and I’d have to find a way to pay him.
“It’s been paid for,” Steve states, handing the keys over to me.
“Let me guess. Lily?”
The old guy with a salt and pepper beard chuckles. I’m sure he’s smiling under all that facial hair, too. “She sure did. Told me to make it better than new, so that’s what I did.”
“How much did it cost?” I frown, dragging my eyes back to my black and chrome masterpiece.
“Never you worry about that, lad. All you need to do is enjoy it.”
I sigh. “It’s not that easy, old man. I can’t let her pay for it.”
“Well, that’s between you and Ms Bennett, but you’re gonna need a good-paying job to cover the cost.”
“That’s what I’m worried about.” I sigh as my shoulders drop.
I’m an ex-fuckin’-con. The chances of me getting a reputable job that pays enough money to cover the cost for something like this are extremely slim.
“Hey now. Don’t be so down on yourself. Knowing Ms Bennett like I do, I know she’s not expecting to be reimbursed. Take the gift for what it is.”
I shake my head. “I can’t. I need to pay my own way.”
“She told me about you. Sorry to hear you got the short end of the stick with your mum’s boyfriend,” Steve says as he wipes his dirty hands on an old rag that looks dirtier than his skin.
“I can probably give you some work here, cleaning and what not, but the pay is shite. It’ll take you a lifetime to earn enough to pay her back. ”
I shrug. “I’ll take what I can get. If you’re happy paying an ex-con?” I fucking hate having to tell people that, but he obviously already knows my situation.
“Nah, lad. I don’t mind as long as you show up and work hard. You can start tomorrow if you’re keen?”
Damn. Is it really that easy?
“Yeah. Of course. What time do you want me here?”
“Seven thirty start. That way we can knock off by four.”
I nod. “Deal.” I spin the keys on my finger, grinning at Steve, who gives me a nod of approval.
Stepping up to my bike, I glide my finger along the leather seat, my mind instantly going to Lily, and how much I’d love to have her on the back of this.
“Were you as built as this before you went in the slammer?” Steve asks as I swing my leg over my bike.
“Nope.” I shake my head, and he nods.
“You get involved in the fights? You know, the ones that the guards turn a blind eye to?”
My brows shoot up at his knowledge of this, and he chuckles. “I’ve seen the inside of the prison a few times back in my younger years. My boys have seen it in more recent times. Said they still run the fights in there.”
“Shit,” I say, surprised. “Yeah. I was a regular in the cage.”
He nods before slipping something from his pocket. A card.
“Well, don’t let Ms Bennett find out I gave you this.” He hands me the card with a name and number on it. “Shiv organises the fighters each week. He’ll hook you up. I’ll let him know you might reach out.”
“There’s a local fight?” I ask, slipping the card into my pocket.
“There is.” He nods. “Underground, of course. Big money to be had, though. If you’re good at it, you should earn back the money to pay Ms Bennett in no time.”
I grin. This is exactly what I need. I’ll pay her back for the motorbike repairs and the clothes I’m about to buy, plus hopefully contribute to the living costs. If I can be valuable to her, she might let me stay. For good.
Saying a quick thanks to Steve, I cruise out of his shop with my Triumph purring between my legs, and I hit the highway to push the speed and see how fast she can go now.
Weaving in and out of traffic with a fucking smile on my face, I feel freer than I have in a long time. It’s fucking addictive, so much so that I nearly forget about my appointment with my parole officer.
He’s a complete fucktard. Judgy as fuck, sitting back in his chair, tossing peanuts in his mouth, most of them missing. Thankfully, I’m able to satisfy him with the news of where I’m living and the job I’m starting tomorrow, and I’m in and out in fifteen minutes.
After that, I catch up with a couple of old friends before I go shopping, and by the time I pull my bike up outside The Chic Strand, I’m wearing new clothes that I can call my own, riding my bike that looks brand spanking new, and am the new employee of Hedgwick Auto Repairs.
And I’m also scheduled for my first fight later this week.
For once, I feel like I’m winning.
Glancing through the salon window, my eyes instantly land on Lily, her copper hair hard to miss.
There’s another stylist talking to her. Bonnie…
I think that's her name. Their eyes land on me, and I can tell by Lily’s rosy cheeks and the playful smirk on Bonnie’s face that they are talking about yours truly.
Knowing I look fucking good right now in the snug white t-shirt, the black jeans and black shit kickers, I dismount my bike, securing my helmet on the back before striding inside.
Bonnie grins as the door closes behind me, her jet-black hair bouncing like a waterfall of silk as she moves.
“Good to see you again, Asher.” Her dark lashes flutter as she passes, walking out the door, and I grin, shooting her a wink, expecting the giggle that follows.
All the chicks giggle when I wink at them. It’s a talent.
“You look like a new man.” Lily’s voice floats to me as the door shuts again, trapping us in the salon together alone, since it’s past closing time.
“Nearly.” I shrug. “I will be once I’ve had my haircut.”
When I smile, Lily returns it, her eyes travelling over me in a way I know she’d be annoyed with herself if she realised what she was doing.
Approaching her slowly, I let her look her fill before stopping in front of her, waiting expectantly for her to speak.
It takes her a second, but she eventually sighs, shaking her head like she’s internally scolding herself.
Maybe she did notice how she was checking me out.
“Let’s finish the job then.” She smiles, stepping closer, her ocean eyes darting from my face to my hair as she examines it. “You just want the usual?”
Lily has been cutting my hair since I was twelve. There were a few times when I was thirteen that I got a chubby just from her running her hand through my hair, much the way she is now. I had to start wearing longer t-shirts every time I came in for a fucking haircut.
I won’t bother hiding it now. I’ll make sure Lily knows exactly how she affects me.
“Yeah,” I rasp, my eyes closing on their own accord as I relish the feel of her delicate fingers sweeping through my longer than usual strands.
Fuck, that feels good.
“It feels so good to have you touch me,” I admit, and her hand stills in my hair.
My eyes snap open, locking with hers, and we are so close that I can see the darker flecks in them. We are also so close that if I lean forward, I could kiss her. Something I’ve dreamed of doing since before I even knew what sex was.
“I’m your hairdresser right now, Asher.”
“I don’t care. It still feels good,” I admit, letting my smirk show a little.
I wait for her to pull away, but she doesn’t, instead she runs her fingers through my hair a few more times.
She doesn’t need to do that, so either she’s doing it for me because she knows I’m enjoying her touch, or she’s doing it for herself because she’s struggling to fight her attraction to me.
“Let’s wash it first.” Lily’s voice is quiet as her hand falls away, before gesturing to the row of basins at the back of the salon.
She doesn’t usually wash my hair when I get a haircut. She normally sends me home afterwards to shower, but my hair also hasn’t been this long before, so perhaps that has something to do with it.
What would I know? I’m not a hairdresser.
I take a seat at one of the basins, and Lily drapes a towel over my shoulders before securing a cape around my neck.
“Relax back,” she insists, one of her hands pressing against my shoulder to ease me back while her other hand supports the back of my head.
“Comfy?” she asks, hovering over me, and our eyes meet as I grin and nod.
Lily moves behind the basin then, and I immediately miss looking at her. That is until the warm spray of water washes over my hair, and her delicate fingers start gliding through it again.
Instantly, I’m hard.
My lids fall shut as I relax even more, and the sound of the water lulls me into a dazed state. When Lily starts washing my hair, I moan the moment her fingers dig in, massaging my scalp.
“Tell me about your day,” Lily asks, and I grin to myself, knowing damn well she heard my moan and also knowing she’s pretending she didn’t hear it.
“It was rather successful,” I admit, proudly. “I picked up my Triumph, which, as you can see, is like a new ride.” I lift my hand, gesturing to the bank of windows. “Steve offered me a job in the shop, so I accepted it. I start in the morning.”
“Oh, wow, Asher. That’s fantastic,” she says, her tone light and happy, and fuck, I love hearing her excited for me.
“It’s worked out well.” I leave out the part about the fights. Lily doesn’t need to know about that. “My parole officer is a tosser,” I admit, “but he was happy that I have a place to stay and have secured myself a job.”
“So he should. It’s great news about the job.”
As Lily massages my scalp, her technique changes, the pads of her fingers digging in, dragging another moan from me.
“Your new clothes look great,” she observes, still trying to ignore my reaction to her, and I chuckle.
“Yes, that’s because they fit me properly, and they don’t belong to your sons. Now when you ogle me, you don’t have to get creeped out that I’m wearing their clothes.”