Chapter 4 #2
Alec was silent for a beat, then in a tone I had never heard before, from anyone, he asked, “New friend?”
I frowned, but nodded, “Yeah, I came across something a couple of weeks ago and just handed it to him. It’s what really brought me here.”
“Cassie. What friend?” he growled.
Softly, I said, “Jacob Hooper.”
At the name, he let out a breath.
And I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I had been holding.
“If he’s okay with it, I’ll swing by there here in a bit.”
I lifted a brow, “You?”
He chuckled, “Yeah, me. I do odd and end things to get by.”
I wasn’t going to call him on the lie he just fed me. I knew he was in the military or something like it; he just didn’t want me to know yet.
And since we had just met, I could give him that.
Then I looked at Jacob, “Alec Griggs said he would stop by here in a bit and check it out, is that okay with you?”
Jacob nodded, “You know Alec?”
I nodded, “In a way. Met him yesterday. He helped me get my car to the mechanic.”
Jacob was alert then as he asked, “What’s wrong with your car?”
I smiled, “A girl thing. The battery terminals were loose.”
He chuckled, then he nodded.
Then I said to Alec, “He said it was okay.”
“Got it. You going to be there when I get there?” He asked.
I shook my head, “No, I gotta meet the delivery guys.”
“Okay, be careful, yeah? Need my help just let me know.”
“Okay, thank you, Alec,” I said.
“Any time. Later, Trouble.”
Once he disconnected, I put my phone back in my pocket and smiled at Jacob, then I asked, “Want to get dinner tomorrow night with me. Show me around?”
His eyes lit up, “Yeah, Cassie. I sure would like that.”
Then I headed home and met the delivery guys.
It was a few hours later, and nothing seemed right for dinner.
Therefore, I tagged my keys and headed into the next town over.
When I had been riding with Alec last night, we had passed by a sign that read Virgin Mary’s Bar therefore, I changed the subject.
“I know. Cole looks just like you from the pictures you posted on Insta, and Madalyn, hope you're ready.”
He growled playfully.
“Care to tell the rest of the group how the two of you know each other?” Talia asked from her seat.
That was when I felt every eye in the place on the two of us.
But I focused on the women at the table and saw that they were all wearing narrowed looks.
And for some reason, that made me feel small.
Smaller than I have in a really long time.
Because Harlee was looking at me with worry in her gaze.
Talia was looking at me with anger in her gaze.
Everly was biting her bottom lip.
Tatum was also looking between me and one other woman.
Lila’s eyes were downcast.
Well. Shit.
And before I could explain anything, I felt the air shift, and then in the next second, a pair of arms wrapped around my waist, and I tensed, until I smelled it.
Alec.
“Fancy seeing you here,” he said as he squeezed once and then let me go.
Talia glared at him, “Hi, Alec.” Then she looked at me and narrowed her eyes, “We don’t want women like you around us. The best thing you can do is leave.”
I felt Alec go stiff at my back, then he whispered, “What the fuck?”
Then loudly he said, “What the fuck, Talia?”
“Don’t you what the fuck me, Alec. She just jumped into Bronson’s arms like she knows exactly how it feels to have his cock inside of her, then you go and wrap her in your arms. Come on. I’m not stupid.”
“No. But your stupid for the scene you just made by jumping to conclusions about something you don’t know two fucks about,” Bronson gritted out.
I leaned up on my tiptoes and pressed a kiss on Alec’s cheek and whispered, “Thanks.”
Alec didn’t react but kept glaring at Talia.
Then I did the same thing to Bronson.
But he twisted his neck and said, “Give me your phone.”
I nodded, then handed him my phone.
He punched something in, then he said, “I’ll call you tomorrow. We got some catching up to do.”
He said it in that no-nonsense tone of his I hadn’t heard in well over a decade. Therefore, I smiled.
Then I looked at Harlee, ignoring the other women, “If you don’t want me to work for you, I understand. Just please, do me the courtesy of telling me to my face.”
Then I walked, and laid down a twenty on the bar top and looked at Birdie, “Will this cover my meal?”
She winked, “Yeah, darlin’. You're good.”
I nodded, and then with my head held high, I walked out of the bar and grill.
Only allowing myself to shed one tear for being judged for something I had no part in. Again.
This was supposed to be my fresh start.
My new beginning.
But hey, you know the saying... if everyone is an asshole, maybe the asshole is you.