Six | Dom
Six
Dom
“This burger is amazing,” I said as I covered my mouth while I chewed my bite. “Seriously, the best food I’ve had in a while.”
“Thank you,” Axel replied with a smile as he handed Jo another Diet Coke. “If you guys need anything, just let me know.”
“You know you could sit down and join us,” Jo replied with a tone I’d come to love from her. It was full of that sass and feistiness that was purely Jo.
“I could, but I’m busy running this bar,” Axel told her with a smirk that said he was lying.
“The bar with no one in it besides us?” Jo pushed, cocking her head to the side.
“You never know when a rush will come in, Jo.” Axel winked and walked off before she could say anything else.
“He’s so full of shit it’s starting to smell in here,” she muttered as she lifted her BLT sandwich and took a bite.
I chuckled and decided it was best not to rile her up, so I focused on my burger instead.
The door opened, and we both looked up to see her friend Keith walk in.
I met him yesterday and he seemed like a nice guy.
I loved how overprotective he was of Jo because it made me happy to see she had support here if needed.
I nodded in greeting as she eyed him suspiciously.
“What are you doing here?” she asked as she took a sip of her drink and set the glass down.
“I came for lunch.”
She narrowed her eyes and looked from him to the kitchen door.
“You came for lunch, or you came to see Ashley?”
“Why can’t it be both?” he asked as he shoved his hands into his pockets and met her stare.
“Do I need to remind you what I said would happen if you hurt her?”
Keith walked over and stood right in front of Jo, looking down at her.
“I have no plans to hurt her, Jo. For you to think that I’m that kind of guy really hurts.
I would think you, of all people, would know that I would never be that guy.
I like Ashley, and I’m enjoying getting to know her.
That’s all this is right now. But I’m not going to sit back and miss an opportunity to make a new friend because you’re worried I might fuck it up. ”
Jo stood up, so I set my burger down and leaned back in my seat, ready to jump in if needed. The tension between them was thick, and I knew Jo didn’t react well to being talked to like that.
“I know what kind of person you are, which is why we’re still friends.
You’ve been there through some difficult times in my life.
But you don’t know what Ashley has been through.
You don’t know the pain she’s suffered. You can’t blame me for wanting to protect her when no one in her life ever did.
She’s been through a lot already, Keith.
I don’t want to see her hurt, especially by someone I consider family. ”
“I understand, Jo. My intentions are never to cause anyone harm.”
I watched as Jo’s eyebrow shot up, questioning that statement.
“Okay, okay,” he said as he lifted his hands in defense. “But any harm that I’ve caused anyone was only because I was doing my job, and the only people I hurt were the bad guys.”
Jo folded her arms over her chest and continued to stare at him.
“Everett was an exception. I didn’t have a choice. I was in too deep and had to play the part, Jo. You know that.”
“Well, I guess now that you quit that job, we don’t have to worry about that anymore. But I’m serious, Keith. Take things slow with Ashley.”
“I promise, I won’t hurt her.”
Jo nodded, then returned to her seat and started eating as if nothing had happened, while Keith went to the bar and sat down. It was weird how comfortable I felt around Jo and her friends, almost as if I were meant to be there.
We finished eating, and then I paid the tab, much to Jo’s frustration. As far as I was concerned, she would just have to get over it because taking care of her brought me a sense of happiness I hadn’t felt in a long time.