Chapter 12
By the time I arrive at the cafe, Aaron is already there, but while he’s got his laptop open in front of him, he’s looking at a couple of…
goths? I’m not sure what to call them, but the guy is in a studded leather jacket, and his hand and neck tattoos are clearly visible.
The girl he’s holding by the waist is wearing a pair of tight black leather pants, and her lipstick is black.
For a moment I wonder if she gets the makeup all over sandwiches when she eats, but this is an unnecessary distraction.
I park my ass in a chair next to Aaron’s, and for once, he’s the startled one.
“Are they book inspiration?” I ask, eager to delay discussing my own problems.
Aaron sneers, discreetly pointing to the couple buying lunch. “That guy? Never. Look at him. So obnoxious.”
I glance again, but I don’t see him doing anything out of the ordinary. I do however spot three high school aged girls also taking sneak peeks at him and giggling to each other.
“I don’t get it.”
Aaron rolls his eyes and pushes a plate with a snickerdoodle left among crumbs toward me. “He just thinks he’s all that. Constantly flirts with all the girls and lures them in with Instagram thirst traps. It’s embarrassing, really.”
“So you’re also checking out his Instagram.” I smirk.
Aaron’s eyes become ice cold. “No.”
“So you know him… how?”
“I don’t know know him. But last year, he spilled coffee over my laptop because he was oh-so-busy looking at some girl’s cleavage instead of where he’s walking.
He didn’t even offer to pay for the damage or anything, but what would you expect from a guy who markets his tattoo shop on how hot he is.
He’s not even that good. He's also a literal criminal.
A few years ago, he broke into someone's house and they caught it on security cameras, but people still think it was no big deal, just because he petted the owner's cat. Absolutely ridiculous,” Aaron says with exasperation and takes a sharp breath once he finishes the tirade.
I bite the snickerdoodle. “Okay, gossip central, I get it. Do you want help with revenge? Is that it? You’ve been assisting me all this time, only makes sense for me to return the favor.”
Pale green eyes widen, and Aaron chokes on the coffee he’s been drinking. “No. I’m just sayin’ he’s a douchebag. Jeez, I don’t care about that laptop thing anymore. It’s been ages, and I needed a new one anyway.”
“Hello,” Kai says, grabbing my shoulders from behind. He smells like tea with sugar. “Any last requests before I finish my shift?”
“Yes, put vinegar in Vex’s coffee,” Aaron says, back to normal breathing.
Kai skates to stand between us and shakes his head. “The management would kill me. Besides, I’m not an assassin. But if you pay me, I can give him a bottle of vinegar with a special dedication from you.”
I snort, but Aaron doesn’t seem amused. “I’m above such petty moves.”
His gaze trails the goth couple, and only then it hits me that I’ve made gay friends since moving here.
It feels as natural as breathing to talk about stuff to Aaron, or tease Kai.
Despite the pressing matter of Cass’s date with the troll, I lean back in my chair.
I didn’t even know I was carrying a secret inside me, but now that I’m adjusting to my new reality, it’s such a relief to have someone to talk to.
Kai pets Aaron’s hair. “If that’s it then I’m off.”
Aaron lets out a weird, raspy noise, only to straighten his back when the tattoo artist and his girlfriend walk past us.
Someone has a crush on the bad boy.
But I don’t point it out, since my gaze swipes over the clock mounted on the wall, and I’m struck with the realization that Cassian has already met up with the fake troll.
“Time is of the essence here,” I say with my elbows on the table. “We need to stop that fake troll bastard whatever it takes.”
Aaron’s eyes focus, and he shuts his laptop, staring at me across the table. “Right. Sorry, we should have started with this! When are they meeting up?”
I scowl. “At six.”
Aaron’s gaze darts to the clock, and he frowns at me. “Then they’re already together!”
“Exactly. That’s why we need to take drastic measures.” I lower my voice. “Come with me.”
His eyes glow as he shoves his things into his backpack and rises to his feet. He puts on his hip-length sheepskin coat and is ready to go. “Whatever you need.”
He doesn’t need the jacket where we’re going, but there’s no time to discuss that.
I lead him to the disabled restroom under Levi’s watchful eye.
I can only hope he doesn’t think we’re about to fuck there.
I’ve heard he had problems with customers doing that before, but desperate times call for desperate measures, and it’s not like the execution of my plan’s gonna take long.
Aaron is confused when I urge him inside and sit on the closed toilet.
I take a deep breath. “Lock the door.”
His face twists, and he raises his index finger, pointing at me. “Excuse me… exactly what is it that we’re doing here?”
I rub my face and straighten my legs in front of me. “I need you to break my leg. Then I’ll call Cass and he’ll end his date to come help me.”
The backpack drops from Aaron’s hand, and he saves his computer from sudden destruction by grabbing it just before it hits the floor. “W-what? What did I just hear?” he asks in a shrill voice and stares at me as if my face was melting.
“You can do this. Just put force into it.” I can hardly believe what I’m saying myself, but there is no other way.
“Do I look like I have force?” Aaron whispers, pressing his slim hands to his chest. As I scan his elongated body, I have to admit that he does not.
“Maybe you need to jump on it?” That should do the trick. Aaron might not be strong, but he surely weighs enough to cause damage. I feel nauseous just thinking about it.
“No,” Aaron says, raising his voice enough for me to shush him. He is pale and leans against the door as if his legs can’t support him anymore. “What the hell? Why would you want that?”
“I don’t want it! It’s a necessity.”
“Just call him and tell him!”
“He’ll think I’m a psycho. This is the way, Aaron. Jump on my leg.”
He’s on the verge of tears, but we have no time for that.
Aaron takes a deep breath and presses his foot against my shin as if he needs a dry run. “But you can’t sue me.”
“I won’t.”
Aaron struggles to take a deep breath and attempts to psych himself up by patting his chest as he makes little jumps right in front of me. He might leap higher at any second, and I consider closing my eyes so I don’t instinctively shift position when the time comes.
Finally, Aaron nods, squeezes his hands into fists, and bends his knees in preparation, but as blood drains from my brain, leaving me feeling numb, he turns on his heel and faces the wall. “I can’t do it!”
A knock on the door paralyzes me.
“What’s going on there?” Levi asks in his steady baritone.
Aaron slides down the wall and hugs his knees. “I need to break Matt’s leg so Cassian comes back from his date with a troll. There’s no other way, but I can’t do it!” he whines in a high pitch, no longer looking my way.
Good, because he’d see how angry I am at him for revealing our secret. “Levi, this doesn’t concern you.”
There’s a deep sigh on the other side and a moment of silence. “Okay, but if Aaron can’t do it, and someone needs to, then maybe I can help.”
Aaron stares up at me in panic. “He is stronger. He should do it,” he whispers, but before I get to answer, Levi speaks.
“I’m not letting you traumatize him for life, Matt. Open the door, or I will do it with my spare keys.”
Of course.
“I’m sorry,” Aaron mumbles, rubbing his face.
I get up even though my legs are a bit wobbly from the stress of it all. I open the door to face Levi’s frown.
“Come with me, you two.”
We follow him out of the restroom, and Aaron gives me his most apologetic glance, mouthing “I’m sorry.”
The anger I initially felt has evaporated, because the truth is I shouldn’t have asked him for this. Aaron is a normal person. Well, maybe more sensitive than most. Telling him to break my limb was selfish, so I squeeze his hand as we follow Levi behind the counter.
“What bit your asses?” Quinta asks, taking in our pathetic procession.
“Don’t let anyone into the back,” Levi says, making my stomach clench.
She nods, but is too busy hurrying to serve a customer to give an answer.
Levi’s broad back seems even bigger in the narrow corridor with several doors, and I grow quiet wishing it wasn’t inappropriate to hold Aaron’s hand for courage.
But that thought only reminds me of squeezing Cass’s fingers during our encounter with the mountain lion, and my conviction to go through with my plan grows.
Levi locks the door behind us when we walk into a back room. Bags of coffee are stacked on shelves next to several fridges. He leads us along a tower of cardboard boxes, to a small table with four chairs.
Levi shows me one of the seats and turns to a metal chest of drawers. “Remind me why exactly Cassian needs to be saved from this date, and why your leg needs to pay the price?”
Aaron stands in the farthest corner, biting his knuckle.
I hesitate but eventually sit down and extend my left leg. I don’t know why it feels like a better choice than the right, but I do. “All you need to know is that it needs to be stopped, and I can’t seem like I’m sabotaging him on purpose.” My teeth start to clatter.
“So you are sabotaging him?” Levi asks, pulling out a massive wrench from one of the drawers.
“Only for honest reasons!”