Page 82 of Broken Promises

“So I’m a steaming pile of shit?” I joked as he stepped up behind me and put his arms around my middle.

“No. Like the pornstar in all my dreams. You want to fix your hair? Is that the problem?” he asked, dropping his mouth to my shoulder to kiss it. “Go shopping in Ashburn and buy some dye.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not? You’ve got money in the bank, right?”

He had a point, but the thought of spending money on something for vanity made my stomach twist. What if I needed to save the money for when Rory didn’t need me again?

Knowing my thoughts as always, Zavier sighed. “It’s not a waste of money. It’s like 20 bucks.”

“Hey, not that long ago, that was a lot of money. The money I have might be better to keep for emergencies,” I argued, turning in his arms.

“You don’t do a lot for yourself, babe. If dying your hair blue makes you feel good, keep doing it. Besides, it looks good spread out on the pillows,” he winked, giving me a kiss. “Ashburn is pretty safe, and there are cameras everywhere. Nothing should happen to you.”

“Wait, you’ll let me go alone?” I asked in surprise.

“I’m trying here. You don’t like being smothered, especially when it’s unnecessary. As long as you have your phone on you, you can call someone for help if something gives you a bad vibe,” he smiled, and I couldn’t help but smile back.

“I could even stop by Harley’s Bar for a shake.”

“You could. Keep in touch, and I’ll try not to worry,” he promised, moving back a step. “I’m also buttering you up because I’ve been asked to do something and you won’t like it.”

My mood soured instantly, my heart rate spiking. “What the fuck does Ander?—”

“Ander hasn’t asked me to do anything. He wouldn’t do that behind your back, not now,” he said calmly. “Slash has asked me for a favor. They’re hosting some fights tonight. With Diesel handling so much of the Heights community center stuff, Jensen having business meetings, and Lukas helping the Devils, they don’t have someone to help out at the Shed with the bar. I know you don’t like us dealing with crew stuff, but?—”

“You’d just be working the bar?” I cut in, knowing how badly he liked being part of things.

“Yeah. They don’t tend to let outsiders know the ins and outs of their business deals, so I’d only be doing basic stuff to help out. They can ask Jett or even Riley if I can’t. Slash just wanted to offer it to me because he knows we’ve been asking for jobs lately.”

“It’s paid?”

“Nothing in this world is free,” he teased, toying with the ends of my hair. “You wouldn’t mind? I don’t want you worrying. I’d be home super late.”

The Psychos would keep him safe. There was no way they’d even ask him to help out if they thought they were going to have an attack or something.

“Okay. Just try to check in when you can so I know the place hasn’t been shot to shit,” I said slowly, his eyes lighting up.

“You don't mind?”

“I’d be a bit of a hypocrite if I said no when Beckett keeps hanging around me, right?” I joked, knowing I’d made the right choice when he kissed the hell out of me.

If they were working on giving me space, then I had to work on trusting them to get home safely to me. My fear of gangs and being caught in the crossfire was mine to bear, not theirs.

It wasn’t fair that I was holding them back from things they enjoyed, and Zavier especially liked hanging out at the Shed.

“No drug deals or gun trading, I promise,” he grinned, swatting me on the butt lightly. “You’re the best girlfriend ever.”

“Jesus, it’s not that deep,” I grumbled awkwardly, giving him a light shove towards the door. “Go tell everyone else how cool I am. I’m going to see if Ander can drop me off in Ashburn.”

“You guys need a fucking car,” Ander grumbled, appearing in the hallway after apparently eavesdropping on our conversation.

“Is that a no?”

“Hurry up and put your shoes on,” he huffed, smiling as I stood on tiptoe to kiss him before running off to find my shoes.

“You know,” I started once I was sitting in the passenger seat of the Supra as Ander backed out of the garage. “If you weren’t busy, you could’ve just given me the keys to drive myself.”

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