Page 10 of Rocky

“Huh?”

“You can’t hear now? C’mere,” he repeated with more bass than the first time.

I didn’t know this man well enough to succumb to his demands, but somehow, I ended up on the other side of the counter within arm’s reach of him. He removed his phone from his back pocket and turned on the light.

Without asking, he gently grabbed my chin and tilted my head back. He used the light to get a better look at my neck, and when he released me, I was taken aback by the anger in his eyes.

“Who did this?”

“Nobody, I?—”

“Don’t lie to me, Rue. Somebody had their hand around your neck. The only acceptable answer is that your man did this while he fucked you against the wall.”

“Damn,” Rosemary whispered.

“How dare you talk to me like that! You have?—”

“Answer the question.”

“It was her ex,” Rosemary responded before I could.

He looked back and forth between me and Rosemary.

“What’s his name?”

“Deacon Lewis,” she continued.

“Rosemary, shut up!”

“Deacon Lewis from the Westside Riders?” he questioned.

“You know him?” I asked.

He chuckled…but in a sinister way. “Nah, not really. Does he put his hands on you often?”

“Not since they broke up, but he felt froggy today.”

“Rose, shut up!” I shouted again.

“Is he Briar’s father?” I nodded. “That’s unfortunate. I hope you choose better in the future. So look, since getting you the flowers to apologize fell through, I’m taking you to dinner instead.”

“I’m not going to dinner with you.”

“What time should I pick you up?”

“I’m not?—”

“Seven should be fine,” Rosemary interjected.

If looks could kill, I’d be down one sister. “If you don’t shut up, Rose. Why do you keep?—”

“See you at seven. Wear something casual,” Rocky said before turning to leave.

“Wait. I didn’t say—Hold on. Hey! Hold on!”

My pleas fell on deaf ears, and Rocky continued out of the shop, never looking back.

“Look at you going out on a date. I can’t wait to tell the flowers.”

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