Page 14 of Here's to Now

He takes an intimidating step toward me. “I have eyes, kid. I saw you go after her.”

I narrow my gaze, annoyed that he’s riding my ass so hard over this. “And if I did?”

“Those Kamden girls mean a lot me…”

He’s getting testy, the warning for me to stop fucking around clear. Clenching my jaw, I give him the answer he’s wanting. “She made it home safely.”

“Uh huh.” He doesn’t sound convinced. “And she’s good? You treat her okay?”

If it were possible, I’d narrow my eyes even more because his voice booms with uncertainty he has no reason to have. Boldly, he’s questioning my character. I don’t fucking like my character being questioned.

“That’s none of your business.”

It’s truly not. He’s not Haley’s father; I owe him no answers.

Anger flashes across his features as he takes another step toward me, like he’s fully preparing to beat my ass. Little does he know, I’ve been in fights with men twice his size before. I’m not scared, but I am getting pissed, and if I don’t get my ass moving, I’ll be late for work.

“Kid—”

“Look, I know you’re just trying to be protective of Haley, but I assure you, I treated her with the utmost respect, as I do every woman. It’s rather unfortunate you assume the worst about me when you don’t know me.”

“I’ve seen a lot of shit in my day. You’d be surprised the type of people that hide right in front of you.”

My hands snap to fists at my sides, my chest pumping fast as I struggle to control my breathing. His words are accusations toward me, which only means one thing—he’s heard a few stories about my past, stories I thought were buried.

“You’ve checked me out.”

“The moment you grew close to Rae.”

With the way he’s treating me right now, like I’m an annoying piece of gum stuck to the bottom of his boot, this information is surprising. He’s never acted this way toward me before, maybe because he knew Rae was taken by a good guy so he didn’t have to worry? I have no idea, but it doesn’t piss me off any less. “That was the past, Benny.”

“You need to stay away from Haley. Don’t get any stupid ideas in your head like romance or some shit. You got it?”

This time it’s me who takes a step toward him, my car beeping at me obnoxiously over the forgotten open door. So this is because Haley’s single.Wow. Didn’t know he thought so little of me.

“I already told you, that was my past. It’s not who I am anymore. Besides, I have no romantic interest in her. Ijustmet her last night.”

Ignoring the last half of my statement, he says, “You’ll always be that guy, kid. You’re just an older version of him.”

“People change.”

“Not that I’ve ever seen.”

Irritation crawls up my back, my muscles jumping because of how tense they are. Remember when I said I was good at sneaking? I lied a little. I’m good, but I’ve been caught. Several times. I have a record, and it’s not something I’m proud of. The majority of my shady past is just that: shady, the records sealed since I was a minor. I thought I was beyond this when it came to people outside my family and myself, thought it was safe to move on.

I was wrong.

But so is he.

“You’re wrong.”

Benny eyes me up and down, his lips curling into disapproval. “Prove it.”

I skid into the open garage doors of Jacked Up at the last moment. It’s not like Hudson would give two shits if I was late, but I would. I’ve been working my ass off for years to prove I’m more than just some dumb punk kid.

My eyebrows slam together, the anger from my encounter with Benny rolling through me again.

“Fuck. Me.”

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