Jason’s expression doesn’t change, remaining completely impassive while his fingers send small sparks through my skin.
Dropping the fry into my mouth, he releases me from his strange torture and nods, satisfied that I’m not trying to poison him.
“Good girl,” he whispers. “Now, off you go.”
I don’t respond but instead just turn and make my way back to the counter as quickly as I can.
Jason’s soft, unsuspecting touch is lingering on my skin longer than the shit kicker’s hard slap. It’s like he’s still touching me, even from the other side of the room.
What the fuck is going on?
I hand around the counter, choosing not to finish my lunch. I know they’ll call me over again, and I can’t even think about eating right now. My mind is reeling.
Why did he touch me like that?
And why has it affected me in this way?
Trixi breaks into my thoughts by murmuring in my ear. “So, do you mind telling me what’s going on?”
“Oh, um…I wasn’t going to say anything, but last night, after you left, Jason came by. He asked me to cook for him, and I guess he liked what I made.”
“Girl, there’s clearly more to it than that. I saw the way he looked at you. And the way he fed you that fry?”
“He just wants me to taste the food before he eats it. I guess he doesn’t trust easy.”
She shrugs. “Well, it’s weirdly hot, if you ask me. You think he likes you?”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “I’m just a new toy in the store, Trix. He’ll get over it.”
His eyes are glued to me.
He’s wearing that same thoughtful expression as last night, finger brushing against his lip while he leans back in the booth, watching me with his complete, undivided attention.
I blush furiously under his gaze and go to look away, but before I do, he crooks a finger at me, motioning for me to come over.
With a shaky breath, I straighten myself and pull my shorts down a little beneath my apron before making my way over. The other three were in conversation but fell silent the moment I approached.
“Can I get you anything else?” I ask as I pick up the empty plates.
Just as I take Jason’s, stacking it on top of the rest, his fingers wrap around the back of my knee, thumb sweeping in the crevice, sending a shiver through me.
“No, nothing else,” he says. His hand slides up the back of my leg to the bottom of my shorts as he stands, but he pulls away before I can get used to his touch.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a one-hundred-dollar bill and feeds it into my apron pocket. “Good job, sweetheart,” he whispers.
“Yes, sure,” I reply, keeping my eyes down and focusing on not dropping the plates.
His hand rests on the small of my back for a moment. “Good girl.”
Then he turns and strides out the door, leaving me once again in a state of confusion and…other weird feelings.
The rest of my day feels blurry and unfocused.
“Mave, are you okay?” Jack’s voice breaks into the haze around my thoughts, and I look up suddenly, seeing I’ve overfilled the ketchup bottle, and it’s overflowing.
“Shit!” I pull back and grab handfuls of napkins to start wiping up the mess. “Fuck. I’m sorry, Jack, I—”
His hand lands on my arm. “Hey, it’s okay. I only ask because you seem a little distracted, and I hear from Trixi that Mr. King asked for you by name today.”
Jack nods. “Well, once you’ve cleaned that up, why don’t you go grab your things? Trixi and I are just about done.”
I nod, bundling the ketchup-soaked napkins into a ball. “Thank you. I’m so sorry about this. I’ll give it back out of my wages.”
Jack shakes his head. “There’s no need for that, Mave, it’s okay.” He smiles and takes another napkin to wipe up a speck I missed. “Go on. Get ready to head home.”
I sigh with a thankful smile and head to his office, dropping the ketchup-covered napkins in the trash on the way. As I grab my things from my locker, I rediscover my abandoned salad. My stomach rumbles again.
No wonder I can’t think. I’m starving again.
I roll my eyes at myself because I know it’s not just hunger making me like this. One weird interaction, and I lose my mind. What the hell is wrong with me?
Jason is just handsy like the rest of them; he does it differently, but it all means the same. I need to get over myself and get a grip. This is pathetic. I can handle this. I know I can.
A few minutes later, I step out of the diner, saying goodbye to Trixi and Jack as they head for their cars.
For a moment, I stand on the sidewalk alone, looking up the quiet street. I’m so distracted it takes me a second to realize what’s wrong.
Alice isn’t here.
Right on cue, my phone buzzes in my pocket.
Ah, shit. Jack and Trixi have both pulled off, and I don’t have any keys of my own yet.
Dammit!
I chew on my lip as I think. I can walk—it’s only a few blocks, and the street looks quiet enough… Surely, it’s worse if I wait here. I’ll just be a sitting duck!
I send back a quick text and keep my phone in hand, just in case, as I start walking up the ghostly street.
Quickly, I find that it’s actually quite refreshing. Even though I’ve been on my feet all day, the night air relieves and relaxes me while I stroll. I take a long, deep inhale.
A whistle.
I tense immediately but force my feet to keep moving even when the whistle turns into a voice.
“Toots? That you, baby?”
I don’t respond and refuse to turn around, pressing myself on.
When he speaks again, he’s closer.
“I’d recognize that ass anywhere.”
Far too close. I panic, about to jump into a run when his arms wrap around my waist.
I shriek. “Ah! Get off me!” I try to pry his arms away, but it’s like trying to shift stone.
“Relax, darlin’, it’s only me,” he says into my ear.
Someone else chuckles from behind us, and fear turns my blood to ice in an instant.
“Please! Please, just let me go!”
Shit kicker laughs too. “I’ve not hurt you, beautiful. We could just have a little fun. I’ve been hoping to catch you like this…”
“Please, no—” I beg, but his hand covers my mouth as he hushes me, his breath hot against my ear.
He turns me around in his arms to face four of his terrifying friends. “You ever been offered so much meat, baby? I’m sure you can handle all of us. Although…we might stretch you a little.”
Tears blur my vision, and my chest tightens. I try to shake my head, but he holds it tightly to his chest, keeping me on my tiptoes so I can’t move.
He groans, running a hand down the flat of my stomach while the others’ eyes flame and their teeth glow like predators under the streetlights.
Just before his hand slips into my shorts, a deep voice comes from the darkness.
“Let her go.” It sounds calm, but there’s no mistaking the authority in his tone.
The body behind me turns toward the small, glowing ember of a cigarette in the darkness of an alley. He sighs but doesn’t let me go, even as the person comes into the light.
Jason.
