“That makes a lot of sense as to why he’s been carrying that book around,” he says, trying to rub a smile off his face, but it isn’t working.
“Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I think one of your … uh … friends gave me too much money. He came into the bookstore, and he didn’t say much, just tossed money at me and ran away. I want to give him his change.” I dig through my purse, and my glasses slide down the tip of my nose. I take the cash between my fingers and hand it to them. Slingshot pushes my glasses up my nose, then taps the tip of it.
“You’re too cute,” he states.
“Puppies are cute,” I mumble, waiting for the Prez to take the cash, but he stares at it instead.
“The man you’re talking about. Is he about this tall—” The Prez holds his hand above his head a little bit. “Kind of creepy looking, silent, brown eyes.”
I smile when the man’s face flashes in my hand. “Yeah!”
Then I frown. “I wouldn’t say he is creepy. I hope his package was okay. It leaked all over the floor. Red stuff. It stains too. I’m not sure what items he was trying to send, but I doubt it got there in one piece. I hope it wasn’t pie.”
“Pie?” Slingshot bursts out laughing. “Oh my god, she’s so cute. She thought it was pie. I can’t breathe. I can’t … oh God. My side hurts.”
I pull the money away from them and scowl. I don’t like to be laughed at. I know there are a lot of things I don’t know about, but he doesn’t have to be rude about it. “Well, I’m sorry for wasting your time. I didn’t know that he was such a joke to you. Apparently, everything is.” I probably shouldn’t have said that, but I want to defend a man I don’t even know. Sure, he looked rough around the edges, but his eyes told me a different story.
And I want to know it.
I spin on my heel and start to walk away when the man who calls himself Prez cuts me off, standing in front of me. “Woah now, hold on a second. We’re sorry. We don’t talk to people who have interactions with Tongue. He isn’t exactly the social type of guy. You want me to give him the cash back, I will. I swear it.”
“Yeah, that would be great. Tell him there are other books in the store. If he likes ‘The Great Gatsby’ that much, he should come back.” I want to see him again. “Wait, his name is Tongue? Why?”
“I’ll be sure to tell him that. Honestly? Ever since I’ve known him, that’s what he wanted to be called. We all have road names. I’m Reaper.”
“But do you know his name?” I prod.
“Cash and I’ll make sure he gets your message.” The way he says it tells me that this conversation is over.
But it isn’t.
“I want his name.”
Reaper’s jaw ticks, and he steps forward, leaning his face a few inches from mine. “Let me tell you something, blue-eyes. We only go by our road names. Our given names are only shared with the people we truly care about. The people we love. If Tongue wants you to know his name, he’ll tell you.”
Holy moly. This man is intimidating and scary. I can’t back down. “Do you even know it?” I ask.
An annoyed glint flashes in his eyes. “I know everything about my members, and I don’t do well with people constantly questioning me.”
I do my best not to tremble in fear and hand him the money I have in my hand.
He gently tugs the cash from my palm, and I have to break the intense eye contact. It isn’t sexual; his eyes are full of rage, but something else too.
Concern.
“What’s your name, blue-eyes?” he asks.
“Daphne,” I whisper.
“That’s a nice name. Look at me, Daphne.”
I glance up and meet those hard eyes again, but the corners have softened. “You seem like a sweet girl. You have a good life, a good job, it looks like. You’re cute. I mean this with the best intentions. You need to stay away from Tongue, okay?”
“Prez—” Slingshot starts to step forward, but Reaper holds his hand out to stop him. “Tongue is a good guy. He deserves—”
“Don’t talk to me about him, Slingshot.” Reaper points to him in a warning.
I try to move around Reaper to head back to the bookstore, but he stops me again. “Please, let me go.” I keep my voice low. “I’m sorry I interrupted your morning, but I’m not looking for trouble.”
“You are when you’re asking about Tongue. Stay away from him; got it, Daphne?”
“I got it.” I hate how submissive I sound, but Reaper scares me. I just want to go to work.
“Look at me.”
I do as he says, tears in my eyes from the fear engulfing me, and he looks guilty. “I’m sorry for scaring you. I am. I only have your best interest, Daphne. If you really knew Tongue, you wouldn’t ask about him. The fact that you piqued his interest worries me enough. Stay out of his way, and don’t ask about him. You understand me? He is dangerous. We all are. We aren’t knights, but when I need dirty work done, Tongue is my go-to guy. Remember that the next time you get all doe-eyed when you think about him or want to come up to us and ask about him, pretending you want to give his cash back.”
“I did want to give his cash back. It isn’t mine to keep. I’m not a thief.” On that note, I successfully sidestep the badass biker and successfully make my way toward the bookstore. All I can think about is this guy named Tongue and the warning Reaper gave me. Tongue didn’t seem like he wanted to hurt me, but what do I know? I’ve never been with a guy before. I’m probably reading into this too much.
Even knowing the warning, all I can think about are the light brown eyes of Tongue staring at me. He didn’t seem like he wanted to harm me; in fact, he almost seemed scared of me as I tried to talk to him.
He was flustered. He didn’t know what to say to me. I’m sure Reaper is right about the kind of man Tongue is, but I’m interested. I can’t lie and say I’m not.
When I get to the door of ‘Page by Page,’ I peer behind me to get one last look at the bikers, and they are still staring at me.
All three of them.
What have I gotten myself into?
I slide the skeleton key out of my cardigan pocket and unlock the door. A cool breeze ruffles my hair, but something has me giving my attention to the opposite direction. Nothing is there. It’s just an empty road, but I feel … something.
Holy moly. I’m a crazy person now. I’m paranoid. These damn bikers made me all jumpy.
I let out a deep breath once I walk through the door, then sag my back against it. I’m sweating. I need to take this cardigan off. I have ten minutes before the store opens, and I’m too flustered to focus.
Work.
Coffee.
Books.
“Right. You’re okay.” I blow out a raspberry, vibrating my lips as I try to relax.
“Hey, where’s mine?” Andrew asks, and I can hear the pout in his voice.
“Sorry, I … uh … forgot. You know me.”
“Yeah, and you don’t forget. What happened?” He crosses his arms over his chest, and I turn around to get a look at the coffee cart again. The bikers are gone.