Page 7 of Hard Knock Hero

I grabbed another knife from the block and ran after my customer into the biting wind and snow.

Mitch and his younger brother had scampered over to pick up their sibling. One at the arms, the other at the legs. “You’re gonna be sorry for this, Jessi,” Mitch shouted.

He didn’t even look at the man who’d actually done it. My nameless customer stood casually to one side with his hip cocked, coat unzipped, weapon dangling from his fist. Expression still blank.

I shook to my core from adrenaline. Even some idiotic glee. At least I could enjoy seeing Chester knocked out and his brothers running scared. As briefly as that would last.

I pointed my chef’s knife at Mitch, feeling puffed up with bravado and ridiculous because what the heck did I know to do with it? Except dice onions and julienne lemon zest. “Just go. Leave me alone. Never come back.”

“You’re so gonna pay,” Mitch spit out.

The boys stuffed Chester into the back of their truck, snowflakes swirling around inside the cabin, and their tires skidded as they roared away.

My eyes slid over to the man beside me. His dark gaze was there to meet mine.

Quiet fell over Main Street.

“I thought I asked you not to make a mess,” I said.

He shrugged one shoulder, the same arm that held the knife. “Oops.”

CHAPTERTHREE

Aiden

Jessi’s eyesshone with wild energy. Wind ruffled her ponytail. The ice and frigid air brought a pink glow to her cheeks. She wasn’t wearing a coat, just her pristine apron, sweater, jeans. Her knife glinted.

I changed my mind again. She wasn’t very pretty. She was stunning. I was stunned, looking at her. Which rarely happened to me.

I’d been surprised that she picked up a knife and followed me out here. But she was no doormat. She’d made that clear inside, both to me and to Chester. Not her fault she didn’t have the same physical intimidation factor a man like me did, despite her bravery and her height.

Then she deflated. Eyelids drooping, shoulders curving. “Oh, God. This is bad. Bad, bad, bad.” With quick steps, Jessi returned to the diner.

I came in after her. The door made a final jingle, and I flipped the lock and the open sign to closed. I figured she was done for the evening.

She went to the bar counter and dropped her knife to the formica surface. I set the one I’d borrowed next to it. A few snowflakes had settled on her neck and shoulders outside, and the shapes dissolved on her skin.

“It’s notthatmuch of a mess.” I glanced around. “I’ve done worse.”

“You haveno ideawhat you just did.”

“I think I saved you from a beating,” I said evenly.

“I was handling things in there.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Iwas. He wasn’t actually going to hit me.” She didn’t look remotely like she believed that. “What happened to not helping me? Minding your own business?Just passing through?”

Good questions, all. “I don’t like to see someone come into a perfectly nice establishment, ruin my dinner, and threaten the cook. Where I come from, that’s considered rude.” Plus, he’d called me a dumb asshole, and I hadn’t cared for that either.

She gritted her teeth and roared. Her palm slapped into the middle of my chest over the buttons of my Henley. She pushed me up against the bar counter, nearly where Chester had pinned her a few minutes ago. Jessi couldn’t hold me here, of course, though I felt the strength in her arm. But I stayed. I let her do it.

“Youleft.”

“I came back.”

“Why? Real answer this time.”

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