Page 56 of Tick Tock, Boom!

“Back the fuck off!” I snapped, stepping between them.

He stood slowly, eyes lingering on Gabriel before shifting back to me. “You’ve got fire, girl. I like that.” He leaned closer, lowering his voice. “Let me walk you home. Make sure you get there safe.”

“No, thank you.” I tried to move, pushing the cart forward again, my heart pounding. I just needed to get to the front of the store, get out, and figure out what the hell to do next.

But he kept pace with me, smiling like we were having a casual conversation. “Come on now, don’t be like that. You’re already halfway to making my night.”

“Stop following me.”

He laughed under his breath. “Don’t flatter yourself, sweetheart.”

We reached the registers, but they were empty, no employees in sight. I scanned for a manager, a worker, anyone. My pulse thudded against my throat as I grabbed Gabriel’s hand and kept moving.

Then a voice rang out from the far end of the store.“Croak! Shit’s goin’ down at the dock!”

He paused, turned his head toward the shout. His jaw clenched, then relaxed. He looked back at me, that same goddamn smirk on his face.

“I’ll be seein’ you,” he said, pointing two fingers at his eyes and then mine like it was a promise. He winked, tossed the half-eaten apple back into the cart, and turned to leave like he hadn’t just threatened me in front of my son.

I stood there shaking, my body cold despite the heat in my chest. Gabriel was still glaring at him.

“Mom?”

I knelt and hugged him tightly.“Don’t worry, baby. He’s not worth the fear. We’re okay.”

But I wasn’t sure that was true. Because just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse tonight, my piece-of-shit car decided to die on me.

The engine coughed, sputtered, and went silent just as I turned onto a stretch of road near the bayou. I coasted to the shoulder, slapped the wheel, and leaned my forehead against it with a groan. "Really? Now?"

Gabriel sat quietly in the backseat, clutching his backpack. “Is it broken again?”

“Yeah,” I muttered, getting out and popping the hood even though I knew I wouldn’t know what the hell I was looking at.

That’s when I heard it. A low, thunderous roar in the distance. A motorcycle. The kind of sound that made my gut tighten. I prayed it wasn't the same dude from the grocery store.

I turned my head just in time to see the headlight cut through the dark, the rumble growing louder until the bike came into view.

The rider slowed and pulled over behind me. I backed away from the hood, already tense.

He took off his helmet, and my stomach dropped.

Knuckles.

I hadn’t seen him in years, but I’d never forget that handsome face. We'd spoken just a few words back then, he'd always been respectful, unlike some of the others. He was older now, a bit more weathered, but still sharp. He didn’t recognize me, not in the dark. Thank God for that.

“You alright?” he asked, stepping off the bike.

“I’m fine,” I said quickly, maybe too quickly.

He raised a brow. “Sure don’t look fine. You’ve got a kid in the car and no one coming to help.”

“I’ve got it handled.”

“You’re being stubborn.” He walked past me and leaned over the engine. “And that’s not real smart with a kid depending on you.”

I said nothing. Just watched as he tinkered, tightened, muttered to himself. A few minutes passed, then he slammed the hood down and turned to me.

“Try it.”

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