Page 52 of Heat & Deceit
Sighing, I pick up the small walkie-talkie by the register and turn it on. “Javier? There’s someone here to see you.”
“I’ll be right there,” comes his immediate reply.
The customer’s lips pull back in disgust as he looks me over. “Low-pack filth.”
This. Mother. Fucker.
It’s not every day I consider hopping over the counter to throttle someone, but today is the day. My brotherneverlet anyone insult us for being low pack, and now that he’s passed, there’s a fierce desire to uphold that standard. Since I like my job, I bite my tongue.
I turn to the side and watch Javier, wearing an expensive-looking shirt and slacks, push through the door. He steps over the mess of soggy paper towels and glances around. Randal is still behind, and there are six people waiting for drinks. I have a line and a jackhole alpha seething at the register.
Checking in with me, Javier’s gaze traces over the frown that’s firmly in place. His eyebrows pinch together as he approaches. “Everything okay?” he asks without acknowledging the alpha in front of me.
“Um. I don’t know.”
He hums under his breath before turning to the customer. Recognition flashes across his face, but it’s not the friendly sort. “Todd.”
Ugh, of course his name is Todd.
“Your employee was rude to me, and the wait for coffee is atrocious.” He scowls at me. “The low-pack idiot didn’t even apologize.”
Javier scowls at the insult and checks in with me.
“That’s not true,” I murmur. “I said sorry more than once.”
“And now she’s calling me a liar?” Todd smacks his hand on the counter, and I jolt.
Javier watches as it happens. He witnesses the way the sound makes my eyelids widen, stares at me as I cringe away from the sound, and sees my chest heave as I suck in a sharp breath and force myself to be still. His gaze darkens, and in that moment, though he doesn’t know anything at all, he sees too much.
Already, I sense him jumping from possibility to possibility. His mind must settle on its version of the worst that could happen. He’s wrong. Somehow, whatever people imagine is always far less fucked up than reality. I don’t like the change in how he looks at me—like I’ve gone from an employee to someone who needs a hero.
He can’t fight the demons in my head. Only I can do that.
He lifts an eyebrow in question. I shake my head hard.I’m fine.
“I want free coffee for a year,” Todd demands. “It’s the least you can do to make up for this low-pack slut insulting me.”
Javier shifts, widening his stance and pulling to his full height. Something violent flashes within the depths of his irises, but it’s not directed at me. It’sforme.
“You should leave,” he says to Todd in a deathly quiet voice.
“Leave?” He flushes red, and a vein appears on the side of his head, pulsing and angry. “Why the fuck should I leave?” Todd shouts the question and spins to face the other customers. “Do you hear this shit? He’s defending his piece of trash employee.”
Javier releases a warning growl, slapping his hand on the counter and using it to vault himself over it. He lands in a slight crouch, the dress pants stretching tight over his strong legs. Standing, he grabs Todd by the scruff of his neck, and before the alpha can even register what’s happening, Javier slams his fist into his gut. Todd wheezes, and while he’s winded, Javier forcefully removes him from the shop.
I hold my breath as I watch Todd dig his heels in, waiting for things to turn into a brawl, but Javier says something that has the fight leaving Todd’s body. My eyebrows pull down.
What did he say?
I raise onto my tiptoes to see over the line of people. A customer near the entrance opens the door, and I watch as Javier grabs the bottom half of Todd’s shirt and throws him onto the sidewalk. Todd lands on his ass and rolls, snarling and whipping his head up to glare at Javier.
Javier says something again, but he’s too far away, and the coffee machine is too loud to hear any of it. Todd’s face goes slack and his gaze drops. I narrow my eyes.
That’s not normal. It’s almost like Todd is afraid of Javier. I glance at Randal, but he’s too busy finishing drinks to pay me any mind. Swallowing, I stare at Javier as he adjusts the sleeves of his button-down shirt and struts back toward the register. He smiles and apologizes to the customers, switching on that charm of his. The women titter and the men just nod in understanding, as if they’re used to this sort of thing. As though it’s normal.
Javier’s gaze cuts to me, dark and unreadable. He dips his chin in acknowledgement.
“Excuse me.” The soft voice of a beta who was behind Todd pulls my attention away from Javier. “Would I be able to order? I’m so sorry to be a bother. I have to get to work soon, and I know you all are busy.”
