Page 29 of Bound to Burn


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I follow him into his office and settle against the doorframe as he looks up at me expectantly.

“I have to leave early on Saturday, if that’s okay?” I ask.

“Surfing competition?” he asks, making an attempt at a joke.

“It’s my grandparent’s fiftieth wedding anniversary, and I’m throwing them a party,” I explain.

He leans back in his chair. “Fifty years, wow, that’s a long time.”

“Yeah, it’s actually pretty special.” I interlace my hands together in front of me.

He places his forearms on the desk, linking his fingers together and staring up at me. “I really meant it, what I said earlier.”

I knit my brows together, wondering where he’s going with this.

“I might have been skeptical at first, but it’s been really great having you work here.”

My eyes must go wide because he chuckles and says, “Don’t look so surprised.”

I finally find my voice. “No, it’s just…” I pause, trying to find the right way to say it, “Well, I appreciate that.” I nod.

We lock eyes, and I feel the pull of the tether between us when he looks at me like that. It’s attraction, but there’s also something deeper.

“About the other day…” he starts to say, but is interrupted by the bell ringing.

We both turn towards the front of the store. It takes me a minute to gather myself, wondering what he was going to say, before I tell him, “I’ll get it.”

Gabriel walks down the aisle, hair slicked back except for those stubborn pieces that fall across his forehead. He’s wearing a white t-shirt that stretches across his chest, the ink snaking up his neck on full display, the colors standing out against the white. The chain from the wallet in his back pocket hits the side of his thigh as he moves. When he sees me, he smiles.

“Hey,cariño,” he says in that cocky tone, the one that would make most girls fall to their knees.

Gabriel is stunning and he’s sweet behind his tough exterior, but I’ve sworn off boys - and Gabriel looks like a heartbreaker. Even so, I can’t help the goofy smile on my face as I greet him.

Cash appears at the front of the store looking between Gabriel and me but it’s the expression on his face that makes my smile deflate.

“Ey,” Gabriel says, tipping his chin to Cash who returns it with a tight smile.

“Where are you off to?” Cash asks casually.

“Gabriel is taking me downtown so I can take pictures of the graffiti art,” I tell him, grabbing my camera from under the counter.

Cash crosses his arms over his chest, showing off tight veins. There is no mistaking the tick in his jaw.

The air is heavy as I stand between both of them, my cheeks heating up. No matter how gorgeous Gabriel is, he is no match for the man that stands opposite me; light stubble on his face, a few specks of grey above his ears, and those stormy grey eyes that bore into me.

“Those are rough neighborhoods,” he says to Gabriel as if I’m not even in the room.

Gabriel cocks his head, his lip tilting at the edges. “She’ll be with me,” he tells Cash, as if this makes a difference, and somehow I think it does, like being with him makes me untouchable. He shifts his weight, causing the chain at his hip to rattle.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine with Gabriel,” I laugh nervously because Cash is acting like a dad right now, and I’m not sure what to make of it.

“It’s not safe.” He ignores me and continues talking to Gabriel.

Gabriel raises an eyebrow, the scar becoming more prominent. “I’ll take good care of ourcariño.” He juts out his chin and slides his eyes to me.

Cash’s eyes narrow to slits, and I can see the rapid pulse in his neck as he visibly bristles.

“Ready to go?” I ask Gabriel. He nods and we walk down the aisle towards the door.

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