Page 79 of Feeding Hope
Her smirk deepened slightly, and she gave him a quick, teasing roll of her eyes before sliding the bottle toward him.Frost’s gaze flicked just long enough to register the interaction—no comment, no smirk, no acknowledgement—but that small recognition told Jinx everything he needed to know about how sharp the man really was.
Tipping back his beer bottle, Jinx saw his phone light up on the bar top. “Always when you least want an intrusion.” He mumbled reaching for it, the number wasn’t one he recognized.Still, he answered.
“Talk.”
“Jinx, this is Constance from the food bank.”
He could hear it in her voice; something had gone wrong after he left. That tone set his teeth on edge. “What’s wrong?”
“Did you mean what you said about helping me?” she asked, voice tight.
“Yes,” Jinx replied, cutting straight to it. “Now tell me what happened.”
“Two of those jerks came back after you left. They destroyed the meals.”
“I’m headed back.” No hesitation. No second-guessing.
“They came back threatening me again.” She told him in a rush.
“What are they threatening you with?” he asked, rising from his stool. Knowing every second counted.
“They said I need to pay protection money to them.”
“Lock the door, Constance. I’m on my way back.” He told her commanding, not a suggestion.
“We’re closed. I let my volunteers go home already. It’s just me here now.”
“Stay inside.”
“Okay.”
Hanging up, Jinx was pissed, harassing a food bank for protection money? Pure assholes.
Frost watched Jinx heading for the door. He could tell something serious had happened. Instincts kicking in. Always alert.
“Hey, Jinx. You need some backup?” he called out, setting his whiskey down.
“I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t say no to some backup,” Jinx called back. Admitting you might need help wasn’t weakness, it was smart.
Frost shoved off the stool, pulled his bike key from his chain, and followed after Jinx. Finally, some action. He wouldn’t mind mixing it up with some assholes. It’d been a while since he’d thrown down. Time to stretch some muscles. He thought.
Outside Jinx straddled his bike, checked over his shoulder seeing where Frost was and saw the brother was already ready to ride. Firing up his bike he shied into gear and rolled away from the clubhouse with Frost on his six.
Half a mile down the road they passed a few of the brothers, unbeknownst to Jinx, Frost had signaled for them to turn around and ride with them.
He realized it when he checked his mirror and saw them coming up fast. Shit he didn’t need half the chapter rolling up to the food bank. Settling in, Jinx figured maybe the show of force was something that would get mentioned around town. And inadvertently back to the people harassing Constance.
Chapter Four.
Constance paced the floor, every step tightening the knot in her chest as she second-guessed the call to Jinx. Fear crept in quietly, reshaping her thoughts before she realized it was there. She had never been the kind of woman who startled easily. Confrontation had never scared her.
There had been something in his eyes. Not anger. Not desire. Calculation. The way his gaze tracked her had felt deliberate, as if he were memorizing her—measuring distances, weighing outcomes.
Her skin had prickled under that look, instinct screaming where logic failed.
This wasn’t the casual possessiveness women laughed about, not the hollow thrill of being watched by someone who wanted you. This was the awareness of someone noticing a problem. One they might be able to help with.
She felt like there was more to the harassment. Someone else watching and calling the shots. A snake hidden beneath stone, motionless and patient, waiting for the moment she forgot to be afraid waiting for her to move.
