Page 224 of Always Love You More

I pull my head back. This guy is an even bigger idiot than I thought. Why wouldn’t you just leave when you have the chance?

As expected, that answer doesn’t go over well with Jameson, and they get into it again, their words quickly escalating into a fist fight.

The man doesn’t get a hit in, but Jameson does. He cracks him right across the face before he grabs the man by his hair and says something into his ear too low for me to hear.

The next thing I know, the man is being shoved in front of me, his eyes glued to the floor, the fight completely beaten out of him.

“I’m—”

“Look her in the eye when you’re talking to her,” Jameson interrupts him.

He corrects himself immediately, meeting my gaze. “I’m sorry for how I talked to you.”

Jameson closes the space between them.

“And that I … that I touched you like that.”

I nod, and the man darts his eyes to Jameson before moving toward the door.

Before he can get far, Jameson calls out, “Where are you going?”

The man turns. “W-what? You told me to leave.”

“You didn’t leave a tip.”

I stare back at Jameson, raising an eyebrow, and he smirks.

“A tip?” the man asks. “I didn’t even get my food.”

“And whose fault is that?” Jameson bites back, motioning to me. “It sure as shit isn’t hers.”

The man deflates, his shoulders sagging, but he walks back to the table and sets down a five-dollar bill.

“Since you enjoyed the service so much,” Jameson mutters, “I think she deserves a little more than that, don’t you?”

I stand by and watch as he squeezes another thirty-five dollars out of the man before he barks, “Good. Now get out of my fucking sight.”

The man scrambles away, heading for the door.

The second he’s gone, Jameson moves for me. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” I tell him.

He stares down at me for a moment before he looks over his shoulder at Patsy and says, “She’s taking her break.”

Patsy doesn’t argue, even though I technically just took one. My shift is about to end, anyway.

Jameson grabs my hand, leading me to the door.

We pass by the table of rich kids, and I notice the blonde girl watching me again, the look on her face catching me off guard.

She looks angry. Pissed, even.

I briefly wonder if it’s me who she’s angry for, but I shake the thought away, focusing on keeping up with Jameson’s quick pace.

He pulls me around the corner, finally slowing when we’re tucked away in the alley next to the diner.

I take him in as he shifts restlessly in front of me, his body teeming with energy. My eyes drop to our interlocked hands, noticing his cracked knuckles.