Beyond the Horizon (Sons of Templar MC #4)(48)

He looked up into the sky for a moment then back down to me. “What are you doing?” he asked quietly.

I tilted my head in confusion. “Well, I thought we were going home, but now we’re standing in the middle of the parking lot, having this conversation.”

His gaze didn’t move from mine. “No, flower. What are you doing? That,” he nodded his head at the doors, “the drinking, partying, dancing on f*ckin’ bars. That shit ain’t you,” he declared firmly.

With his words, my drunkenness seemed to wash off like dirt. Clarity settled into my mind. As did cold fury.

I ripped out of his arms, able to do so because he wasn’t expecting it. “You don’t know me,” I yelled suddenly. “Who I am. How are you meant to know me when I have no f*cking clue,” I continued to scream and scuttled backward when he tried to step closer to me. “You don’t get to ride in here after three years, up on your high Harley and dictate who I am, tell me what actions are appropriate for the Lily you thought you knew. The one you thought you had figured out after one f*cking night. She’s gone,” I choked out, breathing heavily. “Maybe she never existed, I don’t know. But I know you’re not saving me. You’re not ‘taking care of me.’ I do that for myself. I always have. Always will. And if you want this,” I waved my hand between us, glad he kept his distance, “you have to realize I’m not going to cling to your leather cut and let you figure out life for me. Shield me from it. Tell me what to do. I’m not an Old Lady. I can’t give you that,” I whispered, surprised at the wetness on my cheek. I angrily swiped the tears away. I didn’t need them at this moment.

There was silence after my shouting. Well, not really silence, since the dull thumping of music in the background was pretty loud. Asher just watched me for a second, his face still soft, not showing an ounce of anger that had been there before. He stepped forward slowly.

“Flower—”

“Is there a problem here?” a voice interrupted.

Asher didn’t even turn. “Fuck off,” he muttered, his eyes on me.

Because I wasn’t a rude alpha male, and because I recognized the voice, I turned my voice to look at the figure who had stepped close to me.

“Aiden?” I asked, his attractive face was moved into a hard line.

“You okay, Lil?” He tore his gaze from Asher, who made a noise when he came to my side, touching my elbow lightly.

“Yeah, I’m-I’m fine,” I stuttered.

Aiden frowned, then glared at Asher, which was pretty brave considering the murderous glint on Asher’s gaze.

“I don’t believe you. How about I take you home?” he suggested softly.

Asher stepped forward. “I’ll be taking her home, and I’d appreciate it if you take your hand off her,” he bit out.

Aiden stepped slightly in front of me. “I don’t think I’ll be letting her go home with the biker she was screaming at in a parking lot with tears streaming down her face,” he told Asher, looking at him with disdain.

I put my hand on his shoulder hoping to defuse the situation. “Aiden, we’re fine, really,” I reassured him. “What are you doing here anyway? This place isn’t really your... scene.” I put that lightly. He had routinely urged me to find other employment since he found out I worked here. His upbringing made him unable to fathom the idea that I could stomach working somewhere like this. He didn’t understand that people like me didn’t get a choice.

Aiden turned his head, frowning at me. “I haven’t seen you in weeks. You weren’t at home and I knew you’d be here. I wanted to make sure you were okay,” he explained.

“By lurking in a f*ckin’ parking lot?” Asher clipped, standing like a stone.

Though I didn’t like the cursing or the general aggravation in his tone, I had to agree with the sentiment.

“You’re right,” Aiden spoke to me. “This isn’t my scene. I also knew you would be finishing about this time, taking the bus home. That’s not safe. Not to mention your state of mind. I was waiting in my car to take you home.”

“Right, man, that’s firmly in stalker territory, so I’d greatly appreciate it if you stopped and stayed the f*ck away from Lily,” Asher ground out, fists at his sides.

I raised a brow at Asher. “Pot, meet kettle….” I gestured at Aiden, reminding him of the night he stayed outside my apartment.

He glared. “That was different and you know it, baby. This f*cker needs to realize who you belong to,” he sneered at Aiden as if I hadn’t just informed him I belonged to no one, not moments ago.

“Asher, I’ve got this,” I snapped.

Asher gave me a look but stayed silent.

Aiden looked between the two of us. “This is why you dumped me, Lily? You get a taste for biker?” he asked, a cruelness I didn’t recognize creeping into his tone.

I said, “No,” at the same time as Asher said, “Sure as f*ck is.”

I glared at Asher. “Shut up,” I hissed.

Aiden’s eyes flared. He took in my attire, the way I swayed slightly. His jaw turned hard and he turned to face Asher.

“So you think you can take advantage of a grieving girl, get her to drink too much, show too much skin, turn her into some kind of biker slut?” he accused, and I gasped at the last of his words.