Don't Feed Me, I Will Come Back

three

Ask for help.

She was taking too long to answer. The man's gaze darkened, and a slight tic in his jaw appeared as he straightened his stance. A gloved hand clenched at his side as if he was missing something usually gripped lovingly there.

"It's Zeppelin." She finally spoke before she could give her heart time to give out under the weight of his stare. "Most everyone just calls me Z."

She heard someone chuckle in amusement behind her but couldn't be bothered to pull her attention from the man who seemed to be their leader. His dark hair was slicked back from his tanned face, showcasing the black beard peppered with white and gray splattered along his sharp jawline. A tiny trace of a tattoo slithered up from underneath his shirt, and more were inked onto his knuckles and hands.

As much as she hated to admit it (the thought made her feel a bit nauseous, actually), if he'd walked into her bar before the end of the world, she would've given him more than a second look. There was just enough danger lurking underneath to keep things exciting but enough easy-going charm to strip her of her walls (and clothes).

  She would've plastered on her best smile and then shamelessly ensured he noticed every time she bent over behind the counter. She would have done things her regulars like Dave could only dream of, but that was then, and this was now, and she had shed that skin a long time ago.

Now, his wolfish grin and swaggering stance left her feeling more uneasy than it did turned on, though she was hanging dangerously in the balance between.

  She shifted again, wildly aware of the blood rushing to her cheeks. He noticed it, too, the tip of his tongue dancing along his teeth as he grinned at her. He sighed in contentment, returning to his relaxed position against the frame.

"And what in the hell are you doing rooting around in my stuff, Zeppelin?"

He said her name as a lover would speak it, and the heat in her face was scorching now.

"My brother is hurt. I was trying to find some medicine to bring back for him," she answered truthfully. The shock in his brows showed he expected a lie and had to acclimate a new response.

  "And you thought, hey, I'll just break in and steal from them? What a grand plan you had there." He slithered forward a few steps, and she matched the rhythm in reverse. His gaze narrowed into slits as if he was trying to burrow her into the ground.

  It was almost working.

  "Well," she sighed. "Maybe if you didn't make it so easy to break in and steal from you, I would've reconsidered my options."

  He laughed at that, his head tilted back, revealing the scruff trailing down his neck. She wondered if it was soft or coarse.

  "Easy? Is that what you think this is?" The laughter died instantly as he took another step. "Have I made this too easy, boys?"

  "Oh, it could be harder," the one with the mustache chortled. Zeppelin glared at him, earning a wink in response.

"We haven't even started yet, Zeppelin," the leader whispered. "So," he scoffed, pushing off the wall to make his way over to the leather loveseat. One of the men quickly decided to perch somewhere else, conveniently leaving his prior spot open for the boss. "Tell me, why should I help a dirty little thief?"