Chained To Me: A Billionaire Enemies To Lovers Romance

Chapter 21 -Everly

I pour my 100th espresso of the day, and it's only halfway over. Working at Grinders Coffee has taken a lot out of me, considering it's not my dream job or what I'm good at.

My boss, Terry, yells at me over the whir of the machines, "Everly, you made this one wrong again. This customer wanted a double espresso with almond milk, not oat milk. You'll have to remake it, and it's coming out of your paycheck."

I brush a stray piece of hair out of my face and sigh. I'll hardly have a paycheck to take home at this rate. But I need this job. I had to take something without any crisis management work in Seattle.

I remake the drink and think about the opportunity lost with Aston. I think about him a lot, actually.

The way he was such a pompous ass...but also the way his blonde hair framed his gorgeous face and his muscular, tattooed body.

No matter how hard I try, I can't erase him from my mind. I've done everything possible to stop him from inundating my thoughts, but nothing's worked.

Luckily, I have a break in about five minutes to check my phone for any other work opportunities.

I remake the coffee and a few others. Then I head out back to the alleyway where I can think. I scroll through my phone, looking for work, but it's all the same. I'd have to move to L.A. for any sustainable job, and I'm not sure I'm ready to do that, to leave Kaley permanently.

But just as I get up off the curb to return to work, I hear a familiar voice.

"Is this what's become of you?"

I turn around, and there he is.

Aston stands by the back door, looking at me in all his glory. He's wearing a suit as usual, but a few tattoos peak out through the sleeves that outline his strong arms.

I stop in place, wondering what the hell he's doing here. His azure eyes focus on me, making me self-conscious in my coffee shop uniform. I never imagined I'd see Aston again. But now that he's here, the familiar butterflies I always feel around him swarm in my stomach.

Adjusting the collar of my uniform, I ask, "W—what are you... Why are you..." The words stick in my throat.

"I'm here to take you back to New York," he says confidently.

I stare at him, dumbfounded. But then it all comes racing back through my mind—the way he was so terrible to me, causing me to cry, the awful things he said.

I find my voice.

"I'm not going anywhere with you. You're a horrible person, Aston."

He takes a step closer to me, face full of regret. "I know that now. I know I treated you like shit."

"Yes, you did." I stand up taller, prepared to make my case. But, to my surprise, he does it for me.

"I was an asshole, and I pushed you away. I have some things going on with me, Everly, and I used that as an excuse to drive you away from me. I'm sorry for that."

He's sorry? Never in a million years did I expect him to apologize. But I realize that it doesn't change anything. The damage has been done.

"Well, it's too late now." I brush the toe of my shoe along the ground, not wanting to make eye contact with him for fear I'll say yes to whatever he wants.

"That's just it. It's not too late." He takes another step forward. "I need you, Everly. I need you to fix me. I need you in my life. You make me better."

I make him better?

I dare look up into his crystalline blue eyes, and once I do, I feel that searing heat and connection that makes me wet between the thighs.