Falling for my boyfriend’s Navy brother
Chapter 126: Penny
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The medal clinks sofily against my chest as we walk, trose crunching under our boots, theks flatbed from the cold and laughter.
The bakery in actly what it should be
warm, golden, glowing. A tiny cabin of a building strung with lights, wit
chimney that smells like vanilla and cinnamon
Asher holds the door for me. I step in and instantly feel my note thaw.
It smells like sugar and spice and everything I’m not allowed to eat during ballet season.
Which is exactly why I head straight for the pastry case.
We pick our poison – mine is a flaky raspberry croissant and hot chocolate with real whipped cream. Asher gets a black coffee and something that look vaguely like a chocolate turnover but three times the size. When I raise an eyebrow, he says. “They said it had protein
We settle by the window, on one of the benches that runs along the wall. The space is small, cozy. Too many and condu Then again. Then his thigh. I shift my leg. He doesn’t move his.
ar a piece of my croissant and pop it in my mooth. It mehs like a dream. When 1 glance oven, Asher’s watching me, that unreadable look full force.
This back
“What?” I ask, brushing powdered sugar off my lips.
“You’ve got he lifts a hand, brathes a thumb along the comer of my mouth. “Crunt.”
My breath stutters.
He pulls his hand back like nothing happened and takes another sip of coffee. I hide behind my hot chocolate and pretend like the worldn’t just ted
I’m about to say something – anything – when the hell over the door rings again.
Zoe walks in.
Followed by Jonathan Rebecca. A few of the other pu
And Tyler.
He’s got snow in his hair and a smirk on his face and Zoe practically clinging to his arm-
The leans down to whisper something in her ear. She
ir, she swats him, giggling.
No, that’s–It’s just a joke. A dumb one. It doesn’t mean anything.
Still, I can’t help the twist in my stomach as I watch her giggle again and him smile down at her like
They don’t even seen. Or maybe they do and don’t care. They order drinks to–go. Tyler pays for Zoe’s. Rebecca looks bored out of her mind. The others laugh like it’s all just a regular Tuesday.
When they finally leave, I realize my pastry is crushed in my hand
I let out a slow breath, try to unclench my jam.
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Chapter 126: Penny
Asher’s eyes are one. Of crane they are.
Then he leans closer, sans quietly, “I readience that sometimes the second bon gets all the recessive genes. Like the ones that to point cult
It takes me a best
And then I laugh.
10% not even a polite laugh. It’s the kind of laughs that escapes without permission. Ugly and zeal and grateful.
He smirks and ridges his shoulder into mine. 1 nudge back.
And just like that, the tension breaks.
Until it doesn‘
Because that’s when the three gays across the shop turn to look at us
The one closest to us leans forward, eyes taking over me with a look I know all too well.
“You’re beautiful,” he says, too loud.
Tantfen. “Um. Thanks.”
His friend frowns, notices the faint purple under my jaw, the bruise near my temple. “Wait. does your boyfriend hit you?
My stomach drops. “What? No-”
The third guy joins in, standing halfway from his stool. “Hey man, that you?” He gestures to Asher. “You hit her?”
“No,” I say. “He didn’t–be would never-
But they’re already talking over me, crowding closer, angry in that fake protective way that feels more about performance than justice.
Asher stays stall. Too stall.
1 glance at him. His jaw ticks. Hands on his thighs, flexing once. Twice.
“Asher.” I whisper. “Let go.”
He nods, stands slowly
We head for the door.
But they follow
the snow. “Seriously, it wa an accident. I fell. I have a concession.”
“Yeah, yeah,” one of them says. “That’s what they all say. Pretty girl like you shouldn’t have to explain.”
The guy who called me beautiful reaches for my arm. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you somewhere safe.”
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Chapter 126: Penny
And that’s it.
Asher’s eyes go dark. Þve seen him mad. But this is different.
“Let her go,” he says,
The gay just smirks, “Why? You gonna hit mi
Asher sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “The trying to be civil.”
“Oh yeah?”
Behind us, I hear footsteps. Voices. The rest of the retreat creed arising, or maybe just down to the sense.
No one helps. They post watch.
“Tyler” ball. “Guys. Tell them he didn’t hurt me.”
Rebercas
shrugs. “Tyler, just shut up, I want to see how that plays out,” she says with a huge grin before he can say anything.
The guy’s fingers tighten around my wrist. I try to pull away, but his grip is like a vise.
“Come on, sweetheart. We’ll p
| get you a real man. Someone who doesn’t bruise you up.”
“Let her go.” Asher says again. Looder. Sharper.
But they’re not listening. They’re laughing, jeering. Feeding off each other.
“Don’t be jealous,
man,” the one with the beanie says, stepping closer. “We’re just trying to help her out of a bad situation.”
“She’s not in one,” Asher says flatly.
“Right. So that bruise on her neck? Makeup? Or just your signature?“,
*1 fell.” I snap. “1 hit my head during rehearsal. He’s the one who sat with me overnight in the hospital-
“Oh yeah?” the first guy cuts me off. “I’ve seen that trick. Hurt her, then be the hero who cares? Chissic manipulation.”
ty voice is shaking now. “Please
“I’m fine,” I say. My
The one holding my wrist tugs me again, “Nah, you’re scared. We can see that.”
I jerk back, but he doesn’t let go.
And that’s when Asher moves.
It’s subtle at fest—just one step forward: But the air changes
He’s not shouting. He’s not swinging-
Too Hill.
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Chapter 126: Penny
And that’s somehow worse.
He exhales slowly. “I don’t want in da thân –
The gay with the beanie
“Do what, man? Yoni pinna cry?
“Na” Asher finally lifts his eyes. And when they lock on the my holding me, there’s nothing wift in them, bust a cold, merciless stillness.
“Do you have health invamance?”
There’s a beat. A second of pure silence, like even the snow is holding its breath.
The goods. “What does that
“Don’t make me repeat,” he says. “Do you have health insurance?”
All three guys laugh like this is the most ridiculous question someone’s e
someone’s ever asked them. They a
him why be even cares.
Asher’s eyes are dark, his stance relaxed but ready. “Because if you don’t, this is about to get expensive.”
Then one of them lunges.
It’s stupid. Amateur Sloppy.
But it’s fast. And I’m scared for Asher.
He throws a right hook at Asher’s face
and he catches i
Catcher it
Like he was expecting
Like it’s just
s just another Tuesday. His other hand is still in his pocket.
I see his fingers flex ever–so–slightly and there’s a snap. A horrible, quick pop. Then another.
The guy howls and drops to his knees, cradling his hand.
“It’s only two fingers,” Asher says, voice low and calm. “You’ll live,”
His friends freeze.
One starts toward me. “Get behind me, Penny,” Asher says without looking.
The second pay raises his fists but hesitates.
Smart.
Because Asher shifts his weight and the tension in his stance crackles like lightning
under akin.
“You don’t want to find out what three broken is feel like,” he says simply. “Back off.”
The guy blinks. Steps back.
The third one–the one still holding his buddy’s shoulder–mitter “sus Chris.”
HE
Chapter 126: Penny
Then they’re gone. Limping and grumbling and sweating as they disappear into the mow
Silence hangs in the
watching
Then-
“Yooo!” Tyler shouts, “My brother is so cool!”
There’s laughter. A few people cheer.
Someone actually claps.
And I could scream.
Ishin around. “What’s y
whip
your problem, Tylet?”
He looks surprised. “What? I was just
Asher doesn’t stop to watch the rest. He turns and walks, long strides carrying him away from the circle, away from the cafe, away from all of it.
“Wait,” I call, already following.
Because he just took a blow for me that wasn’t physical–but i know it still got to him.
And I’m not letting him walk away alone.
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