Caught In The Crossfires - Spinoff

1

Chapter 1

One year and a half ago...

Lola

"Hey, Lo, Brody's here to see you." My employee and friend Sophie came into the back office, where I was going through a stack of applications. We've been short-handed after school started back up, and I needed two more people ASAP. I sighed, getting up from my desk and making my way to the front counter.

"What do you want, Brody," I crossed my arms over my chest, rolling my eyes. "I'm busy." Brody has been my on-again and off-again boyfriend since middle school, and right now, we were so off. He was my first love, but he was also my first heartbreak. For a long time, I thought the sun rose and set on his ass. But that was before I realized what a piece of shit he really was.

"You don't look busy." He snorted, looking around the half-empty coffee shop.

"Well, I am," I snapped at him. "Now order a coffee or fuck off because I don't have time for your shit today."

I loved him, but I was no longer in love with him. When I told him I was done for real this time. I meant every word. All we've done for the last five years is break up just to get back together, and it's so played out. I wanted something more. I wanted a man. Not a little boy who didn't want to take his relationship seriously. Brody was afraid of his boys, thinking he was too whipped, so he would do stupid shit to try and impress them, including entertaining other women.

"Lola, you don't have to be such a bitch. I came here because I missed you, baby." Brody reached out for my hand, but I quickly pulled it away. He let out a frustrated groan, and I cut my eyes at him. Baby, a nickname that once gave me so many butterflies, sounded so bitter on his tongue. It made me sick to my stomach hearing how casually he said it, knowing how many times he'd been unfaithful to me.

"We are Done. Over. Finished." I declared as bile rose in my throat. "You told me that Ava was a better fuck than me, remember, Brody," leaning over the counter, I ate up the small distance between us. "So whatever you do, please don't miss me," I rolled my eyes, knowing that he only missed walking all over me. "I've told you once, but I'll tell you again since you didn't get it," I got into his face, almost touching noses with him. "Move the fuck on." I ground out each word through clenched teeth, harshly poking his chest with my middle and index fingers to drive my point across.

As I stood upright, I brushed my shirt off. That's when I saw a very handsome older gentleman sitting alone at the table behind Brody that I hadn't noticed until now.

He was wearing a form-fitting navy blue suit that complemented his tan skin tone. The good-looking man's dark, almost black hair was slicked back perfectly styled, not leaving a single hair out of place. He had a streak of gray hair going down the left side of his head, which only added to his impressive appearance. The man also sported a well-groomed goatee on his ruggedly striking face. His eyes were a piercing crystal blue color that could cut right through me. They immediately commanded my attention. When the left corner of his full pink lips curved into a half-smirk, I sucked in a sharp breath realizing I had been caught.

"You know what? I don't want your ass back anyway, and Ava isn't just a better fuck than you, Lo. She's a better girlfriend than you too. She knows exactly what I need. Something you never quite figured out." Brody spat out as his face filled with anger, and I laughed at his ridiculous words.

"Good, then leave and don't fucking come back, Broderick." I grabbed Sophia's drink from under the counter and threw it in his face. I did not care about the one customer sitting in the shop. I was beyond pissed. Covered in iced coffee, he tried to lunge at me, and I jumped back, trying to dodge him. I closed my eyes and held my arm out, bracing for an impact that never came. Hearing a struggle, I looked over, and that's when I saw a firm hand on Brody's shoulder flinging him rearward as though he weighed nothing.

"I think she told you to leave." The gentleman's deep husky voice boomed, sending a chill down my spine. Not giving Brody a chance to respond, the older man pushed the jerk out the front door.

"Um, thank you," I thanked the gorgeous man as he walked back over to me. But he looked furious.

"Great, my suit is ruined," The man replied in a thick Italian accent that reminded me of my brothers. He brushed his jacket off, and his muscles protruded through the pinstripe fabric. I licked my lips and let my eyes roam the perfect specimen that stood before me despite his angry demeanor. Then I cleared my throat, making his eyes snap to my face, and was met with a scowl. Okay, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

"I'm sorry about the suit. I could buy you a new one for uhh, saving the day," I told him with a smile as I walked out from behind the register, extending an arm in his direction. "I'm Lola," I introduced myself, but he just stared down at my hand.

"I'm sure you couldn't afford it," he snorted, narrowing his eyes at me. I dropped my hand to my side as my anger began to resurface. Who did this jackass think he was? "I don't care who you are, and I wouldn't have had to save the day if you'd kept your big mouth shut."

"Excuse me," I snapped at him, balling my fist at my side.

"You heard me, little girl." He snarled back at me, and my heart began to pound out of my chest as fury washed over me."If you act like a lady, you get treated like a lady. It's clear you have no home training."

"Look, old man, no one asked you to step in," I clenched my jaw, fighting the urge to punch his incredibly gorgeous smug face. Fuck him for being good-looking.

"Wow, feral and ungrateful. I can't say that I'm surprised. It's no wonder you have no customers in the lovely coffee shop," he tilted his head to the side, deepening his scowl.

Oh, I'll show him feral. Before I could stop myself, I was cocking an arm back. The next thing I knew, I popped him good, my right fist connecting with the side of his mouth. Shit, that hurt. I shook my hand, swallowing the groan of pain that threatened to leave my throat. My eyes widened at the shock of what I just did while his darkened. The handsome jerk towered in my direction. Using the back of his hand, he wiped the spilled blood from his lip. I took a few steps backward until my backside hit something hard. He kept striding toward me until I was sandwiched between him and the counter.

"You're lucky I have somewhere to be, or I'd make you pay for that," he growled, causing me to shiver. But I wasn't going to let this asshole get the better of me, so I lifted my chin, challenging whatever authority he thought he had.

"Well, you're lucky I'm kicking your ass out, old man," I narrowed my eyes at him. "Try not to break a hip on the way out." I slid out past him and walked back to my office, slamming the door behind me. Fuck that guy and the horse he rode in on.

ツ hope you enjoyed it.

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