Rubble (Riders of Apollo #7)

Chapter Fourteen: Asa Michaels

I've spent the last few days hanging out with June at the café, it's nice having something to do and I know that she's been struggling. After spending her life behind closed doors and using her time to read and things that require much less energy, this job is running her ragged. It's a Monday and thankfully, Indi has hired two new people who are starting their training today.

I got stuck in Church for most of the morning, talking about expanding even more into the outer reaches of the state. We already have enough business here to give us a passive income until Miracle dies of old age but I think Bear loves owning things and increasing his power. After the whole thing with Nova and the orphanage, we've been having run-ins with the mayor and to keep our power Bear is increasing our influence.

I have to help run the gym when it's finished building as a personal trainer which I think is a bunch of bullshit. Runner is on that with me as Saviour and Reign train the prospects and Riley trains the women, we're the only fighters left that know how to teach. It does mean that I won't be able to spend as much time here with June because my hours will be messed up.

I step through the doors of the café and dodge the excessive amount of people crammed into the small space. Indi and another girl are firing out coffee orders without complaint and I wave to Indi as I pass by to go into the back. She doesn't question my presence anymore and I don't wait to greet June.

However, when I get into the kitchen there's a guy flirting with her. He's leaning over her as she works away on the dough for her favourite bread, I don't think she notices and doesn't seem to be responding to his advances. I cover the ground between the two of us and say her name softly, she snaps out of her kneading stupor and spins to look at me, a massive grin on her face.

"Asa! Hey, I was wondering when you were going to get here. I would hug you but I'm covered in flour. This is... I'm sorry, what was your name?" I fight my laugh at the look on his face, he seems offended at the fact she doesn't have a clue who he is.

"Leonard."

"Leonard, this is Rubble, Rubble, this is Leonard." Leonard just shrugs and walks out of the kitchen in a grouch. "I don't think he likes me very much." June states, still looking up at me which makes my heart hurt and my pride grow.

"I think he likes you a lot, it's me he doesn't like."

"That's just because he doesn't know you, I'm sure he'd like you if he got to know you." She dashes off to wash her hands before yanking her apron off. "Okay, now I can hug you." She puts her arms out and I laugh, bringing her into my chest as she nuzzles in. "Also, I get a lunch break today. You wanna spend it with me?"

"Of course, June, what are you thinking?"

"Come on." We give the finished pastries to Indi and the two new workers before she tugs me out of the building with an excited laugh. "You know, I've never been on a bike before." She comments as I help her onto it, sliding on in front of her seconds later.

"I suppose I'm going to the ice rink." She nods excitedly, wrapping her arms around my torso and squeezing tightly. I go slow to help her get used to it and the ride to the ice rink is short enough to build up from. "When did you start skating?"

We head into the building and I can feel June jittering with excitement, swinging our joined hands between us as we approach the main desk. "I was really young, four I think. My mom wanted to make sure I kept a good body so she chose a sport with heavy training, I think she would've chosen cheerleading but too much partying came with that. It was the only thing I really enjoyed besides reading, I was very limited in what I could do though, mom controlled my training through my coach. Maintaining my weight was the most important part, not the actual skating."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I got a hobby that I really love out of it and I'm away from her now." She kisses my cheek before grabbing some skates and hurrying off to do them up. I watch in awe as she glides effortlessly across the ice, her smiles are aimed at me when she drifts passed and I could just keel over at the look on her face. She's glowing from the inside out.

She's only able to skate for about half an hour before she has to start heading back to the café to do some paperwork and some cleaning. "Are you staying?" She asks as she drops her bag off in the back office and shrugs off her coat.

"As long as you'll have me." She shakes her head with a soft laugh and I follow her into the kitchen. I put the dishes in the washer while she cleans off the countertops.

"Juni, Indi said you need to help me make coffees while she has a tea break," Leonard demands in a rude tone, I catch the surprised look on June's face before it hardens.

"Of course, I'll be out in a second." Her voice is sharp and the cocky look on his face shows he thinks he's won, even though she's made it clear she doesn't care for him at all. Strangely, a weird possessiveness creeps up my throat and I lean towards her protectively as she stands in front of me, I just want to yank her into my embrace and show this douchebag just who she belongs to.

But we're not that far into this and I don't want to freak her out. The minute he leaves the room she spins to look at me with a frustrated growl. "I have never had anyone take that tone with me before, how disrespectful." I reach up and brush the back of my fingers across her cheek, my heart leaps as she leans into my touch, closing her eyes and bringing her hands to lay flat against my chest.

"Do you want me to do something about it?"

"It's alright, I can handle it. I best go and relieve Indi or she'll have my head, why don't you come and sit up at the counter?"

--------

"What did you think about Mollie and Leonard?" Indi asks June as I finish counting up the money, June is picking up chairs and watching out the window for God knows what, she's a people watcher so I'm not surprised.

"I think they're fine, I'm sure it'll get better once we've fully trained them and we can actually have days off." Indi laughs and I tell her we've made over five grand again today. "Well I should get going, I have a viewing for a house in less than ten minutes."

I walk her out to my car, doing the same checks as usual before letting her into it. "Who are you viewing the house with at this time of night?" It's only eight o'clock but it is dark outside and she is a gorgeous woman, most agents don't schedule things this late in the day. I don't like the idea of being in an empty house in the middle of nowhere with someone, especially if that someone is male.

"Umm, my agent. I'm not sure why he set it up so late though, I asked him if we could do it over lunch but he said he was busy." And that's the kicker, a man who she asked to see at lunch but he set it up eight hours later.

"You mind if I tag along?" My body is tense as a coil and I know she can sense my anxiety about all of this.

"I would like that."