Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 145088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
“What? Already?” Typical. Frank didn’t trust him with important jobs. But this time, Dex was not looking for an excuse to leave his post and waved his hand. “I’m fine Jag, you can go hunt down a rat for dinner or whatever you need to do today.”
Jag leaned against the wall, and some of the dry mud smeared on his face for camouflage fell off when he frowned. “No, Frank said I should take over.”
Embarrassment crawled up Dex’s spine, and he settled his gaze on Hammer’s motorcycle boots, shrugging. “Well, Frank’s not here, and he’s not gonna know. He’s preparing for the strongman competition, so he won’t be coming all the way here, and since there’s no cell signal, he won’t be calling either. But you know who is not gonna be happy about this change? Dane. I know for a fact, that he was talking about this being your movie night, and that it was especially important, because The Jade Assassin came out and he wanted to go see it with you at the cinema. Why would you deny your mate, if I’m here to take care of Hammer?”
“The Jade Assassin? I heard it’s good,” Hammer muttered before stuffing a large tortilla chip into his mouth.
Jag’s face tensed, and his eyes narrowed. They were bright as amber against the background of charcoal dust he’d applied around them. “He really said he wants to go today?”
Dex nodded. “It’s a two-for-one night on the popcorn…” Jag loved a bargain. “And he is harmless,” Dex said, pointing at the cell.
“Don’t underestimate your enemy,” Jag said, eying Hammer, but Dex could sense the tide in Jag’s mind was shifting.
“He’s in a cage. It’s fine. If there was a tiger in there, would it matter?”
Jag hummed but when Hammer offered him a tortilla chip through the bars, he took it. “Fine. But I will be back after midnight… And don’t tell Frank.”
“I just want to pull my weight, you know” Dex said so earnestly he almost believed it himself. “Tell Dane I said hi.”
Jag tapped the bottom of his spear against the metal floor and thanked Dex before running off as if he were a husband who’d forgotten the wedding anniversary and needed to find flowers before the wife came back home.
“He’s… interesting,” Hammer said, crushing the chips between his teeth.
“He’s really funny when you get to know him. Mostly unintentionally, but it works. Good at predicting the weather too. Very food-motivated, so if you ever come to visit after all this is over, just bring him some marshmallows. But no meat. He’d think you’re suggesting he can’t hunt and take offense.”
“Oh, I would never,” Hammer said and offered the chips to Dex, as if they were two acquaintances having a normal conversation, not a prisoner and his jailor. It was so fucked-up that Hammer ended up locked up despite his innocence. But then again, he wouldn’t be this relaxed if he weren’t certain things would work out in his favor.
“You know what would be great with those?” Dex asked, grabbing a chip. “Some beers! You up for it? I’ll get them from the car,” he said and rushed off. If he was to see Hammer’s dick before midnight, the guy needed to start drinking.
And not just water.
It had been a fairly hot day, but with the sun setting, Dex was glad he’d taken a jacket. He grabbed the six-pack from the passenger seat and stared at the saddlebags he’d picked up from Hammer’s bike on the way here. Giving him some of his stuff might win Dex brownie points (and who knew where those could lead), but since he currently wanted undivided attention, he left them behind and returned to the cell.
“Amish Pale?” Hammer asked and reached beyond the bars to accept one of the cans Dex had already plucked from the package. “You have good taste.”
Dex beamed at him and sat closer on a rickety plastic chair. “I always found it really funny, because I don’t think Amish are allowed to drink alcohol.”
“They sure can,” Hammer said with a small smile, making Dex stiffen with the need to change the topic.
“Maybe, but they can’t own smartphones, and I’ve still seen several of those guys on dating apps. Like, they won’t show their face, but you can see the beard.”
Hammer opened his beer and took a huge swig. Each swallow made his Adam’s apple bob on that strong throat, hypnotizing Dex until he was unable to look away and almost got caught staring.
“Gay dating apps?” Hammer asked.
Dex stalled for half a second. Hammer might be homophobic, and that always sucked, but Dex did have the upper hand, being the jailor and all, so it wouldn’t matter. “Um… Yeah. You wouldn’t think, but there’s lots of Amish gays, and they’re thirsty.” As was Dex, so he gulped down more beer, which didn’t soothe his true cravings. “But what really surprised me was that when I met up with this one Amish guy, he had the beard, the hat, and the whole shebang, but was completely shaved down there.” Dex laughed at the memory of his surprise.