catches my attention just in time for me to see him come to a skidding halt in front of my place. His T-tops are open, and he doesn’t even bother using his door as he hoists himself out of the car. He tucks his long, sandy-blond hair behind his ears as he approaches me. The T-shirt covering his slim body has the sleeves cut off, and the jeans he has on are filthy, like he’s been rolling around in mud.
I hope he’s bringing the rent he’s two weeks late paying.
I give him a polite smile, hoping he’s not coming to me to ask for another week to pay his rent. “Hey, Jeremy.”
Jeremy takes that as an invitation and walks up to the porch where I’m sitting and props one leg up beside me on the step. His green eyes bore into me as he leers down at me in a way that makes me wish I had about fifteen layers of clothes covering my body.
“Iris, I’ve got your rent.” He leans back and pulls a wad of cash from his back pocket and hands it to me. “My dick boss was late paying me.”
The worn money slides through my fingers as I count it in front of him. When I count out only four hundred dollars, I ask, “Where’s the late fee?”
He makes a sour face. “Why the fuck are you going to charge me a late fee? I told you last week that I would be late. It wasn’t my fault that my boss didn’t pay me until today.”
If he had been nice about the situation, I probably would have let the twenty-five-dollar fee go, but because he’s being a complete jackass about it, I’m pressing the issue. I set the money down on the step beside me and pick up my glass of lemonade. “I never said that you wouldn’t have to pay that. You signed a contract—”
“Fuck your contract, bitch!” Jeremy knocks the glass of lemonade out of my hand, causing me to gasp and flinch because I’m not sure if he’s going to swing at my face next. The liquid spills as the glass crashes down on the concrete and shatters into a hundred pieces. “You got your money. Be grateful for that.”
“That’s enough!” Ace’s deep voice cuts between me and Jeremy.
Jeremy’s back tenses and he straightens and twists his head from side to side like he’s readying himself for a fight. He pushes himself away from the step and turns to face Ace, who is standing a few feet away. “I think you need to mind your own business, pretty boy. You don’t want me to mess up that face of yours, so go back to wherever you fucking came from. This here, it’s between me and Iris.”
Ace balls his fists at his sides. “I’m only going to tell you one time, back the fuck away from her.”
Jeremy laughs as he grabs a knife from his pocket and flips it open. “Or you’ll what?” Ace takes a step back and raises his hands, causing Jeremy to smirk. “That’s what I thought, tough guy. If you know what’s good for ya, you’ll get the hell out of here.”
Ace narrows his eyes at Jeremy. “I’m not leaving her with you.”
My heart leaps into my throat as Jeremy begins circling Ace with his drawn knife. Fear paralyzes me, as I struggle to sort through my brain for what’s the right thing to do in this situation. Do I jump between them, risking my own life, or let Ace handle it?
I clutch my chest as the realization hits that I have to do something. This guy barely knows me. I can’t allow him to get hurt.
I jump up from my seat and take a hesitant step toward Jeremy before placing my hand on his arm. “That’s enough. This is crazy. Stop!”
Jeremy seizes the opportunity and shoves me with his free hand so hard into the trailer behind me that the wind whooshes from my lungs.
A growl rips from Ace’s throat as he hits Jeremy’s arm, knocking the knife from his hand before blasting him with a fist in the face. The moment Ace’s knuckles make contact with Jeremy’s nose, an audible crunch sounds and blood pours down Jeremy’s face.
“Oh, God,” Jeremy cries as he covers his face with both hands and doubles over in pain. “You broke my nose.”
Ace stands there, fists drawn and chest heaving while keeping his eyes trained on Jeremy. “I’ll break a lot more if