Chapter 29 No One Cares About A Villian
I felt heat from his touch as he leaned in and gave me a devil smile. Ezra slid into the booth next to me. He placed a protective arm around my shoulder.
“I told them not to tell anyone she was there. It was for her safety.” Ezra leveled an icy stare right back at Bartise. Almost like he was challenging him.
“Keeping her from me was keeping her safe?” Bartise argued.
“Yes.” Ezra answered coldly. I was starting to gather that there was more to their past than they tried to let on.
Bartise gritted his teeth and took a deep breath. He was acting like he was trying to control himself from saying something he might regret. He opened his mouth to say something, but a chipper voice called out.
“OMG!! Bartise didn’t lie, you are here!” Cindy cried out.
“Yes I am here and alive.” I told her as she slid in next to Bartise, seeing how Ezra wasn’t moving from the spot next to me. When I moved my gaze from Cindy to Bartise. A switch must have flipped because he wore the same carefree expression that I met him with. That sent out warning bells throughout my body. He did that too well. Bartise was hiding something. Something he did not want anyone to know about. Ezra must know. Does he think I know, and that's why he let the mask slip with me?
Cindy did what Cindy does, She talked. She filled me in with all the gossip and rumors about how I saved the day. That I was a hero. I smiled at her, I loved hearing her talk. It was nice to see she didn’t change when Bartise had. As I was watching her go on about everything and nothing. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught glimpses of Ezra and Bartise having a glaring stand-off with each other.
“Oh! Hold that thought, I have to go grab my food!” Cindy announced in the midst of her story. As soon as she walked away. The cold mask of indifference fell back on Bartise’s face.
“What do you want, Ezra?” Bartise's cold voice sent shivers down my back. This was not the person I came to know. Who was the real one? This cold mean Bartise or the happy flirty one?
Ezra ignored him and turned to me. Leaning so close to my ear, his lips were practically touching my earlobes as he whispered, “You know you were followed right?” I practically choked on my food as heat flushed up my face.
My cheeks were burning hot as I sputtered out “yes.” I looked up at Ezra, his dark gaze locked on mine. For a moment, it felt like it was just us here. I wanted to kiss him again. Time seemed to stop for a moment, and I felt us leaning towards each other. Before anything could happen. A giggle broke the spell.
“Sorry? Did I interrupt something?” Cindy looked mischievous with her meal in her hands, and she gave me a knowing look. Ezra and I answered at the same time, but saying different things.
“Yes/No.” This made Cindy laugh harder, and I think I heard a groan from Bartise.
I tried my best to listen to the rest of Cindy’s story as Ezra’s fingers rubbed lazy but comforting circles on my shoulder. Having his arm around me made me feel safe and protected. Nothing I thought anyone but myself could give me. I looked up from my food to see Bartise glaring, Ezra looking bored, and Cindy going on like she had no clue of the tension these two were making between each other.
The moment I was done with my burger, and there was a pause in Cindy’s stories, Ezra took the opportunity to speak.
“It's been really fun chatting with you guys, but I am going to steal my little mouse here, and we are going to leave.”
“No” Bartise barked out.
“Aw why?” Cindy pouted.
“Yes, she is exhausted and still healing, so I am giving her a ride home,” Ezra explained. I was tired from my walk, but I could walk home. I looked at Ezra, looking for an explanation. He leaned in like before, mouth practically on my earlobe, sending hot waves of something akin to embarrassment up my body to my now burning face.
“You don’t want them following your friends, correct?’ Ezra pulled away and smirked. He was right.
“It’s okay, guys. I will talk to you later.... Oh right! Cindy, give me your phone for a sec.” I remembered I still hadn’t given her my number.
“Yeah, sure, why?” she asked, handing over.
“So, I can put my number in it.” I gave her a smirk, and she lit up.
“OMG OMG OMG YESSSS Bartise did you get her number yet.” Cindy was all giddy about it. A smug look crossed his face as he looked at Ezra who sat there looking bored at all this.
“Yeah, I did... Ezra, did you get her number yet?”
“Yea I did, I think I was the first person?” Ezra mused out as he got out of the booth and waited for me to get up. The smug look on Bartise’s face soured at that. I almost corrected Ezra, but then I remembered the phone in the nightstand. I handed Cindy back her phone.
“Text me?” I asked.
“You know it!” She beamed.
I turned and took Ezra’s hand. “See you guys later!” I gave a friendly wave as I headed out of the diner.
Ezra wrapped an arm around me and leaned in close to whisper. “I hope you are good with motorcycles.”
Anyone around us would think we were a couple out for a date. I couldn’t help myself when I leaned in and kissed him on the cheek so I could whisper back, “Yes, I love them.”
I felt the deep rumble of his laughter as we approached his bike. It was the nicest looking thing I have ever seen. It was jet black, a fitting color for Ezra. Ezra jumped on and made room for me. He handed me the only helmet.
“Where is your helmet?” I asked
“That is my helmet.”
“What about you? Won't you get in trouble for not wearing this?” I looked down at the helmet, it was probably
going to be too big for me anyway. I didn’t want to admit it out loud, but I didn’t want him to get hurt because of me. I handed the helmet back to him. He takes it from me and gets off his bike. He looks at me and then the helmet before putting it on my head.
“No one cares about a villain. Now get on the bike, mouse.”