Bobby the Butcher's Arc

Chapter 5 of 6

Bobby opened the shop Friday morning and found himself staring at the knife display between customers. He'd made his choice when he put the receipt next to the ledgers. The shop came first. But knowing Jessica was still bound to Desmond made his chest tight every time the bell rang and it wasn't her. By afternoon, Bobby locked up early and walked to the jewelry store on the east side of town. He'd passed it a hundred times without thinking much about it, but the place had opened the same year Jessica started managing the butcher shop. The windows gleamed with polished silver and glass cases full of rings and necklaces. A line of customers stretched out the door and down the sidewalk, everyone waiting their turn like the store was giving something away. Bobby watched a woman leave with a small velvet box, her face lit up like she'd won something. Inside, the cases sparkled under bright lights. Desmond stood behind the counter in the back, arms crossed, watching Bobby the way he always did. A ring sat on a pedestal in the center display, glowing faint blue like it had its own light source. Bobby recognized the color. It was the same shade the knife used to glow when his grandfather ran the shop. Desmond didn't say anything, just uncrossed his arms and waited. Bobby stepped up to the counter. "I know what you did. The binding runs through that ring, doesn't it?" Desmond smiled, thin and cold. "Jessica wanted to help me succeed. She's good at that." Bobby's hands curled into fists. "I'm breaking it. Whatever it takes." Desmond leaned forward. "Then you'll have to take it from me. Alone. Because if Jessica finds out you came here, she'll choose me over you every single time." Bobby turned and walked out, the line of customers still waiting behind him. He couldn't break the binding without confronting Desmond directly, and doing that meant losing any chance Jessica would listen to him again.