Axe held up his glass of whiskey. “As you can see from my third glass, it’s a no to the first question. Ditto for drugs, which you would know as we’ve pretty much tried and hated every drug on this list. Those were some good times, huh?”
“It was memorable.”
“Gambling is a straight no, but the last one sounds like a trick question.”
“Have you ever been delinquent on alimony or child support payments?” Vincent continued.
“I’ve got no kids, so that should be a not applicable, unless there are kids out there I don’t know about.”
“Let’s just answer no.” He flipped a few pages. A look of discomfort registered on Vincent’s face. “We’ll skip this one.”
“Hang on. Ask me.”
“I know the answer to this question.”
“Oh.” Axe looked away. “It’s about my parents, isn’t it?”
“Yes. It asks whether any of your immediate family members are deceased. I put in yes.” Vincent folded the form and placed the pen he was using on top. “That’s enough for now.”
“Agreed,” Axe said, forcing the agonizing images of his parents’ deaths to the back of his mind. He finished his drink and got to his feet. “We got much farther than I thought. I’ve got to head out now, but I’ll finish up the rest tomorrow.”
Vincent nodded. “No problem at all. I’ll see you out.”
“Thanks.” Axe picked up the half-finished application. “I’ll get Sabrina to send you the service contract for the grounds security work too.”
“Of course,” Vincent answered, stepping up ahead to lead Axe through the familiar maze of dim corridors. “Thanks for coming by today, and for convincing your associates to take on the work. You already know how cautious I am about these things.”
“I do.” Axe shook Vincent’s hand at the front door. “Your secret’s safe with us, brother.”
3
Angel
Angel swirled her drink, wishing she had ordered another double gin and tonic instead of the one she’d already practically shot back until there was nothing but ice. Drinking too much before this meeting with Dean Roman probably wasn’t the best idea. She wondered why she needed a meeting at all. It wasn’t like the message from her best friend, Sonya, was top secret intel or anything.
Sonya and her entire extended family were mistrustful at best. Angel had known Sonya’s cousin, Dean, for years. She and Sonya had been best friends since before high school, yet Sonya had never once invited her to her house in all that time. At least this would be a short meeting. Sonya was on an indefinite work assignment as a conservation scientist assignment in Eastern Europe. Her employer had moved her out to study an area within a Bulgarian desert site Angel couldn’t even pronounce.
That detail was not newsworthy, except for the fact that the area was mostly out of cell phone range. So tonight, Angel’s meeting with Dean was to inform him that Sonya was fine, and would probably be unreachable for up to two months. That update was simple enough, yet Sonya had insisted the message needed to be delivered to Dean in person at this saloon.
Angel checked the time again. She had arrived early, hoping the meeting would be a simple one-minute conversation. A brief talk allowed for time to get to her usual hangout at the bar two blocks from work. She mostly wanted to stick around long enough for that big, sexy biker to phone her. Maybe he assumed she had punched in a fake number. It would be his loss if he didn’t at least try to contact her. She really needed to get laid soon.
Huffing out a breath, she looked around at the sketchy characters near the bar. One of them was wearing too much denim. The man next to him, not enough hair. Too drunk. Not tall enough. She snapped her head forward to face the bartender when the short one noticed she was looking and gave her a seedy wink. Nope. This was not the place for a casual hookup. Besides, she was still holding out some hope for biker guy.
Axe.
What a name.
Angel clutched her glass and bit down on her bottom lip from the flashback of the smoking hot man who had her panties soaked from only a five-minute coffee shop conversation. Their banter had been a random bright spot in an otherwise dull day. Most men couldn’t handle her larger than life personality or her confidence, not to mention the fact that she was plus-sized. She reminded herself that for now, she wasn’t looking for killer verbal skills, unless his tongue did killer things down south.
Ignoring the heat rising up her neck, Angel closed her eyes and downed the rest of her drink. She took a quick glance down her body to be sure she was still as put together as when she had left work. Good thing she had swapped her black suit jacket for this pale pink top with short capped sleeves. It was a less inhibiting, more casual touch.
“Hello, lovely,” said a slurred voice coming from behind her. “I’m Troy. How about I buy you a drink?”
Angel turned slowly until she was face to face with the inebriated patron from the other end of the bar. The man could barely stand straight, let alone have a conversation. She rattled the ice in her glass and narrowed her eyes at him. “I appreciate the offer, but I like buying my own drinks. Thanks though.”
He grazed his less than subtle lecherous eyes down her body, taking twice as long as most because he probably saw double with his level of intoxication. Angel glanced down into her drink with a frown, bracing for an inappropriate remark.
“Hey, excuse me. I’m going to cut in because she doesn’t look like she’s having the best time, okay? Just mosey on over to that table over there.”
She glanced up in time to see drunk dude unceremoniously lifted out of his chair, and the biker from the coffee shop slid in beside her as if he were supposed to be there.
“Look who it is,” she said, unable to contain her smile.
“Hey.” He had that cocky smile on his face. She wouldn’t forget it anytime soon. “You didn’t think you’d see me again, did you?” he asked in a voice that made her core clench as its baritone vibrations made its way to the base of her spine.
“Actually, I thought I’d have heard from you hours ago,” she admitted, giving him a sideway glance. “Axe, right?”
“Yes.” Her mystery man slapped the pink sticky note on the counter in front of her. “You dropped this outside Desert Java.”
“Oh, thanks.” She had been wondering where that address went. “I’m grateful to have a good memory, otherwise I wouldn’t have made it here.”
He held out his arm with a sleeve full of colorful ink, and she shook his hand, hoping he didn’t notice the goosebumps running up her bare arms. Her eyes trailed up his muscular chest, broad shoulders, and grizzled chin, skimming the rest of his face when she locked with his green eyes. God, they were sparkling just as brightly indoors as they had under the blinding sunlight earlier.
“Nice to meet you again, Angel,”
“Same here.”
That split second seemed like an eternity while they held on for way too long in that handshake. She couldn’t quite figure out why she didn’t pull away. Every molecule in her body told her to hang on, but there was a tiny part of her mind wrestling hard for control, urging her not to invest any time in this man with biker gang written all over him. Was she stereotyping him? Yes, because the last thing she needed in her life was trouble, even if Axe did have a whole lot of sex appeal smashed onto a muscular, godlike body and a killer smile. It was time to put up her guard.
“Can I buy you a drink?” he asked, releasing her hand.
Angel pressed her lips together and arched a brow. “I should probably lay off the alcohol right about now. I’ve got a bit of a drive home.”
Axe idly drew his finger over the top of her hand still resting on the counter. “I’d be happy to get you home safely tonight.”
“That’s really sweet of you, but I’m not looking for a designated rider—I mean driver,” she added quickly, jerking her hand out from under his electric touch. Maybe she was a little tipsy. Why else would she say something so spicy?
&n
bsp; “I’d ride you home anytime,” he said with a grin.
“That was a slip of the tongue.”
“I got that.”
“Do you have to be so smug and cocky right now?” Angel asked. “Look, I’m sorry if I come off as rude, but I’m waiting for a friend, all right? That means I have to be here.” Her eyes roamed around to the bar entrance, wishing Dean would make his appearance so she could get the hell out of here and snap out of whatever had her under Axe’s mesmerizing control.
“I like your honesty. I just think that all that spunk needs a better outlet. Something with less talking and more touching.”
“Are you really going there?” she barked, hoping he’d get the hint, although the hairs at the base of her neck stood on end. Angel pressed her thighs together to stop the throbbing in her core that Mr. Pussy Whisperer over there kept triggering with his voice and his intoxicating presence.
“I get the impression you like the idea a lot more than you care to admit. I can see it in your eyes.”
“You’re full of yourself, even if you’re right,” Angel said then immediately bit down on her lip for fueling him on. She desperately wished she was stronger than this. Maybe she just needed to keep her mouth shut. Dean would be here soon. Yes, silence was the best course of action. He couldn’t tempt silence.
Axe licked his lips. “What exactly are you afraid of?”
That question made her swallow hard. “I’m not afraid of anything,” she squeaked.
“Angel.” The sound of her name on someone else’s commanding voice made her straighten up in her bar chair and whip her head around to look at the source.
“Dean. Hi. I was wondering when you’d get here,” she said to him, but his eyes were locked with Axe’s as they seemed to size each other up. The grievous looks in their eyes were too intense to just be about her. These men had a history.
“Is this guy bothering you?” Dean asked, gesturing over at Axe.
“I’ve got a name, Roman,” Axe informed him.
“Right. Since we’re going with last names, I’ll stick to Voltaire. Angel, is Voltaire harassing you?”
For a second, Angel was sure these walking, talking poster boys for testosterone could start fighting any minute now.
“Simmer down, boys. Dean, I have a message for you.” She inched off her bar chair and took a few steps away from the bar. “Unless the two of you want to trash this place, in which case, please wait until I’m safely in my car before you kick off the festivities.”
Axe was the first to break from their trance-like stare. “I was just leaving.” He eased out of his seat, straightening up. “See you around, Angel.”
“I really don’t think you will,” she muttered. Most of that comment was in response to that little voice that warned her not to give Axe an inch because without a doubt, he’d get under her skin until she was dangerously addicted to him. The only thing they had in common was he wanted to get in her pants, and she was searching for someone to take them off every so often.
Axe shrugged one shoulder and left the saloon with a swagger in his step that she could not ignore.
“What did Sonya want?” Dean’s question brought Angel back to her senses.
“Right.” Angel relayed the message from her best friend. “She tried to phone you, but couldn’t get through.”
Dean nodded. “And you’re sure she said up to two months?”
“Yes, why?”
“Thanks for letting me know.”
“So that’s it?” she asked.
“It is,” Dean reassured her. “Sonya was just checking in. She just doesn’t want anyone here to worry. Trust me, she knows we’d be on a flight to search all of Europe if we don’t hear from her. Come on. I’ll walk you to your car.”
“Okay. Thanks, Dean.”
“How do you know Axe Voltaire?” he asked as they walked out the front entrance.
“I don’t, really. I just met him this morning.”
“I’d be careful if I were you,” he warned her, but she was certain it was more than the typical brotherly advice Dean had given her on occasion when she and Sonya were teenagers. “Are you okay to drive?”
“Sure. I’m fine.”
Dean waited for Angel to get in her car. “Thanks again for the message. Keep me posted if Sonya gets in touch with you again. I’m not always able to take phone calls.”
Angel nodded. “Will do. See you around, Dean.”
She started her car, letting her eyes follow Dean as he returned inside. Something was so off about him today. Did it have anything to do with Axe? She was almost sure Dean’s adrenaline-crazed composure had everything to do with Mr. Irresistible Biker.
Holy crap.
There he was.
Axe was now heading to her driver side door as if out of nowhere.
4
Axe
It took all of Axe’s willpower not to rip out Death Adder’s throat back there. He probably would have, were it not for the fact that the man was his pack’s alpha. Touching a hair on his pretty little wolf head would inevitably lead to years of retribution between the bears and the wolves. He just wished he had not sworn to Silas that he’d stay out of trouble. The man got way too close to Angel’s personal space, and it was a hell of a challenge to walk away from her. Fuck, how had two short conversations morphed into this level of possessiveness?
“You again? Didn’t we do this all ready?” Angel said, lowering her car window when he made it across the parking lot. He smiled as she stepped out of the car and stood there, arms folded and neck craned up, staring into his face. “Give me a good reason why I should entertain spending any more time with you. None of them can have anything to do with my hands on your body, or my mouth, and vice versa. Go.”
Fuck, she had a mouth on her, and he couldn’t ignore that he loved it. He arched his eyebrows and licked his lips. The flare of backtalk in her eyes made him hot all over. He leaned forward an inch, and Angel’s breath hitched in her chest. She nervously lifted a hand into her gorgeous, blonde tresses, trying to hide her reaction. Too late. Axe had already clocked her split second of vulnerability.
“You already know why,” he whispered.
Angel ran her tongue across the smoothness of her lower lip and her eyes narrowed. “We can keep playing this little game of yours, Axe,” she rasped out in a voice that was fucking seductive. “But I’m going to tell you now, if you win, it’ll be on my terms. And that’s a big if, my friend. I’m not a woman to be pushed around. You need to be prepared for a fight.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. First of all, this is not a game. And second, the only fighting you’ll find me getting into is fighting for you, not with you.”
Angel didn’t have a fiery comeback to that. She just stood there, jaw slack with her lips slightly parted. He eased his palm down the line of her cheek as he waited for an answer. Her hands flew up to his chest, skimming down his abs and even lower, until she cupped his groin through his jeans. Without breaking from his gaze, Angel batted her eyes, giving him an innocent stare while her hand stroked his growing bulge. Damn, he’d underestimated this firecracker. As quickly as she’d started, she removed her hand, turned and ducked her head into the driver side window for a moment.
He enjoyed the view while she got whatever she was looking for. When she straightened up, she threw the keys over to him. “I hope you know I don’t do this often,” she said, walking around to the passenger side. “By the way, I really love my car, Axe. Try not to drive it like a Harley.”
“I know exactly when to be gentle and when to be rough, sweet thing,” he teased. His cock throbbed in his pants when she bit down on her lip, taking his meaning.
“I’ll be the judge of that,” she murmured. He was about to walk around the front of the car to open her door, but she raised her palm to stop him. “I can manage. You drive.”
Axe jumped in and started the car, eased into reverse out of the parking spot, and the second she clicked the seatbe
lt around her, he revved the engine and sped out from the gravel parking lot in her sedan.
“I’m starting to see what you mean.”
“Where are we off to?”
“My apartment is about eight blocks from where we met. Head to Desert Java and I’ll give you directions when we’re closer.”
“Sure.” He turned out to the main street and drove toward the highway. “So, you know Dean Roman pretty well, I see.”
“Yes. His cousin is my best friend. We’ve known each other for years. How about you?”
Axe hesitated. Angel may have thought she knew Dean and his cousin, but he had no way to tell whether she knew that they were wolf shifters. “Let’s just say we run in some of the same business circles.”
“Really? For a second back there, I thought you would be at each other’s throats. I can’t imagine you working together.”
“We don’t. We’re more like competitors in a boxing ring, except right now, we’re both in our respective corners, waiting for the referee to either call the win, or throw us back in for another round.”
“Interesting.”
Axe sensed her breathing had changed slightly. She was more relaxed now, sinking back into the car’s leather bucket seats, eyes closed. At the rate Angel was drifting off, he would get to the coffee shop and be forced to check her purse for an address.
“Angel?” he called to her.
“Hmmm?” she answered.
“I’ll need your address pretty soon.”
“Oh, right.” She opened her eyes and straightened up. “Take a right at the second side street up ahead. You can park on the street. You know, I never asked how you plan to get back on your bike tonight.”
“I figured you’d give me a ride over there later on.”
“What if I can’t wake up until morning?”
“Waking up won’t be the problem, honey.” He noticed she was looking his way with the cutest little grin on her face. “Walking may be, but not waking up. In fact, I may have to keep you up all night long, after what you started back there.”
Bruised MC Bear (Beartooth Brotherhood MC Book 3) Page 3