by Chiah Wilder
“Like a bodyguard? I don’t think I can live with someone always there in my space.”
“Puck won’t be in your space. He knows how to become part of the background. Anyway, you have no choice. I agree with you, the killer’s come back for you. He has your journals, and he knows you’re beginning to remember.”
She shuddered against him, and he held her close until she calmed down.
“This isn’t one of your nightmares, babe. That shit, you can wake up from. This is real, and I don’t want anything happening to you.”
“You’re right. I’m just so angry my life isn’t my own. He destroyed my life the night he killed my mother, and right when I’m healing, he’s back for round two. Fuck!”
“I’m pissed, too, and we’ll use our anger to track him. He made a mistake.”
She looked up at him. “What’s that?”
“He brought me into it. I’ll fuckin’ kill his ass.”
Baylee’s body felt soft and relaxed in his arms.
She chuckled. “I shouldn’t be happy to hear those words, but I am.”
“You should be. He took a life, your mom, and now he gives his. An eye for an eye, you know. That’s the way my world rolls.”
Winking at him, she teased, “I’ll have to remember to stay on your good side.”
Axe brought his face inches from hers. “Baby, you’ll always be on my good side.” Cupping her chin he kissed her, the lightest brush of his lips against hers.
Against his lips, she murmured, “I’d love to stay like this with you all day, but I have to go to work.”
“I gotta get going, too. Want to talk to Banger.”
They rolled out of bed.
“I’ll take you to work,” Axe said.
“On the back of your Harley? Use my car. You can have it for the day.”
“No way am I driving in a cage in the summer. Fuck, you can’t feel shit in a cage.”
“Just to take me to work. You can come back and get your Harley. I can’t have my bosses see me coming to work on the back of a motorcycle.”
“Why the fuck not?”
“What will they think?”
“Who the fuck cares? Life’s too short to worry about everything someone thinks about you. I don’t give a shit if people like me, my attitude, or my lifestyle.”
Watching him with earnestness, she said, “You’re right. Fuck it. If they’re going to fire me for riding on the back of a Harley with you, then I’ll take them to the Labor Board.”
Laughing, he tweaked the tip of her nose. “You’re my kind of woman. Fuck the world.”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you how you guys have these odd names, like Puck.”
“They’re road names. Your actions or something about you gives you your name. The names mean something to the person or the club. Puck got his after he smashed in the teeth of another biker who was bothering a group of young girls at a winter rally. He’s a hockey fanatic and always carries a puck in his pocket. Anyway, he told this jerk to leave the girls alone, and the guy shoved him. A fight broke out and, at the end, the jerk was spitting his teeth out. Puck nailed him in his fuckin’ trap with his puck.”
Baylee grimaced. “I don’t think I want to know how you got your name.”
He hugged her. “No, babe, you don’t. Trust me on this.”
* * *
After he made sure she arrived safely at her desk, he rode to the clubhouse.
Knocking on Banger’s door, Axe entered when he called out.
“Hey,” Axe said.
“How’s it going?” Banger replied.
“Not so good.”
“What’s up?”
“There’s a problem with the lead architect who’s almost got the permit situation solved.” Axe continued to tell Banger about Baylee’s dilemma, stressing that she was the one whose design would be used for the restaurant.
Banger listened, no expression crossing his face.
“So, you can see she needs some protection. I can handle most of it, but I’ll need the loan of one of the prospects. Maybe Puck?” Axe slumped back in the chair.
“You done?” Banger asked.
Axe nodded.
Banger stared at Axe, wiped his hands on his faded blue jeans, and said, “You’re fucking her, aren’t you?”
Axe glared into Banger’s clear blue eyes. “What the fuck does that have to do with it?”
“Everything. When a man’s got his dick in a woman’s pussy, he’ll do anything for her.”
Axe’s face turned dark. “Whether I’m fuckin’ her or not isn’t the point. She’s in danger, and if we’re gonna get this goddamned strip mall finished, we gotta keep her safe.”
Banger guffawed. “Bullshit. Don’t try to pass some lame excuse over on me. Another architect could step in and finish the job. You got the hots for this one. Now I gotta check her out, ‘cause I wanna see what the woman who made you fall looks like.”
“What the fuck? No bitch made me fall. If you don’t wanna help, then just say it. Don’t tell me all this shit.”
Banger stared at him. “Are you fuckin’ her? Yes, or no?”
Axe rubbed his face. “So what if I am? I could walk away in a second. It’s just good pussy with a great pair of tits. Shit, I could go out now and tell Rosie I wanna fuck, and we’d go at it.”
“But you won’t ‘cause you haven’t given Rosie or any of the other club whores the time of day for the past few weeks. This architect’s got you by the balls.” Banger smiled widely.
“You finished? You enjoying this?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I am. I just wanna see the woman who has you all fuckin’ twisted.”
Axe blew out a long breath. “You gonna help, or not?”
“I need to make sure the other members are on board with this. Using one of our prospects for guard duty for a week or two when shit may hit the fan with the fuckin’ Skull Crushers may not be the wisest move.”
Axe nodded. “That’s fair. Let’s call church and take a vote. I gotta know.”
“Okay. I’ll let the members know we got an emergency church this afternoon.”
Axe walked to the door. Before opening it, he turned to Banger, arm straight up, fist in the air. “Thanks, brother.” Then he left.
Later that afternoon, all thirty members voted to have Puck watch over the architect—who had Axe by the balls—for a week. It wasn’t a smooth vote, but Axe put up with the ribbing because, at the end of church, an enormous sense of relief washed over him when his brothers voted to help him and his woman.
And she was his woman, even if she didn’t know it yet. He’d never have guessed their one-night stand would turn into him loving her.
Chapter Seventeen
For the next few days, everything was quiet, and Baylee and Axe fell into a routine: Puck watched her during the day, Axe was with her each night, and in the morning he’d take her to work on his cam-screaming Harley. They grew closer, but Baylee was still afraid to let Axe know how she felt, unsure of his feelings since he never told her if he cared about her more than a summer romance.
Securing protection for her had to mean he cared, but she’d heard some of his club buddies refer to her as “his woman,” and Axe would bristle. At least she wasn’t apprehensive all the time since Puck and Axe were around. The fear which strangled her a few days before dissipated whenever she saw Puck. Tall, muscled, and tatted over every inch of skin Baylee could see, Puck was an intimidating figure—she was glad he was on her side. He never smiled at her, rarely looked her in the eye, and seemed perpetually bored, but she knew he’d rip the head off anyone who came near her. For the time being, he was her protector. He’d stay outside her door at the office, sitting in a black leather chair, messing with his phone all the time, but whenever someone came into her office, his eyes were alert, his body tense.
Explaining him to Stan took a lot of creativity, but in the end, he was fine with Axe hanging around her. She knew the secretaries were petrified of him,
but after a couple of days they were used to it and didn’t pay him any attention.
Baylee glanced up from her computer screen when Gary came into her office. Bob had returned to Denver the day before, but Gary stayed on to make sure the permit was secure before returning to the city.
“Is that thug hanging around really necessary, Baylee?”
She motioned for him to close the door and sit down. When Gary was seated, Baylee said in a hushed voice, “Absolutely. Someone is trying to hurt me.” Her voice dropped even lower. “I think it’s the man who killed my mother.”
“What? That’s ridiculous. You’re having paranoid delusions again. You’ve had them off and on for years. Your father was so worried, but you seem to have been improving with your new therapist. You’re not going back to the way you were, are you?”
She shook her head. “No. And I never had delusions, and I’m not paranoid. No one will believe me. The killer has been studying me for years, watching me until my memory comes back. He’s here in Pinewood Springs.”
“Baylee. Stop. Will you listen to yourself? Why would the killer be in this town and not Denver? You’ve never been here, and I don’t recall your mom or dad ever coming here. It doesn’t make sense, does it?”
Running her hand through her hair, she gazed up at the ceiling.
“Does it?” he prodded.
“Um… Not really, but he is here. I know it.” Gary’s placating smile made her doubt her earlier convictions. “He is,” she repeated weakly.
“Maybe you’re working too hard. Why don’t you take this weekend off and go back to Denver? See your friends and your dad. It’d do you good to be back in your house. It can’t be too much fun living in a hotel.”
He thinks I’m a paranoid nut. What if he’s right? It really doesn’t make sense that the killer would be in Pinewood Springs. She rubbed her forehead. I don’t know what’s up or down anymore.
“You know, the anniversary of my mom’s death is in a couple of weeks,” she said softly.
“I know. It’ll be sixteen years?”
“Seventeen.”
“Maybe that’s what’s made you so upset.”
“My journal was stolen from my hotel room.”
“And you think the killer came all the way up to Pinewood Springs to break into your hotel room to steal your journal? Really, Baylee?”
Tracing over pen marks on the desk with her finger, she avoided his eyes.
“Take some time off. I insist. It’ll do you a lot of good. You’ll see. You’re so isolated up here. Logan tells me you rarely want to go out of your room. He told me he’s always asking you to join him on outings, but you usually say no.”
Yeah, Logan would say that. Stick the knife in deeper, asshole.
“I keep busy.”
“You know, Logan would’ve been more than willing to take you to work and keep an eye on you. I could even have moved you two to connecting rooms to assuage your fears. You didn’t have to call in a thug from an outlaw motorcycle club. It wasn’t necessary. I wish you would’ve come to me first.”
“I feel way more secure with Puck than I ever would with Logan.”
For a few seconds, Gary stared hard at her then clasped his hands together, placing them on his knee. “Do you have something with Axe?”
Baylee stared back without answering.
He nodded. “I know you’re aware of the firm’s policy about getting involved with clients. Logan and a couple of the engineers on the team have noticed that he is quite taken with you… and you with him. You’ve come to work many times on the back of his Harley.” He wrinkled his nose. “Baylee…”
“Axe is a representative, but the club, especially the board, is the client. Axe has to pass everything through the president and vice president.”
“Even if that were true, you know he is not the man for you. If your mother were alive, she would never approve of an outlaw biker covered in tattoos, and your father will be very disappointed.”
“You’re mistaken. The only thing on my mind is proving I can do a stellar job on the strip mall project. I’m vying for the partner position.”
“Now, that’s what I like to hear.” Gary smiled. “Brief me on the zoning requirements and your second designs you submitted the other day.”
Gary stayed in her office talking business for a couple of hours. After he butted his nose in her affairs, he calmed down, and they had a good working session and made some progress.
Baylee was hard at work when a delivery man rapped on her doorframe, holding a huge bouquet of pink roses. Her insides fluttered, and excitement coursed through her body. After signing the delivery slip, she opened the card and read it.
To a beautiful woman who is most persuasive. I’ll call you. With much respect, Palmer.
Her shoulders slumped. The flowers were from Palmer, but she’d wished they were from Axe, even though he’d told her he wasn’t the flower-giving type. The phone rang and she answered it.
“Hello?” she said.
“Hi, Baylee. This is Palmer. Did you get my flowers?
“Yes, they just arrived. They are lovely. Thank you.”
“Why don’t we have dinner tomorrow night? I have the zoning permit, and I threw in the building one, as well.”
“Wonderful. Thank you so much, Palmer. It makes my job much easier.”
“Anything for a beautiful lady. Tomorrow night at seven?”
“That would be fine.”
“Excellent. I’ll pick you up at the hotel.”
“Sounds good. Thank you again.”
She placed her phone down. Yes! I got the permits. They could finally break ground and lay the foundation. As an architect, it was always thrilling when the actual building started and all the ideas, diagrams, and designs became reality.
Her mouth went dry when she realized she’d made a date with Axe for the following night. They were supposed to go out to dinner that evening, but he’d called earlier in the day and told her he couldn’t come over because he had club business. He wouldn’t tell her what it was, but he’d told her he’d see her the following night. Axe was not going to be happy when she told him she couldn’t go out with him because she was having dinner with Palmer. Even though he would be pissed, he had to realize it was very important for her to have the permits in hand, and she wasn’t going to jeopardize the project because Axe and Palmer couldn’t play nice in the sandbox. Axe would have to deal with it. This was business, and it benefitted the Insurgents.
She sighed, knowing she was in for a battle with him.
Exhaustion weaved through her muscles and Baylee packed up her laptop, deciding to skip out an hour early and have a glass of white wine at the hotel bar.
With her trusty bodyguard beside her, she stepped into the hotel bar, the familiar wood paneling and red-leather chairs a welcomed sight. Grabbing a table away from the lobby—she didn’t want to risk Logan joining her—she settled in the comfortable swivel chair and kicked off her shoes. Four-inch heels had to have been invented by a man—they were pure torture, but damn pretty and sexy. Digging her toes in the plush maroon carpet was nirvana. Turning her head, she spotted Puck at a table behind her. She smiled.
“Would you like something to drink?”
He shook his head.
“You don’t mind if I do?”
“You can do whatever you want. Axe just told me to keep you safe.” He crossed his massive, inked arms.
She nodded. So, he is capable of forming sentences. Her phone rang, and Axe’s name flashed. Her heart soared.
“Axe.”
“Who the fuck sent you the flowers?”
“Hello to you too.”
“Who sent them to you?”
Baylee glanced at Puck, who watched with an impassioned face. “News travels fast, huh?”
“Who?”
“Palmer Rodgers sent them.” She heard his low growl. “I impressed him, which is good news, because he’s signing off on the zoning permit. He’s throw
ing in the building permit, as well.”
“What color are the roses?”
“Pink. Did you hear what I said?”
“I heard you. You’re done with him?”
Baylee paused, breathed deeply, then said, “Not quite. I have to get the permits.”
“He can drop them off at your office.”
“He could, but he’s in all-day meetings tomorrow, so we’re meeting for dinner.” She licked her lips. “It’s just a quickie dinner. I’ll have both permits in hand tomorrow night.”
“You don’t really believe his bullshit line, do you?”
She whispered, “It’s just business, Axe. You know that.”
“I thought we had a date.”
“We can get together later, or the next day. I can’t blow all this because you’re feeling insecure or threatened.”
A very long pause ensued. When he spoke, Axe’s voice dripped ice. “I’m not fuckin’ insecure. Threatened? That’s a load of shit. I don’t like being number two. Tell the motherfucker you can meet him the day after tomorrow. We have plans.”
“Axe, you’re being unreasonable. I have to get the permits, you know that. I said we can meet later, at around ten o’clock. You can come to the hotel, and we can have some fun.”
“I don’t have to wait in line to have fun, baby. Plenty of willing chicks who’re dying to show me a helluva good time. So are we on for dinner tomorrow, or not?”
Baylee’s skin pricked. Why the hell was he being so unreasonable about this? He was acting like a macho asshole who wanted his way. Well, too bad; she needed the permits. She compromised by asking him to come by later, and then he threw the threat of fucking other women in her face? No way was she putting up with that nonsense.
“I can’t make it. Sorry. I explained all this to you. If you want to be unreasonable, then that’s your choice. If you don’t want to come by later and be with me, that’s your choice, as well. As far as I’m concerned, this discussion is over.”
Axe laughed dryly. “Suit yourself. Have a good time with asshole.”
The phone went dead. Did he just hang up on me? This is ridiculous! Baylee stared at the blank screen. She wanted to call or text him back, but her anger got in the way. How dare he hang up on her! She was having dinner with a pompous ass in order to get the stupid permits so the project for his club could begin, and he was giving her a hard time. What an arrogant, pig-headed asshole. She refused to call him back. He was in the wrong, and he owed her an apology. Men! She should’ve stayed on her celibate-until-made-partner plan. This whole whatever-you-call-it thing she had with Axe was getting too complicated. Why did she let him get to her so much? Why the fuck had she fallen for such a prick?