Axel
She’ll takeit?
My body goes rigid as I try to maintain my composure. Lex is like a cat, a false move and she’ll slash your throat and gouge your eyes out in one slickmaneuver.
“You’re kidding, right?” Low whispers to her. “I mean, this is the guy youhate—the ex that sent you running for the hills. You wore an entire spike strip the last time you were in here in the event he even looked at you crooked. You do realize he owns the place, don’tyou?”
“I don’t care.” She glares at me as if I were the one who uploaded that demeaning video. “You’ll stay out of my way if you know what’s good foryou.”
My lips twitch as I struggle to keep from smiling. “And you’ll be on time and courteous and respectful to the clientele. You can start tomorrow at four. You’ll work till closing and you won’t complain because you’ll be grateful for the chance to keep a steady diet of green infused into your bankaccount.”
Lex gasps so loud even the band stops the music for a brief second just to assess whether or not she’s having a cardiacepisode.
Both Low and Raven whisk her off to the other end of the bar. Brody steps into my line of vision and blocks her from my view. “What the hell? Dude, you weren’t even nice to her. Do you always sweet talk the ladies likethat?”
“No, I save all my sourpuss moves for Lex. Sarcasm is her love language.” Actually, it’s something far darker than sarcasm that keeps the cogs in her wheels churning and turning. “She’s had a roughlife.”
“Join the club.” Brody folds his arms across his chest as we both look to where Low and Raven have her surrounded. I know what he meant. It’s only been six months since my sister passed away, and it feels like six minutes. Emilia and Lex were friends once, and I took down that relationship when I took down myown.
Levi comes up and slaps a hand over my shoulder. “What’s going on? Low practically gave me the finger when I tried to intervene. She said you were responsible for this.” He smacks his lips with disappointment. “You do realize that hitting on your ex is only going to enrage her and make things worse.” He gives a subtle wink. Levi thinks there’s a modicum of hope for Lex and me to get back together. I’d hate to break it to his optimistic new and improved self, but Lex and I are irreparable—a broken mirror with too many shards lying around to ever be safe. Who the hell could ever fashion that back together? Hell, I bled out from the simple act of handing her this olive branch—if you consider spotty employment at a restaurant a peaceoffering.
Brody leans in, that stern as shit look on his face. “Axel here just offered his ex a job. It looks like that waitress position we were in need of was just filled. She starts scaring off customers as early as tomorrow night. So much for getting out of thered.”
“She’ll behave.” I hear myself say the words, but I shake my head as if to refute the idea at the very sametime.
“You gave her ajob?” Levi winces over at the girls still huddled in an estrogen mass. “Thanks for the heads-up. I’m coming in with a helmet tomorrow night.” He offers a solid sock to my arm. “Let me guess. You’re about to start haunting this place on the regularyourself?”
I think on this for a minute. I’ve been at the office almost twelve hours a day for the last six months straight. Emilia’s death threw my father headfirst into his work, expanding his law firm, expanding his business reach as far as his leveraging powers would allow, and it’s all I can do to keep up withhim.
I blow out a breath in lieu of words. Damn. There’s no way I can maintain my workload and have enough waking hours left over to haunt any establishment, let alone thisone.
“Relax. I’m kidding.” Levi butts his shoulder to mine. “I know she’ll go nuclear if you’re in the vicinity. If she really needs the gig, then do everyone a favor and steer clear.” He offers up a quick slap over my back just as his twin, Chip, calls everyone’s attention for a quick toast to the happy couple. Ironic that Chip of all people is even allowed to speak at tonight’s event, considering the fact he bedded and fathered a child with Levi’s ex-wife while they were still legally married. Yes, Levi has been through the proverbialwringer.
I glance to Lex and our eyes lock once again, mine with longing and hers with the threat of an evisceration. Yes, it’s safe to say I’m about to go through the wringer myself as if the first time wasn’t badenough.
“Hey, man.” Brody shakes his head at me with pity. “Don’t you worry. I’ll take her under my wing and make sure she’s all right. You do your thing at the office. I’ll keep an eye on herhere.”
It takes everything in me not to clock him because, for one, I know Brody Wolf all too well to decode that frat speak he just emitted. And two, he’s delusional enough to believe he could actually accomplish hismission.
“She’s not like that. I’d threaten your balls for even hinting at the idea of sleeping with her, but Lex can take care of herself. If you’re a soprano the next time I see you, I’ll know why and I’ll laugh about it,too.”
“Very funny.” His features grow dark at the thought of his low hanging fruit getting plucked unceremoniously by myex.
We glance back to the bar and catch Lex taking off like a bat readying to dive back into her cave before the sun scorches her delicate skin. And dear God, how I miss that delicateskin.
“And there she goes. Damn, she’s got a nice ass on her.” Brody shakes his head as she sashays out thedoor.
“That she does.” I can’t take my eyes off the void she left in her wake. I’ve missed every last inch of her for far too long. For years now I’ve been gripped with the fear I’d be alone forever. I don’t have to look high and low to realize that there’s no one out there for me but Lex. A part of me thought she’d never step back into my life, and yet here she is. Everything in me says grab on with all you’ve got—and there’s nothing more I’d ratherdo.
Chip starts in on the toast while Brody heads over to the bar to make sure the champagne is flowing in the right direction before the speechcommences.
Brody is a good guy but one I wouldn’t want a single woman in my life to fall victim to. Nope. It’s clear I need to choose between a career in law and reviving my career as amixologist.
I think I already know the answer to thatone.
In fact, I think I’ll name my first signature drink the Lextini. It’s hot and spicy and leaves you with a hangover that lasts six longyears.
Six years too long if you askme.
