She felt the menace in the air but had no idea what Axel was talking about. “He” who?
Fletcher swore and turned back to her. “You teased me. Acted like you could give me a taste of that sweet pussy then dumped me for this fuckhead. And I shouldn’t want you,” he muttered. “I don’t. Not at all, really. I don’t know why I wanted a piece.”
A piece, as if she were a slab of meat. She loathed his answer, but she noticed Axel watching her, his hands fisted at his sides, no doubt ready to pummel Fletcher some more.
“Axel?”
“You have the right to decide what we do with him. I slit his throat and dump the body. I can beat the shit out of him first then slit his throat and dump the body. Or I can—”
“You know what? How about if I just kick him in the balls and we call it even?”
Fletcher didn’t look so good as her uncle and Axel lifted him to his feet and held him steady. The man kept cringing and crossing his legs.
She wanted to laugh. “Not so much fun now, is it? You could have hurt someone at my shop. Just like I could hurt you now. I won’t because I won’t sink to your level.”
His relieved smile just made her sad. That and the fact he had blood stains in a lot of places and his breathing didn’t sound right. She looked at her uncle and Axel and didn’t see any damage on them though. Which still didn’t mean they hadn’t caused Fletcher’s injuries.
“Yes, I’m better than you. I’m a nice person. I never led you on. I knew you were prejudiced, but I thought if I treated you kindly, you might see there’s more to me than the color of my skin.”
Axel smiled at her.
“Ain’t she something?” Uncle Liam asked, beaming.
“So much something. Yes.” Axel sighed. Then he slugged Fletcher, hard, in the gut.
Fletcher wheezed and sagged to the floor.
Rena wanted to feel bad for him, but she couldn’t.
“Now that had to hurt,” Liam said.
Axel stood over him, staring down at Fletcher as if he shouldn’t exist. “Gut.So,Häschen, do we kill him or turn him over to the police?”
“Well, crap. I was hoping to make him disappear.” Uncle Liam winked. And she hoped to hell they were both kidding. “I’ll take him down to the police station. You two enjoy your evening.” He speared Axel with a look. “Make it right.”
Axel sighed. “I know.”
Uncle Liam left with Fletcher through the front, and Axel took her by the hand out the back. He locked up and led her to his truck.
“But my car…”
“It’ll be safe here. We’ll come get it later. Rena, I have to talk to you.”
The dreaded words she’d longed to hear, but now that she had them, she didn’t know what to think.
In the truck, Axel reached for her hand and held it on his knee the whole way to his home. Once there, he let her in and took her to the front room, where Chi-Chi sat with Queen and six tiny baby kittens.
“Oh my gosh. They’re adorable.” She wanted to pet them but didn’t want to disturb Queen’s feeding, so she settled for a few quick strokes and instead petted Chi-Chi, who rolled onto his back, begging for a belly rub, his tail wagging like crazy.
“He’s like a whole new dog.”
Axel looked pained. “He’s in love with Queen. I don’t think they can be separated.”
She tried not to smile.
“Stop it.”
“So…you have a catanda dog. Good for you.”
