Axel answered her in thick German, “I’d be happier if you’d let me bend you over the bar and fuck you raw.”
A man nearby guffawed, understanding him, but quickly looked away from his stare.
“I don’t even want to know what you just said. Now go be with your friends while I hang with mine for a while. Don’t worry, I won’t ignore you forever. But I need some time with my old peeps.” She kissed him again before flouncing to the bar to see a bunch of her friends.
He looked over and saw Smitty waving to him. As he passed the dartboard, he heard Foley say, “Shit. I bet they’d hook up on Valentine’s Day.”
Sam toasted Axel and said, “Nah, man. I told you. It’s us big tattooed freaks you have to watch out for.”
J.T. grinned. “I’m still in the running.”
Axel ignored them and sat with Smitty and the guys, keeping an eye on Rena.
“So.” Smitty paused to swig from his bottle. “You’ve been mighty chipper since you came in to work late on Wednesday.”
Only two and a half days had passed, but Axel felt as if his entire life had changed.
“Rena and I are now dating. Life isgut.”
Mateo said, grinning from ear to ear, “You cost me money, Boss, but you’ve been great at the shop. I like Rena.”
“I do too.” Rylan ran a hand over his hair. “Your girl gives a mean haircut.” The style made him look rakish and more than appealing, or so Smitty had said to Axel yesterday when Rylan had arrived looking stylish. To Rylan he’d merely grunted then ordered him to help on a busted back fender.
“My girl is amazing.” Axel smiled at her laughing with Sue and Josie. Ray came out to give her a hug, and she hugged him right back.
Ray glanced over to see Axel and waved.
Axel nodded back.
“So weird to see you smiling,” Rylan muttered.
“Well, well, what do we have here?” Expecting trouble from that tone, Axel glanced over and relaxed, seeing Foley standing with a beer. “Yo, Heller, you up for a game of darts? We need one more. Sorry, guys, but the game demands a fourth.”
Smitty shrugged. “Have him. He’s too damn happy for my taste.”
“Yeah.” Rylan shook his head.
“I plead the fifth.” Mateo held up a hand.
“Assholes.” Axel tried not to smile at the finger Smitty shot him. “Sure. Why not?”
He played with Foley, Sam, and J.T., ignoring their razzing, and was winning by fifty points when trouble walked in the door. Big J, one of the bouncers, kept an eye on the trio of idiots who’d entered.
“Are you kidding me? Who decided Daryl and his fuckhead buddies were okay to come back to the bar?” Foley asked.
J.T. grimaced. “They like it here, though God knows why. We’re not all Aryan white brothers.” He paused. “No offense, Sam.”
Sam chuckled. “Fuck off. And I think you meant that for Heller, anyway.”
Axel gave him a look.
J.T. laughed.
“Oh yeah.” Foley grinned. “Remember when we met, and I called you Adolf? I swore you were gonna rip my head off.”
“I still might,” Axel growled, his gaze darting from the racists to Rena.
She stood with her back to the group and seemed to be enjoying herself.
