“Why do people always start shit with him?” Sue asked. “I mean, I’m not into fighting, but even I can tell Heller can break most people in half. The guy is fucking huge.”
“Oh,is he?” Josie asked, batting her lashes as she looked at Rena.
Who blushed. “Stop it, Josie.”
“Ha! You fo-ho! I knew you had it in you.” Josie giggled, sounding more like a teenager than a thirty-year-old. “Get it?In you?”
Fo-ho—Josie’s way of complimenting someone for being a fortunate whore. Josie loved knowing Rena was finally getting “a hot piece of ass,” as she liked to call Axel. Honestly, the girl was addicted to sex, but she was so nice and unassuming most guys had no idea she’d take them out back and bang them for nothing more than mutual pleasure.
Not one to judge, Rena nevertheless appreciated what she’d shared with Axel. In just one morning, he’d given her earth-shattering orgasms and scared her senseless. She had no idea if she could handle that much pleasure again, and though she wanted it, she also feared it had been a onetime shot. As in, she hadn’t had sex in so long, she was overdue for major orgasms. She didn’t want anything to mar the magical time she’d spent with him. Which was nutty, she knew.
How much sense did it make that a virtual stranger—Axel—would know just how to touch her to get her off? Or was the man just that good with women he could get them to have multiple O’s the first time out?
She needed to be with him again and find out, praying she wouldn’t be disappointed. She planned to have sex with him again once they left Ray’s. But maybe not if he was going to spend so much time fighting. Though she really liked him, he scared her a little when he grew violent. She knew it wasn’t his fault, but seeing him beat the crap out of people reminded her how strong and vicious he could be.
She started to go over to him when she felt someone watching her. She turned to see Daryl, the weirdo she’d given a haircut to, staring from a corner booth. And suddenly she felt unsafe, even surrounded by people she knew. Without realizing it, she looked for Axel, her safety in the storm.
Axel caught her gaze at that moment, having dispatched his attacker with a punch to the gut and a follow-up to the jaw that had put the man on his ass. He followed her gaze back to Daryl, though she hadn’t meant to look back at him.
And Axel’s expression turned blank.
Icy.
Mean.
“Uh-oh.” She had a bad feeling, especially when Axel made a beeline for Daryl, who hadn’t sensed his danger because he kept looking at her. By the time he understood he needed to run, Axel had him by the throat up against the wall.
The entire bar quieted. She noticed Big J and Earl watching with satisfaction, doing nothing to stop the altercation.
“What the fuck did you do to her?” Axel asked, his voice a low grumble but loud enough to be heard in the silent bar.
“Axel, I think we should go.” Rena tried to cross to him.
J.T. stopped her. “No, Cuz. Let’s see what Daryl has to say.”
“You know him?” The two men sitting near Daryl cleared out fast.
“He’s one of Fletcher’s buddies.”
That made it all worse. Much, much worse. Because Daryl’s warning now had a weight it hadn’t before.
“We will go outside and…talk.Ja?” Axel dragged him out the back. When a few people made ready to follow, Earl yelled that they should all mind their fucking business or be kicked out for the night. This time no one followed. Talk resumed, and the bar felt as bouncy as it had before, excitement stirring at the notion of a fight.
But Rena had a bad feeling about Axel getting in trouble.
“J.T.,” she said to her cousin, “Daryl came into my shop for a haircut the other day.”
“Shit. That’s not good. He’s a problem, Rena. And so are all his friends, who do whatever Fletcher tells them to. I know you don’t like it, but Heller fought with Fletcher before because Fletcher was mouthing off about you.”
“He shouldn’t have done that.” But he’d been protecting her. How could she not be crushing on the guy?
J.T. sighed. “Not all of it was racist bullshit. The guy wants you.”
“I know. Axel and I are dating.”
“No, not Axel. Fletcher. He’s into you,andhe seems to hate you. Excuse the expression, but he’s one twisted fuck you need to stay far away from.”
She cringed. “Fletcher? Ew.”
