Luckily, everyone kept to themselves as he entered the men’s room, the stalls all empty bar one.
“Axel?” he called, closing the bathroom door behind him, quieting the music and voices of the crowd. “You in here?”
There was a grunt, glass shattering. “Fuck.”
Placing an open hand on the stall door, Sam pressed it open slowly. Axel was sat with his back against the white tiles beside the toilet, his knees pressed against the opposite stall wall, and just like every bloody time, Sam felt an instant jerk in his stomach. Axel was one of the most devastatingly handsome men he had even seen. He usually kept his dark brown hair shaved close to his skull, but Sam was grateful that he’d allowed it to grow out, the strands having a slight curl he dreamed about brushing his fingers through. Axel’s eyes were a deep hazel that shifted between green and brown with flecks of gold, and he had a jaw that looked chiselled from marble. All his hard lines were emphasised by the stubble that should have made him look homeless, but instead gave him a dishevelled, sexy vibe.
Then there were his lips, thicker than usual for a man, but somehow only added to the sheer masculinity that radiated from him in waves.
“Hey there, kitty cat,” Axel said, his words slower than usual, and that was when Sam scented the sharp acidic liquid that had leaked from the broken vial by his heavy boot. It had been hot, cracking the tile on the floor.
Axel shifted to the side, drawing attention to the tourniquet tied around his thick bicep, his sleeve pulled up to reveal skin covered in tattooed glyphs.
“What the fuck, man?” Sam stepped inside, careful to not step on the shards. He knelt, grabbing Axel’s wrist and pulling it closer. A hypodermic needle was still sticking out from inside his arm, empty. “What did you take?”
Axel only smiled, and Sam suppressed a growl when his eyes steadied on him, the pupils blown wide.
Grabbing for the needle he ignored Axel’s frown, carefully placing it on the top of the toilet basin in clear view. His skin had healed immediately, not even a pearl of blood left as Sam pulled the tourniquet off next, shoving it into the back of his jeans’ pocket.
Reaching down, he gripped Axel’s jaw. “What. Did. You. Take?” He tried to emphasise every word as Axel smiled lazily.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he whispered, hand slowly stretching up to touch the ends of Sam’s hair. It had fallen over his shoulder, and Sam quickly flicked it back and out of his reach. “Hey,” Axel growled. “Mine.”
Sam ignored the way his heart was beating against his ribcage. “Come on big guy, concentrate.” Panic edged his tone. “What did you take?”
Axel frowned. “I didn’t take anything.”
Sam allowed his chest to vibrate, an internal growl as he pulled Axel’s arm over his shoulder, hauling him to his feet.
Something crashed to the floor, and before Sam could see what it was, a ring echoed. “Bloody hell.” Releasing Axel, who swayed slightly but stayed upright, he reached for the phone, the screen slightly cracked.
“Hey, we need a pickup…”
“Yeah, I don’t think he’s able to drive,” Sam replied firmly, watching Axel warily.
“Sam? Why do you have Axel’s phone? Fuck, how bad is he?”
“Just get here before he does something even fucking stupider,” Sam growled down the line. “And be fast.” Before he could add any more the phone died, and Sam dropped it beside the needle, wiping his hand down his black work t-shirt. It had been covered in the acidic smelling liquid, not to mention whatever else was on the bathroom floor.
Axel pushed past, and before Sam could catch him, he was already out through the emergency exit and into the alley directly behind. He steadied himself on the brick wall, hands flat and shoulders hunched as he let out a slow, unsteady breath.
Sam waited, the noise from the bar a gentle vibration beneath his feet, the music muffled through the door. He couldn’t leave, not until one of Axel’s brothers collected him. What if he choked? Or overdosed?
“What the fuck, Axel?” Sam said between gritted teeth, anger and frustration darkening his tone. “At Blood Bar, really?”
Axel remained silent, the only evidence he heard was the slight contraction of his shoulders.
“I’ve seen you high a few times, but a fucking needle? What’s wrong with you? Why would you do that to yourself?” Sam felt the presence of his leopard, deciding he needed his animal’s strength to stop from punching Axel square in his beautiful fucking face.
“You make everything go away,” Axel said, his voice so soft as he turned that Sam strained to hear. “So fucking quiet.”
“Well, I’m not being fucking quiet right now!” Sam seethed, even more so at Axel’s smirk, his eyes hooded.
“You don’t make it hurt.” Axel continued, stepping forward until his breath was a warmth against the cooler wind. They were almost level, his height only an inch or two taller. Axel took another step, forcing Sam to back away until he felt the heavy door pressed against his back.
Sam stilled, Axel’s attention dropping to his lips as he planted both palms against the wood, trapping Sam between them.
Tension thrummed, confusing his leopard’s instincts. He was being pushed by someone bigger, stronger, and yet rather than attack he wanted to see what Axel would do. It wasn’t like he was a stranger, not considering Sam had been working at that particular bar on and off for years and would even call Axel a friend. He was one of the brothers of his boss, after all.
