“Everything okay in here, sugar?” Dwayne’s high voice broke in.
I looked up at him in alarm. “Yes, fine. He was just leaving. Sorry, I’ll get back to work.”
Dwayne looked me over and met my eyes, cocking his head in question.
I nodded, letting him know I was really okay.
My eyes shifted back to Axel. “I have to get back,” I murmured.
“I’ll wait, drive you home after your shift,” he stated, rising and pulling me to my feet. His touch alone sent electricity zinging down my arm.
“No!” I practically shouted in alarm at the thought of him driving me home.
His eyes narrowed. “You have a man at home?”
Yes, a very small one, I thought frantically.
He eyed me keenly, our intensity blistering as it always did. Some things never did change. “Do you?” he demanded quietly.
“No,” I whispered.
“Good,” he whispered back, his voice hoarse as he took me in.
“But you’re not driving me home. It was good to see you, Ax. Tell everyone…” my voice caught, “tell them I miss them and hope they’re well.” I gave him the small smile I’d like to think I’d perfected. The one I could plaster on my face despite inner desolation threatening to swallow me whole. I’d had to wear it most of my life. I pushed my way out of the kitchen to see about my tables.
I spent my entire shift alternating between plotting where Mad and I should move next and freaking out over how amazing it had been to see Axel. I felt like someone had taken my heart and injected it with steroids.
When I got off at eleven that night, I snuck out the back. It opened into a dimly lit alley and I thought I’d be golden if he was still waiting all these hours later out front.
“You think I’d wait out front?” he chuckled, his tone nearly affronted.
I jumped about a mile in the air and smacked him in the chest. “You scared me!” I screeched.
“Soph, seriously, give me more credit.” He grinned through the dim light. “Let’s go get a drink.” He cocked his head toward the street.
I looked at him, biting my lip, debating whether I could realistically escape him. He stared back at me, watching my inner turmoil and allowing me to come to the only conclusion possible.
I sighed in defeat. “Fine. I just need to check on something,” I responded, firing off a text to Jill.
She was annoyingly thrilled that I wanted to stay out later. She said the boys were already crashed out and I should take as long as I wanted. I responded, telling her that her amount of exclamations marks needed to be toned down.
Seriously.
“Fine, one drink,” I agreed, going against my better judgment. “But,” I held up a finger, “you’re not driving me home.”
“Whatever you want,” he agreed – all too easily.
We walked in silence to a nearby bar I’d never been to. Sitting at the bar, side by side, he ordered us both a beer and swiveled slightly to face me.
“I’m so fucking glad you’re okay. Christ, Sophie,” he breathed, running a hand over his beard; something he always seemed to do when he was stressed.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” I replied quietly.
“Why the hell did you take off like that? How could you do that to us?” he demanded heatedly.
I narrowed my eyes at him, the heat rising in my cheeks. “Us?” I demanded. “First of all, I feel like shit for leaving everyone – they were all so good to me,” I swallowed. “I love my brother. It meant the world to me to get to know him in a way I never had before. Given all that, don’t you think it’s fair to assume I had my reasons?” I shot back.
“What the fuck about me, huh?” he growled.
