“If that was your true aim,” he said, eying her over the rim of his glass.
Charlie had a feeling this wasn’t over. She didn’t like the way he looked at her. He was suspicious, but he wasn’t calling her on it. Not yet.
He gestured to the door. “Run along now. I have business.”
Charlie had a ticking time bomb on her hands. Being caught by the safe had made her look suspicious. Could she get to the loot and the evidence before he figured out what she was up to?
***
Charlie considered going to Hades to see Voodoo, but she was shaken up and needed to see Axel. Even if it was awkward between them right now, she wanted some comfort.
When she arrived at Seventh Circle, she found Axel with an industrial broom in his big hands, pushing it around the floor. Dani was nowhere to be seen and the shop was empty.
When he saw her, he stopped, and his brows drew together.
Evidently the panic showed on her face.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, dropping the broom and hurrying over to her.
“Everything went to hell today,” she said, shaking her head. “I tried to input some numbers and he found me in the study.”
“Fuck. What happened? Are you okay?” He took her by the shoulders, searching her features. He ran his hands along her arms, as if he were checking for injuries.
“I’m fine and I think I covered myself. I made up an excuse and then I distracted him.” Her heart was still pounding hard. She’d been worried the rest of her shift, jumping at noises, peering around corners. Charlie feared he’d have the guards scoop her up any second.
“How?” he asked.
She paused wondering if she should tell him. “I came on to him.”
His face clouded. “You did what? You seduced him?”
Charlie rolled her eyes. “No, I tried to seduce him. But I didn’t succeed.”
“Why the hell would you do that?” He walked away from her and picked up the broom again, gripping the handle so tightly, she thought it might splinter in his hands.
She’d expected comfort, not anger. “I panicked. He found me in the study and he came out of nowhere.” She shivered. “I swear to God that man’s part cat. I needed to change the conversation before he got suspicious. Nothing muddles a man’s mind more than an offer of sex.”
“I see. You offer yourself to just anybody then?”
Charlie glared at him. He’d gone too far. “That isn’t fair and you know it.”
“He’s a psychopath, you know,” Axel grated out. “He’s killed a dozen or more men.”
“Yeah, I got that memo. He killed my father, in case you forgot. And I never said I wanted to sleep with Beauregard. I’m not signing on to be his girlfriend or fuck buddy.”
Axel started sweeping the floor this time, swiping at the concrete savagely. “That was a stupid plan. It could’ve blown up in your face.”
“Really? Because I think it might’ve saved my ass today.” She paced back and forth. When she’d come over, she wanted sympathy and advice. She hadn’t expected him to be such an ass.
He stopped scrubbing at the floor, his jaw clenching. “The bastard actually turned you down?”
“Yeah.” Her lips twisted bitterly. “Like you, he wasn’t interested.”
Axel didn’t reply. “Move,” he grunted, picking up the broom again.
She backed off and he attacked the area she’d vacated, dragging the broom across the floor with such force he left bristles in its wake. “Why are you so angry?” He was the one who said he didn’t want a romantic relationship and then left her out in the cold.
“I’m not,” he snapped.
“Where’s Dani?” She could use a friendly face.
“She’s on an errand, so you got lucky. You shouldn’t run around here dressed like that,” he said, gesturing to her ridiculous maid uniform. “She’ll start asking questions.”
“Just admit that you’re jealous.”
“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.” Axel refused to look at her.
“Yes, you do. You’re pissed because I made a pass at Beauregard.”
“Yeah, well, he’s rich and handsome.” He kept on punishing the poor broom, dragging it across the floor. “He wines and dine women, show them a good time before he shows them the door. So, don’t get any ideas about him. He’d use you and toss you away.”
Charlie tossed her hair “Again. He’s my father’s murderer. And besides that, what I do with my body is my business. You turned me down, remember? What gives you the right to act so crazy?”
Axel stepped closer to her, his chest heaving. “So, you’re going to fuck anyone you want, huh?”
“What if I do? What business is it of yours?” She raised her chin and didn’t back down. She didn’t care if he had a foot and seventy pounds on her. Charlie Nash didn’t intimidate so easily.
“Uh, why are you guys shouting at each other?” Dani asked.
They both turned to see Lex and Dani standing in the garage. Dammit. How much of the argument had they overheard? She and Axel were so preoccupied, they hadn’t heard them pull up or walk in Seventh. A quick glance at Axel confirmed he was just as startled. Charlie really needed to be more aware. It might save her life one day.
Charlie backed away from Axel and tried to think of a good lie.
“Dani, why don’t you knock off for the night? Charlie and I have club business to discuss,” Axel said.
“Yeah, so you two can have World War Three? I don’t think so.” Dani grabbed Charlie and pulled her aside. Lex huddled up with them.
Lex stared at the maid uniform.
“Okay, I give. Why are you dressed in a maid outfit?” Dani asked, tilting her head to one side. “Halloween’s long gone.”
Dammit. Charlie zipped up her hoodie as though it could somehow conceal her uniform. She glanced at Axel for help, but he’d gone back to sweeping the garage. Fantastic. He expected her to get out of this all by herself.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t tell Lexi and Dani. Axel had been very clear about the club rules on discretion. And the fewer people who knew, the better. Loose lips lead to jail time.
They leaned forward, faces eager.
… And she sold the biker out without any twinges of guilt. “Axel bought it for me,” she whispered.
“Axel bought it for you?” Dani asked, eying the maid outfit then shooting a glance in Axel’s direction. “Why?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. But he asked me to wear it while I helped him sweep up the garage.”
At that, they both turned and stared at him unabashedly. Their expression said eww.
Axel stopped working. “Why you lookin’ at me like that?”
They both turned to Charlie again. And she barely resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him.The look Axel shot her was murderous. Not that she gave a damn.
“What the fuck?” Dani asked in hushed tones. She surveyed Charlie’s get up. “Uh, he didn’t, like, touch you or anything?”
“No. Of course not.” Charlie could’ve lied about that, too, but that would’ve been a step too far. The sweet spot with lies is to keep them believable. “But he’s been checking me out.” And to mix a lie with the truth.
Lexi slanted her head sideways and placed a finger on her chin. “You know, he never makes time with any of the hellions. And he hasn’t had a girlfriend since high school.”
Dani shuddered. “Gross. What if he’s gathering up material for the spank bank?” Her nose wrinkled. “It’s always the quiet ones.”
“Maybe he has a fetish? You know, like a roleplaying thing,” Lexi murmured. “I studied those in class.” They all slowly turned to gape at him some more, as if he was on display at a museum. Behold, hetero-erectus.
“You don’t say?” Charlie kept a straight face, but she didn’t know how she managed it.
Axel glowered as he leaned against the broom. “What’s up, ladies? What the hell’s going on?”
; “Nothing,” they all said in unison.
Dani grasped her hand and started towing her towards the garage door. “Charlie’s coming with me and Lexi.”
Charlie didn’t protest. Coming over here had been a big mistake. One she wouldn’t repeat.
“No, she isn’t. We weren’t finished with our conversation,” Axel said, striding towards them.
Dani and Lexi booked outside and Charlie put her cheetah running skills to good use.
“Yes, you were, creeper,” Lexi threw over her shoulder as they headed for her car. Dani threw open the rear door and Charlie climbed in before Dani took shotgun. Lexi slid behind the wheel.
“Creeper? I’m not a creeper.” Axel hustled over to the car. He locked eyes on Charlie. “What did you tell them?”
“The truth!” Charlie said, and finally stuck her tongue out at him as they pulled out of the lot.
***
“Okay, then,” Dani said a few hours later. “It’s time for a game.”
They were seated at a table in Perdition. Fittingly, it had biker bar vibe–Harleys, posters of girls on bikes, and the line of underwear, of course. Something about the bikers and panties tickled her memory, but she was too drunk to give it the sort of attention it deserved.
“A drinking game?” Charlie asked, because thinking right then seemed to be difficult. She’d already tossed down four longneck beers, and a biker aptly named Pretty Boy had slipped her a quart-sized Mason jar full of freaking fantastic strawberry moonshine mixed with lemonade.
According to the girls, Eddie made the stuff herself, and Charlie planned on begging Eddie to sell her a case or two of it before she left town. Speaking of Eddie, Charlie was grateful she didn’t see her around the bar tonight. She could skip another round of awkward questions.
Lexi finally answered, after taking a long drink of her own moonshine. “It isn’t a drinking game, per se, but it’s a lot more fun once you’re drunk.”
“We’re playing Murder, Marry, Kiss, or Shag,” Dani explained, leaning forward to shout the words over the racket going on around them.
Perdition was crowded that night. The mob was a mix of townies, the brothers, and hellions, according to Lexi and Dani.
In the corner of the room, a band covered “Whiskey Lullaby”. A woman with blue and blonde hair sang the duet with a handsome blond man in a black muscle shirt. A few other band members played instruments behind them. Charlie couldn’t quite decide if the group was country or blues. Maybe somewhere in between. Regardless, they were mesmerizing to watch. Even in a drunken state. They had a Mason jar on the stage filled with tips and Charlie planned on making a donation before she left.
“Who are they?” Charlie asked Dani.
“The Crossroad Crows. One of the brothers, Jag, is in the band,” she explained.
“And the woman?” Charlie loved her voice and her hair, too.
“Her name’s Blue,” Dani said with a shrug. “Don’t know much about her. But let’s not get distracted. You heard of the game?”
“Nope,” Charlie said with a shake of her head. Then she stopped because the room was doing a spinning thing. At least she wasn’t angry or scared anymore. Today had been crapilicious and she was grateful it was ending well.
She thought about going to the bathroom and praying to the porcelain god for a minute. They’d wolfed down burgers and fries earlier at Hades and while the food was delicious at the time, it currently threatened to crawl out of her stomach and up her windpipe. Charlie hadn’t had this much to drink in….well, ever. She should probably slow down, but nah, she was having a blast. Good food, better alcohol, great music, and terrific company. She actually had friends now.
“Most people play with celebrities, but we use Horsemen. We’ll point out brothers to you and then you can tell us whether you’d kill, marry, kiss, or shag them. ‘Shag’ is English for ‘screw’,” Lexi said sagely. “In case you didn’t know.”
Charlie frowned. “I thought ‘screw’ was English for ‘screw’.”
“I mean British English. Lexi thinks it sounds nicer than fuck. Got it?” Dani informed her.
“I guess.” She took another drink of moonshine. Though, she didn’t want to shag any Horsemen. They were all big, dumb men. Who hated brooms. Charlie shot a glance at Axel who stood across the room with a pool cue in hand.
He’d been there when they’d arrived and he hadn’t approached the group, but she could feel his eyes on her. And his disapproval. He probably thought she was corrupting Lexi and Dani. Well, screw him.
Charlie hiccupped. “Before we play, I need to know something. Am I being hazed? I’ve never set foot on a college campus, but this feels like something sorority girls do. You’re hazing me.”
“Think of it as an initiation,” Dani said. “Enough stalling. Let’s play.” Dani pointed out Horsemen in the crowd. “Here are your options: Steele, Justice, Cowboy, or…” Dani paused and eyed Lexi before she spoke, “Axel.”
Charlie glanced at Axel again and a fantasy popped into her head. Shagging Axel…against the wall, when he was slick with sweat and motor oil.
Lexi snapped her fingers in front of Charlie’s face and she shook herself. “Crap. Sorry, zoned out for a minute.”
“Did you? And what were you thinking about?” Dani prodded.
“Nothing,” Charlie lied. “Not a damn thing. Give me a second.” She mentally slapped herself and tried to come out of the drunken haze. She swept the room again and focused on one of her former jailors. “Justice. I’d kill him.” She dragged a finger across her own throat. “He’s scary.”
Dani shook her head. “Nah, he’s sad.”
“Sad about what? Not killing people?” Charlie asked. Justice had a hardcore vibe. She was glad she hadn’t pissed him off.
Dani shrugged. “Not sure. He doesn’t say much. Go on, pick the next one.”
Charlie sought out the unfamiliar Horsemen Dani had named, Cowboy. He sat beside what Charlie assumed was his pregnant wife. Cowboy rubbed the woman’s belly and then kissed her. He grinned, like he’d won the lottery or something, and Charlie had to look away, the moment seemed too intimate to observe.
“Him,” Charlie said, nodding at Cowboy. “In a purely hypothetical situation, of course. I’d marry Cowboy. Any man who stares at his pregnant wife that way is husband material in my book.”
“Good call,” Dani said.
Lexi nodded. “But for real, Daisy would shoot your ass.”
Charlie held her hands up. “Like I said, I’m not getting any ideas. Hmm, moving on then.” She spotted the young, cocky biker behind the bar, flipping bottles like he was in that Cocktail movie. “What if I pick my own?” she asked. Charlie would rather avoid the Axel topic. “I’d kiss Pretty Boy.”
“I bet he’s a good kisser,” Lexi said with a little sigh. “Never found out, though. I copped a feel, but he’s so taken it isn’t even funny.”
Dani chuckled. “Yeah, we both know which biker you wanna make out with, and it ain’t Pretty Boy.”
“Mind your own business,” Lexi grouched.
Charlie went back to the original subject. “Taken by who?”
“The blond one,” Lexi said. “Sitting at the bar, staring at Pretty Boy’s ass every time he bends over. His name’s Shep.”
A heated look exchanged between the two men and Charlie gulped. “Wow. They’re practically eye-fucking.”
As if on cue, Pretty Boy leaned forward and kissed Shep. In return, the blond biker stood up and pulled Pretty Boy closer and the kiss deepened. Pretty Boy vaulted over the bar and the two scrambled out the door together.
Charlie shook her head. “You don’t see that every day. Gay bikers? Cool.”
“I know. Right here in Texas,” Dani said, raising her beer in salute. Charlie and Lexi clinked their beverages.
“What will they think of next?” Lexi asked. They laughed.
“And the brothers don’t care?” Charlie asked. While she had a ‘live and let live’ philosophy, th
ere seemed to be a macho-man vibe there, and Charlie wondered how well it’d gone over.
Dani nodded. “It took some convincing….”
“But it all worked out,” Lexi said. Then she pointed to Charlie. “Come on. Back to the game, and you can’t choose your own contestants. This isn’t Burger King, nothing is done your way.”
Charlie met Axel’s eyes across the room and their gazes locked. For a moment, she couldn’t breathe and that motor oil fantasy drifted through her thoughts.
“Talk about an eye-fuck,” Lexi breathed, shaking one of her hands as if it’d gotten burned. “And you aren’t even wearing that stupid maid uniform anymore.” Lexi glanced at Charlie. “You’d soooo shag him.”
Dani whistled. “Yup, there’s a bow chicka wow wow vibe goin’ on here.”
“A what?” Charlie asked.
Dani rolled her eyes. “That’s the soundtrack to every porno ever made.” She glanced at Lexi and they both made the bow chicka wow wow noise.
“I don’t know what you’re babbling about,” Charlie gritted out. “Right now, I’d like to smack him upside the head.” And she meant it. She felt like throttling him. She searched the crowd once more. “But I’d consider shagging Steele.” She pointed to the handsome dark-haired biker at the next table over. Steele winked at her.
With a grin, he strolled right over, grabbed a seat and flipped it around before straddling it. “You need somethin’, darlin’?”
“Maybe,” Charlie hedged.
“Just ask and your wish is my command,” Steele said with another wink.
“Tonight, anyway,” Dani muttered.
Charlie glanced over Steele’s broad shoulders to see Axel. His hands had curled into fists. The muscles in his arms bunched and his lips thinned. He wasn’t immune to her. And he needed to get over his issues and do something about it. She wouldn’t be in Hell for long, and it’d be a damn shame if they never got to explore whatever it was between them.
The alcohol made her a bit reckless. With a sigh, she leaned in close and whispered to Steele. “Kiss me.”
With a grin, the biker bent over to do just that, but before he could place his lips on hers, he was hauled out of his chair. Charlie looked up to see Axel shoving Steele’s chest. “Hands off, brother,” Axel growled.
Hell on Wheels (Four Horsemen MC Book 6) Page 16
