Page 39 of Pit

I zone out, looking around the office and noticing a picture on the shelf of Axel on his bike with a woman behind him. She’s one of the women who saw me come in here, but she didn’t look the sort to hang around with a criminal gang.

Axel ends the call, bringing my attention back to him. “You might have luck on your side,” he says, winking.

There’s a knock on the door and he groans. “Go away.”

“You’d better open this door right now,” comes a female’s voice, and he immediately goes to the door and unlocks it. The woman from the picture bursts in looking angry. “Why was the door locked? Why are the blinds down?” she demands.

I drop my eyes to the ground, cautious that she may go crazy thinking I was up to no good with her man. “Lexi, it’s club business,” Axel tells her calmly. “Relax.” It was the wrong thingto say because he follows it with a quick apology, and I smirk to myself, realising he isn’t in charge at all. Suddenly, he seems less scary.

“Relax?” she repeats, and I risk a quick glance up to see her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed. “So, if I was to lock myself in your office with one of the guys, that would be okay?”

“Don’t make me crazy,” he growls, yanking her to him and pressing a kiss to her lips. “She’s here until I can cut a deal.”

She pulls free of his grasp, and he groans as she approaches me. I brace myself for a dressing-down, but she smiles and holds out her hand for me to shake, which I do. “I’m Lexi, this idiot’s old lady.”

“Lex,” he mutters, his tone warning.

“I’m Tessa,” I reply.

“Why do you look so terrified?” she asks, frowning. “Did someone hurt you?”

“Lexi,” snaps Axel, more firmly this time.

“I just want to go home,” I tell her.

“Enough,” Axel barks, moving closer. Lexi puts up her hand, and he stops, placing his hands on his hips and staring down at the ground.

“From the beginning,” she says to me.

“Pit took me from a warehouse and kept me at his farm.” I rush the words before Axel can shut me down.

“It’s not as simple as it sounds,” Axel tries to explain.

She ignores him, so I continue. “And now, I’m here and staying in the basement.”

Her eyes widen as she turns her angry expression to Axel. “Club business?” she repeats. “You’re keeping this poor woman in the fucking basement?”

“And I’m scared of the dark,” I whisper, almost smirking at Axel, who’s glaring at me.

“Oh my god, did you know that when you put her in there?” she demands.

“Pit told him,” I cut in.

“Have you lost your goddamn mind?” yells Lexi.

“Outside, now,” orders Axel angrily. “Pit, come get this . . . this . . .” He shakes his head, lost for words. “Come get her out my office now,” he finishes, and Pit appears holding ice to his jaw.

I rush to him. “What happened?”

“Nothing I can’t handle,” he says, glancing at Axel before taking my hand and leading me from the office.

“Church in five,” Axel bellows after him before slamming the door.

“What was that all about?” Pit asks, taking me upstairs and into a bedroom.

“He made me call Alec. I think they’ve come to an arrangement.”

“That’s good,” he says, sitting on the bed and pulling me beside him.

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