Page 10 of Redemption

Kelsey

After the shootout at myapartment the boys were itching to put as many miles between us and California as possible. We make it all the way to Albuquerque, only stopping for gas, snacks, and bathroom breaks in between.

At the first stop, I attempted to escape, but Axel put an end to that idea real quick. I swear the bastard has ninja-like reflexes. He made it clear he isn’t letting me out of his sight. I thought he was full of shit until he stood outside the bathroom door. A few choice words fell out of my mouth, but the fucker just laughed and closed the door in my face. Which is why I’m still staring out the window like it’s the most fascinating thing I’ve ever seen hours later. I’ve watched the sun rise and set, all while ignoring the body heat that’s occupying the space next to me.

I’m jerked out of my thoughts when Zane pulls off into an empty motel parking lot and kills the engine in a spot right near the door. He stubs the butt of his cigarette out in the ash tray before glancing over his shoulder at the two of us with a cocked eyebrow. “I’ll go check us in.” The truck door slams and he heads off to the front office without sparing us a second glance.

Silence stretches between us like a rubber band that’s ready to snap back in our faces at any moment, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to be the first one to break.

A few more beats pass, but still neither of us makes a move to put an end to it. Then the warmth of a hand clamps down on my upper thigh and squeezes. My whole body tenses from the sudden contact. It takes everything in me not to turn and spew my wrath in his face, but part of me thinks that’s what he wants, so I stay perfectly still and keep my focus locked on a piece of trash floating underneath the lights in the desolate parking lot.

Whiskers tickle against the shell of my ear as soft lips move against my skin. “You can be pissed at me all you want, Wildcat, but know this—I will always protect you, even if it’s from yourself. Always.” The heat of him suddenly disappears, leaving me cold and empty at the loss.

A sudden slamming of metal makes me jump. I whip my head to the side in time to see him walking around to my side of the car. Without a word, he opens my door and extends out his hand to me. Blue eyes pierce through me, waiting, hoping. There’s no sarcasm, no innuendo. Just Axel, baring a sliver of sincerity that lies underneath his surface. It’s a small show of good faith on his part and I despise how much I want to throw it back in face, I don’t. I know when to let stuff go.

He pulls me to my feet as Zane emerges from the front office. Without a word, we follow Zane down a dimly lit hall. The entire way, I do my best to ignore the peeling blue paint and cracked matching stucco. It isn’t until we make it up the stairs—since this fine establishment doesn’t have an elevator—and into our room that I’m met with the real horror of our situation. All the effort Axel has just made becomes complete bullshit.

“Are you kidding me right now? One fucking bed!” I gesture between the bed and beige nightstands as I direct my wrath to the only one that can make my temper flare like this and do my best to ignore the musty smell of the tan carpet that looks like it’s seen better days.

Axel shrugs and rubs his thumb along his bottom lip as his gaze stays plastered on the flower-covered wall over my shoulder.

“It’s all they had,” Zane growls from behind me, but my attention is focused on the bastard that’s staring at the carpet like it grew a pair of legs. The one that won’t make eye contact with me. The one that’s giving away his one and only tell at the moment.

Rat bastards, the both of them. I’m about to kick said rat in his nuts when a door next to the tilted dresser catches my attention.

“Wait a minute. What’s through that door?” My head darts from one pain in the ass brunette to the other.

“My room and yes, before you lose your shit again, there’s only one bed in there too.” Zane shoulders past me without another word. He barrels through the door and closes it behind him, leaving me all alone with the bane of my existence.

“You fucking planned this, the both of you.” My finger bounces back and forth between him and the door to Zane’s room.

“I’m good, but not that good, Wildcat.” Axel’s face lights up at the same time his lips spread into a smirk I know all too well. It’s the same damn one that has had my own lips spreading much too easily for him. Ignoring me, he plops down on the middle of the bed like a damn kid and pats the space next to him. “Bed time, Wildcat.”

“I don’t think so. I’ll go crash with Zane instead. At least he doesn’t talk much.” My hands curl into fists as I plant them on my hips.

All humor leaves his face. “That’s not happening.”

“Wanna bet.” My feet only make it a step when his words stop me.

“You can try, but you won’t even make it to the door before I catch you and then I’m gonna tan your ass.” A grin spreads across his lips as he pushes off the bed, not stopping until he’s so far into my space I can feel nothing but the heat of his breath against my cheek. The pupils of his blue eyes widen into a dark storm as we continue our stare down. “Maybe that’s what you want? Maybe you’re remembering every dirty thing I did to you with these hands?” He holds up his hands and wiggles his fingers at me. Fingers that are rough and soft all at the same time. Fingers that caressed over every part of my body. Fingers that have been so deep inside me I didn’t know where he ended and I began.

I let out a deep exhale and do my best to bury the emotions that are aching to surface. I can’t break. Not now.

Axel is like a big puppy—playful and sweet—luring you in and making your heart melt before he shits all over it.

I remind myself why puppies are really devils with tails, push past him to what he thinks will be my side of the bed. Without a word, I yank the comforter and a pillow off and go about making my own at the foot of the bed. It feels like I’m laying on a concrete slab, but I ignore the stale carpet or that way the material scratches along my skin and hunker down for a long ass night.

Axel cranes his neck watching my every move and I half expect him to fight me on these newest sleeping arrangements. Instead, he grabs a chair from the nearby table and props it up underneath the handle. He must feel the heat of my glare digging into his back because he turns his head and winks.

Unbelievable. I open my mouth to tell him off, but then I remember this is Axel I’m dealing with. Pushing you beyond the brink of sanity is ingrained in his DNA, and I’m not taking the bait tonight. I lay back down and do my best to ignore him walking past me to the bed. The springs of the mattress squeak in protest as he plops down on it. I really hope one of them snaps and nails him in his delectable ass sometime during the night.

Our breathing echos against the dust-covered walls as I wait for his to even out. I only have one chance at escape, which means I need to be smart about it. I feign sleep as best I can, plotting out how quietly I can move that chair.

“You can try it, but then I’ll handcuff you to me until we’re back home. Night, Wildcat.” I should have know better. Axel knows me almost better than I know myself.

My body tense at the same time he clicks off the lamp.

Asshole!

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