Page 37 of Rex

“Got it. I’ll be there,” Rod states.

“Lay your head back and get comfortable. The next hour isn’t going to be fun,” I advise as Horse returns with the items I requested.

Chapter 9

Rex

Hearing gunshots and knowing Aria was in the club were a few of the worst moments of my life. I nearly ran Chubs over trying to get out of the office, and I did flatten Horse against the wall. When I hit the main room and didn’t see Aria, I had to fight the urge to run past the fight and find her.

Now standing in the office, I’m pretending not to see the looks Horse and Freddy are sending my way. I’m calmly sipping a beer and watching Aria sew Rod’s wound closed. When Candy and Lisa enter the room, I switch my focus to them long enough to note neither have injuries. I also ignore the twinge of guilt that comes with the realization that I hadn’t checked before now.

“You did great out there, Candy. You sure you don’t want a job here working security?” Freddy asks in a serious tone.

“Thanks, but no. I like working with animals that have fur or feathers and not the two-legged kind. Appreciate the offer, though,” Candy replies before leaning a hip against Freddy’s desk.

“The offer stands if you change your mind,” Freddy says.

Several club members walk in and quietly watch Aria finish up the stitches. After bandaging his wound, Aria stands and jolts in surprise when she realizes the room has filled while she worked.

“Thank you for helping out tonight, Aria,” Gunner says. “I wish I could say it’ll be the last time you’re needed, but it probably won’t be.”

“You’re welcome,” she replies in a soft voice.

Without another word, she walks out of the office with Freddy showing her the way to the nearest restroom to wash.

“The next time Aria and I decide to hit the town, it won’t be here,” Lisa mutters. “It didn’t turn out to be as much fun as I promised her it would be.”

A few of the guys chuckle at Lisa’s disgruntled expression as she follows the path Aria just took. After she exits the room, Chubs turns to face Candy.

“No way to thank you for how you protected the women tonight, Candy.”

“No need. They’re important to me too,” she replies.

“What did I miss? Did Candy take down the fighters?” Axel asks.

Rod snorts and shoots a grin at Candy.

“Check the security cameras. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it,” he says.

“Fucking cameras. I gotta go,” Candy states, then pushes her way through the room and out the door. I smile when I notice Axel got the hardest push.

I sit at the desk and pull up the camera software. Within a minute, I found what Rod was grinning about. The guys gather around and view the footage. Several laughs, a few sympathetic moans, and one ‘what the fuck’ later, I look up to see the impressed look on Axel’s face.

“Holy shit! Her workouts are seriously paying off! Lisa would be easy enough, but damn, she even tossed Aria like she was a lightweight!” Axel exclaims.

“Fuck you, Axel!” Aria shouts from the open doorway. “Gunner, if it’s his dumbass that’s injured next, please, for the love of God, call me! It would be orgasmic to jab him repeatedly with sharp objects! Repeatedly!”

Every man in the room, including myself, cringe at her anger. Pooh, being the asshole he is, starts laughing and pointing a finger at Axel’s now frozen face. Storming through the mass of bodies that quickly get out of her way, Aria reaches the desk and snatches up her purse. Whirling on a heel, she makes a beeline for the door before turning back to face the room of nervous men.

Chubs and I both start to say something, anything, to fix Axel’s fuckup, but Aria throws a hand in the air, palm facing us. We both instantly slam our mouths shut. When she shoots Pooh a narrowed-eyed look, he stops mid-laugh.

“For someone who’s carrying extra pregnancy pounds without the benefit of a uterus, you have no room to throw shade at any woman,” she states in a surprisingly calm voice. “Rod, please don’t forget to come see me tomorrow. We need to get you on antibiotics right away. Love you, Drew, and when I’m not feeling so murderous, I’ll call you and let you explain how Axel didn’t mean to be a complete dickface, but that may not be for a few days. Don’t forget what I said, Gunner. Orgasmic!”

With that said, she whirls, and I listen to her heels as she stalks down the hallway. Before anyone speaks, Lisa pops her head through the door and eyes Axel.

“Us bitches have to stick together, so it’s not just her you need to fear. Be afraid, biker boy. Be very afraid.”

After Lisa storms off, Candy briefly sticks her head in the door and simply grins at Axel before she follows the angry women out of the club.

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