Page 22 of Outcast
Holden snorted. “Not tonight.”
“Good. Drinks at eight. Angel’s gonna be there, and I want to pick her brain about a new tattoo.”
I perked up. “Is she any good?”
Axel’s jaw clenched. “Too good for you.”
“Oh, is she your girlfriend? Don’t worry. I’m not gonna move in on her. I’m—” I stopped short, biting back the wordgay.
I wasn’t used to keeping it a secret. In fact, it hadn’t even occurred to me to tell Emory not to share that little detail. The golden boy probably wouldn’t be tellinganyoneabout me, though. Not considering the mess I’d found him in.
Bailey laughed. “Axel doesn’t have girlfriends.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Boyfriends?”
“He doesn’t do relationships,” Holden clarified.
“I can talk for myself,” Axel grumbled. “Maybe I don’t want Gray knowing my fucking business.”
“Everyone in Riverton knows your business,” Holden said.
“And Granville,” Bailey added. “And probably Lincoln and Omaha. Have you made it to the northern border yet?”
Axel smacked the back of his head. “Just for that, you’re buying the first round, asshole.”
“But I can’t even drink!” Bailey protested.
Sugar sat obediently by Axel’s heels during this exchange, tongue lolled out. She looked nothing like the threatening beast who’d greeted me the other day. The Chihuahua wandered closer, sniffing at a food wrapper that had missed the trash can.
I crouched down, holding out my hand. “Hey, there, cutie…”
The little rat snarled and snapped at my hand. I yanked it back, but the terror kept coming for me. I overbalanced and sprawled on my ass.
“Taz, no! Heel! Heel, damn it!”
Teeth latched into my jeans, frighteningly close to the goods, and Taz growled and tugged as if he was trying to win a game of tug-of-war.
Axel scooped him up in one hand. “Naughty boy, we can’t eat dicks. I know you think they’re tasty, but they’re not for you.”
I cupped my dick and balls, needing some reassurance they were unharmed. My heart raced as if I’d just faced down a ten-foot grizzly.
“That little monster should be on a leash!”
Holden and Bailey burst into laughter.
“What?” I clambered to my feet. “He’s scarier than Sugar!”
Axel smirked while Taz licked his face like an adoring puppy. “You’re right about that. Sugar behaves.” He scratched behind Taz’s ears. “This one can be a real shithead. But he’s a loyal shithead.”
He sent me a flat look, just in case I didn’t get the subtext that I wasnota loyal shithead.
“Taz has gotten us all,” Holden said. “Welcome to the club.”
“He’s named Tazmanian Devil for a reason,” Bailey added. “It was just especially funny to see you so shocked. Chihuahuas are ferocious.”
“He doesn’t look very ferocious with Ax,” I grumbled as Taz continued to snuggle with my brother.
“His affection is earned,” Axel said. “I’ll see you all later. Bring your money!”
