Page 15 of Axle
He sat forward, forearms braced on his knees, hazel eyes locked on me. The weight of his gaze was intense. So focused it made my pulse skip and trip over itself.
But from awareness, not fear.
“Morning,” he rasped, getting to his feet.
He grabbed a mug from the table at the end of the couch and brought it over to me. The scent of coffee intensified, and I took a small sip. “Mmm, thanks. I really needed this.”
“Hope black’s okay. Wasn’t sure how you take it. Seemed like the safest bet.”
I smiled over the rim of my cup. “It’s perfect.”
“Good.”
He headed back to the couch, and I couldn’t help but notice how good his butt looked in his jeans. I didn’t want to get caught ogling him, though. So I took another big sip as he sat down. Then I had a rough time swallowing it when he said, “Our tech guy is working on the drive you were carrying.”
At least now I knew what was in the package I picked up. But whatever was on that drive had to be important enough for those guys to chase me in a hail of gunfire. “That’s probably not a good idea.”
One corner of his mouth twitched. Not quite a smile, but close. “Too late.”
I pulled the blanket up higher, but it didn’t make me feel any less exposed under his unblinking stare.
I set the mug down on the nightstand and curled my fingers into the blanket. “You shouldn’t get involved.”
His eyes narrowed. “You know what’s on it?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I didn’t even know it was a drive until you said so.”
His brow arched. “Then why did you have it?”
“I’m a courier,” I answered simply.
That earned me a flat, skeptical look, so I kept talking. “Not the kind that drops off flowers or takeout. The jobs I take are more sensitive. I’m not surprised there was a drive in the package because I took the gig from an information broker who deals in that kind of stuff for clients who don’t want a digital footprint. No names, no receipts, no connections.”
“You pick these jobs up…where? Some kinda gig app?” His tone made it clear he didn’t buy that for a second.
“Not exactly.” I hesitated before adding, “There are places online where people post drops. You have to know where to go, though. And how not to leave a trail while you’re looking.”
His gaze never wavered. “The dark web.”
I didn’t confirm it out loud, but I didn’t deny it either.
“I’m careful,” I continued. “I don’t carry ID on jobs, so if anything goes sideways, nothing will tie me back to my clients. Or them to me.”
His nostrils flared as he sighed. “Sounds less like courier work and more like spy shit.”
A humorless smile tugged at my lips. “I guess that depends on who’s hiring.”
I tightened my grip on the blanket. “Give me the drive back. I’ll leave and draw them away from here.”
Mason’s reply was instant. “Stop telling me to let you go. It’s not happening.”
My pulse kicked up. “Why? You should be pushing me out the door so I don’t cause your club a whole bunch of trouble you don’t need.”
“Because I’m gonna protect you.”
The words landed like a punch I hadn’t seen coming. They lodged under my ribs, in the ache I’d been ignoring since I woke up. Protection wasn’t something I’d ever counted on from anyone. Not even my parents.
He leaned forward, as though he sensed me softening toward him. “But I’m gonna need your name, angel. And your side of whatever went down last night before you came flying onto my track on a bike you had no business riding.”
