Page 9 of Axe
“Alright, I gotta get to the bar. Let me know if I can do anything.”
Brand and Chris exchanged some sort of hand slap thing and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Truth be told, it was kinda cute in a manly sort of way.
Ever since shit went down with Reagan, Chris and Brand had formed some sort of bond. Chris was Reagan’s best friend, and at one point she and Brand had been pretty close. I didn’t know the specifics of the shit that went on, but I was smart enough to figure out that there was some sort of weird feelings shit that went on with Reagan and Brand. I might even go as far as to say he was halfway in love with the girl. But in the end, Loch held her heart and now Brand was sort of awkwardly standing on the sidelines, trying to be invisible most of the time.
Just as we were about to head up to the house a truck pulled into the driveway. A truck I knew pretty fucking well because there was only one place in this small town that delivered and being that we sometimes liked to be lazy, we ordered from there a lot. So yep, that truck meant my way in.
My hand met Brand’s chest in a hard slap at the same time I waved the prospect over with my other. I took off across the Mayfield’s yard and to the hedges that separated the two properties. Slipping through the stiff bushes, I made sure there was no movement in the windows of the house. The driver caught my eye and froze. Lifting my hand, I made a motion for him to roll down his window.
“Sup, man?” he said, looking a little less caught off guard.
“Here,” I said as I handed him a fifty dollar bill. “Let me take it to the door.”
“Sure, man,” he said lifting the pizza box up to me after he took the money. A smile spread on his face no doubt thinking about the nice tip he’d just received. “Oh! Instructions were to take it to the back door and knock three times.” He shrugged.
Yeah, because that didn’t sound shady. There was definitely something up here and just my fucking luck, I was about to bust in and find out.
“Thanks,” I said with a chin lift. “Wait here a minute. Count to ten once we round the corner then you can drive off.”
I took off with steady steps towards the back of the house without waiting for him to respond. I knew he’d do what I told him. I could hear Brand’s footsteps behind me and I knew he had my back.
On the back steps, I stood just out of view from the window on the door. The pizza box positioned in view, so it wouldn’t seem suspicious. I knocked three fucking times, exactly as instructed, and waited. The footsteps that approached were soft and light. I readied myself as I heard the lock disengage and I saw the handle turn.
My free hand whipped out, pushing the door and catching whoever was behind it off guard. I didn’t want to hurt them, just knock them off balance a bit. Because I was pretty sure it was a female that answered the door, but really, I had no idea. Without missing a beat, I barged into the house, followed closely by Brand and the prospect.
“What the…?” The light voice faded off as she realized that I’d pretty much just broken into her place.
She sucked in a sharp breath, and I continued to walk further into the house like I owned the damn place. I passed the kitchen, still holding the pizza box with one hand, then I turned and went into the dining room.
I knew the layout of the house and since I’d been there often enough helping Ethel fix up things when needed, I also knew the furniture that Ethel had set up in there. I knew the place came fully furnished and I couldn’t imagine that this chick had much with her anyway. Especially given that I didn’t see a moving truck anywhere.
“Excuse me?” She said following behind us. Her tone was mostly annoyed but I could hear the hint of fear under it. It brought a damn smile to my face sensing it.
I plopped down at the table, my back to the far wall so I was able to see into the open living room and nothing was behind me. The box hit the table with a loudplopthat echoed off the bare walls. As I rocked back in the seat, looking comfortable as all get out, Brand flanked to my right and the prospect went and stood between the girl and the front door. My hands went out behind my head, fingers interlacing as I reached my arms back.
That was the moment I actually looked at her. My eyes did a slow skim over her, starting from her bare feet, up over her tight as fuck yoga pants, to her loose short-sleeved T. Her arms were folded over her chest in a way that hindered my view of her tits. Her neck was slender and I watched her throat work down a hard swallow as my eyes roamed higher. Her lips were pinched tight and mine tipped up at one side in a knowing smirk. Her nose was cute, small, and a bit upturned at the end. Then I met her eyes. Blue like the fucking deepest part of the ocean. They only stood out more against her dark brown hair.
Wait!
I recalled Chris saying she had blonde hair.
What the hell?
I looked again, really taking the color in. It looked like it could have been natural if it wasn’t for the fact that it was pretty much void of any highlights. She must have dyed it, and I guessed pretty recently given the fact that the ends still looked a bit damp. Couldn’t say it didn’t look good on her, though.
“What do you want?” she asked on a heavy exhale.
“We were hungry. Saw the pizza guy drive up. Heard you were new to town, so we figured we’d come give you the ole friendly welcome and share a meal with you.”
“P-please just go,” she said. Her stance was one of defiance but her eyes suddenly looked panic-stricken. I stiffened an unnoticeable amount.
She was hiding something. I could fucking sense it.
“But we haven’t even eaten yet, babe.” I knew I was being a giant asshole. I wasn’t beyond pulling out all the stops to make her feel uncomfortable. I wanted to see her shaking. I wanted to smell her fear.
“You need to go.” Her back straightened and she held her head high.
I chuckled at her as I flipped open the top of the box and pulled out a slice.
