Axe's Fall: Insurgents Motorcycle Club (Insurgents MC Romance Book 4) (10 page)

Oh, well.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she sent him a text.

Baylee:
What do you do for fun around here?

She waited a few minutes, looking at the words in her book, but not understanding them.

Axe:
Fuck.

She stared at the screen for a few seconds, debating whether she should respond.

Axe:
Want me to come over?

Yeah, I do.

Baylee:
No. Just wondered. Now I know.

Axe:
Now you know.

Baylee:
Nite.

Her phone pinged again.

Axe:
What’re u wearing?

Baylee knew she should turn off her phone, but for reasons she couldn’t articulate, texting Axe in the middle of the night made her feel safe and less lonely.

It kept the shadows away.

Baylee:
Short nightshirt.

Axe:
U got panties on?

This was going out of control fast. She had to nix this. He was her firm’s contract, and she knew better.

Baylee:
Maybe.

Axe:
Ur killing me.

Baylee:
Am I?

Axe:
U know it. U wet?

Her eyes widened. He was so brazen, so sexual, so dirty, and she absolutely
loved
it. She was acting like such a slut with him, giving him the wrong impression. She couldn’t have sex with him again, could she?

Baylee:
I can’t tell u all my secrets…

Axe:
I’m hard. U wanna tell me what u’d do to me if u were here?

He wanted her to text dirty, like phone sex, but she couldn’t do it. She’d gone too far with the game.

Baylee:
Not in my job description.

Axe:
It’s one of the perks of ur contract.

Baylee:
Another time. Gotta go. Too late. Nite.

She turned off her phone, not trusting herself to be good if he responded again. She had no business teasing him. A man like that wanted action, not words. She may have unleashed a monster she’d have to tame, or at least douse with a bucket of cold water.

She switched off the lights, the little “conversation” she’d had with Axe relaxing her. She closed her eyes, and in barely five minutes, she was fast asleep.

*     *     *

“I was planning
on working through lunch,” Baylee said to Logan as he sat across from her in her office.

“You have to eat. Anyway, we have some things we need to go over. Stan said the president of the motorcycle club wanted five storefronts instead of six. The club wants to have a burger joint and needs the extra space for that. We have to tweak the design.”

“Can’t we do that now?”

“I can’t think on an empty stomach, and I’m too busy this afternoon. We could do it tonight in your room, if you’d like?”

A night spent with Logan was not her idea of a good time. “That won’t work. All right, let’s go over the change at lunch. Let me grab my purse and iPad.”

Logan beamed. “I found a good restaurant next door. They make the best Monte Cristos.”

“Sounds good. I’ll let you lead the way.”

The Broker Restaurant catered mainly to the business crowd for lunch. The décor was sleek and modern, muted shades of brown adorning the walls and seating while bronze abstract sculptures decorated the built-in shelves which lined the walls. Small spotlights focused on the local sculptures and other artistic creations, and each item was available for sale. Low lighting created an intimate ambiance.

When Baylee and Logan entered The Broker, the cool air wrapped around them.

“It’s nice in here,” Baylee said as she followed the hostess to their table. “I didn’t think it’d be this hot in Pinewood Springs since we’re so high up, but damn.” The bronze chair was heavy and Logan helped to push her closer to the table.

“I know what you mean. It’s miserable, but Stan told me it’s unusual for it to be like this.”

After giving their order to the waiter, they discussed possible changes for the strip mall. The waiter set down a melted turkey, avocado, and Swiss sandwich in front of Baylee, and Logan had the piping-hot Monte Cristo with a mountain of fries.

“Yum, the turkey sandwich is really good. Nice choice in restaurants.” Baylee savored the flavor as she sipped her iced tea.

“It’s nice having lunch with you. I’m liking getting to know you better. We’ve worked together for over two years, and I think this is the second time we’ve had lunch. We should do this more regularly when we get back to Denver.”

Baylee nodded, but the last thing she wanted to do was become friends with Logan. She didn’t trust him at all, and all this bonding he was foisting on her didn’t deter her assessment of him.

“The two architects at play,” a deep voice snarled.

Baylee cocked her head and locked eyes with Axe.

“Hi.” She dabbed the corners of her mouth with her napkin.

“How’re you doing?” Logan chimed in.

Turning his back to him, Axe ran his eyes over Baylee’s face, lingering on her mouth. “What the fuck? You have time to spend with this asshole, but not me?”

Baylee stopped breathing at the same moment Logan sputtered and choked. She met Axe’s hard eyes and silently pleaded with him to stop. No chance—he was on a roll.

“I’ve been calling you all morning. Why haven’t you picked up?”

“I didn’t receive any calls from you.” She took out her phone then froze, realizing she’d forgotten to turn it back on after their late-night texting. “My phone is off. Sorry, I forgot to turn it back on.”

“You turned it off after so you couldn’t get any of my texts, right? What the fuck kind of game are you playing here?”

Panic seized her. Logan was at the table, and she couldn’t let him know she was texting Axe in the middle of the night. He’d have a field day with that one.

Discreetly, she slipped her hand from her lap, reached out and touched Axe’s thigh. He shook under her fingers. In a low voice, she said, “Please, stop. We can discuss this later. Not now.” She mouthed, “Not with him,” tilting her head in Logan’s direction.

Axe jutted out his jaw then looked at Logan for the first time. “You’re done here. Get a take-out box and finish up at the office. I need to speak with Baylee alone.”

Logan’s eyes widened and his lips parted. “What? Are you joking?”

“Do I look like I’m fuckin’ joking?” Axe crossed his arms, his ripped biceps flexing. Logan caught Baylee’s gaze. “Baylee…?”

Clearing her throat, she said, “Axe, this is rude. Logan and I are having a business lunch. We’re going over design changes Banger wants. You and I can speak later.”

For the first time since he came up to their table, Axe looked at the notebooks and electronic devices spread over the tablecloth. Baylee saw his eyes soften when it seemed to dawn on him that she and Logan were not having a social lunch.

“That’s cool.” He pointed his finger at Logan. “I changed my mind. You can stay.”

The color came back to Logan’s face and Baylee released her breath, relieved that a near catastrophe had been averted.

“We’ll talk soon. See you,” she said cheerfully to Axe.

Axe pulled out a chair, sat down, then crossed his denim-clad leg over his knee.

“What’re you doing?” Baylee asked.

“Sitting. I wanna hear how you’re gonna handle the changes so I can report to Banger.”

“I was going to call him later today and go over everything.”

“Now you don’t have to.”

Logan straightened his tie. “I think it’s great that you’re joining us. Maybe you can give us some input?”

Axe quirked his lips, ran his glinting eyes over Logan’s earnest face, and snorted. He placed his hand over Baylee’s. “Show me what you got. I wanna see
all
of it.” He winked.

A perfectly good sandwich was ruined; there was no way she could swallow another bite. When the waiter came by to give Axe his beer, Baylee told him to take away her plate.

“Would you like a box to take it home?” the waiter asked.

She shook her head.

“You hardly ate anything, babe. That can’t be good.” Axe smirked.

“I lost my appetite.”

“Is that so? Funny thing is, I’m starving.” He leaned over, picked up the other half of her sandwich, and took a big bite. “Fuck, that’s good.”

The waiter began to walk away when Logan said, “You can take mine. I’m finished.”

“Do you want a take-out box?” The waiter then glanced at Axe.

Axe laughed. “Fuck, no. I’m good.” He took another large bite of Baylee’s sandwich.

The waiter cleared away Logan’s plate, hastening back to the kitchen.

“You weren’t hungry, either?” Axe asked as he wiped his mouth with the napkin.

“Guess not,” Logan responded flatly.

“If neither of you were hungry, then why the fuck didn’t you stay at the office and work on the changes? You professionals don’t use common sense.” He took a swig of beer.

Logan sat up straight. “We better go. Stan doesn’t like us taking too long for lunch. Ready, Baylee?”

Baylee pushed her chair back, but Axe whipped out his hand. In one fluid movement, he had her back against the table.

“Baylee will join you later. We have some stuff we need to talk about.”

“Is it business?”

“It’s none of
your
fuckin’ business. You tell Stan that Baylee is with me, and she’ll be running late. If he has a problem with it, he can call me. He has my number.” Axe motioned for the waiter to come over.

“Yes, sir?”

“Another beer, and give the check to him.” Axe gave Logan a half-smile.

After Logan paid the bill, he said, “I’ll see you at the office, Baylee.”

When he was out of earshot, Baylee, bristling for the past ten minutes, hissed, “You are the rudest asshole I have ever met.”

Axe leaned back in his chair. “Yeah. What’s your point?”

“You’re impossible. Logan and I were having a business lunch, then you come barging in, tossing all your fucking testosterone around, and now you want to
talk
? No fucking way.” Baylee picked up her purse, but Axe’s strong grip on her arm held her in place.

“I don’t like him. He’s an ass-kisser, and I fuckin’ hate them. I thought you had a date or something. Now I know it was for business, so I’m cool with that.”

She shook her head. “What are you talking about? What if it
were
a date? How is that any of your business? You act like we’re going out or something. We had a one-night stand. It’s done. Get over it.”

Several people turned their heads as her voice escalated. Axe watched her in amusement.

“Stop looking at me with that annoying smirk on your face. You don’t understand that Logan and I are in competition for partnership. He’ll use anything against me. It is against firm policy for an employee to go out with a client, so you just made Logan a happy man. Now, he has some shit he can take to Gary, Bob, or Warren, and I’ll be on the fucking radar. Thanks a lot.”

Nodding, Axe pursed his lips. “You want me to take the asshole out?”

She threw her head back and emitted a frustrated moan. “Is that all you got out of what I said?”

“Basically, you want something, and that asshole is keeping you from getting it. I can eliminate the competition. It’s not a big deal. I can take care of it.”

“I can’t believe you’re serious.”

“Damn straight. Just give me the word.”

“Are you crazy? I don’t want you to do anything to Logan. This is bizarre.”

He shrugged.

He has to be joking.

“Enough about him,” Axe said. “I’m coming by tonight.”

“Not tonight. Stan is taking Logan and me out for dinner.”

“Again with the asshole?”

“Stan’s trying to be nice since we’re new to Pinewood Springs.”

“I’m trying to be nice with you, too, but you’re making it difficult.” Axe brushed his fingers up and down her forearm.

Baylee shivered as goosebumps carpeted her skin.
Feels so good. He has the gentlest touch, but it can be rough and intense, too… Focus, Baylee!

“Another time, okay? I need to go. I don’t want Stan and the others to think I’m a slacker.”

“You’re not, are you?”

“Of course not. I work my butt off.”

“Then why do you care what others think? You know who you are, so fuck the rest of them.”

“It’s not that easy. What your boss thinks about you affects promotions, raises, and a whole bunch of other things. It’s important to keep up good appearances.”

“Fuck that. I don’t give a damn what anyone thinks about me. I know who I am. Fuck the world.”

“That’s charming.” She scanned his face—he was so incredibly handsome. “Don’t fool yourself about appearances. Everyone cares, to some extent. Take your biker world, for example. You have to show rival clubs you’re rough and tough, so you exude a certain appearance. You do it without thinking. You just did it earlier to Logan. You’re not immune to it, and neither is ‘your world,’ ”