2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Ivy

"Ivy? Can you hear me?" I was strangely aware that someone was talking to me, even though I couldn't see anyone in front of me. A sharp pain shot through my body as I could feel the side of my head throbbing.

Voices and music began to fade in and out as I felt myself coming to. I felt hands under me as I was lifted and carried to another part of the bar. Embarrassment and pain were the only two emotions I could fathom .

I was placed on the bar as people huddled around me. Lacy handed me a water bottle someone had given her and I took a sip as I tried to sit up.

"What happened?" I asked, as I looked around the room and was aware, once more, everyone was staring at me.

"You got knocked out," Lacy noted, pointing to the heavyset man who now looked horrified and worried.

Laughter appeared as a few people, who thought this was hilarious, walked around the bar. I guess since I was alive they could go back to whatever they were doing before. This just proved this whole night was a bad idea.

Fuck me.

"Thanks for putting me on the bar. I'm really sorry I wasn't paying attention," I mumbled as I held my hand to my throbbing head.

"I didn't carry you," the man said, pointing to a guy standing by the door. "He did."

My head turned to see the Raven Boy I had been so stupidly enamored with.

"Thanks," I stated, humiliated at how stupid I must appear to these people.

Adding in, Lacy walked over to where the guy was standing and held out her hand, introducing herself. "Thank you so much for helping my friend," she flirted, batting her beautiful blue eyes at him.

"No problem," he stated, rubbing his jaw with his hand. "My name is Axel," he added before pushing himself off the bar .

"I'm Ivy," I said.

Chuckling, Axel rubbed the stubble on his jaw with his hand. "Ivy? Huh, like Poison Ivy from the comics?" he gives a lazy wink as he falls onto one of the bar stools.

My stomach cinches and something deep inside of me stirs. "Sure, you can think of me like that. If you mess with me, I can make you feel like you have been poisoned," I say with a quirk of my brow.

Axel throws his head back and lets out a loud belly laugh. "Well, damn, you have spunk," he counters before turning in his seat to leave.

Noticing the quick exchange between us, Lacy refuses to let it go that easily.

"Do you work here?" she asked, trying to capture Axel before he could retreat. Part of me wants to smack her and part of me wants to thank her.

"Sorta. I own it with my brothers. Sort of a family heirloom, you could say. I fix bikes, I work for a mechanic just down the street," Axel said.

Lacy lifted her eyes and smiled in my direction. Very subtle. "So, it looks like all the Raven Boys are sexy and helpful," she said, batting her eyes over at Drake.

Rolling my eyes, I knew Lacy was now pushed past her limit. This guy who was sexy, charming, and had a little bad boy in him, had just ignited something inside Lacy. I could see it on her face as she smiled up at him, her eyes dancing.

"I have an apartment upstairs; do you all want to go up there and allow your friend to rest?" Drake offered .

"I am fine," I interrupted, my tone bitchier than I had expected. The last thing I needed to do right now was to listen to Lacy and this guy flirt or go up to some random guy's apartment. My head was killing me and I wanted to get back to our apartment and sleep, if nothing more than to forget this night had ever happened.

"You are so sweet to offer, but I should probably get Ivy home," Lacy stated, giving me a glare.

Watching her closely, a deep smirk appeared across Drake's face. He was obviously turned on and impressed by Lacy's forwardness. Oh boy, he didn't even know the half of it.

"Well, maybe I can show you it sometimes," Drake stated, his words offering more than just a tour of his apartment.

"I'd love that. Maybe you need to call me," Lacy stated, taking Drake's phone from his pocket. His eyes gleamed with lust as he was captivated by every stroke of her fingers on his phone. When she was done, she slid the phone back inside his back pocket and sashayed toward the exit. Turning and offering a slight wave, Lacy mustered the most seductive voice she could create, "I hope you call."

Sitting up, I slid off the bar and hoped to get out of there without any more disasters.

"Hey, maybe you should sit a little while longer," a deep voice rang from beside me. I turned to see Axel watching me carefully.

"I am fine," I stated a little too rudely.

"Look, you don't have to leave yet. Sorry if we scared you," he said, his eyes reflecting someone who sincerely felt sorry. Seeing this, I turned off my bitch attitude and allowed him to help me.

"Thanks," I mumbled as he helped me sit on a barstool.

I looked around and didn't see the blonde anywhere in sight. "I didn't mean to ruin your date," I said, as I continued to rub my forehead.

"My what?" Axel laughed.

This time, Drake turned and looked at me ,too. "You must have hit your head really hard. Axel here doesn't date."

"Oh sorry," I stated, feeling mortified again. "I just saw you with a girl and I…"

Cutting me off, Drake laughed. "That was just Angie. She comes in here every night trying to leave with one of us. She's been after me, Axel, and our other brothers Blaze and Ryder," he said, pointing to the other guys who were busy opening beers for themselves behind the bar. "Blaze is taken and Ryder is barely in town, so really she just comes after me and Axel."

My head seemed to hurt worse after hearing that.

"Here, take these," Drake said, as he handed me Tylenol. I took the pills and, again, thanked him.

Placing his hand on my forehead, Axel leaned in so close, I could smell his minty aftershave and feel the heat radiating off his body. "Looks like it will bruise though."

"Oh, yeah." I could feel a small bump already beginning to rise as I felt the spot that was still throbbing. Sparks were igniting inside of me and I felt like I might just go up in flames .

"Let's go," I said to Lacy, who was standing by the doorway texting someone on her phone. I was sure it was Drake.

Axel watched me with curious eyes as I made my way through the thick crowd and to the entrance. Everyone had gone back to drinking and talking and I was so glad to be invisible to them.

I swiftly opened the door and allowed the cool night air to settle my flaming nerves. Following behind me, Lacy was yelling something back to Drake as I dragged her out the door. I needed the air to put out the flames that Axel had caused in me. He was hot as hell, but I couldn't pursue anything with him. Our worlds were just too different. He owned a biker bar. I was a college student working on a literary degree. Nothing could be more opposite than us. Still though, as I looked around the parking lot full of massive motorcycles, I couldn't help but smile inside at the feeling of excitement and something else building.