4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Ivy

Sitting at my small desk Monday morning, I could still feel the bump on my head from the little spill I took the other night. Thankfully, the throbbing had stopped, but when I brushed my hands through my hair, I could still see the rosy pink mark and feel the raised skin to remind me that I had indeed passed out in front of a group of people. Trying to suppress a yawn, I covered my mouth with my hands so no one in the class could hear me.

I had found myself fantasizing about the black-haired, dark-eyed, walking sex god that I had met at the biker bar. Axel's face seemed to taunt my body with an unfair desire that I couldn't control. Now, I am not a prude by any means, but what I had allowed this man to do to me, still made me shiver as I sat in my chair. Clear images of Axel pulling my hair as he mounted me from behind had me screaming his name in pure ecstasy. I had awoken that morning in a pool of sweat from my own lust filled fever and my hallucinations haunted my brain as I tried to focus on my professor and not the delightfully naughty things I had allowed him to do to me. This problem was, he was the last man I knew I should be fantasizing about.

I had made up my mind after high school that I was going to go to college, get a good job, and start my life before allowing anyone to interfere with my plans. My family life growing up had been difficult...at best.

My dad had left my mom when I was sixteen. My brother Aiden and I came home from school to find his bags packed sitting in the kitchen and my mom crying at the table. We were just as shocked as she was. After he left, my life seemed to spiral out of control. My mom sank herself into a deep depression of alcohol and work. My dad married the mistress he had left my mom for and stopped being my dad. She had two young sons and he quickly stepped in as their dad leaving my brother and I out in the dust. He expected me to accept the woman who destroyed my family, but I just couldn't. The day my dad brought her into our lives, I had lost everything. Even my brother. Aiden couldn't stand the fact that my dad left and he began to blame my mom. I would watch in horror as he disrespected her in front of our family and friends and belittled her more and more each day. He was so desperate for dad's attention that he set out to prove himself as the ‘golden' child. While dad seemed to notice him more than me, neither of us seemed to get our dad back.

Aiden soon grew to become more and more like my dad. He became an arrogant asshole who seemed to have something to prove to the world. He began disrespecting our mom, treating women like nothing more than sex toys, and argued with anyone who would speak to him. We quickly grew apart and of course, he blamed me for the separation. Even when he was arrested for public intoxication, he still found a way to push the blame on others instead of taking ownership of his actions. Anything in my life that made me happy was wrong. My friends were wrong. My boyfriends were wrong. Everything about me was wrong.

I decided my senior year of high school that I was tired of fighting for people to be in my life. If they loved and accepted me, they would make an effort to be in my life. When they didn't fight for me, I decided to fight for me instead. So, I applied for college out of state, took my inheritance money from my grandparents, and never looked back. Only Lacy knew about my past and I intended to keep it that way. Allowing anyone to know about my past would make me vulnerable and I would never rely on anyone else for my own happiness again.

Meeting Axel, I saw a glimpse of someone who didn't care what others thought of him. He had a confidence about him that was strong, not arrogant like the other men in my life. I couldn't help but laugh a little to myself just thinking of my twisted family. They would never approve of anyone like Axel. He was strong and spoke the truth; everything they seemed to be against.

Shaking off thoughts of Axel and my family, I prepared myself for a boring, one-hour lecture. After class, Lacy and I stopped and had a pizza at a local pizzeria on campus and then went home where I began working on homework. I was thankful my paternal grandparents had left me a college fund before they died. I didn't need to work and could focus on school. From my bedroom, where I was working at my desk, I could hear Lacy on her phone in the small living room area of our apartment. She was giggling and talking in her sexy tone that meant she was talking to a guy. Rolling my eyes, I plugged in my headphones and hit play, allowing Coldplay to drown out Lacy for the time being. Even though I loved Lacy, she could also be a total pain in the ass.

"So, remember that guy Drake?" Lacy asked, as she curled her hair, sitting on top of the bathroom vanity. She was casually dressed in a pair of denim blue jeans and a flirty lavender top as she watched me through the vanity mirror. It had been a week since my little incident at the biker bar and I wanted nothing more than to forget about that night.

Lacy stopped in the narrow hallway and I watched her reflection in the mirror. "Yes, I remember him," I stated flatly. "I wish I could forget about the night we met him," I added, continuing down the hall to my room. My mind had become so obsessed with Axel, it was like I couldn't focus on anything else.

"Well, he called and asked me out tonight," she said, winding a strand of her beautiful hair around the base of the iron.

"Fun," I said, pretending to be interested in a chapter on criminal psychology.

Lacy paused in the mirror, and I could see her watching me from where she sat. "Well," she began as she put down the iron and began teasing through her long locks. "He asked if I wanted to meet him for drinks at a bar here on campus. He said he could bring his brother, you know the one you were lusting over and eye fucking," she teased.

Laughing, I threw my pen down and stopped taking notes. "I doubt that," I replied .

Lacy walked into my room and began sorting through my closet. I sat on my bed and watched her with curiosity. She had a million sexy things to wear, I had no idea why she would want to go through my closet. My taste in clothes was much simpler compared to hers.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Looking for something for you to wear," she said, her back still to me as she continued to push around my outfits.

Arching my eyebrows, I looked at Lacy like she had lost her mind. "Why would I need to change?" I asked. I had no plans for the evening.

"You can't go on a date wearing sweatpants," Lacy sneered, pulling a black sequin tank top off one of my hangers. "Here, try this one," she said as she threw the shirt at me. Taking the shirt, I quickly laid it down on the bed beside where I was sitting. Jumping up, I rushed over to Lacy who was now looking for a pair of jeans and pumps. "I don't think so," I started, rushing in front of her so that I was blocking her view of my closet. "I am not going on a double date with two guys we don't even know." I hissed, standing my ground.

Pushing me aside, Lacy selected a pair of tight skinny jeans and then a pair of black heels I was pretty sure were hers. Tilting her head, Lacy offered me her pitiful pouty lips that usually won me over. "This is why I didn't tell you when Drake set up the date," Lacy stated as she began messing with my hair.

Swatting her hands away, I stepped back, almost falling inside my closet. "I am not going on a date. I can't believe you hid this from me. "

"Oh, come on. You would have said no right away. Just like I didn't tell you about the biker bar until we were there," she winked at me. Holding my hands, Lacy pleaded with me, batting her eyelashes and pouting her lips like a child. "Please, Ivy? I really want to go and I don't want to show up alone. It will be fun. We will get free drinks and if you don't like the guys, we will leave, I swear." Lacy was smiling at me now; she could sense I was about to give in.

Inhaling a sharp breath, I rolled my eyes and flung myself back to my bed. I sank into my plush, blue bedspread and groaned. "Fine," I said sharply. "But, if I want to leave, I am leaving."

Squealing, Lacy jumped up and down and clapped as she listed all the things that needed to get done before we left. She really had waited until the last minute to spring this idea on me. We only had an hour before we had to meet the guys at a local campus bar. I quickly showered and dried my hair, pulling my long, caramel colored locks into a high ponytail. Giving in, I put on the black tank top and tight jeans.

"We look hot," Lacy mused, as we checked ourselves one last time in the hall mirror before exiting our apartment. Lacy was dressed in a pair of tight skinny jeans and a very revealing pink tank top. Her black heels gave her an additional two inches to her already five-foot-five frame. I grabbed my purse and cell phone then followed her out the door and to her Toyota Camry. Once we were on the road, I checked my emails on my phone. I had several from a few college students who had contacted me to edit some of their essays. Even though I didn't need to work, sometimes it was helpful to earn a little extra cash. Glancing at Lacy, I noticed she kept turning her attention to me as she drove.

"What I asked?" folding my hands over my chest .

"I think you totally liked Axel," she teased.

"I don't even know him. Besides, he had that slutty Angie girl all over him. He wouldn't be interested in someone like me," I finished.

The light turned green, and we began driving again. "You are crazy," Lacy said as she kept her focus on the road. "Axel couldn't take his eyes off of you. Maybe you need a little danger in your life," she smiled.

Before I could protest, we pulled into a parking spot and Lacy cut off the engine. "Ok, let's go get laid," she squealed as she jumped out of the car.

Sometimes I really questioned why I hung out with her.

She threw an arm around my shoulder as we walked through the small parking lot. A bright neon light shone on top of the bar, screaming the name, ‘Wild Things.' The patio was already packed, and as we got closer, I could hear the thumping of music from a live band playing in the back. Lacy instantly spotted Drake and Axel standing near the entrance. They were both next to two large black and chrome motorcycles. I could read Harley, written down the sides of both.

"They rode their bikes?" I asked.

"Duh, they own a motorcycle bar," Lacy said, nudging me in the side.

From the way everyone at this college campus bar was nervously watching them, it seemed as though Drake and Axel were the ones now out of their elements. The simple thought pulled a smile to my lips .

They stood out with their tight leather jackets, stoic faces, and badass appeal. Most guys at the bar were sporting khakis or loose-fitting jeans with polos.

Spotting us, Drake nodded toward Lacy. "I guess I know how you girls felt the other night," Drake joked as he walked over to Lacy.

Giggling, Lacy hugged Drake. "Yes, now we are even," she teased.

Axel just eyed me as I stood awkwardly behind Lacy. Drake and Lacy began to walk into the bar and Axel and I followed behind. Settling with a high-top table, Axel and I sat back while Drake and Lacy began flirting with sexual innuendos.

Axel finally leaned over and his warm breath caressed my cheek. "Looks like we need to catch up," he said, nodding toward Drake and Lacy.

"What do you mean?" I asked, pretending like I was looking over the drink menu at our table.

"Well, your friend really seems to be hitting it off with my brother. Maybe we need to catch up," he said with a wink.

Ugh, I knew guys like this. He was all about chasing ass. Little did he know, I was not like that Angie girl from his bar. This time, he was on my side of town.

"You know, I am just here because my friend made me come."

Laughing, Axel threw his head back and I watched in awe as his black hair danced around his face. I was mesmerized by the simple act.

What the hell is wrong with me ?

"You don't like me do you?" he asked with a slight smirk.

"I don't even know you," I responded like he wasn't affecting me.

"Yeah, but you don't want to know me. I can tell," he responded as he continued the banter.

"How?" I asked, giving in to his little game.

"You are the only girl here who is not desperately trying to get my attention," he said as his eyes never left mine. "Just like the other night at my bar. I saw you watching me with Angie, but you never made a move. You looked so uncomfortable-- it was hilarious."

I wanted to smack him. He thought I was funny, just a joke.

"First of all, I wasn't watching you and Angie," I lied.

"Sure, you weren't," he smirked with an arrogance about him that heated me to my core.

"Even if I was watching you, I didn't hit on you because I am not into assholes," I said sharply.

"See, you were watching me," he stated, finding the hole in my argument. "But, you didn't approach me," he said more like a question rather than a statement.

"Maybe that's because you're not my type."Laughing, he smiled. "Baby, everyone wants me. I can be anyone's type."

"Not me," I said.

"Let's change that," he grinned.

He was challenging me .

"I don't think so. Besides, what if I have a boyfriend?"

"You don't. I can tell," he said.

"Ok, Mr. Know-it-all, how do you know I don't have a boyfriend?"

"Because if you did, he would be here with you right now. No guy who had a girl like you would ever think to leave her alone in a bar. And," Axel leaned in so close I thought his lips were going to brush against mine, "if you did have a boyfriend there is no way in hell he would ever let you go to Twisted Kingdom Clubhouse or come anywhere near me. If you were mine, I would never let you out of my sight," he finished, his words purring against me.

I was stunned. Speechless. Axel had somehow called me out on my bullshit, accused me of watching him the night we met, and turned me on all at the same time.

Shit, I was in trouble.

I looked up to see Lacy watching us with a wild fascination. Even from across the table, she could see the lust filling in my eyes. Damn, I am in way more trouble than I ever imagined.