10. Survival of the Fittest

Ten

Survival of the Fittest

Elena

My eyes flutter open to sunlight filtering through the curtains. The music from downstairs has turned into a quiet hum. My thoughts drift back to last night. I survived meeting his friends... barely. It's a different lifestyle here. I've never witnessed people having sex in public.

I need to go to the bathroom. I shuffle out of Axle's hold and peer back at him. He reaches for me, but then he drifts back off to sleep. He looks so peaceful. I don't want to wake him.

I crack open the door. I don't see anyone, so I step outside. Heavy footsteps approach. Viper comes jogging up, drenched in sweat and with his shirt tucked into the waistband of his shorts. He gives me a head tilt. "Mornin'."

"Good morning," I say with a smile. "Can you please tell me where the bathroom is?"

He points down the hallway. "The door right at the end."

"Thank you." I tread softly, trying not to wake anyone.

After going to the bathroom and washing my hands, I stare at my reflection in the mirror. The responsible version of me says I shouldn't have stayed overnight. The new, you-only-live-once version says screw it.

I cautiously open the door and creep back into Axle's room. He hasn't moved and is still fast asleep. I walk over to my bag and rummage through it, searching for my anxiety medication. I can't take my tablets without water, but the kitchen is downstairs. I peer back at Axle and wonder whether I should wake him. I'm only going downstairs to grab a glass of water.

I leave his room, then pause at the top of the stairs and listen to the blend of soft music and quiet snoring from below. My eyes sweep across the room, landing on three people sprawled awkwardly on the pool table. I wince; that can't be comfortable. Empty beer bottles and cans litter the space. At the bar a few men sit hunched over their drinks. With a deep breath, I start my cautious descent, feeling the cool handrail under my fingertips. I just need to reach the kitchen, and then I can retreat back to Axle's room.

The men at the bar make my pulse accelerate. I try to creep by, but their gazes pierce me. One whistles, making me recoil. Perhaps I should have convinced Axle to come downstairs with me. I lower my head. Maybe if I ignore them, they'll get the hint.

I rush to the kitchen, where I search the cupboards for a glass that looks clean. I find a glass and fill it from the tap. I really don't want to walk by the men in the bar again. My hands shake as I grip the glass. I just need to get past them and get upstairs to Axle.

I exhale sharply and dash out of the kitchen and through the house while trying not to splash my water. I hear footsteps. My heart beats wildly. A large, intimidating man is blocking my way. I don't recognize him.

His eyes roam me with greedy delight. My stomach drops. "Can I please get past?" I murmur. I just need to get up the stairs.

"Come dance with me."

My grip around the glass tightens. I wait for him to move, but he doesn't, so I answer, "No," and try to sidestep him.

He leans down and grabs my hips.

"Let go," I say, my voice unsteady.

His hands tighten. "Just dance with me."

"Elena?" Axle is standing at the top of the stairs, his face set in stone.

The relief that washes over me eases the tightness in my chest. Axle's eyes are darting to me, the guy... His gaze turns deadly when he sees the guy's hands on my hips. The guy jerks his hands off me and takes a deliberate step away. I shuffle backward until my back is against the wall.

"Sorry, man," he blurts out, "I didn't know she was with you."

Axle races down the stairs with incredible speed. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," the man pleads, but Axle doesn't hesitate. He tackles the man to the ground, the impact echoing on the wooden floor. With urgency, Axle straddles him, pulls back his arm, and delivers a punch that lands with a sickening crunch.

Startled by the sudden violence, I jump. My medication and the glass of water slip from my grasp. The glass shatters on the floor, breaking into tiny shards. The crash catches Axle's attention, and he stops and glances up at me. When he sees my concerned expression, he slowly rises. The guy underneath him rolls to his side, groaning and holding his nose.

Cash and Twitch rush in as Reaper storms down the stairs.

Axle takes cautious steps toward me. "Everything's okay..." he says soothingly as the glass crunches under his boots.

"What happened?" Reaper booms.

The weight of the gaze of everyone in the room makes my skin prickle, but my throat tightens, leaving me unable to utter a single word.

"Piece of shit put his hands on Elena," Axle spits. He looks like he's holding himself back from going another round with the man on the floor.

Reaper's eyes cut to the man and his two friends, who have come over to help him up. "You three are never getting patched in... get out."

Axle wraps his arms around me. "I'm sorry," he says softly into my neck, his words muffled.

"Everyone out!" Reaper yells. Twitch and Cash start moving around the room, waking people up and telling those who are awake to leave.

Axle leans back and observes me. "Are you okay?"

My breathing is still heavy, but I nod. "I am... He just startled me." I couldn't decide what frightened me more: the man who believed it was acceptable to grab me like that or Axle's talent for rapidly switching from zero to death row.

"Can someone clean this mess up?" Axle yells.

"I'll do it," Mercedez says, then scurries away.

He looks down, bends over to pick up the pill bottle, and reads the label. He takes a step closer to me and gently asks, "Are these yours?"

"Yes."

He passes them to me. Mercedez gets to work with the broom, cleaning up the glass.

Axle frowns. "I'll pick you up so that you don't get cut by glass."

I nod, and he picks me up with ease. I wrap my legs around his waist.

"I've got you," he says as he walks through the mess to the kitchen. He sets my feet on the floor before he opens the fridge to pull out a bottle of water, which he passes to me. He peeks at the pill bottle in my hand, tilting his head. "What are they for?"

"It's my anxiety medication," I say before opening the lid and pulling out two tablets and taking them with a gulp of water.

Even though I'm wary of Axle, the deep frown on his face makes my heart contract. I go to him and touch his arm. "Please don't hurt someone like that again. It was a shock... to see you like that."

He blinks at me, then chuckles briefly. "You see my cut, yeah?" He points to the patch on his vest.

I bite my lip and nod.

"I won't let anyone touch you." He directs his attention to my bottle of tablets once more. "And now you're going to be scared to come back thanks to that trash."

Cash walks in and leans against the wall. "Are you okay?" he asks me.

"Yes, thanks." I'm not, but I appreciate his kindness in asking.

Reaper walks in. "No more parties for a while. I've had enough of randoms coming to our clubhouse." His eyes meet mine. "Did he hurt you?"

I shake my head.

Reaper turns to Axle, his eyes narrow. "I mean it. No more parties."

Axle is the one who organizes the parties... That doesn't sit well with me.

"Last night was all Viper, not me," Axle tells Reaper.

"I'll be sure to tell him that too, then."

"I'm going to go home," I say to Axle. I need some downtime. It's been chaotic.

Disappointment flashes in his eyes before he offers me a small smile. "Sure."

As we walk through the clubhouse, I bow my head. People are probably staring at me after what had happened earlier. When we get to Axle's bedroom, he leans against the doorway as I put my tablets away and hook my bag over my shoulder.

"You're not scared of me, are you?"

I pause, my eyes scanning his face. "I'm not scared of you . Just how you reacted."

He folds his arms across his chest. "He put his hands on you!" he says defensively. "I'm not one of the boys you would have hung around. I'm a man... a biker. I handle business, and I'm not letting a piece of shit hang-around make you feel unsafe in my own home."

I sigh. I was relieved he was there to protect me. He's right—he's not like anyone else I've met, and I should take that into account and accept that he won't react the same way either. Not that it makes what he did okay.

"Can I come back to your house with you?" he asks.

I smile at the knowledge that he still wants to spend time with me. "Yes, okay."

Once we reach the shed, I frown when I see my car's tight fit. "Can you reverse my car for me?"

"Pass me the keys," he says with a grin. "I'll move your car and ride behind you on my bike."

I move off to the side as he reverses my beat-up car. I still find his capability sexy. My car stands out among the lines of shiny motorcycles. The van is the only other thing that looks as crappy as my car.

I walk over to the driver's side as he's getting out. He stifles a laugh.

"What?"

"A good Christian girl like you listening to a woman rapping about pussy."

I cringe at the word, then glance at my car. "It doesn't sound as bad when she's rapping."

He steps aside, lets me get in, and then closes the door. "I'll see you at yours."

"Ride safely," I'm quick to reply. The motorcycle might be fun, but it's still dangerous.

He pauses and gives me a strange look and then a slight nod.

As I'm easing away, I hear the rumble of his bike. It isn't long until I pull up outside my house and he's parked behind me.

When I step out of the car, I notice that the driveway is full of cars. Everyone's home. I patiently wait for Axle to get off his bike before I say, "We can go somewhere else."

With a slight head shake, he asks, "I thought you wanted to come back to your house?" He looks confused.

I peer back at the driveway. "I think everyone's home, though."

He shrugs. "So?"

"I'm not sure how they are going to react, and if the guys are here, I don't want them annoying you."

His head inches back as his eyes grow cold. "You live with guys?"

I cringe. "Not technically."

"What do you mean, not technically?"

I'm not one to cause conflict, but I'm not going back to the negativity I had to deal with when I lived with my parents. "They stay here occasionally because their girlfriends live here with me."

"Like that matters," he says with attitude. "They're still staying the night here."

I put my hand up. "Stop." I straighten my back, standing up taller. "I've tried my best not to judge you. I live with a group of friendly people and..." I pout. "At least I've never walked in on them having sex."

His lip twitches as if he's fighting a smile. "Okay, okay," he says, but I'm not entirely convinced. He puts his arm around my shoulders like he always does and pulls me into him while we head to the house. He allows me room to walk in first.

I hear voices coming from the living room. "Shh... Shh... they're coming inside."

I tilt my head toward my roommates. "I'll introduce you."

He grasps my hand and links our fingers together. I smile at him, but his body's still stiff.

When we walk into the living room, all my roommates and their boyfriends are sitting wide-eyed on the couch. "Hey... this is Axle," I say and look back at him.

Axle is no longer his playful self. He's drawn himself up to his full, intimidating height. He gives them a "hey" and a chin lift in greeting. I squeeze his hand.

I point to each roommate as I say their name. "That's Lucy, Jeremy, Lia, Jasmine, Cindy, and Justin."

"We've met," says Jasmine.

Axle tilts his head and looks at her. "Have we?"

The boys cackle. "Ouch!" one says. Jasmine throws a pillow at him.

I pull Axle toward the kitchen and let them talk among themselves. "Do you want a drink?"

"Nah..." he says. He stands by the kitchen counter. "I'll have food, though. What are you cooking for me, babe?"

I laugh.

He pulls a comical face. "It's a serious question," he deadpans. Him and his precious food.

"Sorry, I can't cook."

His face drops and he points to the front door. "Get out."

I break into a smile. "What...? Why?"

"You can't cook. I want a refund."

I lean over and playfully swat his arm. Cheeky! "How about some peanut butter on toast?" I suggest with a hopeful smile.

He lets out an exaggerated sigh. "Yeah, I suppose that'll do."

I know he's joking, and I chuckle. I pull out the bread and the peanut butter.

"Why do you take the tablets?" he asks, his voice laced with a hint of sadness.

I pause as I put the bread into the toaster. "It's complicated."

"Uncomplicate it for me. Help me understand."

"I've been taking them since high school. My parents had high expectations of me to excel at school—and I put a lot of pressure on myself too. I think by the end of it I just burned myself out, and if you haven't noticed..." I look down before making eye contact again. "I'm shy and super awkward. I struggle socially and with groups of people, but I'm trying."

He steps over to me, grips the back of my head, and gives me a chaste kiss on the lips. He peers over my shoulder. "I think my toast is burning."

It takes a moment to understand what he's saying. I whirl and press the button. The toast pops up. It's only slightly blackened—we saved it just in time.

I put our toast on plates, then spread the peanut butter. We eat in a comfortable silence, though as per usual he takes next to no time to eat. "How was it?" I say, trying not to laugh.

"Legendary," he says with a chef's kiss.

I laugh and playfully swat him again. "Liar."

My phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out to see Mom calling. "Hello, Mom?"

Axle leans in closer to me.

"I'm just calling to say I've booked a reservation for dinner for your birthday."

I frown, not sure whether I want to go back home, but I guess it's better than celebrating it by myself. "Okay, thanks."

"Henry will also be home to visit his parents, so I've invited their family to join us."

My eyes bulge. I take a few steps away from Axle.

"We're not together anymore," I say quietly. I get along with Henry and his family, but it's my birthday and I'd prefer them not to be there. It should be my choice, not hers.

"I can't comprehend why you ended it with him," she says in a clipped tone.

I groan, not wanting to have this discussion. "I'm busy... I'll talk to you another time."

"Too busy for your own mother," she pipes up.

Well, it's not like she's been checking up on me, but I bite my tongue. "Yes, Mom, I'm busy right now. Bye," I say before disconnecting the phone.

"What the fuck is up with your mom? She sounds like a bitch."

I flinch but don't disagree. "She's always been full-on and controlling like that. Just not as bad. It's only become a problem now because they don't agree with any of my life choices after school."

"You need to set her straight. Don't put up with her bullshit, with treating you like that... What are you doing for your birthday?"

I sigh. "Going out for dinner, I guess."

He snorts. "With your ex?"

I look down at the ground, then back to him. "I guess so."

His eyebrows are raised high. "Well... that ain't happening, and who cares what your parents want you to do? What do you want to do?"

I don't think anyone's asked me that before. I shrug. "I don't know. I haven't given it much thought."

"You tell me what you want to do, and I'll make it happen."

My heart flutters. Henry never offered that. In fact, no one ever has. I don't know Axle that well and he's offering. It's a big deal.

I glance down at my phone. "I've got to get ready for work." My buzz fades. I don't want to leave him.

"Then I might start heading out. I'll see you tonight."

My smile grows. "I'm seeing you tonight, am I?" I ask coyly.

He grabs my arms and swings me around until I'm in front of him. "Damn straight you are." He kisses me and smiles against my lips. "I better go, before I decide to keep you tied to me."

I laugh, though I don't know whether he's serious or not. I wouldn't put it past him. As I walk away, I feel a shooting slapping pain on my ass, making me gasp and jump. I turn to face him with narrowed eyes. My first thought is, How dare he disrespect me . My second thought is, Oh, I actually didn't mind it .

He groans. "Don't look at me like that." He shakes his head. "I'm out of here."