18. Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

Eighteen

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Elena

Deceit. Betrayal. Pain.

I'm lying in my bed, on my stomach, holding my pillow and looking absently at the wall, when I hear a light knock on my door.

"It's Lucy. I just wanted to check you're okay."

When I arrived home, Lucy, Cindy, and Jasmine were chatting in the living room. Their conversation halted as they saw me bolt upstairs, my face flushed and eyes brimming with tears.

"Of course she's not okay," Cindy says. "I bet Axle dumped her."

I shut my eyes for a moment. Everyone doubted our relationship.

"Shhh! You don't know that," Lucy says.

"Oh, come on. You didn't believe Axle was going to change," Jasmine says arrogantly.

"I'm fine," I say, though the tone of my voice says otherwise.

"Okay... well, I'm here if you need to talk," Lucy says.

I have no desire to. Especially to Jasmine, who will give me the I-told-you-so speech. And I would rather avoid seeing the sympathy in their eyes. I'm pathetic. Someone gives me an ounce of attention and I'm hooked. I give them everything, to my detriment.

I roughly rub my tears away. I shouldn't have gotten involved with Axle. His presence tricked me into thinking I meant more to him, but everything was fake. I was just a victim of his manipulation. He worked me like a puppet and showed no mercy. Axle said he loved me. He's nothing but a wolf in sheep's clothing.

My phone rings again, but I let it ring out because I know who it'll be. Axle ripped my heart out. Now he's got blood on his hands. I can't bring myself to talk to him. Not now... not today, possibly never. He's just going to say all the right things like he usually does.

Perhaps Axle's hazel eyes, crooked smile, and easy charm were what put me at ease and made me lower my guard. He said I trust too easily. I thought I knew him. I never imagined him to be so heartless. Vera said there were other girls... how many? I feel so stupid. Everyone warned me about him. I guess some people don't change and I'm going to be the laughingstock of the town.

I snuggle into my pillow and close my eyes, taking deep breaths. I need sleep to take the pain away because I need peace, and moments later, I finally get it.

My eyes open to the buzzing of my phone and the bright light of its screen. It's dark outside. I check my phone and see eight missed calls from Axle. It's getting late—it's eight thirty. Mouth dry, I rise and drag myself to the door. I take a second to get myself together to face my roommates before I open the door and go downstairs.

I had hoped they'd all be in bed, but voices are coming from the living room.

"Elena," Lucy calls out. I pause and slowly pivot to see them sitting on the couches. Then I spot my boss with them. Could it get any worse? I fake a smile, then turn and go to the fridge to get a bottle of water. I don't even get a sip down before Lucy and Jasmine are standing directly in front of me.

"What happened?" Lucy asks in a small voice.

"It's Axle, isn't it? I told you he'd break your heart," Jasmine says in the same tone Grace used. "He slept with me, then ignored me like I never existed. Don't take it personally—it's just who he is."

Don't cry. Don't cry. I clear my throat. "We broke up." Lucy places her palm on my arm. "I'm going to go back to sleep," I tell them. "Have a good night, you two."

As I walk away and reach the bottom of the stairs, Cameron calls my name, making me halt and internally groan as he walks over.

"Is everything alright?" he asks.

I nod. "I'll be okay." I try to sound like I'm fine, but I'm not and I don't know if I ever will be. Cameron puts his arms around me and hugs me tightly. I cringe, feeling uneasy, but to not make it even more awkward, I pat his back with one hand.

He pulls back with a smile. "If it's about the biker, I've always known you could do better. You don't want to get yourself mixed up with those types of people."

"Those types of people" make me narrow my eyes. He has no idea what the MC stands for and who they are. Axle might have broken my heart, but I refuse to listen to people bad-mouth the MC because I know they are good men. I pull myself out of his hold. "You don't know them. They served our country in the military and are a friendly bunch of people. I have no idea why you think so poorly of them, but I'd appreciate it if you said nothing negative in my presence."

His eyes widen. The silence is loud. He rubs the back of his neck. "Sorry."

No, he's not. I look at the stairs. "I'm going to bed."

"Are you coming to work tomorrow?" he asks.

Just the thought has me cringing. "Sure, I'll be there tomorrow." I've had time off. I can't afford to give up another shift.

"Both shifts?"

At least it will keep my mind busy. "Yes," I reply. "Good night." I dash up the stairs before he keeps talking to me. My shoulders are heavy and my chest aches. I don't feel like discussing it with anyone, so tomorrow is going to be hell with Mel. I go into my room, then change into my pajamas.

After I lie down, I grip my phone. My thumb hovers over the notifications. I don't think I could talk to Axle now, but I do want to read the messages. No! I force myself to turn the vibration and sound off before turning my phone upside down, the screen facing the nightstand. I drift off to sleep.

From the moment I wake up, I see Axle's face. I swallow forcefully and rub my chest, recalling Grace's words. Axle warned me he's poison. I should have listened. I so easily ignored the red flags that kept popping up with everyone warning me about him.

After I shower, I change into my work clothes. I feel slightly better from the hot water and the fact that it hid the tears that silently flowed. I walk down the stairs and bolt out the door, trying to avoid my roommates. When I step onto the porch, I freeze. The War Brothers MC truck is outside, with Cash behind the wheel.

Of course . My car hasn't been fixed. My head falls back. How am I going to get to and from work every day? I stroll to the truck. "Thank you for picking me up. You didn't have to."

He grins, though the sympathy in his eyes is unmistakable. "Yes, I did. Axle's working on your car now."

My stomach plummets. "He's fixing my car now? Out the front of my work?"

"Yes," he replies.

"I would rather not see him." I blink furiously, trying not to cry. But I know I need my car fixed and I have to go to work right now.

"Do you still want to go?" Cash asks.

"Yes," I reply with a heavy sigh. I don't want to, but it's not like I have a choice. I stare out the window on the short drive.

Cash parks the truck. Before I get out, I say, "Thanks for the ride." As I'm closing the door, I peer up at my car and see Axle jogging over to me. I turn away from him and quickly walk toward the restaurant until I feel a hand grasping my arm. When I turn to him, I shake my head, glaring at him.

He's clutching me desperately, but his hand then slips away. "Sorry." He's breathing heavily and frowning. He has bags under his eyes, and his hair is sticking up like he's been tugging at it. "I've sent you a bunch of messages."

"I got them, but I haven't read them." I lift my hand in a stopping motion. "I can't do this right now. I've got work." I step to the side, but he does too.

"You need to listen to my side of the story."

Hurt turns to irritation. "Why should I?" I raise my voice. "So I can listen to more lies? Haven't you stolen enough from me?" My heart ... my time. But maybe he needs to hear the pain he's caused. "How could you lie to my face?" I don't let him answer. "You have no respect for me. You just play mind games, and I'm the idiot who fell for it."

His head jerks. "No, I love you," he insists, his voice thick with emotion. "You felt it too, didn't you?" He lowers his voice. It's almost a whisper now as vulnerability washes over his features. "I was never fake with you."

I laugh rudely. I might be losing my mind. "You don't love me. You'd never be able to hurt someone you love the way you've hurt me."

He looks down, then back at me. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm an asshole and I fucked everything up, but I made the bet before I met you. Then things changed. I didn't take the money."

I grit my teeth at his words. "Do you want a pat on the back for not taking the money?" I'm burning up as anger pours out of me.

He raises his hands defensively. "No."

I see Mel and Cameron standing by the front door of the restaurant. I need to just walk away, but I can't help myself and ask, "What about the other girls then? How many were there?"

He frowns and cocks his head to the side. "What other girls? What are you talking about?"

"Vera said you were cheating on me with other girls."

He swears under his breath. "She's a fuckin' liar."

"Seems you two have that in common."

He paces. "I was never with anyone while I was with you. The last time I was with a chick was literally the night we spoke on the phone for the first time. That was it! And anyway, you were the one talking to your ex."

Rage told him. "We have only texted. At least I don't live with my ex," I bite back. I hate that I'm yelling at him, but at least I'm standing up for myself.

Mel walks toward us. "I'm coming," I say to her and brush past Axle.

"I love you, and I'm not just going to let you walk away from what we have."

I stare up at his handsome face. My vision blurs. "You can't fix us..." I whisper and walk to Mel.

I dart inside the restaurant with Mel close behind. I rush into the bathroom and go to the basin to wet my burning face. At least Axle looks like he's in pain, so there might be a part of him that's upset too. But is he upset because he got caught out or is he truly upset about what he did to me? Now I'm questioning everything.

Mel rests her hand on my back. "What happened?"

I rub under my eyes and clear my throat. "We broke up."

"Oh no." Her voice sounds sympathetic, but the smile tugging at the corner of her mouth reveals that her true emotions are quite different. She reminds me of Grace and Vera.

"I'm fine," I say before she says anything else. "We'd better get to work." I square my shoulders and plaster on a fake smile—fake it till you make it. But Axle's words haunt me as I work. I do my best to keep my distance from Mel and Cameron, but at the end of my shift Cameron calls me over.

When I reach him, I say, "I'm sorry I dropped the plates." Luckily, there were only two and they just had leftover food on them.

"No need to apologize." He tucks a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

My muscles tense and my heart accelerates. He drops his hand to my shoulder and rubs my arm. I'm so mentally exhausted I can't bring myself to say how uncomfortable he's making me.

"You should come have a few drinks with me after work one day. Loosen up and forget about everything."

To forget and not experience pain sounds appealing. I muster up all my energy and give him a small smile. "I'll think about it."

Once my shift finishes, I grab my bag. Mel is by my side.

"What happened? Did he break up with you?" she asks.

"I don't want to talk about it." The shortness of my reply should signal that I mean it, but she keeps going.

"Why won't you talk to me about it?" she asks, sounding irritated.

I stare at her dumbfounded. The nerve of her. How is she making this about her? "It's none of your business," I say sternly. I'm sick of people manipulating me and being fake.

Her mouth slams shut and her eyes widen.

I ignore her and peek out the front door. The MC truck is waiting outside, in the closest parking space. Mel walks past me, straight to the driver's side. Annoyance flares. What if it's Axle? Would she go there even though we broke up yesterday? I don't trust her, so I swiftly walk to the truck. When I open the door, Viper smiles at me.

"Nice to meet you," he says to Mel.

"You too," she says, batting her eyelashes.

I snort. Viper puts the car in drive, and we pull out. My eyes are on my car as we go.

"Axle said it is working fine now, so you can drive it home after your shift tonight," Viper says, like he knows what I'm thinking.

"Hmmm... I bet he's the one who broke my car."

No response. I whip around to glare at Viper. When Axle learned about the sexual assault claim against my boss, my car suddenly stopped working. "I can't believe him!" I hiss.

Viper chuckles.

My eyes narrow. "It isn't funny!"

He shrugs. "It's his way of trying to protect you."

"Protect me?" I huff. "You mean manipulate me?"

When we pull up outside my house, Viper turns to me. "He really loves you."

I roll my eyes. I don't think any of the men would know what love is if it hit them in the face.

"I never thought any of us would have an ol' lady, let alone Axle. But I've never seen him so torn up. It was my fault too. I shouldn't have been a dick and goaded him, but after he spent time with you, whenever I mentioned the bet to him, he always got defensive and was short with me."

The fight within me dwindles, leaving only a deep sense of exhaustion. I release a long, weary sigh. "It's not your fault," I whisper, though the words feel heavy as sorrow threatens to engulf me entirely. "He broke me, Viper, and it hurts all the way to my soul, knowing I can't trust him or be around him anymore." Pain tinges every word as my tears fall.

Viper leans over, puts his arm around me, rubs my back. I'm grateful for his compassion.