Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
jenna
Stepping onto the warm tile floor, I gently close the door behind me and flip on the light.
I squint against the sudden burst of white light that momentarily blinds me.
Last night, I moved my toiletries into the bathroom, so I feel like I can put myself together.
This morning and hopefully have a somewhat normal day.
I turn on the warm water and lather my favorite face wash into my hands.
I’m not the biggest fan of make-up, but a good skincare routine is like my own form of meditation.
I gently wash my face and then apply the next few steps of my regimen.
Feeling like my face is cared for, I brush my teeth and hair, use the restroom, and head out for a change of clothes.
Before I leave, I can’t help but look down at the large drawer still filled with female toiletries.
I open it and inspect the products; all are too fancy to just be things he threw in here.
Someone thought these out and understands high-end products.
I know he wasn’t ready to talk about whatever this is last night, but something about this feels off.
Last night, the girls said he really hasn’t been with anyone, but either he’s really into female bath products or I’m staring at a giant red flag.
I mentally shake myself; I feel like I’m going a little crazy.
I barely know this man and I’m rummaging through his drawers and stressing about his secrets.
Closing the drawer, I turn off the light and slowly open the door.
Axel is still lying on his stomach with his arm hanging off the bed.
His light snores fill the room. I pause for a moment to look at him; he’s so handsome, even while sleeping.
I head over to my suitcase and rummage through the clothes Marley brought me.
I put on my favorite pair of ripped black jeans and a green long sleeve shirt that makes my eyes pop.
Sliding on a pair of boots, I head towards the door.
I take one last look at Axel, then walk out into the hallway.
Mission: find some coffee and breakfast. I leave the door unlocked again. I know he wasn’t excited about me leaving the door unlocked, but he’s in there, and I really will be right back.
Chatter fills the hallway as I catch sight of a group of men making their way downstairs.
I try to walk slowly to keep my distance and not get in anyone’s way.
I don’t really know a lot of people here, and I don’t want to be in the way.
Also, many of these men have eyes that stare straight into your soul and look like they could rip someone’s head off without a second thought.
I smooth my hands down my shirt and continue behind them.
About halfway to the stairs, one of the men turns around.
I realize it’s Jax, one of the guys who was in the car with us last night and Sierra’s husband.
I wave and offer a smile. He doesn’t smile back but nods his head to the side, as if signaling me to catch up.
I pause for a moment, and he realizes my hesitation.
“Get up here, Teach. We don’t bite,” he says.
Now that makes the rest of them turn and look at me.
I feel heat creep up my cheeks and make my way to Jax, who is almost perfectly in the center of the group of men.
An arm wraps around my shoulders, and I feel knuckles rubbing on the top of my head like I’m a child.
“Not-a-club-girl! Nice to see you’re still in one piece after leaving with that brute Axel,” Motley says. I chuckle and then shove him off me.
“He always like this?” I ask Jax.
“Sadly.” He glares at Motley over my head. I probably do look like a child next to these men. I’m not short, at 5’7”, but these men are all easily 6’2” and above.
“You’re up early. Sierra is still passed out,” Jax states.
“I usually have to be up early for school, so sleeping in has become difficult for me,” I shrug as I look around at the faces around me. I recognize a few but don’t know any names.
“That’s Bear, Shiny, Chuck, and Spider.” All of the men nod at me as Jax says their names and points at each of them. I feel like I’ve already met so many members of this biker club, yet there are still people I don’t know. How many of them are there?
“Nice to meet you all,” I say as I nod to each man. Some smile, others just look at me and keep walking. “I was just coming downstairs to get some coffee and food for Axel and me. Know where I might find some?”
“We’re all headed to get some grub now. You can come with us,” Jax says as we make our way to the common area.
Large trays of food line the bar, and a beautiful woman with long, curly salt-and-pepper hair comes out of the kitchen holding an oversized pot of coffee. My stomach growls in appreciation.
“Perfect timing, boys, just finished breakfast. Dig in!” the woman says. She goes to start filling coffee cups, but stops in her tracks when she sees me.
“And who do we have here?” she says as she sets down the pot of coffee and places her hands on her hips. Spider, who has a piece of bacon hanging out of his mouth, calls out over his shoulder,
“Ma, that’s Axel’s girl.”
I almost go to correct him and tell him I’m not his girl; we really haven’t put a label on this.
But she drops her hands, and a huge smile covers her face.
She rushes over and engulfs me in a rib-crushing hug.
I don’t have time to wrap my arms around her, so my arms are pinned by my side.
She pulls back but keeps her hands on my arms.
“I’m so happy Axel has found someone. You must be so special!” she exclaims, and I honestly don’t know how to answer her. I kind of want to change the subject.
“Um, hi… I’m Jenna,” I say awkwardly as she lets go of me. “I’m not really Axel’s girl, we have only started seeing each other.” I choke out.
“Oh, pish posh,” she says as she waves a hand in the air. “He’s never brought someone back, and never once has one of the boys announced someone as his girl.” A small smile pulls at my lips as I feel a blush creep up my cheeks.
“I didn’t catch your name.” I smile at her, hoping she doesn’t mind the sudden change in conversation.
“Daphne, but everyone calls me D,” she says as she points to the one called Spider. “I’m that one’s mom and in-house chef.”
I look toward the bar, seeing the resemblance between the two. Both have light brown wavy hair and bright amber eyes that radiate warmth and comfort.
“This all looks great. Mind if I make us some plates and grab some coffee to go?”
“Already taking care of him. I think I like you.” She beams. “Of course, Sugar. And if you ever need anything, just holler. Us girls have to stick together.”
With a wink, she is off talking with the men and women sitting around the tables that fill the large room.
I look around and see three women seated at a round table in the corner.
They are all dressed as if they are allergic to fabric.
Honestly, I think I see more skin than clothes.
But the clothing situation isn’t what bugs me—it’s the way they are glaring at me like I’ve ripped the head off of their favorite stuffed animal.
It annoys me to no end, but I don’t really want to start anything.
The club is being nice enough as it is, letting me stay here.
I walk over to the bar and fill two plates of food for us.
Daphne has given me a tray so I can carry everything in one go.
I load up the coffee last and head back to Axel.
As I leave, a few of the guys say bye and ask if I need help.
I have to admit, for how scary they all are, they sure are sweethearts.
I let them know I’ve got it handled and continue on my way.
Walking up to the door, I realize that I don’t have a third hand to open the door. Shoot, maybe I should have asked for help.
Once in front of the door, I notice it’s already cracked.
Huh, that’s weird. I push the door open further with my foot and make my way into the dark room.
Expecting to find Axel in the same place I left him, I move to set the tray down on the small, round coffee table between the leather armchairs.
The opening in the curtains gives just enough light to see around the room, but I have to focus hard to see the table under me.
Before I set the tray down, I see something move on the bed.
I look up to steal a glimpse of Axel and see he’s relaxed and peaceful.
There is a medium-sized form under the duvet sliding down his body.
I blink a few times, trying to make sure I’m not hallucinating.
Surely, this isn’t what I think this is.
I stare at what’s happening in front of me and forget I am still holding the tray.
I feel it slip from my fingers but barely register the loud slap it makes, followed by silverware clinking on the plates and coffee spilling.
Axel's whole body jolts up and he makes direct eye contact with me.
Instantly, I feel like an intruder, and a surge of anger runs through me. Not only because of what I just walked into but because I was stupid enough to go against my gut. I knew this was too good to be true. I had made that deal for a reason—men are assholes.
“What the fuck?” he looks confused and stares up at me from where he lays, still clutching the duvet as the form moves on top of him.
“Yeah, baby, you like that?” a gravely feminine voice purrs from under the covers.
“Jenna?” He looks at me and then down at the blanket in front of him. Ripping the blanket off the fully naked woman, until her ass stares me right in the face.
“What the fuck?!” he growls. Wow, I have to hand it to him—he’s a great actor. The woman stops and turns to make eye contact with me. A devilish grin appears on her face as she nods my way.
“Want to join?” she asks as if this is somehow a game. I recognize her from last night—she was one of the women who had given me the death glares.
Frozen where I stand, I will my body to start moving to get anywhere but here. Axel jumps out of bed, his naked body on full display.
“No.” I say in a firm voice, with my arm outstretched in front of me. I hold my palm up to signal him to stop.
“No, Jenna, this isn’t—” Axel tries to speak.
“Stop. I don’t want to hear it.” Grabbing my purse, I sling it over my shoulder and turn to walk out the door.
I make it a few steps before I feel him behind me.
Every fiber in my body calls to him. He grabs my arm, gently holding me in place.
Without a second thought, I wrench my arm out of his grasp and turn to him with a glare that is meant to keep him away.
He’s put a pair of briefs on in the time it took him to make it out the door.
“Leave me alone, Axel.”
“No, I dont even know what the fuck is happening!”he says in his gravely morning voice.
“No, you don’t get to do that.” I point at him.
“Fine, you told me everything I wanted to hear. Conned me into bed, into thinking you felt the same way. But now it ends.” My voice is raising, and I can feel tears burning in the back of my eyes.
I blink them back. He doesn’t get to see me cry.
I take a step back, pulling my shoulders back and my chin up.
Doors start opening around us, and I choose not to be everyone’s entertainment.
Lowering my voice, “Just don’t lie to me. You owe me that.”
“You think I’m lying to you? After everything I said to you last night?
” he looks hurt, and I want to scoff. How dare he think that I’m that dumb?
“Jenna—” he moves closer, but I take another step back.
He drops his hand and lets out a frustrated sigh.
“You have to believe me. I dont even know how she got in.”
“I don’t care.” Lie, of course I do. “We were only hooking up and let ourselves get too wrapped up in whatever this is…was.” I say the words with conviction, trying to also get myself to believe them.
“So just let me go. This was only supposed to be a one-night thing, anyway. We don’t even know each other. ”
“No,” he practically growls at me. “This isn’t over. I’m not letting you go.” His soft brown eyes are now pools of black. The muscles in his neck are tense, and it’s clearly taking all of his self-control not to pick me up and hoist me off like the caveman he is.
“You have no choice, because I’ve already made it.” The words leave my lips as a whisper. I look behind me, seeing multiple pairs of eyes on us—one of them being Marley. “Goodbye, Axel.”
“Fuck your goodbye, Jenna. This isn’t over.” He moves closer, but once again, I move back. “Fuck, babe.” He says in a defeated voice. “Take some time if you need it. But this shit isn’t what it looks like. And you know it.”
“Axel, just go back to whoever it is you have in your bed. Stop acting like this means anything to you. We barely even know each other!” God, I’m starting to lose it.
This time he moves so fast I don’t have time to move back.
He is standing so close I have to crane my neck to see him.
His eyes swim with want… need and something else, but I can’t give in.
“Just let me go.” I say again, my voice betraying me by shaking. A lump is forming in my throat, and I’m having a hard time keeping my tears at bay. Keep it together, Jenna!
“Never.” Axel says down at me. “Don’t let this be your excuse for walking away.” He kisses my forehead before I turn out of his grasp and walk away.