Chapter 4
Chapter Four
AXE
Sitting at this bar all night, I didn’t know what to expect from this woman.
Seeing the way she interacted with the patrons who sat at the bar, the ones who came up to get their refills from her, and the waitresses, it’s like she has honey wrapped around her and they were all bees attracted to the sweetness.
I’ve never felt jealous over a woman giving her attention to anyone before and now I’m feeling it with this woman.
CJ.
Talk about one hell of a beautiful woman with bright reddish-blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a body to make you wish to see what’s underneath the clothes. Fuckin’ beautiful with her curves in all the right places.
The entire night besides filling my glass with what I ordered, she ignored me for the most part. I stayed until closing, waiting for a moment to speak to her. I figure she couldn’t ignore me if I’m the only one around.
Only she’s got a way of keeping herself busy cleaning up and getting the bar ready for the next night.
When she’s finally ready to go, CJ doesn’t say a word. I stand at the door, watching her every move as she turns off the lights hanging on the walls.
“You got everything?” I ask when she stops near me.
“Yep,” she murmurs with a quick nod, not meeting my gaze.
“Then let’s get you out of here, darlin’.” I smile, seeing the challenge within her and I, for one, intend on accepting the chance to find out what’s behind the walls she’s got up.
And those walls are so fuckin’ high, I swear she wears them like a cloak of armor.
“Don’t call me darlin’,” she mutters, walking past me and out the door.
“Okay, then I’ll call you sweetheart, or better yet, Sunbeam. Yeah, I like Sunbeam,” I chuckle.
“Don’t call me those either. I have a name, so use it,” she snaps, stomping toward her truck.
“I know you got a name, but I prefer to call you Sunbeam,” I announce, catching up to her after making sure the bar’s door is locked.
I wrap a hand around her arm and stop her before she can get to her truck.
“Why did you ignore me while being nice to everyone else?” I ask the question before realizing I allowed the words to come out.
“Excuse me? Does the world revolve around you and I didn’t know?
Thanks for the memo. But I think I’ll pass on getting to know you.
I don’t need or want to. So excuse me for not wanting to stand there chit-chatting with you like we’re BFFs when we’re nothing.
Now let me go and leave me alone,” CJ yells, pulling her arm from my grip and turns to storm the rest of the way to her truck.
What the fuck?
I was simply fuckin’ with her trying to get her to lighten up and she goes off on me.
With each step CJ takes to her truck, I take one right in her direction like something draws me to her.
“Why do you want me to leave you alone?” I ask in a hushed tone.
“Because I want to be left alone,” she snaps back.
Fuck if this woman isn’t prickly.
Getting closer to her truck, she reaches out and opens the driver’s door. “You did your job, now leave. I’m fine and I’ll be fine,” she mutters, keeping her face away from me.
“Sunbeam, I don’t think you’ve ever been fine,” I murmur, thinking of the scar I’d seen that she’d been trying to hide. But during clean-up, she’d moved her hair just enough I’d seen a peek of it, and it makes my blood boil to know someone could hurt this beautiful woman.
“Well, no one asked you to think of me, so carry on with your merry little life, get on your bike and go.” Hopping into the driver’s seat, she closes the door before I can retort.
What the fuck?
I stand there and watch as she starts the truck. It rumbles to life. The exhaust system she has on it sounds beautiful. Not extremely loud like some of the dumbasses who think it’s okay to have it be obnoxiously loud. No, hers is just right.
Stepping back, I keep my gaze on the driver’s window as she backs out of her spot and puts the gear in drive. If I weren’t watching so carefully, I would’ve missed the glimpse she’d given me in her side-view mirror. What I saw does something to my heart I don’t understand.
I shove my hands in my front pockets and watch as she drives away, thinking about the look in her eyes—one of regret.
As much as I’d love nothing more than to find out what she’s thinking or what that look meant, I know now is not the time. I see with her it’s going to take more than just me getting between her legs.
Shaking my head, I sigh, turn to my bike, and climb on. My mind goes down a path I didn’t want to go as I start her up.
The night air cool but not cold.
The air is crispy, same as the second tragic night that turned my world upside down. One where I lost the last of what I loved most.
The police stand there on my porch as I open the door. It’s my eighteenth birthday. Dad and I are heading out in a bit to go out after he got off work. He always did something with Tracy and me for our birthdays, tonight being no different. Well, except for the fact my sister’s no longer with us.
Dad’s supposed to be here any minute. He texted me almost an hour ago when he left work that he was heading home. We’ve been closer than ever since my sister killed herself. The man didn’t want me to feel his grief of losing her on top of my own.
“Are you Aiden Wyatt’s son?” one of the two officers standing on the porch questions.
“Yeah, is there something I can help you with?” I ask, licking my suddenly dry lips.
“Can we come in and speak to you?” the second speaks up, and I don’t miss the remorse in his eyes.
“What’s going on?” I demand, not worrying about inviting them in.
“Son, I’m sorry. There was an incident this evening. Your father was killed when he stopped to get gas.” Blood rushes to my head, and I can’t hear anymore through it all. Lifting my hands to my head, I can’t listen to more. Not when they’re saying my dad’s dead.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
This shit can’t be happening.
That night I swore I wouldn’t let anyone get close to me again. Other than the men I call my brothers. They kept me sane when all I wanted to do was cause destruction around me. If it weren’t for Hammer and his brother at the time, I would be in the ground myself by now.
Letting out a deep breath, I hit the throttle and take the curves as I always do when I’m thinking.
I didn’t think I’d let anyone else in my life again.
Now I’ve let Simone into it. She might not be family, but I care for her and only want what’s best for her.
Nothing about her makes me attracted to her in any way but friendship.
With CJ, though, somehow, with just the small amount of connection I felt, I want more.
Why?
I don’t fuckin’ know.
What I do know, however, is if this is the same feeling my brothers felt when they’d met their ol’ ladies, then I’m not giving up.
I won’t waste a chance to be with a woman who makes not only my cock harder than ever but also makes my heartbeat for the first time other than to pump blood into my veins.
I just need to come up with a plan now to claim the woman and make her mine.