Chapter 16
Listen, I Can Explain
Word on the street is that Axel has moved out of Fearless House and moved in with Scarlett Quinn. There are so many questions and so little answers. Oh, how I hope this is true! #BigGirlsNeedLoveToo
Scarlett
My phone hasn't stopped vibrating for the last thirty or so minutes.
We've been so busy at Java Jerry's that I haven't been able to say even three words to Jared or check my phone.
Mornings like this suck ass. Being busy is good, but not so busy I can't have conversations with my people.
Not to mention that Axel made good on his promise, and every time my legs move, it feels like my vagina may just fall out at any minute.
Wouldn't that be hilarious? Nope. Not at all.
The last customer in my line is a pretty petite blonde smiling an all-teeth kind of grin. I smile back with as much ferocity because we don't do rude at this coffee shop. That's the other guys. “Welcome to Java Jerry's. May I help you?”
“Scarlett Quinn?” She asks excitedly.
Confusion is an understatement. I have lots of friends, but I'm not popular by any means. How does she know me? Maybe from the newspaper? “Yes. May I help you?”
“Large skinny French vanilla latte, please.” Easy enough.
Something's not right. An uneasy feeling settles in my gut. Her asking me my name is weird, right? Oh, great, now I'm having whole conversations with myself. This is how people wind up in the looney bin. I fake a smile and hand her the latte. “Thank you.”
“May I ask you a question?” She asks giddily.
Nope. “Maybe.” I laugh, but I'm not joking. Where is this conversation headed?
She giggles. “When did you and Axel Creed move in together?”
My eyes go as big as saucers. What the hell has the Everything Fearless Insta posted now?
That has to be the reason why my phone has been going haywire and why this stranger is talking stupid.
I never get the chance to answer her, because Axel bursts through the door and frantically looks around the room for me.
Both of us stand there slack jawed. Once I'm spotted, he quickly makes his way up to my counter.
His appearance is disheveled, and he's on the verge of being out of breath.
Oh no. This can't be good. “I can explain.”
He turns to my customer. “Excuse us, please.”
Livid, I pull him into the break room. My hands are firmly on my hips. “Axel, do you know why that girl out there just asked me if we were living together?”
Axel winces, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that he's behind the rumor.
But why? My dad follows the page and will kill me if he gets wind of this lie.
He looks apologetic, so I try to keep my temper in check until hearing the whole story.
“Well?” He hands me his phone without another word.
Shit. It takes a few minutes for me to be able to read the article because I have to hit ignore on about fifteen calls from various girls in between.
I'll have to ask him who Shelby, Monica, Jasmine, Niesha, and so on and so forth is. This keeps getting better.
“The article explains why both our phones are going ballistic right about now, but it doesn't explain how it ended up on the Fearless page. Do you know how?” I’m staring at him.
He shrugs. “Not exactly how, but I may have had a little something to do with it.”
I move my hand in a forward motion, but he shrugs again, revealing nothing. “Axel, I'm trying very hard not to lose my shit. What are you not telling me?”
He exhales. “Brody McDougall came by your place, and I kind of told him we were living together.”
I stare back into his caramel-colored eyes, dumbfounded. Why would he do that? Jared comes into the break room. “Sorry, Scar, we're swamped again.”
I nod my head. Then turn on Axel. “I'll deal with you later.”
He smiles. “So, you're still talking to me?”
I roll my eyes at him. “Yeah. You can call it talking, but I'll refer to it as yelling.”
He scoffs. “Okay, Drama Queen.” I poke his arm. “Ouch!”
“Now, who's being a Drama Queen, big baby?” I cross my arms across my chest.
He flips me off and heads for the door. “What time do you get off?”
“At five.” Lies.
“See you then, Wallflower.” He turns around and gives me a big smile.
My smile, in return, turns sour. “You may want to call all those girls back and tell them we're not living together. I wouldn't want to spoil your bad boy reputation.”
Axel's beautiful face grows dark. He stalks back over to me, caging me in against the wall.
“Red. I don't want any of those other damn girls.
And after last night, you'd be crazy to think we won't sleep in the same bed every night.” Well, now my vagina is on fire.
Thanks for that, Axel. He nibbles on my bottom lip and walks out like the big bad wolf that he is.
My blush starts at my hairline and reaches down to my toes. Jared laughs at me. “Damn, are you guys into voyeurism? Because I could be reticent while watching all the sexy times in the corner. And I thought we get off at four.”
“You wish, perv. And we do.” Axel may make my panties drip, but he deserves to show up and me not be here.
Jared laughs at me again. I hate when he does that.
We shove each other and then, unfortunately, have to get back to work.
A tinge of guilt creeps into my senses, but it honestly serves him right.
I'll already be back at my apartment when he comes to visit me at five.
He should have never told Brody that lie.
Brody is an asshole for treating me the way he did, but in the end, I allowed it.
Some of that is on me, too. Why did he have to come back to Texas?
The rest of our shift is just as brutal as the beginning was. Exhausted and in a bad mood, my telling the lie to Axel was a favor to him. I leave with an iced coffee and what's left of my sanity.
After my shower, I get down to business. My outline for the Public Speaking speech is up first.
·Why did I choose my major?
·Talk about why you're passionate about said major!
·Tell the story about your mom's cancer, how it united all of your hometown, and how the news made it possible for her to be remembered. #Always
That last point will have me in tears, but the story needs to be told. It keeps her memory alive, and that's what matters most. It's also the most essential factor in choosing Journalism as my career path. Writing my topic takes more time than expected.
Finally, looking at my phone, my heart drops. I have four missed calls from Axel and one naughty text.
Rabies: Wallflower, you think you're so clever, but your ass soon won't. Spankings can bring more pleasure than pain, and my palms have an itch that'll quickly be scratched.
Heat starts in the pit of my stomach and travels all the way down.
I've always wondered what it would be like to be spanked in the middle of a passionate tryst. I roll my eyes at myself.
Who in the hell says things like tryst? Romance writers, that's who.
Placing my laptop on my lap, I log into my favorite Dom/Sub writing site, Tongue Tied.
It's where all my stories are published.
With over two million subscribers, posting at least twice a week is a must. Taking a month off to regroup was imperative because I needed to develop a new storyline and set of characters.
My bedroom door swings open, and I shut my laptop with a quickness. Nobody knows about my extracurricular activity, not even Jared.
“What were you doing on your laptop?” So inquisitive, he is.
“None of your business, Axel.” My retort comes out more as a whisper.
He smiles. “I'll find out one way or the other.”
“Well, it won't be by me, and it's password-protected, so good luck.” I smile.
He winks as he approaches me, placing both hands on either side of my hips. He's beautifully masculine. Can I have my spanking now? Please. “I've been hacking things since I was in fourth grade.”
“Is that a threat?” My voice slightly rises in anger.
“No, Red, it's a promise. Remember complete honesty between us.” He answers back.
Pushing him so that he is now sitting on my bed, I couldn't think clearly with so much testosterone in my face. “Care to explain why you told Brody McDougall that bald-faced lie?”
“The better question is, why was McJackass coming to talk to you anyway?” I have to bite the insides of my cheeks to keep from laughing at the McJackass part.
“Definitely, not the better question.” I finally spit out.
“I'll answer only if you answer first.” I'm going to unalive him!
“Negative.” This is me done with this conversation. Opening up my Instagram, I search for the Fearless page. I'll comment and put an end to all the stupidity.
“What are you doing?” He sounds nervous. Giving him a mischievous smile, I place two fingers above my keyboard so he can see I'm about two seconds away from hitting the enter button.
We are NOT living together. Never have. Never will. Axel Creed is infuriating.
He takes my laptop off my lap before I can. “Now, who's the McJackass?”
Raising my eyebrows. He looks more amused than intimidated, but I stand my ground. He hands me back my device. “I'm sorry. That was a McDick move.”
“Why don't you like McBrody?” Honestly. Did they have beef last semester or something?
“My problem with him started when he showed up at your job. Then it escalated this morning after he came to see you here. He knew full well we spent the night together. Not to mention he hurt you.” He says, shrugging his shoulders.
I shrug mine back, although the hurt part has me swooning a little.
A Lot. “He's still my friend, Axel.” His turn to raise his eyebrows.
Axel's look is a tad bit more intimidating.
Still standing my ground but quivering ever so slightly at the same time.
He smirks when he notices. “Axel, I'm not your property.
If Harry Styles wanted to whisk me away to England, you'd have no say.” His smirk grows.
He looks like he knows a secret but says nothing to allude to the fact.
He can be so intense. I have to look away and escape for a second.
Glancing down at my phone, which is now in his hand, he gives it back, all the while smiling like a he has something up his sleeve. When did Axel have time to take a picture of himself and post it on my Insta? I roll my eyes as I read his caption.
Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
I hold my hand out to him for his phone, but Axel grabs my fingers and places them to his lips instead. “As surprisingly sweet as that was, I need your phone.”
He shrugs and hands it over. Opening it up, I take a selfie of myself with about 292 filters added in, then add it to his page. Axel looks down at his phone and laughs. The caption under my picture is short but sweet.
Not Me. ??
-Red