“Elena,” Cameron calls out.
I turn and he moves toward me. I back away because he’s too close and in my personal space.
“Why are you so hesitant about hanging out with us, but you’ll hang out with a biker?”
The malice in his tone as he emphasizes the wordbikermakes me take another step back.
“Where is she?” a loud male voice booms.
I startle... Is that...? My boss gasps and darts into his office, closing the door. I suck in a breath and hurry out into the kitchen.
When Axle’s eyes land on me, his shoulders fall. He strides to me, his face set and his jaw ticking. I rack my brain as I try to work out what’s wrong with him, but nothing comes to mind.
“Where’s your boss?” he asks, his wild eyes searching the kitchen. All the chefs have stopped cooking and are standing still, watching us wide-eyed.
“Let’s talk outside,” I say soothingly, hoping I can calm him down out there, though inside I’m raging. I want to know what has him so upset at my boss, but another part of me wants to yell at him for disrespecting me at work.
“You’re quitting,” he demands as we walk, further intensifying the searing burn of anger.
We stride out of the building, Axle ushering me out with a hand pressed against my lower back. I keep walking until we’re beside my car. For someone so easygoing, he surely gets angry... or is it jealousy?
I whip around to face him. “What was that about?” I hiss.
He growls. “I knew your boss was shady.” He looks at the restaurant, his top lip curling up. His eyes flick back to me. “Has he touched you?”
I freeze and stare at him mutely.
He turns and starts marching back to the restaurant, so I dash to him and grab his hand with both of mine, pulling him close to me. “No, he hasn’t.” He has touched me lightly, but he hasn’t touched my bum or anything, which I think is what Axle is talking about.
He’s clenching his other hand. “What’s wrong?” I ask.
“He was accused of sexual assault but paid the girl off. You’re no longer working here.”
My stomach drops. I gulp. It makes sense now why I was uncomfortable. “Cameron hasn’t done anything. I promise. I’m at work surrounded by other people.” My eyes soften. “I need this job.”
“No fucking way!” he says with a savage bite.
I nibble on my lip. “I hate that it happened to another woman, and it’s wrong on so many levels, but I need this job,” I whisper. “Independence is important to me. I need to have it. I’ll start searching for other jobs in town, but I can’t just leave this one. I need the money, and I’ve only just started. I don’t know whether anyone would hire someone who just left their job when they haven’t even been there for long.”
He shrugs. “People quit all the time, and I’ve got money.”
“First, I don’t want your money. I want my own. Second, I moved here because I wanted to be independent. I know you’re worried, but I can’t leave... not yet, not until I have another job. And third, we’re not together.”
Axle stands tall. His face is still stern. He’s not budging.
“I can’t have someone trying to rule my life again... It’s a deal-breaker for me.”
With a brief shake of his head, he crosses his arms, making his biceps bulge. “First,” he says, copying my tone but injecting more attitude, “youaremy woman.”
I can’t stop my lips from curving into a slow smile. “Am I?” In the back of my mind, I know I should be alarmed, but I really like him, and that overrides any doubts.
He nods his head sharply. “Yeah, you are.” He steps toward me and pulls me to his chest. I put my arms around his waist, but he’s still rigid. He leans back, cups my face, and lifts my head. “With you going to work, I don’t fucking like it. Your safety and my sanity are more important than a job.”
I stand on my toes and wrap my arms around his shoulders. “I promise I’ll keep looking for jobs,” I say before my lips touch his in a tender kiss.
“As long as I pick you up and drop you off at work. And you can’t be alone with him ever... or go to work when it’s just you two.”
“Bossy!”
