I sink down on the couch after my shower. Had fucking tree sap and pine needles all over me after cutting down that stupid fucking tree the old man said we needed for the Roadhouse. Which translates to the stupid fucking tree my mother wanted. Turning my phone over in my hands, I see on my girl’s social media she’s back in Drag Creek. She didn’t even text me. Ain’t that some bullshit. Pissed off and tired of this shit, I give her a call. It takes five rings before she even answers.
“Hey,” she whispers sounding off.
“You coming here or am I coming to your folk’s place?”
Coralie lets out an exasperated sigh. “Why don’t we do lunch tomorrow?”
I put my phone on speaker and hold it out in front of me as my throat tickles. I heavily exhale through my nose. “I haven’t seen you in three Goddamn weeks. I don’t want to wait another day.” Coralie attends college on the other side of the state. Her parents have big dreams for her that don’t include biker trash like me.
I put a guy in a coma, but shit wasn’t even my fault. The dumbass fucking hit me first. It happened a few months ago. I went to Coralie’s school to see her. There was some big party she wanted to attend or some shit for Halloween. Said she wanted the full college experience. Whatever the fuck that means. Anyway, she told me to meet her there. I walked into the place and it was like I stepped into some cheesy as fuck movie like my sister’s, Morgan and Harley enjoyed watching and torturing me and my little brother with growing up. Party was at a fraternity house. I was looking for Coralie and found her in the basement dancing with some preppy looking tool. He had his hands on her hips and shit.
I kept my cool. Tapped the bastard on the shoulder and said, “Thanks for standing in but I’m here now. Let a real man dance with his girl.” Coralie took a step back and had the nerve to glare at me like I was the one on the wrong. That should have been my sign to walk away but I didn’t.
The fucker looked at me and laughed. He turned to her and said, “Do you know this clown? I thought Halloween costumes were for kids.”
“The fuck did you just say?” I growled, clenching my fists at my sides.
“You heard me, man.” He shoved at my shoulders. “Why don’t you go back to the freakshow.” Then he punched me, landing a pathetic jab on my jaw.
I laughed at him and told him, “That was your one.”
I don’t remember much after that, but I know I fucked him up. Broke the bone of his pallet and knocked out a few teeth. He’s the son of a senator and his dad is pushing to lock me up. So far, my old man has managed to keep me out of jail and I know Texas is his way of making it go away. Well at least it gets me of the state and hopefully off the rich asshole’s radar.
“We should talk. I’ll come to you.”
“Fine,” I snap at her. Thinking about that shit at that party has me fired up again. Ending the call, I toss my cell phone onto the couch and sigh. Rubbing a hand through my hair, I walk to the fridge and grab a beer from the inside of the door. I know when I go to Texas if she doesn’t come with me we’re through.
I drink my way through a six-pack of ponies before I hear the light tap on my door. Blinking my eyes, I scrub a hand over my face and call out, “It’s open.”
The door swings open and she stands in the entryway. Her blonde hair is in a messy knot on top of her head. She’s dressed down in an oversized university sweatshirt, leggings that make her ass look good, and a pair of boots.
Stomping her feet, she shakes some of the snow off before entering.
“You don’t have to do that,” I tell her, and she rolls her shoulders.
Coralie stops short by the couch and I grab her by the wrists and pull her down to me. I don’t want to fight. With other ideas…like getting her naked and in my bed in mind, I kiss her. Her lips don’t move, and I pull back.
She gives me a disappointed expression, her brows lifting as she frowns. “You’re drunk.”
“And you’re late but I’m not complaining. I’ve missed you.” I inch my fingers under her shirt, up her side, toward her bra.
“I came here so we can talk.”
“Don’t be like this. I just want to be with you. Is that so wrong or too much to ask for?”
“When you’re drunk it is. I didn’t come over for this.” Her hand goes to my bare chest, her fingers tracing the dark ink outline of the lion’s head that covers the expanse of my chest. “I need you to be serious.”
I grin lazily at her and pinch her nipple between my fingers as I say, “I am serious. Serious about getting you naked.”
“God!” Coralie moves away shaking her head. “Are you going to Texas?”
“Are you coming with me?”
“Axel…I—you know I can’t.”
“So where does that leave us because I won’t be able to drive up on a weekend whenever I fucking feel like it.”
“I know that,” she whispers, unable to meet my eyes. “I think…I think we should quit while we are ahead, ya know?”