“Drex wants a meeting,” I tell him, glaring a little.
Maya stiffens in front of me as she pauses her shot-pouring. She doesn’t turn around as she finishes her task and tosses another shot back.
“Okay,” Dash drawls, arching an eyebrow. “About?”
I gesture to Maya, and he grins. “I was trying to talk her into staying in my room for a while. Drex can’t free up any rooms, even though he wants to.”
My muscles all tense at once, and my jaw grinds. Didn’t take her long to go after someone else.
His expression changes, sobering, and his eyes widen fractionally.
“But she turned me down,” he says slowly. “She’s considering staying in the hangar with the bikes, because she thinks we keep them safer than girls. Not really the worst conclusion ever drawn,” he goes on, standing up.
Maya says nothing as she takes another damn shot. Holy shit. How much has she had? And how is she still standing? In roller skates, for fuck’s sake.
My hand snakes around the bottle, halting her from pouring more. She stares at my hand with a scowl, but refuses to turn around.
“Set up the room and grab the others,” I tell Dash without taking my eyes off Maya.
He walks away without a word, and I press in closer behind her, feeling her shudder. I assume that’s from fear, but with her, it’s hard to be certain. I can’t even remember the last time a girl wanted me—really wanted me. If ever. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t the only option remaining.
I also wonder if Maya’s reasons are only because she thinks I’ll keep her safe.
Fuck me. This is not an issue I need to have right now.
CHAPTER 11
MAYA
Axle presses in closer behind me, not releasing my new best friend—tequila. It’s not as strong as I’d like, but that’s what happens when you spend years drinking with guys like my father and his friends.
“You have secrets you’re about to share,” he says against my ear, pressing even closer from behind me. “And you don’t have to fuck someone for protection. No one is going to touch you like that. But you could die if you’re dragging us into shit without our knowledge. Understand?”
I swallow the lump in my throat, the steady burn of alcohol losing its edge too quickly. I spin around, which causes my forehead to bump the bottom of his chin before I look up.
He doesn’t back away, so I stand my ground as well.
“You can threaten me all you want, but when I tell you who I am, you’ll know just how stupid it would be to actually kill me.”
He steps even closer, and I shudder against him again when I feel the heat of his body touching so much of mine. His hand coils around my hip, tugging me even closer until my chest is smashed against his hard body.
He stares down, while I stare up.
“Thought you didn’t like being touched,” I bite out.
His lips twitch. “Sarah really did tell you a lot, didn’t she?”
“More than you know. She included the fact that you get violent when someone touches you. But she didn’t tell me how you got your scars, or if that’s why you don’t like being touched.”
I keep my hands at my side, careful not to touch him as I let him drive this encounter. I’m not stupid enough to think my small arsenal of badassery could compete with the man before me. A man close to 6’3 or 6’4.
He’s not big and wide, but he’s solid and strong. He’s right in the middle of bulky and lanky—in the best possible way. But it also means he’s strong and fast instead of big and slow, or fast but weak.
The haunted, light blue eyes tell me he’s ready to back any threats he ever makes, and that he’d enjoy doing it.
The most lethal combination that can exist has me pressed against him.
“She doesn’t know where I got the scars. Only Drex does, and Drex doesn’t talk.”
“And the touching thing is related to them? Why are you touching me if you hate it so much?”
He smirks as he continues to stare down at me.
“I don’t hate being touched. I just hate being touched when I don’t want to be.”
He releases me and backs away so fast that I almost fall forward. I didn’t even realize I was leaning against him until he stopped being so close.
I blow out the breath that has been trapped for a few seconds and he cocks his head as Dash—who is no longer No Name—calls for us.
I look over, seeing Drex disappear into the room Dash is beside. A girl is pressed against Drex, and she gives me a timid, uncertain smile when I catch her staring.
“Go,” Axle says, gesturing with his head.
I push off from the bar, and I skate past a lot of curious eyes that have been watching me since I came down here. I continue to pretend not to notice them. Show fear, and predators attack much faster.