bike. His stomach turned over.
“It’s my bike. I won’t let you take it.”
“I’m not trying to steal it, pup.” Axel frowned. “But there’s no way in hell you’re riding tonight.”
Bayden was mesmerised. He couldn’t take his eyes off the keys. His heart pounded so hard, it was a wonder that Axel couldn’t hear each beat.
“I’ll put your bike in one of the lock-ups around the back of the pub. It’ll be safe there until you’re fit to ride.”
Bayden shook his head. “I’m not leaving it here.”
“You can either stay here tonight, or I can drive you home. Either way, my decision stands, you’re not riding in this condition.” He said it all very calmly, as if he had no doubt his natural dominance gave him the right to make those kinds of rules.
Bayden tore his gaze away from the keys for a moment. He looked up and met Axel’s eyes. Leaving his bike behind was out of the question. Through the fog, another warning flag went up. Letting Axel see where he really lived was just as impossible. Axel liked a silly little rich boy, and Bayden liked being someone that Axel liked.
There was only one choice he could really make. “I’ll stay with my bike.”
“That’s fine. I’ll help you inside and get your bike stowed away.”
Bayden shook his head. “No. I’ll do it.”
“Bollocks.”
Bayden looked down at his fist. Even in the less than perfect car park light, his knuckles were visibly white. “I’ll do it.”
Axel sighed and shook his head. “Stubborn little bugger, aren’t you?”
Bayden bit back an instinct to apologise. “It’s my bike, not yours.”
“You can tag along and keep an eye on what I’m doing, but that’s it—don’t argue.” Axel picked up Bayden’s clothes and handed them to him, but he didn’t give up the keys when he stepped past Bayden. In seconds, he had control of Bayden’s bike and was pushing it around the back of the pub.
Bayden walked alongside. Being out in the cold air should have cleared his head more than it had. He wasn’t sure how much of the lingering dizziness was from the whipping, and how much came from it being too long since he’d eaten.
When they reached the row of garages around the back of the pub, Axel unlocked one. The metal shutters were loud and overpowered the music still playing inside the pub. Axel rolled Bayden’s bike inside. Taking Bayden’s helmet off him, he set that with the bike. All Bayden could do then was watch, trying not to feel too helpless, as Axel pulled down the shutters and locked his bike away.
Finally, Axel gave Bayden’s keys back to him. Bayden gripped them so tightly the metal bit into his palm. Axel fiddled with the big ring of keys he carried—there had to be twenty on there. He took one off the ring and offered it to Bayden.
“That’s the key for this lock-up.” He nodded to the shutters. “I’ve got a spare somewhere, but I’m damned if I can remember where, so don’t lose it.”
For some reason, it sounded like Axel wanted to make him feel better about it all. “Thank you.”
Axel let out another one of those pissed off huffs. “You should worry less about your bike and more about your own hide.”
“Wolves heal. Bikes don’t.”
Axel shook his head. “You’re consistent, I’ll give you that. Your priorities are seriously buggered up, but you are consistent about them. Come on. Inside.” He put his hand on Bayden’s shoulder as they turned toward the building, as if he thought he needed steadying.
Rather than stop in the kitchen at the back of the pub the way Bayden expected, Axel unlocked a door on the far side of the kitchen and marched Bayden up a flight of stairs.
The music from the pub seeped up to them, but it was muted. The pub, and the men in it, felt very far away.
Axel’s scent clung to the space upstairs. It was very clear, un-muddied by other men’s scents. No one else spent much time there. This was his private space, his home. Bayden didn’t get
“It’s my bike. I won’t let you take it.”
“I’m not trying to steal it, pup.” Axel frowned. “But there’s no way in hell you’re riding tonight.”
Bayden was mesmerised. He couldn’t take his eyes off the keys. His heart pounded so hard, it was a wonder that Axel couldn’t hear each beat.
“I’ll put your bike in one of the lock-ups around the back of the pub. It’ll be safe there until you’re fit to ride.”
Bayden shook his head. “I’m not leaving it here.”
“You can either stay here tonight, or I can drive you home. Either way, my decision stands, you’re not riding in this condition.” He said it all very calmly, as if he had no doubt his natural dominance gave him the right to make those kinds of rules.
Bayden tore his gaze away from the keys for a moment. He looked up and met Axel’s eyes. Leaving his bike behind was out of the question. Through the fog, another warning flag went up. Letting Axel see where he really lived was just as impossible. Axel liked a silly little rich boy, and Bayden liked being someone that Axel liked.
There was only one choice he could really make. “I’ll stay with my bike.”
“That’s fine. I’ll help you inside and get your bike stowed away.”
Bayden shook his head. “No. I’ll do it.”
“Bollocks.”
Bayden looked down at his fist. Even in the less than perfect car park light, his knuckles were visibly white. “I’ll do it.”
Axel sighed and shook his head. “Stubborn little bugger, aren’t you?”
Bayden bit back an instinct to apologise. “It’s my bike, not yours.”
“You can tag along and keep an eye on what I’m doing, but that’s it—don’t argue.” Axel picked up Bayden’s clothes and handed them to him, but he didn’t give up the keys when he stepped past Bayden. In seconds, he had control of Bayden’s bike and was pushing it around the back of the pub.
Bayden walked alongside. Being out in the cold air should have cleared his head more than it had. He wasn’t sure how much of the lingering dizziness was from the whipping, and how much came from it being too long since he’d eaten.
When they reached the row of garages around the back of the pub, Axel unlocked one. The metal shutters were loud and overpowered the music still playing inside the pub. Axel rolled Bayden’s bike inside. Taking Bayden’s helmet off him, he set that with the bike. All Bayden could do then was watch, trying not to feel too helpless, as Axel pulled down the shutters and locked his bike away.
Finally, Axel gave Bayden’s keys back to him. Bayden gripped them so tightly the metal bit into his palm. Axel fiddled with the big ring of keys he carried—there had to be twenty on there. He took one off the ring and offered it to Bayden.
“That’s the key for this lock-up.” He nodded to the shutters. “I’ve got a spare somewhere, but I’m damned if I can remember where, so don’t lose it.”
For some reason, it sounded like Axel wanted to make him feel better about it all. “Thank you.”
Axel let out another one of those pissed off huffs. “You should worry less about your bike and more about your own hide.”
“Wolves heal. Bikes don’t.”
Axel shook his head. “You’re consistent, I’ll give you that. Your priorities are seriously buggered up, but you are consistent about them. Come on. Inside.” He put his hand on Bayden’s shoulder as they turned toward the building, as if he thought he needed steadying.
Rather than stop in the kitchen at the back of the pub the way Bayden expected, Axel unlocked a door on the far side of the kitchen and marched Bayden up a flight of stairs.
The music from the pub seeped up to them, but it was muted. The pub, and the men in it, felt very far away.
Axel’s scent clung to the space upstairs. It was very clear, un-muddied by other men’s scents. No one else spent much time there. This was his private space, his home. Bayden didn’t get
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