Page 21 of Drax (Iron Thunder MC 3)
“Yeah, working for someone else just isn’t my thing,” I replied with a smile.
“Neither is it mine,” he added. “Anyway, I’m very proud of you. This is what you always wanted.”
“I’m starting to build up a local client list and when I’m a little more confident in myself, I’m going to advertise online and make my presence known outside the community.”
He was nodding along, listening to my plan with interest. It felt good discussing this with him. Maybe I’d needed his validation all along and now I had it.
I reached over and poured more vodka in my glass. Drax looked at me lazily.
“I guess I could ask you how things have been going with you, but I think I know the answer to that question,” I said. Drax drummed his fingers on the side of his whisky glass.
“Things were going okay before your brother decided he was going to shake things up around here.”
“I wish I could apologize for him.”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” he said.
“I don’t know what’s gotten into him. When he was speaking to me today…talking about how he wants to gain control over everything, wants to be the only MC President in this town…I honestly didn’t recognize him.” I was speaking quickly, trying to get the words out. I wanted Drax to understand how crazy this whole thing seemed to me.
He nodded and then leaned toward me, patting my knee.
“Right now, you don’t need to worry about how crazy he sounds or how unbelievable it is. You just need to keep yourself safe and away from the Silver Knights till we get over this.”
“But if it’s a war between you guys…someone’s going to get hurt.”
Drax shrugged. “You know what our lives are like, MB. We risk ourselves every day for the sake of a thrill. You know what the odds are.”
“But he’s going to destroy our family. Our community. Our neighborhood. There are people who rely on him. I rely on him. Why is he doing this to us when things have been so peaceful so far?”
Drax was looking at me with emptiness. I knew he didn’t have the answers to my questions. Why would he? This wasn’t about him. This was about Crash and me and my family.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be dumping all this on you,” I cried and sat back into the couch. But Drax drew in a deep breath and shook his head.
“It’s okay, MB. You know you can tell me anything,” he said.
I felt light. Like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. The fact was that I wanted to keep talking to him. Keep telling him more. But I didn’t want him to think I was dumping this all on him because I was dropping hints about getting back with him.
I didn’t want him pitying me. That wasn’t the purpose of the conversation.
“But otherwise, I’ve been doing well, you know?” I added quickly. Drax nodded.
“Yeah, good, I’m glad to hear it.”
My gaze drifted down his body. I knew he was checking me out too. I’d missed those strong muscles around me. Holding me close. I’d missed his cock.
The tips of my ears were turning a raging red now. I wanted to steer the conversation away to safer grounds.
“Have you been seeing other people?” I blurted. Darn it! This wasn’t what I wanted to say. I didn’t want him to think this was an interrogation. “Sorry, you don’t have to answer that. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot…I…”
“It’s okay, MB. No, I haven’t been in a relationship with anyone else,” he replied. I watched as he emptied the whisky down this throat then banged the glass down on the table.
“But there have been other chicks. I’m not going to lie to you.”
I shrugged and looked away from him.
“Of course. Sure. Whatever. You’re free. You can do whatever you like. Or whoever you like.” I was trying to grin, but I knew I sounded resentful. Even imagining him flirting with someone else made me sick. I couldn’t stand it. I couldn’t meet his eyes.
“And what about you, MB?”
I licked my lips, worrying the edge of my blouse with my nails. I could paint an elaborate picture for him to make him jealous or I could just tell him the truth.
“There hasn’t been anybody else,” I admitted. I kept my head down. I didn’t want to look at him. I was afraid he would see how much I wanted him. “I’ve just been so busy, you know? Busy with setting up my own business and all that.”
“Yeah,” he replied.
He was watching me. Seeing through me. I didn’t have to meet his eyes for him to know that I couldn’t go on any dates with any other guys because he was the only one. I still wanted him.
Now more than ever.
