Page 46 of Hidden

“You still haven’t explained to me why your bike is in the middle of my bar,” Rachel said, scowling at me.

“It’s not your bar,” I replied, closing my eyes, only to snap them back open again when she threw the wet bar cloth at me, slapping me in the face.

“What was that for? Facts are facts, Rachel. I’ve been here longer than you.”

“Fine,” Dante sighed. “Why is your bike inmybar?”

“It’s not your bar, either.”

“I was born in this bar, but sure… it’s not mine,” he smirked.

“I spend more money here. I basically paid off the mortgage,” I replied without missing a beat. “And, let's not forget… I am a co-owner.”

“Vienna…” Rachel warned, not wanting to pick up the old, familiar argument. “Bike. Why is it here?”

“The distance from my parking spot to the beers felt too great to walk. Would you have me damage my legs at such a young age?” I said, throwing my hands over my eyes dramatically.

“Dante, I can’t with him. I cannot. I’m leaving him in your capable hands.”

At that moment, Axel decided to slam his toys into my bike repeatedly, the noise like a sledgehammer on my sensitive head.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You know, that is a very expensive machine you’re currently disrespecting.”

He looked me dead in the eye, and then deliberately crashed the two cars together.

I gasped. “Rachel! Did you see that? He’s a menace. An absolute menace.”

“He gets it from you,” she called back.

“I was going to say his father, but fine. Hurtful.”

Dante finally looked up then, one eyebrow raised as he took in the scene of me sprawled on the floor beneath my bike whilsthis son slowly committed vehicular manslaughter above my head.

His mouth twitched, only slightly, but I caught it.

“There’s a joke there somewhere,” I told him. “About me being beneath you and your child running rings around me. But I’m too fragile to find it.”

“That’s the first sensible thing you’ve said all morning.”

“Another cheap shot. Honestly, the abuse I endure in this place is unbelievable.”

“Put it in the shitty suggestion box,” he shot right back at me.

Suggestion box my ass!

Axel made a tiny crashing sound and then climbed onto my stomach with absolutely no warning.

“Christ!” I wheezed, both hands flying to his sides as my organs momentarily attempted to leave my body.

Rachel turned at that, clearly attempting to smother a laugh. “Axel, careful.”

But he was already giggling, holding the toy car high above his head like some kind of victorious warrior.

And because I was an idiot—or perhaps because I needed the distraction far more than I was willing to admit—I sat upright in one dramatic movement, scooping him up with a low growl.

“Well, that’s it,” I said in my deepest voice. “You’ve awoken the beast.”

Axel squealed instantly.