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“I can figure it out. Go make yourselfready.”
Chapter29
Maddie
I’d madesure to plug my phone in while I was getting ready, but even with that, I still need to use the cord in Axel’s car to get it charged enough for the trip out.
Darling Lake is a great little town to live in, with a handful of shops and restaurants, but it doesn’t have the big-ticket stores. So here we are, flying down the highway in Axel’s fancy black car, on our way to the closest big suburb.
Axel’s hand is resting on my thigh, and I’m tracing the pretty rose design with one fingertip.
I want to ask him if it means anything, but I don’t know if that’s too intrusive. Asking about Brian’s mom was probably way more personal, but that was a question I absolutely needed an answer to. So now I’ll have to build up my bravery before asking another big one.
A slow car merges over in front of us, causing Axel to quickly check his blind spot and maneuver into the next lane.
He mumbles something under his breath aboutdumbass drivers and their dumbass carsand just like that, a light bulb pops on in my brain.
“Axel’s!” I nearly jump out of my seat, and his fingers dig into my leg in response.
“Jesus, woman!” his head whips over, eyes doing a split-second scan of me and our surroundings.
“Sorry,” I squeak.
“Either with your body or your outbursts, you’re bound to kill me with a fucking heart attack.”
I want to laugh, but he sounds so put out, I don’t dare.
His eyes slide back over to me, “You gonna tell me what that was all about?”
“Oh, right!” I perk up. “Are youtheAxel of Axel’s Bodyshop.”
I can tell he’s surprised by the way his posture shifts, “Don’t tell me you’ve been there?”
“Oh, um, I don’t think so. Why? Do you not want me to?” Just asking that sends a dull throb into my sternum.
He shakes his head, “It’s not that, Baby. I’d just have to kick my own ass if you’d been there before and I hadn’t seen you.”
“Oh,” I chuckle. “Well, no need to do that. I’ve just heard the name and it finally clicked. I think it was Beckett, my friend’s fiancé, who brought his truck there when some, uh, creeper bashed his windows in.”
“Hold up,” I swear I can see the wheels in his head turn, “was your friend the woman that got kidnapped this spring?”
“Yeah,” I grimace. “That was awful.”
The hand on my thigh flips over, putting us palm to palm. “I’m glad she’s okay.”
I interlace our fingers. “Me too.”
This closeness I feel with Axel can’t be normal.Right?
He’s just so comforting. So understanding.
Looking at him, you’d expect him to be gruff and angry. And okay, maybe he’s those things too. But there’s just something about him that makes me feel so incredibly safe. So protected and cared for. It’s uncanny.
In the back of my mind tiny spectators are holding up red flags, waving them all over the place, telling me not to get too attached. But I can’t help it.
It’s been so long since I’ve put my heart on the line for anyone. Honestly, I’m not sure I ever really have. Not since…
I squeeze his fingers again.
