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The first thing I spot when the door opens is the shadow box cases along the wall lined with comic books. Apparently Eli betting against his comic was a sure way to get to Ax if he cares about them enough to keep them in cases. A guitar in the corner looks forgotten about and a large television on the wall has a hockey game on the screen.
“Can I help you?” Ax snaps from behind me.
“I knocked and you didn’t answer—” I start as I spin around and fumble over my words at the sight of him.
Of course he was in the shower.
He smirks at me as I take in the towel wrapped around his waist and the water that is still dripping down his chest. Tattoos scatter most of his bare skin but I don’t have the time to decipher what they are because he chuckles and runs his knuckles along his jaw.
“Princess, it isn’t nice to stare,” he teases me.
“I— uh— sorry— I —” I stumble and he laughs loudly, shaking his head at me.
“It’s just like a bathing suit, right?”
It takes a minute to realize he is throwing my own words back at me from the other day at the pool. I give him a dirty look, remembering why I came up here in the first place.
“Can I help at the shelter?” I blurt out.
He looks surprised and both his eyebrows raise. “It doesn’t pay.”
“Well, no. I figured. But… you said it yourself. It’s new and I’m sure you could use some help.”
“My guys have it under control.”
I roll my eyes at him. “Because a bunch of scared women that have been getting beaten up by their husbands just love having The Vipers there to talk to?”
“We protect them.”
I shrug. “I’m sure they could use more than that, though. Help finding jobs or subsidized housing, clothing, therapy, meals. Let me help somehow.”
“And if I say no?”
“I’ll start ripping up your comics one by one.”
Ax looks like I just threatened to cut his balls off and play ping pong with them.
“Blackmail?” He asks. “Wouldn’t have taken that for your style.”
I frown. “Okay, I wouldn’t actually, but come on,” I beg.
He chuckles again. “You cave far too easily.”
“I could just annoy you until you agree,” I grin.
“My Katie annoyance tolerance has been elevated, good luck though.”
I cross my arms, holding my ground and refusing to move. It’s childish but at this point I’m so stir crazy I don’t even care. He smirks at me as he steps forward. I’m about to ask what he’s doing when his hands slowly grip the towel at his waist.
That mother fucker.
I quickly turn away, facing the wall, trying to ignore the fact a naked Ax is standing directly behind me.
“Where’d that confidence go,” he says softly and I can feel his breath on my neck. “It was hot.”
“My sole purpose in life isn’t to turn you on.”
“Could have fooled me.”
