Better when He's Bold

I collected my stuff, braced myself for whatever Bax was going to say, and went in search of my car. The garage was busy and loud. Machines were running, a plethora of male voices were talking, a radio was playing loud rock music somewhere, and over the top of it all engines were running and exhaust fumes perfumed the air. It was hectic enough that I was hoping no one would really notice me, but of course there was no such luck. A freshly showered girl exiting Race’s loft wasn’t going to go unnoticed, so I blushed when I caught a few knowing looks from the guys covered in grease and motor oil.

I saw Bax’s big form come out of the office. He had a cigarette dangling out of the corner of his mouth and his phone pressed against his ear. He caught sight of me where I was walking down the metal steps and inclined his dark head toward the back of the garage. Everything about him was dark and demanding, I had no clue how Dovie didn’t run from him every single time he looked at her. Just the look in his pitch-black eyes was enough to make me scamper like a scared little rabbit in the direction he indicated.

The BMW had four new wheels along with a new set of rims that looked way more expensive than the stock ones that had been stolen off of it the night before. I tossed my purse and the laptop on the passenger seat and looked in surprise to see that even a new radio had been put back into the console. I startled when Bax called “heads-up” and tossed me my keys. I caught them in my hand and watched him warily as he sauntered over to me. A ring of smoke escaped his lips and his dark eyes narrowed fractionally at me. He had a black star tattooed on his face right next to his eye, and the way it crinkled and moved was fascinating. He was the embodiment of the kind of man who was honed in the very fires that fueled the Point.

“Have fun last night?” It was crude, and none of his business, but it was a very Bax thing to ask.

I cleared my throat and clasped the keys to the car tightly in my hand. “I did.”

He took the cigarette out of his mouth and dropped it on the ground. He put it out under his boot and ran his hands over his shorn hair.

“Race has had a thing working for you for a while, but things with him and the business in the city right now are shaky. The Point is never really standing on solid ground, and right now the entire place might fall into nothing. He needs to keep his head up and his eyes on the prize or really bad shit could fall down on him. If you’re planning on being at his side, it’ll pull you under too.”

It was a warning that was about as subtle as a bulldozer.

“He’s just helping me out a little. I sort of have a stalker problem. I’m not trying to distract him or put him in danger.”

The corner of his mouth kicked up in a small grin, and I could see it, really see the beauty in him that had Dovie so head over heels in love with him. It almost made me sigh out loud.

“Looking the way you do, him already wanting a taste, and you should know you don’t have to do anything to distract him but breathe. I’m just telling you to keep all of it in mind when you decide to walk on the wild side. Here there are more things to consider than just getting off.”

I sucked in a startled breath at his bluntness and lowered my eyebrows at him in a very prudish scowl. He cocked his head to the side and considered me for a second.

“Your stalker . . . you have any idea who it might be? No exes in the picture? Any bad blood?”

I shook my head. “No, no one. I haven’t been on a date in over a year or so. I live at home. I go to work and school and that’s it. I’m boring. I mean I’ve turned some guys down when they’ve asked me out and I’m pretty sure I have a TA at school that wants to ruin my life, but no one has ever threatened me outright before.”

“You’re interesting enough for someone to want to be fucking with you pretty hard, and everyone is a threat.”

I sighed and lifted some of my wet hair from the back of my neck.

“The TA is an asshole. He asked me out and I sort of turned him down in a jerky way. Ever since then I’ve been positive he’s messing around with my grades and making this semester a living hell. He’s the only person I can think of that I might’ve rubbed the wrong way lately but I can’t prove he’s doing anything shady.”

Bax rubbed his thumb along his chin and lifted up a dark eyebrow.

“You mention this guy to Race?”

“No. He’s just a nerdy math major. He’s annoying, and I’m pretty sure he’s trying to ruin my grade so I fail my class. I just can’t prove it.”

“Doesn’t take much for a lonely guy to get pushed over the edge by a pretty girl.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so we just stared at each other for a long minute until he took out another cigarette and stuck it in his mouth. I cleared my throat a little bit and moved to get into the car.

“Thank you for putting wheels back on my car.”

“Thank Race.”

Well, I was pretty sure I had covered that last night, but I wasn’t about to tell Bax that.

“Hey, Bax.” His dark eyes flicked to me. “The things Race is doing, the business he’s involved in . . . he’ll be okay with everything, won’t he?” I didn’t really want an honest answer, but I knew I would get one.

Bax lit the end of the cigarette and lifted his heavy shoulders in a shrug.

“Race is the smartest guy I know. He’s doing what he thinks needs to be done. The guy makes pretty drastic choices that often affect others around him—and not always in a good way. But he owns them and there has to be something in that, right?”