Consume: A Standalone Romance by Lauren Hunt Read Free Book Online Page B

ground. “I can't tell you, Winter. It's club business.”
     
    This man kept a code of honor and he wouldn't break it for anybody—including me.
     
    Axe fished out some cash from his wallet and handed it to me. “We need to stay here until the heat wears off. Can you go inside and get us a room while I try to figure things out with Hammer.”
     
    I nodded and made my way to the front office. I looked back to see Axe kicking the tires of his bike before pulling out his phone and dialing.
     
    I entered the front office that reminded me of the Bates Motel. The place was cramped and wasn't very well kept. If we didn't die at the restaurant, we'd definitely be murdered here. I rang the little bell on the desk and a tall scrawny man came out from the back. His face was stretched and gave him the appearance of an alien.
     
    “What can I do for you, miss?” he asked in a very deep tone.
     
    Was I supposed to get two rooms? Axe didn't make it exactly clear. He said get a room but did he expect us to sleep in the same bed? The thought of sleeping alone in an unfamiliar place crossed my mind.
     
    “Can I get one room for one night?”
     
    The owner took the cash and handed me a key. “You're room is on the second floor and down on the end.”
     
    He left to go into the back room before I could even say thank you. I went back outside and Axe was screaming into the phone.
     
    “We need to hit them back, Hammer. They almost killed me and my girl!”
     
    His girl. We barely went on one date and he already thought I was his. That was a little presumptuous. But deep down I really did want to be his.
     
    Axe continued, “If they want to play dirty then we need to play dirty back.” Axe shook his head. “No she's fine and a bullet only grazed my shoulder.”
     
    I noticed that there was a trail of blood running down his arm. My man was hurt! He needed to go to the hospital but I already knew he wouldn't. I quickly ran back into the front office and rang the bell.
     
    The owner came back out and almost turned right back around when he saw me. “Isn't everything satisfactory in your room?”
     
    “I just needed a first-aid kit.” I slammed my fist against the desk.
     
    Mr. Skin and Bones disappeared beneath the desk and produced a white rectangular box with a red cross on it. He blew off a fine layer of dust before handing it to me. “Make sure, you return this to me before you leave.”
     
    I nodded and left back outside. Axe was still on the phone talking. His conversations about club business were fascinating. It was a whole new world that I knew nothing about.
     
    Axe kicked his motorcycle tire hard. “Fine, just let me know what time the meeting with them is tomorrow.” He shoved his phone in his pocket and turned towards me. “Did we get a room?”
     
    I smiled and jangled the key. “Is everything all right in the club?” He furrowed his brow at me and I knew to stop my line of questioning. Maybe with time, he'd open up about the club?
     
    The motel room was the size of a tiny box that contained: a stained bed, wooden dresser, and dirty bathroom. I had walk-in closets that were bigger than this place. I turned on the light that flickered on and off repeatedly. “Why don't you sit down so I can dress your wound.”
     
    “Are you going to be my nurse?” he asked, grinning.
     
    “More like an Angel of Death if you don't sit down and keep quiet.”
     
    Axe zipped his lips shut and threw away the key. I sat next to him on the bed and helped take off his leather vest. Axe winced from the pain as he stretched his arm out. I set the old first-aid kit on the dresser and made an inventory of what we had. Gauze, band-aids, antiseptic, and not much else.
     
    Axe pulled his white t-shirt off and got stuck halfway. I laughed and helped him, tugging the shirt off his head. My laughter came to halt when I got a look at his scarred physique. His chest was carved perfectly and dark tattoos of all types littered