Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 103637 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103637 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
So maybe the Hellers weren’t exactly law-abiding citizens—which was exactly why Kaley had suggested Arden ask them for asylum—but they were at the heart of their community and seemed well-liked in town. They kept this place safe, and therefore Arden should also feel at ease, no matter what happened at the mall.
He was still glad to pass the open gates of the compound and rubbed his face against Mike’s back as they drove into the vacant parking spot at the side of the yard.
It was already getting dark, but the lamps attached to the walls provided enough light to showcase all the people gathered for the evening. A man drove his repaired car out of the garage just as Arden dismounted, and Leo waved him off, stretching in his stained overalls after a whole day’s work. Rain and Mona were there too, seated on plastic chairs alongside Jack and his wife, Trixie, while all their children miraculously slept in their pushchairs.
People gathered by the unofficial bar to get some beers in, flirted, chatted. It was the kind of normalcy Arden longed to have, but couldn’t because of Luke.
He flinched when a tall shape appeared in the corner of his eye, but before he could have rushed behind Mike’s back, Axel’s expressionless face reassured him that he was not under attack.
Out of all the Hellers, he unnerved Arden most. Kurt, Mike’s uncle, and his son Kane were by far the most homophobic and offensive, but Axel? Arden read somewhere bears were difficult animals to work with, because they seldom warned of their intentions before attacking. Axel was a bit like that. Not that Arden had ever seen him attack anyone, but something about his attitude and the cold, expressionless silence he practiced spoke of danger. Arden couldn’t shake the sense that if any of the Hellers were to hurt him out of the blue, it would be this one.
Nothing about Axel stood out. He had short dark hair, tanned skin, and eyes that were the definition of muddy brown. His face was flat, with small lips, and while not ugly, it had features Arden found hard to remember.
He didn’t know what Axel’s opinions were, because he kept them to himself. That stern, oval face barely ever moved a muscle, whether Axel watched pretty girls stripping or lost at cards, which kept Arden on edge whenever he was around. And now, the lizard man’s eyes swept over Arden, stopping at his face for a split second too long. He was like a stereotypical serial killer—average-looking enough to melt with the crowd yet odd in his behavior.
He spoke to Mike without otherwise acknowledging Arden.
“We got an anonymous call. The man claimed he saw you and Arden behave like lovebirds. Said he wanted us to know one of ours was ‘soiling the nest’,” he said and shook his head. “Not my business, but you should know you have an enemy,” Axel said in a monotone voice.
“Luke. That stupid fuck.” Mike groaned and put his arm over Arden’s shoulders as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Axel frowned, his face gaining the tiniest bit of an expression for once. God, if Arden were to describe this guy to anyone, he wouldn’t have a clue where to start. Which would have made Axel the perfect assassin… something Arden should not be thinking about at all.
“Luke?”
Mike pulled Arden closer, forcing his nose against the T-shirt his handsome protector had been wearing all day. It smelled of wood, earthy yet somehow sharp. Arden shut his eyes and stopped breathing, but he didn’t feel like pulling away either so he ended up relaxing into the hug while Mike went on. If they were to be fake boyfriends, he might as well enjoy it without Mike having to know.
“Arden’s ex. He accosted us at the mall. Told him to keep his dirty hands away from my boy, and the coward was too scared to confront me then and there. Seems like he chose to snitch on me instead. What a little bitch.”
Arden couldn’t see Axel, but felt the lizard gaze burning into the back of his skull.
“Your boy,” Axel said flatly, even though it was a question.
Mike pressed a loud kiss to the top of Arden’s head. “Sure is. Look at him. What man wouldn’t want to tap that?”
“This one here,” Axel said, though there was no judgment in his voice.
Arden slipped his hands into the back pockets of Mike’s jeans. Maybe they could just stay like this and not have to face anyone else? Arden closed his eyes with a sigh. He wasn’t obsessed with nice butts, but he loved all of the male form, and getting that bit closer to knowing Mike’s filled his head with fumes of filth.
“Because you haven’t smelled his hair yet.” Mike chuckled, stroking Arden’s back in a way that made him melt.