Property Of Drex #2 (Death Chasers MC #2) (8 page)

Chapter 12

EVE

Two weeks alone in a shitty motel room will definitely make you contemplate your life decisions. At least this place also gave me a job cleaning rooms. I get to stay here full time, order takeout, and watch static-ridden television. Yay me.

I also get to stare at my phone too much, waiting on Drex to call and check on me. But he never does. I get to think about all the times he made me
feel
something, and then remember how quickly we were done.

The longest I’ve gotten out was when I got my birth control shot renewed. Not that it seems to matter anymore. On a side note, that was a weird escort service for the older, buff, long-bearded biker who drove me there and sat in the waiting room… which had walls full of diagram posters with the inner workings of a woman’s womb, vagina, and breasts.

He actually asked me if it was a game to find the g-spot on the vagina diagram… Like it was
Where’s Waldo
or something. And he was studying it like he was serious while stroking his beard pensively.

Good times.

I’m back to being empty… Back to making it through the day in hopes of finally living tomorrow. But tomorrow is another day I’m just killing time. It’s even more depressing after you’ve had something you actually wanted but didn’t realize the value of it at the time. Isn’t that the way it goes? You think something’s wrong for you until it’s gone, then you’re miserable without it?

In my head, I always knew it was temporary. But my head and heart are never on the same team. At least when I’m alone in my room no one gets to see me crying over the asshole. And no one gets to see how utterly devastated and lost I feel.

Not because I don’t have him, even though it’s a big part of it. I just feel disconnected and alone. It’s like I don’t fit in here anymore, and I don’t fit in there either. It’d be nice if there was somewhere in the middle where I did fit in. Somewhere in an alternate reality where Drex and I could have something real and untainted, yet dangerous and exciting.

On the bright side, nothing has happened. Which is awesome. My family is safe, and no one from that world has contacted me. The Death Dealers staying two rooms down haven’t even looked my way, even though I know they’re watching my every move. To keep me safe? Or to make sure I don’t spill the beans? Good question.

I think with Drex, it’s to keep me safe. I think for the rest of the club, it’s to keep me quiet.

A light knock at my door has me putting down my cheap wine and peeking out the tiny hole. Ah hell. Why oh why did I jinx myself?

“Eve Marks, we know you’re in there. We just need to ask you some questions.”

“Guess what, I don’t have to answer any questions. Go harass someone else,” I call through the door.

Never thought I’d see the day where I was back-talking federal agents.

They pound on the door a little harder. “We’ll speak to the owner of this establishment and let him know you’ve been involved with a known criminal. Heard you got a job here and are living here, Ms. Marks. It’d be a shame to lose that.”

Assholes.

Cursing, I prop my phone up on the bed and start recording. No way am I taking any risks. Then I open the door, but I block them from coming in and seeing the phone.

“What?” I ask, aiming for badass, but just sounding bitchy. That works for me.

The two young guys who showed up that first night are staring at me with amused, somewhat triumphant expressions.

“Drex Caine dumps his girls in a place like this, huh?” the one on the right drawls.

“Drex Caine has nothing to do with my living arrangements or me. What do you want?”

“Answers. Lots and lots of answers to lots and lots of questions. Otherwise your employer-slash-landlord will know of your involvement with the Death Dealers.”

“Let me summarize my knowledge for you boys,” I say sweetly. “I don’t know anything about Drex Caine other than how he fucks and how he likes his dick sucked.”

A cough sounds out from the one on the left as he strangles on air, and the one on the right wrinkles his nose.

“I know he loves pizza and dark beer. He also likes sex first thing when he wakes up. He’s incredible with his mouth. Oh, and he can give me multiple orgasms any time he wants, because he’s that good. I also know he loves his motorcycle. Just like all of them. Some of them might smell like shit, but their rides are going to sparkle. Drex always smells good, so he’s not included in that. He works out a lot, in case you’re wondering about why his body is so nice. They like their clubs and bars. They also like their women. And they have constant bets on who can reassemble a carburetor the quickest. Those guys love the mechanics of things.”

They both narrow their eyes at me. Leftie shakes his head.

“You know that’s not what we’re here to ask about.”

“It’s a shame you think I know more. Think Drex Caine would just turn me loose if I knew anything other than what I just told you? Honestly, that’s the most boring crew I’ve been around yet. The Hell Breathers had more excitement and danger. Benny Highland is a beast. It’s why I left the Death Dealers. I got bored. Understand?”

Neither look convinced, but they also look torn because I pose a good point about Drex not letting me go if I knew something. The whole Hell Breathers thing was stupid to say and it sounded incredibly contrived, but it’d be nice if they shoved their noses up Benny’s ass for a while and left Drex alone.

They start to say more, but my boss/landlord, who is sweating profusely and walking with a limp, comes toward us, waving his arms around wildly.

“Unless you boys have a warrant, you can’t be on my property.”

“It’s a public establishment,” Righty growls.

“It’s for paying customers, and I can refuse service to anyone I want. Says so on my damn sign. Now quit harassing my guests!”

Apparently Mr. Sweaty—as I like to call him—doesn’t want the Feds poking around in his place. Makes sense, since this is a rent-by-the-hour sort of place too.

He grumbles at their backs as he guides them away, and I watch until they leave, probably heading back to scout out Drex.

I pick up my phone, stop the recording, and start to send it to Drex. Then decide I’d rather do it in person. Maybe I’m a masochist who wants to feel her heart broken into a million pieces, but I want to see him. I also want him to tell me why he just shoved me out without so much as a goodbye.

I deserve at least that much.

After putting on another shirt that shows off my tattoo, I walk over and pound on the door where I know two are always staying, and to my surprise, Axle is my greeting.

“What’d they want?”

Apparently he was watching. I’m surprised he couldn’t hear.

I hand him my phone, but I don’t give him time to play the video.

“I need a ride to the warehouse. Drex should see it himself.”

His eyebrows go up. “Not supposed to take you there anymore.”

“The bus works just as well as your bike.”

I smile like a smartass, and he groans while cursing and telling someone he’ll be back. He walks over to his bike, pausing to wipe some dust off it. I bet it’s killing him to have to leave it out in the open like this, but there’s actually a “no motorcycles in the room” policy here. That’s a real thing.

Axle hands me a spare helmet, helps me onto the back of his bike, and bitches about how pissed Drex is going to be before finally cranking it up and tearing out of the parking lot.

It’s not a terribly long ride, but it’s at least twenty minutes.

Now, my stomach is in knots, my hands are sweating, and my heartbeat is going so fast that it’s almost a constant hum in my chest. Even my toes are tingling. I’m going to get to see him, and the excitement unfurling can’t be denied.

I also can’t deny that it’s the first time I’ve felt anything but miserable since I left.

Axle pulls into the large garage, and several people look at us as I dismount. Eyebrows pull together in confusion, surprise, and discontent. Some actually look pissed I’m here.

I ignore all of them, for once not feeling like I’m shaking in terror.

As soon as I walk into the main room where the music is flowing, my heart slams into my ribs. Guys are everywhere, and girls are all over them. It must be party time. I didn’t even consider the fact Drex might have a girl on him, and a sick feeling settles in my stomach as I glance from face to face, hesitantly searching for him.

Eyes fall to me with slow smiles, until their gaze lands on the mark that is on my shoulder. PROPERTY OF DREX is like a tag they seem to be quickly moving away from. It held some power before, but they actually look terrified now, as though they can’t get away from me fast enough.

Not sure what’s going on with that. A few guys actually bump into each other when they try to clear a path for me as I move into the room a little more. No one is even breathing in my direction.

I spot Snake off to the side as he devours Sarah’s neck, and I walk up to them when Drex seems to be missing. I hope he isn’t in his room with a girl. I… I can’t even think about that right now.

I tap Sarah on the arm, and she turns to me with an annoyed expression until she realizes it’s me. “Eve! You’re back!” she squeals excitedly.

Snake’s head jerks my way, and surprise fills his face.

“Where’s Drex?” I ask, ignoring the way everyone seems to be acting weird at the sight of me.

“I think I saw him playing pool,” she says, motioning with her head toward a set of doors that are wide open.

I know where the pool tables are, but I don’t point that out. Axle is already walking in there when I move that way. As soon as I walk in, my eyes drink in the sight they’ve been starved for, and that void that has been growing starts to slowly fade.

Drex is smoking while studying the table, and he puts down the cigarette as he lines up a shot. No one is around him. Two of the other tables have people playing together, but Drex is playing alone.

He makes a shot, slapping the cue ball into a red one, and it smashes into the corner pocket. Just as he leans up with his cigarette back in his hand, his eyes fall on me, and he goes stiff.

Almost immediately, his posture relaxes, but he doesn’t react. He cuts his eyes toward Axle, tilting his head. “Could have warned me,” he says coldly.

That warmth in his gaze is gone. The Drex that I got all to myself is absent. In its place is the Drex everyone else gets: the cold, hard, impassive Drex.

What the hell happened?

“Tried to. Your phone must be off. Kept going straight to voicemail,” Axle says unapologetically.

Drex eyes me coolly, still smoking that damn cigarette, then he puts it out in an ashtray before taking a sip of his beer.

“What’s going on?” he asks Axle, looking away from me. “Something happen?”

He sounds casual, but the grip he has on the pool stick makes it seem like he’s pissed and holding it back.

“Yeah,” Axle tells him, motioning with his head for everyone to walk out.

As soon as the doors shut on the music and the three of us are alone, it gets really suffocating in here. And quiet.

“What happened?” Drex asks, still keeping an even tone, but his jaw is ticking.

“Feds showed up. She made a video of their conversation. I haven’t had a chance to view it yet.”

“And you couldn’t have just sent it to me?” Drex asks.

The pool stick whines in his grip, and Axle frowns. “She asked to be brought here.”

Drex still doesn’t look back at me. “I told you she couldn’t come here. Last I checked, I was in charge. Not her.”

“I’m right here. Feel free to acknowledge me at any point,” I bite out.

His shoulders stiffen at the sound of my voice, and his knuckles turn white from the even tighter grip he has on the stick. He still doesn’t look my way.

“She’s stubborn,” Axle says with a ghost of a smile. “She threatened to take the bus here.”

Drex doesn’t react, but he does cut his eyes toward me. “You can go home now.”

Home
. That word again. It used to be a simple word with one simple meaning. Now… Now the complexity of that word could have Einstein buried under contradictory equations for a lifetime.

“I want to talk to you,” I tell him, stepping closer. He stiffens again, and I start to feel sorry for that poor pool stick.

“I’ll view the video and you take her home,” Drex tells Axle, once again ignoring me.

He takes the phone away and walks through a backdoor, disappearing. I start to go after him, but Axle steps in my path.

“Trust me, he needs a few seconds. He wasn’t prepared to see you.”

“Why does he have to be prepared? I just want to talk to him.”

“Leave it, Eve. Give him a second. You don’t want to do this when he’s surprised and pissed.”

I glare at him. “He’s not going to hurt me, jackass.”

His eyebrows go up in surprise. Maybe being away from this place long enough has helped me get my backbone back, or maybe I just finally don’t give a damn what they can do to me, but I’m not scared. Not right now. Clarity. That’s what I’ve gotten. A little clarity.