veil | W. Axl Rose

Ⅹ

𝟑𝟏.𝟎𝟕.𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟓

-Look man, if I smoke for 40 years I ain't stoppin'. Damage is done.-Duff remarked with Katharina nuzzled into his chest.-I've been clean for 8 days, though.

-You're just too broke to buy a pack.-Izzy swiped a matchstick against a red phosphorus and lit his girlfriend's cigarette. The girl dragged and let out a slow thick smoke from her bloody red plump lips. She wasn't really talkative which made Linda feel not so awkward.

-Bullshit. After the last two weeks? C'mon.

-So how much did you supposedly make off this escapade?-Linda held a glass in two fingers and raised her eyebrow ironically.

-The real question is how much we lost.-Slash snorted and Linda nearly bursted out laughing.

Suddenly, Axl appeared out of nowhere, his presence commanding attention.

-You kept us hanging.-Duff joked, but his humor didn't pass on a vocalist. Instead, the bassist was greeted with Axl's, burning with anger, gaze.

-What are you, my mother?

Duff whistled lowly.

-Relax, Axy. You could use some drink.

But the vocalist ignored him, his gaze sweeping the space as he maneuvered between the table and bandmates. Izzy looked up at him and asked,

-Aren't you with Monique?

Axl shook his head, a hint of satire in his voice.

-Looks like I'll need to deal with being the only one flying solo.

Natasha turned to Linda, wrapping an arm around her in a playful gesture.

-Not only you.-she teased, tilting her head towards Linda and Axl.-You two could hook up.

Linda, caught off guard, shot daggers at Natasha, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. The ground seemed to swallow her up as she tried to hide her discomfort.

-Plenty ain't a plague, they say.

Linda rolled her eyes at redhead's words. He's got women throwing themselves at him, after all. How could anyone forget? But pride always come before a fall.

Axl purposely wedged himself between Linda and Steven and draped his arm around her. Linda could feel her cheeks burn red and she involuntary ran her fingers through her hair.

-Don't go all shy now.-he whispered into her ear and she gulped. Feeling him so dangerously close to her was already too much to bear.

Fortunately, right at that moment Keith brought their order. She flashed him a wide smile as a thank you. Axl apparently wasn't happy with the gesture, as he tightened his grip on her arm, at which she hissed in pain.

-Weren't I not even worth your second thought?-Linda slid her fingers slowly up his arm, gently prying his grip loose and he let go.

-We're bluffing, remember?-he took out a pack of, obviously, red Marlboro and deftly extracted one between his teeth before adding through gritted teeth.-Now be a good girl and gimme that Zippo.

Linda looked at the lighter that was lying in front of Natasha and did as he said.

-You're crude, Axl.

-I never claimed to polish.-He flicked the lighter and offered a pack to Linda.-Still an abstainer?

-No, I've got my Gauloises.-she opened a pack with a flick of her thumb.