Love and War

Part 11: Man at the Bar

                 

"Dinner plans, then? What can I do?" I asked.

            "Nothing. It's just us. I wanted to show you around Miami a little this evening. Hope that's alright." We drove to local shops, walked the beach, and had a drink at a local tiki bar before driving to a downtown restaurant. He pulled the car into a small parking area before turning off the engine. I decided not to ask him about Ali, I didn't want to overstep my welcome, but I couldn't help the pang of jealousy and the ache of disappointment that riddled my chest. Maybe being with a man like Leo helped me appreciate being in the company of men like Axe.

            I jumped down, out of the car, and skipped around to meet Axel's amused gaze. I was too short to see over the top and had to climb up slightly to sit inside- he found my short height amusing, to say the least. I couldn't help but feel excited at the idea of exploring my new city with this man. My skips paused abruptly, however, as a car's alarm startled me to my knees. Screaming echoed through the garage as a woman and a man argued between each other. I glued my hands to the floor.

            "Match my breath." He placed my hand on his chest again. "Stay with me. It was nothing; I am safe. It was nothing; I am safe. " Our voices swirled together as my fervent heartbeat started to calm. The sharp thundering of anxiety in my chest slowed and my breathing was soon following. I sighed a reliving breath as the pain in my stomach eased.

            "Thank you." I nodded. He took his hand behind the small of my back and rested the other on my arm, protectively. I smiled widely at the idea, walking with him to the restaurant. Once we ordered, I sat back quietly, observing his smiles and nods. He had a lot of connections and seemed to have a lot of friends.

            "What did Pedro want earlier?" He asked, his brows cocked slightly to one side.

            "Dinner. I turned him down." I smiled.

            "Good. He's a douche." Axe giggled to himself before turning his eyes to the food.

            "So you were upset." I nodded, my eyes making contact with a man sitting at the bar before breaking quickly and staring back to Axe.

            "Not upset. Just, I don't trust him with women." He smiled, noticing the man staring back. "He's been staring all night. Go talk to him." He gestured to the bar before speaking again, "I'm sure he's not a total ass." His smile spread from ear to ear.

"We'll see about that one, won't we?" I laughed, pushing my chair in. I ignored the fire in my chest at my next thought. He didn't want me.