C34 WITH THE VIPERS.

AXEL’S POV:

Chase’s hand hovered awkwardly in the space between us for a moment longer, his smile faltering. He didn’t retract it right away, as though hoping I’d reconsider, but I didn’t. Instead, I folded my arms across my chest and said, "I don’t do handshakes."

The words came out like steel, cutting clean through the fake pleasantries he’d tried to establish