Axel (Ride Series Book 3) (3 page)

I spent my entire shift alternating between plotting where Mad and I should move next and freaking out over how amazing it had been to see Axel. I felt like someone had taken my heart and injected it with steroids.

When I got off at eleven that night, I snuck out the back. It opened into a dimly lit alley and I thought I’d be golden if he was still waiting all these hours later out front.

“You think I’d wait out front?” he chuckled, his tone nearly affronted.

I jumped about a mile in the air and smacked him in the chest. “You scared me!” I screeched.

“Soph, seriously, give me more credit.” He grinned through the dim light. “Let’s go get a drink.” He cocked his head toward the street.

I looked at him, biting my lip, debating whether I could realistically escape him. He stared back at me, watching my inner turmoil and allowing me to come to the only conclusion possible.

I sighed in defeat. “Fine. I just need to check on something,” I responded, firing off a text to Jill.

She was annoyingly thrilled that I wanted to stay out later. She said the boys were already crashed out and I should take as long as I wanted. I responded, telling her that her amount of exclamations marks needed to be toned down.

Seriously.

“Fine, one drink,” I agreed, going against my better judgment. “But,” I held up a finger, “you’re not driving me home.”

“Whatever you want,” he agreed – all too easily.

We walked in silence to a nearby bar I’d never been to. Sitting at the bar, side by side, he ordered us both a beer and swiveled slightly to face me.

“I’m so fucking glad you’re okay. Christ, Sophie,” he breathed, running a hand over his beard; something he always seemed to do when he was stressed.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” I replied quietly.

“Why the hell did you take off like that? How could you do that to us?” he demanded heatedly.

I narrowed my eyes at him, the heat rising in my cheeks. “Us?” I demanded. “First of all, I feel like shit for leaving everyone – they were all so good to me,” I swallowed. “I love my brother. It meant the world to me to get to know him in a way I never had before. Given all that, don’t you think it’s fair to assume I had my reasons?” I shot back.

“What the fuck about me, huh?” he growled.

“What about you?” I shot back passionately as his eyes narrowed. I took a deep breath, trying to bring down the intensity a bit. “Look, I don’t want to fight. It is good to see you,” I nodded. “I just…I feel stupid really, naïve,” I shrugged.

“Why?” he asked when I’d paused, my embarrassment reaching a crescendo.

“I had thought maybe…maybe you and me…” I trailed off. “Sometimes the way you would look at me, I saw something there, but then you’d tell me I was too young or that I was Sal’s sister. It was always mixed messages with you,” I shook my head.

“We’ll get to that,” he interrupted. “I want to know why you left. What the hell are you doing in Texas?”

“We’ll get to that,” I retorted, throwing his words back at him.

We stared at each other in silent challenge before he nodded once and turned his gaze to his drink. I practically slumped back into my chair, relieved not to be the focus of his intensity for a few moments.

He completely undid me, always had.

“How are Sal and Kat?” I asked, unable to temper my curiosity and wanting to change the subject.

“They’re good,” he nodded. “They got married when they were in Spain,” he told me, rocking my world.

“What! That’s great!” I exclaimed, happy for my brother, while aching with regret that I’d missed so much.

“Yeah,” he agreed.

“How’s everyone else?”

“You should come home and see,” he challenged.

“How are you?” I asked quietly, ignoring his comment.

He turned to me, his hand reaching out to sweep my hair back from my neck. That slight touch made me shiver. He didn’t miss it. “I’ll be a lot better when my girl’s home where she belongs,” he answered without preamble.

Uh, what?

“Since when…?” I trailed off, utterly shocked.

“Since always, Soph,” he answered. “You and me, we have some shit to sort out. You need to tell me why you left and I need to prove to you that you’re mine.”

Oh, God, how I’d fantasized about hearing something like this from him. Now? Now I couldn’t do anything about it.

“Ax, this isn’t just about you and me,” I swallowed over the huge lump in my throat. “If it’s guilt you’re feeling or something like it, seriously, you can let that go. It’s not why I left,” I told him seriously. “I want you to be happy. I hope you will be.”

He looked at me, his eyes searching through to my very soul. “You’re telling me there’s no chance for us – none?” he demanded.

I met his gaze, knowing I needed to. “None,” I whispered.

“I don’t believe you,” he growled, vindication in his tone. No doubt he’d caught the lie in my eyes. He always seemed to be able to do that.

I looked at the time on my phone and winced. I knew Jill had it covered but Mad wasn’t sleeping so well with his teething. “I have to go,” I told him. “I’m sorry. It was good to see you,” I said quietly, sliding off my barstool and delivering a quick kiss to his cheek.

I slipped out of there before he could stop me.

“Sophie!” I heard his deep voice holler when I’d reached the sidewalk.

I took a deep breath, bracing myself before turning to meet his gorgeous face.

“What?” I asked impatiently.

“This,” his deep voice growled, pulling me into his big body with such force I had to put my hands up against his chest to stop from slamming into him.

Then his mouth was on mine with a kiss so consuming my knees literally went weak. His tongue stroked mine with beautiful skill, breaking only for his teeth to nip my lower lip, licking the sting away. His hands buried themselves in my hair tugging slightly as moisture pooled between my legs.

I wanted to climb up his body and claim him. I wanted him to lay me down and do the same.

We stood ravishing each other until I felt short of breath, until my lips felt raw and swollen.

Oh, but what delicious pain.

“You tell me now that there won’t be an us,” he challenged, his forehead pressed to mine.

I wanted to ask why he seemed so clear about things when he clearly hadn’t been a year ago. I had so many questions. Mainly when he’d kiss me again.

But this wasn’t about me.

“I have to go.” My voice was hoarse and unrecognizable to my own ears.

I pulled away, taking a deep breath, trying to pull myself together – and failing miserably.

“This isn’t over,” he replied. “You and me, we’re just starting.”

I gave him a small smile. “I wish that were true.” I replied, turning and walking away.

I caught a cab home in my rush, knowing I wasted nearly my entire evening’s tips with the fare. I tapped quietly on Jill’s door and went in to gather my boy and carry him home.

“Have fun?” Jill questioned with an excited whisper.

“You could say that, sort of,” I answered vaguely. “Night.”

I slipped out of her place with Mad sleeping on my shoulder, a blanket wrapped around his warm body.

As I moved to unlock my door, I saw movement in my peripheral vision. I gasped, dropping my keys on the ground, the clatter ricocheting off the concrete walls. Axel’s formidable frame stole some of the light as he stood towering in the hallway.

He moved closer, his expression thunderous and confused. I held my fingers to my lips praying he wouldn’t wake Mad. He nodded, his movement jerky as he eyed the sleeping bundle I carried.

I put the key in the lock and pushed inside. Axel seemed so big in our small space.

I went to put the baby to bed when he stirred. I braced, biting my lip hard. He lifted his body away from my chest and blinked, looking around the room.

When his eyes met Axel’s, I knew it was all over.

Two pairs of identical grey eyes stared back at the other.

“Christ,” Axel swore with emotion.

Maddox grinned his gummy smile and shoved a chubby hand into his mouth.

“Yeah,” I murmured. “He’s yours.”

Chapter 3

“H
ow? What?”

For the first time ever, the imposing Axel Black was speechless.

As it turned out, you could get pregnant your first time. We’d even used protection. I bit my lip, revealing what I’d known from the beginning. “The condom must have broken.”

“But…” he stammered as Maddox grinned and cooed in my arms.

“It’s okay, Ax, why don’t you sit down on my bed?” I encouraged. He looked like he was about to faint. “Mad sleeps out here and I need to put him down,” I explained.

“Mad?”

I met his confused gaze. “Maddox,” I clarified quietly.

“My grandfather’s name?” he whispered hoarsely.

His grandparents were the only family he’d ever spoken fondly of. It was the one thing I’d felt I could give him.

“Yeah,” I nodded.

“Christ,” he repeated, running a hand over his face.

“My bed, Ax,” I repeated, with a tilt of my chin in that direction.

“Right,” he muttered.

I put Maddox down, watching as his eyelids fluttered closed.

I straightened my shoulders, bracing myself for the hurricane waiting for me in my bedroom.

“How the hell could you not tell me?” he demanded in a strangled voice. He sat on the edge of my bed, his head in his hands.

“I wanted to,” I said quietly. “I couldn’t.”

“Why the fuck not? That’s my son! I missed how many months of his life?” he demanded.

“Six,” I whispered.

“Six,” he repeated. “I missed your being pregnant. Your labor. Fuck, tell me you weren’t alone.”

“I wasn’t alone,” I answered immediately.

He shot me a look.

“The nurses were really kind,” I added with a sigh.

“What the fuck, Sophie!” he exploded.

“It’s complicated,” I tried weakly.

He narrowed his eyes at me.

“I know you’ll probably never forgive me but I did what I thought I had to. To protect you. To protect Maddox,” I explained passionately.

He stood suddenly, his size overwhelming as he stalked toward me. “You think there’s anything I would let happen to you or our child? Do you think I’d let anything hurt you?” His voice was raw with pain.

“I think there are forces bigger than you and me.” I swallowed, looking up at him. “And I think with that precious baby out there, I couldn’t risk it,” I whispered. “I did what I had to do to protect him. To protect you and my brother.” My eyes filled with tears as I tried to explain what had made me run. “But that’s all to hell now,” I added, my voice raw.

He stumbled back to the bed, sitting as though drunk. “All that time in Hawthorne you were…you were…”

“Pregnant,” I nodded. “I kept trying to tell you. But after the night we were together, you were so dodgy, so unsure.”

“So this was revenge?”

I reeled back in shock. “No! God no. I kept trying to tell you. I thought I had time to work up to it. And then...and then the threats just became too much and I knew if I stayed, I’d just screw up your whole life and Sal’s,” I shook my head. “I couldn’t allow that.”

“So you what? Disappeared on your own to go through your entire pregnancy alone? To be a single mother when you could have had me? Could have had all of us?”

His comment pissed me right the hell off.

“Would I have had you? You tell me, after that night we spent together and how you treated me afterwards, how the hell do you think I should have thought that!” I exclaimed.

“You think so little of me?” He rose from the bed, his stance tense and expression thunderous. “You think I wouldn’t take care of you and my child?”

“Lower your voice,” I hissed.

“This is so fucked up,” he groaned, raking his hand through his hair.

“Pretty much,” I agreed. “But whatever was between us – whatever the hell that even was…” I sighed and he narrowed his eyes. “That has nothing to do with why I left.”

“Yeah, we’re gonna get to that,” he declared.

I sighed, utterly spent and overwhelmed. “I know you probably hate me,” I murmured. “But Ax, I’m so tired. I don’t even know what to say to you right now.”

His grey eyes swept over my face and I was sure he was taking in the dark circles under my eyes and pale complexion.

He nodded, his expression cool. “We’ll talk again in the morning.”

“Where are you staying?” I asked with a yawn.

“Here,” he answered with zero hesitation.

“I’m sorry, what?” I asked, dumbfounded.

“You and my son are under this roof and I’m not going anywhere.” He shook his head with determination.

“There’s nowhere for you to sleep!” I protested.

He eyed the bed with a cocked brow.

“There’s nowhere for you to sleep,” I reiterated with hands on my hips.

He sighed. “There’s a perfectly good couch.”

“Mad sleeps out there,” I shook my head.

“I don’t know much about babies, but Gracie always sleeps like the dead.” He shared, speaking of Cole and Scarlet’s little girl.

“He usually does,” I allowed. “But he’s cutting a tooth.”

“It’s fine,” he shrugged. “I’ve got lots of time to make up for.”

My eyes filled with tears as I whispered hoarsely, “I didn’t do this to hurt you. I swear it.”

He gripped the back of my neck, his eyes blazing down into mine. “Yeah, I’m counting on that.”

Then he was gone and I was left standing in my bedroom, listening to him quietly move around the living room.

Despite my exhaustion, I tossed and turned, worried about what his return could mean. I knew Axel well enough that once he saw our son, he’d never let go. I just had to hope we’d both survive what was to come.

I woke up late the next morning, jolting out of bed at seeing that the clock read 8 a.m. I hurtled out of my room worried for Maddox.

I was met with two identical sets of grey eyes looking up at me when I stopped abruptly in the living room, the past evening flooding back to me.

Axel sat with Mad in his lap at the kitchen table.

“I didn’t know what he ate,” he shrugged. “But he seems to like my banana,” he added with a grin as Maddox opened up to gum another bite.