“No doubt. Shit’s been hittin’ the fan since I’ve been gone. How’s Ace? Anything new on those stolen car parts?”
Rocco frowned, leanin’ his elbows on the handlebars of his bike. “Nah, man. We’ve got nothing new. Ace is… Ace. I’ll let him explain what happened. It’s a fucked up story, Ax.” He spat. “Things have been crazy with Rev getting shot, Ace’s whole ordeal, the beef with the Almas, and so forth. It’s been insane.”
“Jesus! What the hell happened while I was gone? It’s like the world went and flipped up on its head. War? Kidnappings? Fuck, Roc.”
I mounted Lucille and turned the ignition, double-checking that the kill switch was off before shifting into neutral as she roared to life, purrin’ like a kitten. I closed my eyes, savorin’ this. There was no sweeter sound in the world.
Except for maybe when Paige moaned my name as I brought her to orgasm. I shifted in my seat, now half erect at the thought. Fuck! I needed to see her.
Rocco and I drove back to Brooks Landing, takin’ the scenic route, so I could get reacquainted with my bike. When we finally got back to Raven’s Nest, everyone was there waitin’ for us to start church.
I rode in to the parking lot, and was greeted with cheers as everyone came out to welcome me back. I backed into my designated spot, happy to be home.
“Good to see you, Ax Man!” Rev called. His arm was secured in a sling, no doubt still sore from getting shot.
“Welcome home, Axel!” one of the club sluts called, sideling up to me and planting a wet kiss on my cheek. “Certainly missed you around here. Maybe we can get reacquainted later?”
Her arms snaked around me, grabbing my ass. I reached behind me, and held on to her wrists, pullin’ her away from me. “Hey, Mandy, it’s—”
“Candy,” she pouted.
“Yeah. Candy. Sorry. Hey, listen, I gotta go talk to Pops. We’ll catch up another time.” I don’t know why I bothered to lie to her. I knew I’d never let her spread her legs for me. No matter how perky her fake tits were, or how many times she shoved them in my face, she was a poor replacement for Paige, and I couldn’t bring myself to settle.
“Alright!” Rogue called. “If you’re not wearing a patch, beat it! We’ll welcome Axel home properly tonight.”
The club sluts and wannabes drifted away as the members headed inside Raven’s Nest. This was our home. Our sanctum. I kissed Maya on the cheek before headin’ inside and took my seat beside Pops.
He clapped his hand on my shoulder, and gave it a squeeze. “Missed you, son.”
I smiled. “Missed you too, Pops. It’s good to be home.”
“We’ve had a tough couple of months,” Rogue began. “Things haven’t gone well with the Almas, our business, and some members have been having some personal shit go down.” He eyed Ace, Ryder and me before continuing. “We need to get our house in order now before we can expect the tides to switch in our favor.
“First thing we need to do is figure out who the fuck is taking our shit down at the warehouse. Trista, what new information do you have on that front?”
Trista cleared her throat. “Unfortunately, not much. I spoke to Chen again, and he checked with his boys. It wasn’t any of them. That Lexus was a proper buy from a dealership and everything. There’s a paper trail. The cameras were tampered with, and our tech guy couldn’t pinpoint any incriminating information on who did it, so that was a dead end too. We were, however, able to confirm there’s a tail, and it’s that goddamned Fed, Velasquez.”
Ryder fisted his hands. “That fucker just won’t give up, will he? Was he not humiliated enough last time when he got reamed out after wasting so many of the Bureau’s resources? I mean, they never even caught us with an unpaid parking ticket.”
“Which is exactly why he’s looking for revenge,” Trista explained. “If you want my bet, it’s gotta be him. He can’t get to us on the legal end, so he’ll mess with our business, and try to get us to think we have a rat.”
Pops cleared his throat. “No, I don’t buy it. If he knew our shipments schedule in advance, then he’d have gotten a warrant, and just busted us. He wouldn’t have swiped them right from under our noses.”
Rogue nodded. “I agree. It wasn’t the Feds.” He paused, sighing. “Ryder, I hate to even suggest it, and we’ve all been thinking it, but the timing is too much of a coincidence.”
“No,” Ryder cut him off. “For the last time, no! I know what you’re going to say, and the answer is no. She wouldn’t turn rat. She might hate this club, and want nothing to do with me, but she’d never do that to Cruz or her mom.”
Rogue closed his eyes, and scrubbed his face with his hands. “Then one of us is the rat.”
The whole room erupted. Everyone shouting, irate at the very idea that a brother—or Trista—would rat. Rogue stood at the front of the table. “Enough!” he bellowed. “Sit down and shut the fuck up.” He waited until everyone had done so. “Alright. I know none of you want to believe it, and neither do I, but we have to explore the possibility. Right now, it’s the scenario that fits the best given the information we have. Any of you can give me a better option, I’m all for it, but for now, we need to consider it.”
No one spoke, but, all around the room, hands fisted and heads shook. It surprised me when it was Pops who spoke up.
“Rogan, it saddens me that we even have to consider this, but you’re right. We do. I have a suggestion.”
“I’m all ears.”
Everyone turned his or her attention to Pops. “Here’s what I suggest. I want two man teams to guard the warehouse twenty-four seven, for the days leading up to our next shipment. I also want to up our security cameras, if only to keep a closer eye on Velasquez. Tail the tail, ya know?”
“Finally, I want to question each of you individually. Let me look each of you bastards in the eye to see who’s lying.”
Rogue nodded. “Do we need to put it to a vote? Or are we all agreed?”
“Agreed,” the room chorused.
“Now,” Rogue began. “We have to fill Axel in on what the hell has been going on around here. Ace, you’re up.”
Ace sighed. He looked tired and more disheveled than usual. “So, yeah, I got grabbed. Only for a night. They gave me a shiner, but nothing else. And they didn’t say shit.”
“Who did it?” I asked, fearful this was more retaliation for what I did with Las Almas.
“Some hoodrats.”
“Wait, what? We don’t run with black gangs. What would they want with you?” I tried to think; maybe he had an outstandin’ debt or some other personal shit.
He shrugged. “Dunno. And I don’t have money trouble. I haven’t played in months. Been going to meetings and everything.”
“Plus, I promised to shoot his dick off if he lost any more money,” Trista added with a smirk.
Everyone snickered at her comment even though no one thought she was kidding, includin’ Ace. “Rev got shot when they took me. It was weird, though. I don’t think they wanted me. They didn’t say shit. It was like they knew they had the wrong guy. Kept whispering to each other, and looking at me funny and shit. No message to the club or anything, just let me go.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” I said.
“You’re right, it doesn’t,” Rogue agreed. “Mix up or not, this doesn’t slide. They shot Rev. They destroyed the clubhouse, and they mind-fucked with Ace all night. We’ll find them. And when we do, they’ll regret not double checking their facts first.”
Trista looked at me. “There’s more.” She slipped me a piece of paper across the table. “Them taking Ace wasn’t the only thing that doesn’t make any sense.” I picked it up and read it. Trust no one.
“Turn it over,” she instructed.
Paige Morrison’s name, and a phone number. Shit. “What the fuck?”
Pops turned to me. “That’s the nurse from inside, right? We were watching her, but she moved. We have to find her, Axel; this girl has to know something about Ace. About
what happened that night.”
I nodded. This was my responsibility now. “I’ll get to the bottom of this, I promise.”
Rogue looked at me with serious eyes. “You better, son, because if she’s involved, it won’t matter. She’ll have to go.”
Fear gripped my heart. I had to find her, and figure out the truth, before anyone else did.
Rogue paused. “Alright then, that’s settled. Ryder and Rocco, you two take the first shift at the warehouse. Axel, grab Blaze for the second, and Rev and Ace the third. We’ll cap it off with Cruz and Trista. Twelve hours each. Let the prospects know. Got it?”
Everyone nodded.
“Pops, who do you want to talk to first?”
Pops sighed. “I’ll start with Axel and Ryder, since they were the last two in the warehouse before the parts went missing.”
Rogue looked at each of us, and we nodded. “Alright. Then let’s get going, and welcome Axel home like we promised.” He banged his gavel, and people began standin’. I knew we were supposed to be in a party mood now, but with Paige on my mind, and the club’s problems heavy on my heart, it would take a whole lot of alcohol to get me to forget my problems.
“Larry!” I called to our bartender. “Two fingers of Jack.”
I’d better get started.
THREE
PAIGE
I banged on Gina’s door for the third time in ten minutes. “Get your lazy ass up! You promised you’d go shopping yesterday, and now we’re out of coffee. I need my coffee, Gina!”
“Ugh. Just go to Starbucks,” she moaned, still half asleep. “It’s the middle of the night, Paige. This isn’t cool.”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s nine thirty in the morning. Now get your ass out of bed.”
She didn’t answer, and I knew she was already asleep again. I swear it would take a nuclear bomb to get that girl out of bed. Seeing as my fate was sealed, I grabbed my reusable grocery bags, and headed to the store for some necessities, hitting up Starbucks on my way.
The drive thru line was wrapped around the building, so I found a parking spot in the very back corner, and then headed inside. After waiting in what seemed like an hour long line, I finally ordered, and went to stand with the rest of the caffeine addicts while we waited for the barista to work her magic.
“I’ve got a grande four pump mocha with an extra shot, no foam, no whip latte for Paige?” the barista called.
“Right here!” I stepped around, weaving through people gingerly to grab my drink.
“Paige?” a deep, sexy voice called, and it immediately sent a warm shiver down my spine.
I pivoted to see Axel by the door. He stepped toward me, looking even more delectable in his street clothes. A sexy black, leather jacket over a plain white tee shirt that molded to his sculpted chest, dark blue jeans that hugged his ass, and big leather boots on his feet. His hair was knotted at the nape of his neck, tucked neatly behind his ears. Even just standing in front of me, he commanded the whole area, like he was the most important person in the room, and everyone knew it. It’s not that they feared him, but more like he owned it, and everyone knew. It was… overwhelming. Everything about him was overwhelming.
I swallowed hard as I took a deep breath. I couldn’t handle myself when he was a prisoner, but now, like this, I was doomed.
“What…what are you doing here?” I muttered, thrown off by how his nearness made me feel. I needed to take a step back, but moved forward instead, so close we were almost touching.
“I saw you from the parkin’ lot,” he explained, his hand brushing against mine, as he let someone by.
“No,” I smiled. “I mean here and not…” I didn’t know how to say incarcerated without feeling like I was calling him out. I didn’t want to embarrass him in public.
He avoided my question, still standing close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off his body. “I’m glad I ran into you today, Paige. I’ve been thinkin’ about you.”
“You have?” My eyes widened, disbelieving.
He nodded. “I have.”
“Will you stay?” he asked. “Stay and have a coffee with me. I want…I’d like to talk to you, if that’s okay?”
I stood frozen for a minute. I knew from his file that he lived in Brooks Landing too, and I’d always assumed that I’d run into him one day, but I wasn’t prepared for today to be that day. “Um, I need to go to the store,” I said lamely.
His eyes locked with mine. “Ten minutes. That’s all I ask.”
His emotions were so open and raw, spilling out of his eyes. I could feel it in my gut. That undeniable attraction that I’d been stamping back down for weeks could no longer be ignored. I couldn’t say no. “Okay.”
He grabbed a drink, and led me to an empty table outside on the patio so we could have some privacy. He smiled, almost shyly. “I had this whole spiel worked out in my head for when I saw you again, but it’s flown right out the window. All I can think about is how fuckin’ beautiful you look right now.”
I ducked my head as a smile spread across my face.
“How have you been?” he asked.
I tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear, suddenly nervous. “Okay, I suppose.”
Axel sighed. “Can I just start off by sayin’ that I’m sorry about the way things happened… before? I shouldn’t have put you in a position to compromise your professionalism, or your job security. I was selfish and I’m sorry.”
“No, Axel. You weren’t the only one there. I take just as much responsibility for what happened, if not more. I should have known better. I should have been able to control myself, but…” I trailed off, not really comfortable at admitting just how out of control he made me feel.
He smiled, taking a sip of his coffee, before reaching his hand toward mine. I inched my fingers toward him until we were touching, which sent my heart racing. It was dangerous territory, and I knew I shouldn’t be so willing to step into it, but the warmth of his touch ignited a fire inside me. “I know exactly what you mean. When I’m around you, Paige, it’s like my body is drawn to yours. A moth to your delectable flame. I want to touch you, even right now. Run my finger over your soft skin, glidin’ it along every nook and cranny as I explore every soft, buttery inch and –”
“Axel!” I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t think straight around him, and with the way his words made me want to… No. I couldn’t. “This was a bad idea.” I went to stand up.
He squeezed his eyes shut. “I fucked up again. Jesus, Paige, I don’t know what it is. I swear, I usually have my shit more together than this. I swear it’s like, when I’m around you, everything else just fades away—including my sense.” He paused, taking a deep breath. “Let’s start over. Hi. I’m Axel. I think you’re absolutely amazing, and incredibly beautiful. I’d like to take you out to dinner and get to know more about you.”
The yes was on my tongue, but catching a glimpse of his leather vest reminded me of exactly why I needed to say no. “I’m sorry, Axel. I can’t. My best friend fell down that motorcycle gang rabbit hole, and I won’t allow myself to join her.”
My heart sunk. “I don’t understand, Paige. What is it exactly that you think is so horrible about me ridin’ a motorcycle?”
I fiddled with the cardboard sleeve on my coffee cup. “It’s not that you ride motorcycles. It’s the gang thing.”
He set his cup down, and rested his hand under my chin, urging me to look him in the eye. My heart pounded as I took in every delicious inch of him, my resolve waning. He looked me in the eye. “Paige, I’m not in a gang. True, I belong to a motorcycle club, but that’s very different than a gang.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, I’ve heard that before.”
His face scrunched in confusion. “I’m really lost here, Paige. Why don’t you start at the beginning so I can try to understand?”
I set my cup down, and smoothed my hands on my pants under the table. “Okay. A few years back, my best friend, Gina, met this guy who was in a mot
orcycle… club.” I resisted the urge to put the word club in air quotes. “He was some big shot in the club, and she thought it was great that people started treating her with respect just because she was with him.”
“She was his old lady?” His brows furrowed as he tried to connect the dots.
“I guess. I don’t know all the terminology. Anyway, it wasn’t respect. It was fear. And for good reason. Everyone feared Chubs because of his violent temper, and no one would stand up to him when he started hitting Gina.”
“Chubs Alvarez? From Las Almas?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yeah. Do you know him?”
Chosen (Motorcycle Club Romance): Axel and Paige 2 (Fallen Idols Motorcycle Club Book 5) Page 2
