by K. S. Adkins
“No,” he says shaking his head and then staring at his dad, he roars, “This ends now!” and charges.
It was all happening so fast that I couldn’t track their movements enough to jump in to help. And Shane needed help, badly. When a blow to Shane’s face sends him staggering, I chanted for him to focus, to anticipate. While part of me wanted him to have this, the other part wanted it to stop. A child fighting a parent was so fucking wrong, especially when that parent is trained.
Not knowing what else to do, I gave Shane a chance to right himself when Willis landed an uppercut that sent him flying. Ignoring my presence, he proceeds to beat his son with a familiarity that made me sick. It was clear to me that Shane’s mother wasn’t the only one who abused her son. His fucking father did too and often judging by the precision of his blows. Curled into a ball to protect himself, Shane did his best to stay hidden. Seeing him like that filled me with a rage I had no hopes of containing. With a roar of fury, I launched myself onto Willis’ back and secured my forearm over his throat. With every ounce of strength I had, I was intent on killing him. Unfortunately, Willis wasn’t going to go down easy so when he used all his weight to slam me into the wall, I felt it in my bones.
Wrapping my legs around him and applying more pressure, I knew I was screaming for him to die, only he fucking wouldn’t. The next visit to the wall had its desired affect because it stunned me enough that I had no choice but to release him. Hitting the floor hard, I felt the air leave me in a rush.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Shane get to his feet and I knew the kid was done giving his father power over him. Willis wasn’t stupid either. He knew the predator just became the prey and when Shane charged him, he dodged it and hit the floor coming up with his gun flush in his palm.
“You’d shoot me?” Shane laughs in shock. “You’d shoot your own son?”
Wiping blood from his mouth, Willis looks from me to him and says, “Yes. For her I would.”
“Fuck you,” he growls and then opens his arms. “You can’t hurt me more than you already have.”
Snagging the book and clutching it, I found my footing and took my place in front of Shane offering my body and his mother’s bible as protection.
It was all I had.
But it wasn’t enough because when Willis closed his eyes and smiled, I knew I was dead.
The good news was the last face I’d see before I died was Axle’s.
“Even when you don’t need it, I’ll still protect you.”
“You are such an alpha male,” she smiled launching herself at me. “And I love you for it.”
Charging through the front door, I followed Shane’s voice and just as he said, “You can’t hurt me more than you already have,” and watched in terror as Drew put herself in front of him in protection. Lunging forward right as Willis raised his gun, I nearly had him when he fired. When my body connected with his, the momentum sent us both to the ground. Wrapping my hand around his throat and pinning him with my weight, I look over to see Shane kneeling over Drew’s body and the kid’s wails broke me.
I didn’t make it in time…
I was unable to process any of this. Not now, not fucking ever. All I could see were her feet and the thought of never waking up to her again wiped my mind completely blank. Despite losing my shit, I was still aware I had Willis under me and absently I wondered why he wasn’t fighting back. Through different eyes, distant eyes, I knew it was my hand wrapped around his throat but instead of cutting off his air, I released my grip. Choking him would be too easy. This motherfucker wouldn’t be getting easy.
Giving myself over to the rage, I let nature take its course and while I knew I was beating him to death, my thoughts centered around Drew. Every memory, every touch and the way her eyes softened when she told me she loved me. I thought of her parents, her sisters, and her crew. So many loved her and the loss for all involved would be devastating. As for me, I’d never move on. I would be stuck in this moment for eternity. The moment I didn’t chase her like I promised to. I should have fucking chased her…
Blinking my eyes, I couldn’t figure out why I was staring at the ceiling. Even when Camo’s face appeared, I couldn’t make out what she was saying. But I noticed she had a rifle slung over her shoulder and was wearing a ball cap. As she continued to speak, the blood rushing through my ears prevented me from hearing her, from hearing anything. When she claps her hands, I follow the movement and then there was sound. “He’s out, Axle,” she says slapping my face. “If you’re going to finish him, do it now before the calvary gets here.”
Helping me to sit up, I take in my surroundings but was slow to make sense of it. Shane had Drew in his lap and his face made it clear he was miles away. The kid was well into shock. Gadget was looking her over, touching her gently and leaning against the wall in the kitchen was Whisky who was watching this play out with pain filled eyes.
Getting in my line of sight, Camo grabbed my face and says, “You gonna finish this or am I?”
Absently, I knew I said, “I’ll do it,” but I wasn’t sure if I voiced it or not. I must have because she nodded and said, “Good, then I’ll go sit with Drew.”
“Drew,” I moaned low but could not fucking move. I don’t think I had it in me to see. I was so lost, so done.
“Axle,” I hear her voice and closed my eyes praying I never forgot the sound of it. “Axle,” I hear again and opened my eyes to see her being helped up by Gadget and Camo. Her eyes met mine and when she whispers, “I’m okay, honey,” I roared her name before pushing myself up and straddling a barely conscious Willis.
“Today, Axle,” Camo warns yet I didn’t heed it.
“Units are close,” Gadget says still holding Drew gently.
Locking on Shane, I give it a heartbeat before I call his name. When his eyes snap to mine I tell him to, “Turn around.”
Doing as he’s told, he turns and Whisky tells him to, “Keep your eyes on me, kid.”
Grabbing Willis’ gun I press it against his forehead but don’t pull the trigger. Yelling, “Fuck!”, I toss the gun, take his head in both hands and with every ounce of strength I had, I twisted.
Fighting for breath, needing more death, it was Gadget who pulled me away and demanded to let him take care of it.
“Go to your woman,” he orders and that’s when everything came back online.
“Drew,” I whisper urgently and on my hands and knees, I crawl to her. Stealing her from Camo, I wrap myself around her and she does the same. Not even the sound of gunfire made us jump.
Absently, I heard Gadget mutter, “Suicide,” and Camo slowly explaining the situation to Shane. But Drew was alive, in my arms and I refused to think about anything else or let her go.
“I can’t breathe,” she whispers into my neck and easing back I look down at the book in her hand and watch her flip it over. She was clutching a bible. A bible with a bullet hole dead center. Right where her heart would have been.
“That bible saved your life,” I choke out.
“Jesus Christ,” she chuckles. “It is powerful.”
Units flooded the house, assessed the threat, took in the scene, and that was the moment Shane started yelling.
“He assaulted Drew!” he announces pointing at Willis. “Then he shot her! He fucking shot her! Then he shot himself!”
Huh, so maybe he wasn’t in shock. But he wasn’t that great of an actor either.
The whole process took an age and I wasn’t surprised that Gadget, Camo, nor Whisky stuck around for it. They made their exit seconds before the cops came in. Drew and I stayed by Shane’s side as his dad was bagged and taken away. We all kept to the same story and hours later when it was all over, I watched Drew stand up and spin in a circle.
“What are you doing?” I ask as she continues to spin.
“Did I shit my pants?” she asks craning her neck. “I feel like I shit my pants.”
It was Shane that laughed as he said, “You didn’t shit your pan
ts, Drew.”
“Like you’d tell me if I did,” she huffs then hugs his neck from behind. “I’m so sorry, Shane.”
“It’s me who’s sorry,” he whispers. “I wasn’t strong enough to do it myself.”
“I don’t know,” she says winking at me. “That was one hell of a fight, kid. It took guts. I’m just sorry you had to do it.”
“At least I can say I fought back even if it was only once.”
“Why don’t we lock up and head home?” I suggest and when the kid closes his eyes, I assure him, “This plan includes you, kid. You’re coming with us. Unless you want to stay here?”
Shaking his head, he chokes out, “No, I want to go with you guys.”
Kissing his cheek, Drew smiles and says, “Good answer.”
Well into the night I had Drew on my lap, Shane in the chair across from us, and he had finally fallen asleep. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she pulls me in for a kiss and asks, “Can we keep him?”
“He’s an adult, Drew,” I smile down at her. “It’s up to him.” Pulling her even closer, I look from her to Shane and whisper, “But I hope we can.”
“Can I stay on the new boat?” Shane asks cracking one eye open. The smirk on is face said it all. He was staying a while.
“No,” Drew snorts. “But I will let you clean it.”
We all had a laugh but the mood was still heavy. There was shit that still needed to be said and done. However, we had time, it didn’t have to be tonight. Standing up, Shane heads toward the kitchen and asks us, “You guys want a beer?”
We nod in agreement and watch him turn away. “I need a minute,” Drew says sitting up and following the kid.
Giving them their moment, I didn’t plan to interfere until I heard Shane cry out. Rounding the corner, I see Drew wrapped around the kid in an effort to keep him together. Clutching her tight, he can’t seem to get close enough.
“You saved me,” he cries into her hair and it was an effort not to let a tear fall. Silently giving my support, I pull them both to me to keep them safe. Grabbing my arm, Shane locks eyes with me and says, “You saved me too.”
I won’t even bullshit.
The three of us spent the next hour crying in the God damn kitchen and it felt right.
“You’ll do as you’re told,” he managed with a straight face.
“Do you like your nuts?” I countered. “Because if you do, you’ll want to rephrase that.”
“Fine,” he grunted. “You can play with my ass first as long as I get yours after.”
“Oh boo-boo,” I fake pouted. “As if you’ll be able to walk when I’m done with you.”
“Be gentle?”
“Maybe?”
Axle and I were mid argument about the benefits of premarital sex when Carrie walked in with Tiny on her heels.
Not caring that we had an audience, I point at Axle and demand to know, “Why is it always about your cock?”
Cupping his junk, he smirks and says, “Because it is. He loves you, Drew.”
“I know Axle,” I say sticking out a hip. “He told me twice this morning!”
“I love you too,” he grins while staring at my tits.
“We can be in love and not be married,” I reason because hello, it’s 2016.
“My cock and I want it legal,” he insists adorably. “A bible saved your life and we agree that means something.”
“Quit speaking for your balls, Axle!”
“We won’t take no for an answer,” he says crossing his arms over his chest. “If you can’t agree with us, I’m afraid we’ll have to cut you off.”
For the last few weeks every discussion leads to marriage and though I was a sure thing, I was still playing hard to get because his arrogance pissed me off. Withholding sex was a new tactic though, one I didn’t like.
“I don’t need a label; I just need you.”
“And my cock,” he says adjusting himself.
“Yes and your cock too, duh. You’re a package deal. A big package,” I mutter trying not to stare and failing.
I’d forgotten we had company until Carrie announces, “Tiny’s dick swings down to his thigh.”
Fighting a gag, Axle goes mute and Tiny shrugs in a way that said, What? It’s true.
“You just said that,” I manage to choke the words. “Out loud.” And fuck me, my eyes were now on Tiny’s crotch.
“I’m a lucky girl,” she chirps while also staring at his crotch.
“You have no concept as to what over sharing means do you?”
“Of course I do,” she waves me off. “I could have said, Tiny’s dick swings down to his thigh at rest but when he’s hard it reaches his knee cap. But I didn’t because that would constitute over sharing.”
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Axle groans covering his mouth.
As for me, I was still staring waiting for his dick to peek out the bottom of his jeans like a jungle vine. “His knee cap, really?”
“Why are you two here?” Axle interrupts giving me a shove to break my stare. “Eyes on my vine, Drew.”
“Sorry,” I mumble, not sorry at all.
“I found my bridesmaid dress,” Carrie announces and my eyes went wide.
Seeing an opportunity, Axle gangs up on me and says, “Carrie found her bridesmaid dress, Drew. She’s being very proactive about this, don’t you think?”
“Not really,” Carrie defends and I was giving her the shut the fuck up look but she ignored me. “I only went and got mine after Drew sent me a picture of hers.”
Fuck. Busted.
“The hell you say,” he grins down at me. “Something you want to tell me, Drew?”
“Only that it was on sale so I bought it in case one of my sisters needed it.”
“But you said – ” Carrie tries and I level her with a look and growl, “It was a secret, asshole.”
“Oops,” she says backing away. “Maybe we should go…”
No sooner did they clear the door, Axle had me pinned against the wall. “You want to marry me,” he says licking my neck. “Admit it.”
“Fine,” I groan. “I want to marry you.”
“Put the dress on for me,” he moans grinding into me.
“Why?”
“So I can fuck you in it.”
I squealed and bolted for the steps with Axle picking me up by my ass so I’d move faster. I had that dress out the bag and sliding over my body in under a minute. But it only took him seconds to get underneath it. When his tongue swept over my clit, I sighed in pleasure, “I think I’m going to like marriage.”
Inserting a finger inside of me, Axle growls, sinking his teeth into my thigh before licking the sting away. Blowing on my pussy, he declares, “I can’t fucking wait to call you my wife.”
“You can call me wife now, just don’t stop!”
Thank God he took orders well.
“When it happens,” I began. “And it will happen,” I needed to mention. “I was hoping you’d be my best man.”
Giving me a grin followed by a man hug, Shane simply said, “It would be an honor, Axle.”
The best part was of this was hearing Drew sniffling from the kitchen. The woman had more feelings than most and did a shit job of hiding them. Swear to God, she’s the only one who thought she was good at it.
Six months ago, I opened a box of unfinished business and found Drew’s file hiding at the bottom.
Though I’d never stopped loving her, the way I felt now didn’t hold a candle to how I’d felt then. Drew and I had something rare, something magical.
Letting those years in between go wasn’t difficult because the years ahead of me starred her. Slowly I was wearing her down to pick a wedding date and when I wasn’t doing it, Carrie was.
My ex-wife wanted Drew and I married, badly.
The same ex-wife who has also become a trusted friend to both of us. Over these months, I’ve seen things in Carrie I never bothered to notice before. There was a confidence about her that demand
ed your attention. Drew’s influence played a huge role once she’d taken Carrie under her wing.
Carrie, in turn, loved Drew to a frustrating distraction.
Drew, the town bad ass, would never admit it, but she loved Carrie too.
At least when she wasn’t treating her like our very own house pet.
Drew showed she cared in other ways. Like making her a day manager at Bennett’s for instance. She did this because Carrie had a flair for easing people, multi-tasking and keeping her boss happy. Drew also brought Len from Bennett’s to manage Legacy, so Carrie’s transition was excellent timing. Last month she moved in with Tiny, the guy who didn’t say much, but loved her unconditionally. The two of them were even talking marriage these days. Although it was more Carrie than Tiny. Tiny for his part just nodded and smiled a lot.
On top of this, Mitchell Hayes was making miracles happen with the restoration of The Hole. Drew and I left him to it and did not question his judgement. He knew her vision, respected it, and it was evident with the progress he was making that the grand re-opening would happen by Christmas. Drew negotiated up front that her guys, Fudge and Luis, were to be on the crew so they could get a paycheck. Mitchell Hayes would fucking bark if Drew asked him to and if she wasn’t head over heels in love with me, I’d kick the guy’s ass.
The very next day following the fall out with Willis, I announced she was living with me full time.
She didn’t fight me on it so she and I took Shane shopping so he could decorate his room.
If you spent time with the three of us you’d think we’d always been a family. Shane blended into our lives perfectly and completed us. Now enrolled in college, still in therapy, and working weekends at whichever business of hers needed coverage, Shane was finding his way to normal.
Her parents have visited, her sisters too. Although, when the five of them got together, I hid in the basement. Drew, I could handle twenty-four-seven but her sisters were nothing like her.
