I reached for my bag and took out some money. "Here. I'll buy you a beer."
I put the money on the bar. Axel grabbed it and crumpled it up, then threw it to the floor and spat at it.
"That doesn't make up for killing my mother," Axel growled.
I sucked in a breath and my eyes filled with tears.
"Oh, fuck no," River said.
"You heard me," Axel said, looking at me. "You should have been doing your goddamn job instead of fucking my friend."
That's when a wire snapped inside me. That last piece holding everything together.
I grabbed a barstool and threw it to the floor. I jumped-literally jumped-at Axel. I had no idea what I was going to do, though. So, I scratched at him. I curled my fingers like I was a cat trying to attack a dog or something. I didn't get his face but the side of his head. It was like colliding with a brick wall. I hit him, bounced back, and stumbled.
That's when River got involved again, probably for the better, too.
He grabbed me and walked me back.
"Nice try," Axel said.
"Darlin', look at me," River said.
I looked at him. "I'm sorry … "
"It's okay. He's out of control right now. You should go. Take my truck and go back to my place, okay?"
"What about you?"
"I'm going to talk him off the ledge."
"Are you sure … "
"I'm sorry, darlin', but let him figure this out. Without you here. This is not your fault, Lacey."
"It is, though. He's right. I wasn't there."
"You couldn't do a thing," River said. "Just go. Right now. Before things get worse."
"What are you going to do?" I whispered.
"What I have to do," River said.
"Give me a fucking drink!" Axel yelled. "I'll come across that bar, Pecker. I'll ring your fucking neck."
"Go," River ordered me.
He put the keys to his truck into my hand.
He kissed my cheek. "Stop trying to save everyone, Lacey. Stop carrying the past. Be in the present and be in my future."
River turned and walked away from me.
I slipped out of the bar and got into River's truck.
That's when I burst into tears.
But the worst part?
That minute I spent crying instead of driving was about to put me in the crosshairs of an accident that would threaten my future.
River
PRESENT DAY
I promised myself I was going to calm Axel down with a beer and some words. But when he turned his head and looked at me, I knew there was only one way to do this. I swallowed hard and threw a right fist, smashing him in the jaw.
Axel flew to the left, knocking off the empty beer mug.
"Jesus!" Pecker yelled. "No!"
Axel grabbed his face and stood tall.
He came right at me, getting me with a good left hook. It felt like my face exploded. I stepped back, absorbing the punch, but Axel was there again with another one.
We ended up on a pool table, wrestling, rolling off the other side. I grabbed Axel by his shirt and threw him into the wall. All the pool sticks fell off the wall, one by one clanking to the floor. I held Axel against the wall.
There was a pause before he threw his head forward, starting the fight again. I fell back against the pool table, then lunged forward and threw a punch, hitting him in the stomach. I threw him toward the bar and went after him. Axel turned, hitting me with the back of his hand. I swore I lifted off my feet for a split second and then we stopped again.
I touched my cheek. "Did you just bitch slap me?"
Axel wiped blood from his nose. "What?"
"I'm sorry your mother died, Axel."
Axel lowered his head. It started to gently bob.
The fight was over. The attack on Lacey was done. He was finally going to open up a little.
I walked to the bar and motioned for two beers.
Pecker moved quickly to pour us drinks and I gave one to Axel.
He looked at me, tears in his eyes.
"To her," I whispered, lifting up my beer mug.
"To her," Axel said.
We hit glasses and then started to drink. We worked our way over to the bar. My face and jaw were throbbing. Sometimes it was the only way to settle things. Boys will be boys and men will be men.
"Sorry about all that," Axel said. "I shouldn't have said what I said to Lacey."
"You shouldn't have," I said. "She just lost her mother, man. She's torn up over so much shit. And you know what her job was. She's not a fucking doctor. There was no saving … "
"I get it," Axel said. "I get it. I'll make it up to her, I promise. Okay?"
"Fair enough," I said.