Axe gave her a hard look. "No, you knew, you just didn't give a shit." Turning his back on his mother, he took Baylee by the hand. "Let's go." He walked toward the doors.
"Michael. Wait," a deep voice said.
Axe continued walking, but a firm hand grabbed his arm and spun him around. Axe took a swing, but Stephen managed to duck in time.
"Get your goddamned hands off me," Axe growled.
Stephen let go. "Look, I'm just as surprised that you're Lorinda's son as you are that I'm going to be her husband, but the shock has passed, and it doesn't really matter, does it?"
Axe didn't answer. He didn't trust himself right then. He was seething, and he wanted to punch this smug, arrogant sonofabitch right in the mouth. Then he wanted to smash and destroy all the cutesy fucking wedding decorations, starting with that damned bridal arch. The whole thing disgusted him. His mother had gone too far. The fact she looked clueless when he was so pissed told him everything. His family was the Insurgents, always had been from the moment he began prospecting. And he had Baylee. He didn't need this shit.
"Make your mother happy today. You and I don't have to be friends, but today is special for her." He tilted his head in Lorinda's direction. She stood there, dabbing the corners of her eyes, a small smile on her mouth.
"Special," Axe gritted. "Aren't you, like, number six?"
Stephen shrugged then trailed his gaze over to Baylee, staring intently at her. "Who is this lovely lady?"
Baylee leaned in to Axe, her body tense. He placed his arm around her. "You're checking out my woman? You keep it up and you'll be visiting the morgue instead of dancing the night away. I'm on to you, asshole. You can pretend you're this rich, respected man in the community, but I know better. You made your money by crooking people."
"And you and your hoodlum club are so innocent?"
"I've never pretended not to be a ruthless, cocky sonofabitch. You're the hypocrite. You don't matter at all to me or the Insurgents, ‘cause we don't give a shit about the citizens' world. So, fuck you." He tugged Baylee toward him and nuzzled her ear. "Let's get outta here, babe."
As they opened the glass doors, his mother sobbed. "Please, Michael. Come back. Do it for me. Please, don't ruin my day. Can't you forgive and forget?"
Axe whirled around. "God forgives. I don't."
The doors shut behind him as he left the hotel without a backward glance. Red blotches floated in front of his eyes; his anger was palpable. The only thing he regretted was that he wasn't able to speak with his uncle. I'll find him tomorrow and make him tell him why he was everywhere Baylee was. Axe had grown weary of all the shit associated with his blood family.
When he started the car, Baylee leaned over and kissed the side of his face. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Since we're dressed, let's go to Aspen, have a steak, dance, and fuck like hell in a suite I'm gonna get. Sound good?"
She grinned, nodding in agreement. "The one thing I'm bummed about is I was craving wedding cake," she joked.
He brought her hand to his lips. "You want cake? I'll get you some. We can share it." He winked at her and veered his car on the two-lane, paved Highway 82.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Baylee, calmed down from the earlier scene at the wedding, looked out the window. She watched as they passed clear rushing rivers, steep-sided valleys, and extensive aspen groves whose rounded leaves looked like green disks shaking in the breeze, shimmering under the August sun.
"Aren't you gonna ask me what the fuck happened back there?" Axe's deep voice broke the pool of silence around them.
"I figured you'd tell me when you were ready. I gathered you weren't too crazy about your mom's choice." She cocked her head and smiled.
"That fuckwad is Stephen Rodgers, Palmer-asshole-Rodgers' dad. Fuck it!"
Baylee gasped. "Wow. That was Palmer's father?" She put her hand over Axe's and patted it. "I'm sorry. Your mother should have known that would've upset you. I wonder why she insisted you come to the wedding."
" ‘Cause she's a selfish, self-absorbed bitch. She probably didn't put it together when she heard the name. Even if she did, the asshole's money would definitely come before me. I'm so done with all her shit."
"Maybe she really doesn't remember. You said she's hooked on pain meds. That crap can mess you up. Maybe she didn't intend to hurt you." She saw Axe's jaw moving back and forth. "It's just a thought," she added softly.
"Yeah, well, she's been doing shit like this for years. I'm done with it."
Baylee leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, then ran her fingers through his hair.
Axe exhaled. "I didn't mean to yell at you back there. It's just that I was super pissed, and it seemed like you were taking her side."
She continued to rake her fingers through his hair. "I know you were upset. I really didn't know the whole situation, I was just trying to defuse the tension that was escalating. I'm on your side. You can count on me."
Axe reached up and caught her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it softly. He turned on the radio, and the two of them listened to classic rock while they made their way out of Pinewood Springs.
* * *
After a short forty-five-minute drive, they arrived in Aspen, a charming mountain town at the base of the majestic Maroon Bells peaks. Forests of evergreen carpeted the verdant valleys. The climate was cooler than Pinewood Springs since Aspen's elevation was higher, and it was a welcome change for the couple.
Axe checked into a small hotel right in the heart of downtown, making restaurants and shops easily accessible. When they entered their suite, the large sliding glass door opened out to an awe-inspiring view of the mountain range.
"How beautiful," Baylee gushed as she stepped out onto the balcony, the cool air lightly caressing her skin.
Axe joined her, looping his arm around her middle, drawing her to his chest. He rested his chin tenderly on the top of her head while he squeezed her to him.
"You're beautiful," he said.
She smiled. "I've never been here."
"Really? I'm glad we came. I'm happy to share this with you."
The sun began its evening descent, and the lights in the town twinkled like fireflies in the night. Baylee's stomach growled loudly, and she giggled.
"Are you going to feed me?" she teased.
He spun her around and kissed her, a devilish look in his eyes. "I'll feed you now, and you can feed me later."
* * *
Sebastian's Steakhouse was located in the heart of downtown Aspen. Warm, soft lights from individually crafted lanterns created the perfect atmosphere for romantic dinners, while the lit onyx bar added to the ambiance. A fire crackled in the large bluestone fireplace to ward off the summer night chill. Cedar beams and rustic wood tables completed the natural feel of the restaurant.
Axe scooted closer to Baylee before pouring the red wine in her glass. He loved being next to her, watching her full lips press against the wine glass as she sipped, breathing in her faint scent of white musk, and brushing against her soft skin. He couldn't get enough of her, and the electrical jolts he experienced when they touched blew his mind. Baylee made him feel complete and settled-something he'd never had before.
"You zoning out on me?" Her lilting laugh wrapped around him.
Shoving against her playfully, he answered, "No. I'm just taking you all in."
Leaning in to him, she brushed her lips on the side of his mouth. With his arm around her shoulders, he pulled her flush to him, crushing his mouth on hers until the waiter placed their steak dinners before them. They reluctantly pulled apart to eat their meals.
As Axe cut his New York strip, Baylee said, "I want to talk about Stephen Rodgers."
Darting his eyes up, he bristled. She reached over and squeezed his arm. "It's not about the wedding or the crap from the past." She took a sip of wine. "It's about the way I got the creeps when he looked at me, and it was more than him just checking me out."
"I noticed you tensed up."
"I did, and I'm not sure why. I got a strong, negative vibe when I saw him. I couldn't look at him. Honestly, I don't even remember what he looks like, I turned away so quickly."
"Maybe it's because you got the vibe he's an asshole, and you'd be right. Let's not ruin our night talking about that fucker. I'm already getting pissed."
"You're right. Let's have some fun."
After they finished their dinner and enjoyed a couple of drinks, the couple strolled down West Main Boulevard. Baylee shivered against Axe, and he guided her into one of the many boutiques lining the street.
"Pick out a sweater or something."
Shaking her head, Baylee protested, "I'm okay. It's just for tonight, and we'll be back at the hotel soon."