Axe's Fall(47)

"See you, ladies."

Axe made his way to the great room where he saw Chas, Jax, and Jerry sitting at a table, drinking beers. He headed over to them.

"Saw your old ladies cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Smells good," he said to Chas and Jax.

"She's cooking, and I'm babysitting." Jax pointed to Paisley, who ran around the great room, squealing in delight.

"Me, too." Chas pointed to his daughter, Hope, sleeping in a yellow car  seat, a green blanket with giraffes on it tucked snug under her chin.

Axe shook his head. "Fuck. What the hell's happened to us?"

"Loving a woman," Chas replied.

Jax and Axe nodded.

"So, what's the word?" Jerry asked. "We doing this on Tuesday?"

"Yeah. I had to verify some shit with my uncle, which took longer than  I'd have liked. He didn't cooperate in the beginning." Axe threw back  the shot of Jack the prospect set in front of him.

"Is he gonna snitch?" Jax questioned.

"Nah. He's stupid, but he's not crazy. He likes living too much."

They chuckled then grew quiet as Axe explained the plans for the following Tuesday night.





Chapter Twenty-Eight





Excitement was in the air as bikers, their families, and citizens milled  around the rally, checking out a few of the stands dotting the area.  The maple and oak trees provided shade from the rays of a late August  sun, and the breezes off the lake cooled the area.

Baylee had never seen so many people in leather. Women, men, and  children donned leather boots, vests, and jackets, even though the  temperature hovered around ninety degrees. A boy around eight years old  with dark hair ran up to her and Axe.

"Uncle Axe, have you seen my mom and dad?"

"They were by the stage listening to the band. Come on, let's go look for them."

The boy looked up at Baylee, then back at Axe. "Is this your girlfriend Mom and Dad keep talking about?"

Red brushstrokes painted her cheeks, and she swatted Axe's arm when he laughed deeply.

"Yeah. Jack, this is Baylee. Baylee, this is Jack. He's Chas's son."

"Nice meeting you," Baylee greeted before following the two.

After reuniting Jack with his parents, Axe grasped her hand and led her over to the Harleys on display.         

     



 

"I didn't know Addie and Chas had a son," she said.

"They have a daughter together. Jack is Chas's son from another  marriage. His ex was such a bitch. Since they got hitched, Addie's been  in the process of adopting Jack."

"What about his mom?"

"She doesn't give a shit. She signed the papers. Not sure how it works. Cara's helping them with that."

"Addie seems like she'd be great mom."

"She is. Jack's crazy about her. You want kids?"

Baylee sputtered then coughed. "Where did that come from?"

"We were talking ‘bout kids. Just wondered. Do you?"

"Someday, it'd be nice, but I'm not even thinking about it now." She swallowed. "How about you?"

"Yeah. Someday."

They stopped in front of fifty Harleys gleaming in the sun. As Axe  whistled and admired them, Baylee mulled over Axe's question. Why had he  asked if she wanted kids? Did he plan on spending his future with her?  Even though he'd told her she was his forever, the fact remained that  she lived in Denver and he lived there. How were they ever going to  resolve that problem?

Axe spoke with a few guys in leather, and Baylee noticed several women  in short skirts and shorts wearing halter tops stood at a distance,  giggling and pointing at Axe. Soon, a few of them came over and spoke  with them, a blonde one constantly touching his upper arm. Clenching her  teeth, Baylee's hands curled into fists as she watched Axe laugh and  talk with the women.

"Hi, Baylee. I thought I might run into you" Palmer greeted.

"Palmer. How are you?"

"Good." His gaze slowly moved up her body. "You're looking hot."

Ignoring his comment, she pulled down her crop top in a vain effort to cover her belly button.

"What've you been up to? You haven't returned any of my phone calls," he said.

"Busy with work."

"And with me." Axe's arm hooked around her waist.

A dark scowl replaced Palmer's smile. "I wasn't talking to you," he spat.

Axe walked away with Baylee close to his side.

"You have a real attitude problem, jerk," Palmer called after him.

Axe continued walking, but Baylee winced as his hand tightened around hers. Turning sideways, she noticed his jaw was clenched.

"I can't believe my dad married your trashy mom."

Before Baylee could think, Axe dropped her hand and marched toward Palmer.

"Fuck off. Stay away from my woman," Axe hissed.

Palmer snorted. "You wish she were your woman. She's not the type of woman who goes out with trash."

Baylee blanched, the tension around the two men thicker than fog on a  rainy day. She spotted Banger, Hawk, and Chas watching them. She moved  forward but a hand held her back; looking up, she recognized Jax, relief  washing over her. Palmer took a step back and Axe took one forward.

"Aren't you guys going to stop this?" she asked.

Jax replied, "Axe can take care of himself real good. This isn't our business."

Palmer then turned to her and questioned, "Are you this guy's woman?"

Everything stopped for her. It was like she was looking down on the  scene from above: Palmer tight-lipped and staring at her, Axe's fists  clenched with hatred in his eyes.

"Turn the fuck around. We've been gunning for this day for a long time."

Baylee knew who would win this fight. If she didn't do something, Palmer  would leave on a gurney and Axe in a squad car. She couldn't let it  happen.

She ran between the two men.

"Baylee, get the fuck out of the way," Axe commanded, his voice sharp like a whip.

"No." Axe's predatory growl sent shivers down her back, and her pulse  pounded in her ears. Sucking in a deep breath, she turned to Palmer.  "Yes, I'm Axe's woman. I love him, and I don't appreciate you calling  him trash. He's a wonderful man."

If a pin dropped, she could've sworn she'd be able to hear it. Palmer  stood before her, lips parted and brows together, as if the reality of  her choosing a foul-mouthed, leather-clad outlaw over him was  incomprehensible.

Axe came up behind her, his hands on her shoulders, moving her to the side. "That was sweet, babe. Now, stand away."

In one fluid move, he punched Palmer right in the jaw. The blow knocked  his opponent on the dirt. Shaking his head, Palmer jumped up and turned  away. "Neither of you are worth it."

"Stay the fuck away from me and Baylee," Axe said in an icy voice.

Palmer walked away, disappearing into the crowd. The group of people who  had stood around waiting to see a fight broke apart, wandering off in  many directions. Baylee gazed downward, watching the tufts of grass  shiver in the breeze.         

     



 

"Get over here." Axe gripped her wrist, yanking her against him.

Baylee nuzzled his neck, kissing him, her tongue flicking his earlobe. "I love you," she whispered in his ear.

He placed both hands on the side of her face, her gaze latching onto  his. "You are everything to me." Then he kissed her savagely with his  hot mouth, sending spirals of pleasure through her.

With his arm wrapped around her, Baylee leaned her head against his  shoulder as they walked around the rally. Several women waved to Axe  and, to his credit, he either ignored them or gave them a curt nod. When  they sat at one of the tables under the oak tree, enjoying the coolness  of the shade, Baylee took Axe's hand in hers.

"You seem to know a lot of women," she said, her heart pounding.

"I do."

"It kind of bothers me," she admitted.

"I get that. It'd bother me if you had a bunch of guys you knew flirting  and waving at you. You gotta understand they don't mean anything to me.  We were only having fun. You're the one who means something to me.  We're gonna run into chicks who fucked me. I can't change that. It  doesn't have anything to do with us."

"I know it's your past, but there are so many. I guess I don't like  seeing the women you screwed because I know they've had the same things I  do with you."

His eyes bored into her. "Not true. What I had with them was just  fucking. You and I make love. I hold you all night, and when you're not  awake, I fuckin' watch you sleep. Don't ever think I gave what we have  to other women. I never have. You're my woman. My love."

Baylee jumped up and plopped in his lap, feathering kisses all over his  face and neck. She wriggled against him, giggling when he blew against  her ear. He captured her neck's soft flesh, biting and sucking it while  he caressed her thigh. She squirmed as shivers of pleasure zinged  through her. As she jiggled her butt, she felt the bulge between his  legs grow long and thick against her ass.

"You better stop all your fidgeting unless you wanna fuck against a tree again." His thick voice caressed her from head to toe.