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.”