Bella Jewel - Angels In Leather

“I’m real sorry, darlin’.”

I shake my head, standing. “I just...I need to go for a walk.”

I turn before he can answer, and I rush out of the room.

“Meadow,” Axel calls, but I don’t stop.

The minute I get outside, I fall to my knees and I cry.

I see the flashing blue and red lights long before it registers. The minute it does register, though, I am scrambling to my feet and running inside the clubhouse. I’m not stupid; I know cops are never a good thing. I skid into the main area, and shove past people, running down to Axel’s office. The minute I swing the door open, I see him. He gets up, his eyes fierce as they search my expression. Then he grates out, “What’s wrong?”

“Cops.”

“Fuck!”

He tears past me, and runs out into the hall. “Boys in blue, make sure nothin’ can be found. Move!” he roars.

The men kick into gear, suddenly sobering, and running down the halls. They’re moving things quickly, barking orders at each other. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. One moment, they’re men fucking women against counters; the next, they’re up and running, fully alert, ready for action. Axel disappears down the hall, and comes back a moment later with something clutched in his hands. He takes my arm, pulling me into a nearby room.

“Need you to do somethin’ for me. It ain’t real nice, darlin’, but I need you to do it all the same.”

“What?” I ask, feeling my eyes darting around frantically.

He opens his hand to reveal the USB and a condom. What the hell?

“Need you to put this...”

His voice trails off, and his eyes flash with desperation. It clicks to me then, and I gasp. “You want me to insert that into myself.”

“If they search us, Cricket, they’ll search this entire place, including me.”

“They can’t just search you,” I protest.

“They’re cops—they do whatever the fuck they want to the club. They’ve been out to get a warrant for long enough that they’ve probably got one. But to you...you have rights. They can’t touch you without permission, and if they come looking in here...for this...they won’t be able to find it if it’s on you.”

I shake my head, trying to process what he’s just said. I lift my eyes, and nod quickly. I don’t really have time to argue. I don’t want just anyone to get hold of that USB. I’ve not finished piecing the story together yet, and until I do, I don’t want it taken. I’ll do it, no matter how awkward. Axel nods his head toward a bed, and I scurry over.

“You want me to?” he asks.

“Um, yeah.”

I take my shorts off, and heat floods into my cheeks. I lay back, trying to think of anything else. I feel like a drug smuggler, and it takes a lot to lie still while Axel unwraps the condom, and puts the USB inside it. Then he kneels in front of me. His eyes connect with mine for a moment, reassuring me, and then he gently parts my folds. “You ok baby?” he asks.

“Just do it, Axel.”

He slips the USB inside me, just enough that it sits much like a tampon would. Part of the condom hangs from my depths, and I feel sick that I’m here, smuggling information in my goddamned private areas. It’s not easy to process, and it’s certainly not easy to lie through. I’m hiding something, just in case the club gets raided. That’s basically what’s happening, only I’m hiding it in a part of my body that is really not awesome.

“I’m real sorry...”

“Just don’t,” I whisper, putting my hand up as I pull myself up and yank my shorts up. I can feel a pressure down below, and I want to scream.

“Meadow¸ I know a lot of shit has happened today, and you’re tryin’ to deal with it all, but after this...I wanna finish it. Once and for all.”

I meet his gaze. He’s staring at me with a firm expression.

“Can we just deal with what’s happening right now?” I ask.

He nods, and we walk out of the room. Cobra stops in front of Axel the minute we reach the front door.

“Bud, I don’t know if you’re gonna like this...”

I hear the skid of tires, and the distinct sound of doors slamming outside.

“Don’t have time,” Axel mutters to Colt. “You got that girl secured?”

“She’s secured. Ain’t gonna talk.”

“Right, then let’s deal with this shit.”

We walk out front, and I see three cops standing in front of the car, all decked out in blue, hands on their guns as if they’re expecting to get shot at. I narrow my eyes, and stare at the one in the middle. He’s tall, and extremely handsome. I mean, the kind of handsome that takes your breath away. He’s got emerald-green eyes, and dark, messy hair. He’s bigger in build, with wide shoulders and long, sinewy arms. I drag my eyes away from him, and notice that Axel has stopped moving.

I turn to stare at him. His mouth is slightly agape and his fists are clenched. I didn’t pick Axel to be one that was intimidated by cops, yet something about his stance is saying he’s shocked, confused, worried. I look back toward the cop who is walking forward, his eyes pinning Axel. He’s scary, and not even in the kind of way that is bad, or dangerous. He’s just leaking dominance, like he’s the kind of man that could bark one word, and you’d crumble.

“Axel, my boy, how are you?”

I’m confused. Axel knows him?

“The fuck are you doin’ here?” Axel breathes, clenching his fists so tightly his knuckles are white. He steps in front of me. I hear shuffling behind me, and imagine the guys are lined up to show their support to their president.

“I got transferred. Thought I’d pay you a visit. Let you know I’m in town.”

Axel doesn’t say anything.

“What?” the cop says, stepping forward with a grin. “You’re not goin’ to give your old dad a hug?”

I feel like I’m going to pass out.

Did he just say...dad?

Silence falls behind me, and it sounds almost like the guys have stopped breathing. I guess they didn’t know Axel’s father is a cop. Oh my God, he’s a fucking cop.

“I got nothin’ to say to you, but fuck off,” Axel hisses. “This is my grounds, and unless you got somethin’ you need, old man, then you can get the fuck off my lot.”

The man grins, and tilts his head, looking behind Axel and connecting eyes with me. He seems familiar, somehow, but maybe that’s just because he looks a little like Axel.

“Meadow, long time no see.”

What? My mind is spinning now. I’ve never met this man before. How the hell does he know my name?

“Step back, and don’t you fuckin’ speak to her,” Axel snarls.

“Don’t be like that, boy. I have a right to speak to her. You know you can’t stop me.”

Why does he want to speak to me?

“Step around here, Meadow. Let me see you.”

I look up at Axel when he glances down at me, unsure what I’m supposed to do. He nods, and I step around him, trying to avoid walking funny. I stop in front of the big man, and he smiles warmly down at me, but there’s something tricky lying behind that smile. He extends his hand, and I hesitate, staring down at his long fingers for a long moment.

“I don’t bite,” he assures me.

I reach out, and put my hand in his. He curls his fingers around mine, and shakes my hand. “I know you don’t remember me, but I’m Raide.”

My head snaps up, and my eyes widen. He chuckles.

“So you have heard of me? I believe you had something for me, though I imagine my son, here, has convinced you not to give it to me.”

The USB. This is the Raide my father wanted me to give the information to? Raide is Axel’s father...I don’t...I don’t understand.

“I don’t know you,” I say in a small voice.

“No, you wouldn’t remember me. You were only young. We need to talk, Meadow.”

“You can refuse him, Cricket,” Axel says from behind me. “You don’t owe him nothin’.”

Raide looks up at Axel, and his eyes harden. “Now, don’t make her mind up for her, boy. This ain’t your business.”

“It is my fuckin’ business. You’re on my soil.”

Raide chuckles. “I see nothing changes.”

I look between the two, confused. I honestly don’t know what’s going down, but I don’t want to be a part of it.

“I’m not going to stick around here pressuring you. But I do need to speak with you, Meadow. I have a lot of answers to your questions. You call me, when you have time,” he says, tucking his hand into his pocket and bringing out a card. He hands it to me, and I take it.

“You done?” Axel barks.

Raide lifts his eyes, and for a moment, I see a look of longing. I don’t know what went down between the two but whatever it is, it was bad. I look at Axel, and I’m angry he lied to me. He told me Raide was dead. Why would he tell me that? I don’t understand it, but right now, I’m trying to process so much information I just can’t do it all right now. Raide calls his boys back to their cars, and with one last look at Axel, they drive away.

Axel turns back to the guys, and his eyes harden. “It ain’t your fuckin’ concern, and I ain’t discussing it.”

Then he walks inside, not giving anyone the chance to argue.

* * *

AXEL

“Don’t fuckin’ start on me, Cobra,” I hiss, storming down the hall.

“You knew the boys were goin’ to find out eventually, Pres...”

“Yeah, and that cunt showing up wasn’t how it was meant to go down.”

He grips my shoulder, and I spin around, lashing out at him, and slamming him against the nearest wall. “Don’t you fuckin’ put your hands on me.”

“They’re good with it, Pres,” he grunts. “They’ve got your back.”

I search his face, and then shove him back, letting him go. He rubs his throat where his shirt pressed against his skin. I shoot him one more glare before retreating to my office, and slamming the door. He doesn’t follow me, but the minute I sit down, the door swings open and Meadow walks in. She’s staring at me with eyes that are all betrayed and angry.

“You lied to me,” she whispers.

I clench my jaw. “Wasn’t your business, Meadow.”

“You. Lied. To. Me.”

I get out of my chair, and charge over, backing her up against the nearest wall. Her lips part, but her eyes hold that same determined glare.

“Don’t you fuckin’ come in here, throwin’ your weight around. I wasn’t obligated to tell you shit, but I did. I gave you somethin’ earlier. I just left one thing out. And I don’t owe you that, ’cause it ain’t your concern.”

“Not my concern?” she cries, and her eyes fill with tears. “I’ve been busting my ass trying with you, Axel. And for what? You’ve given me nothing. Nothing! I let you show me what eats at you, and I accepted it, but you’re still holding back. You still don’t trust me enough to share it all with me. When are you going to give me a bigger piece of yourself?”

I glare at her, and my anger boils over. “I was goin’ to give you a piece of myself, Meadow. Tonight. I was going to patch you in as my old lady, because I want you in my fuckin’ life. I want to try. I want to give you somethin’ that you can hang on to.”

Her eyes widen, and a little gasp escapes her lips. “What?”

“You fuckin’ heard me. I’m claimin’ you.”

She shakes her head, backing up. “You don’t get to just claim me, Axel. It’s not that easy.”

“Do you want me, Meadow?”

She shakes her head, her eyes wide. “What?”

“You fuckin’ heard me,” I grunt.

“I do, but...”

“Do you want to walk away from me?”

“No, but...”

“Then that makes you mine. I’m claimin’ you, because I want you in my bed every fuckin’ day, and I’m sick of denying that.”

Her mouth forms a tiny O, and she continues walking backward.

“You killed my father,” she croaks out. “You chased me across the country for nearly two years. You treated me like a dog, and you hurt me. You lied to me. You kept yourself away from me. Through all of that I still fought for you, hoping there was something left. Now you’re going to just tell me I’m yours, and it’s all happy days? I don’t think so,” she whispers.

What?

I narrow my eyes. “You fuckin’ rejectin’ me, Cricket?”

“I’m no one’s property, Axel, especially not yours. I’m never going to give myself to someone who refuses to be honest with me.”

“It was one fuckin’ thing!”

“You want me to be your old lady?” she growls. “Then open the last door. Tell me what happened to you those months you were away.”