Bella Jewel - Angels In Leather

His eyes show a sparkle of light when he looks back up at me. I reach across, touching his sunken cheeks that are covered in rubble. “I was starting to think you were dead, but I didn’t want to give up,” I whisper.

“I know, baby,” he says, looking away.

“He sent me a photo, and...”

“I know,” he grinds out, cutting me off. “I know what he did. I heard you scream on the phone...”

“H-h-h-how? Oh God, Axel. We left you there...we...we thought...”

He presses a finger to my lips. “Hush, you didn’t leave me. I know the guys didn’t stop looking for me. I know you didn’t stop looking for me.”

“But we didn’t find you.”

He shakes his head. “I’m here now. The rest doesn’t matter.”

“How did you get out?”

He tucks me into his arm, and then begins speaking in a low, heavy voice. “Raide got me. He found out my location, and he took most of the club down, killing a majority of them. The rest he took into custody. He didn’t plan on killing them, but when he found my location, he made sure he had full re-enforcement. He knew Beast would come out, guns ready, and he did. He shot at them the minute they arrived, but Raide was prepared. He pulled me out.”

Raide saved him. My heart swells.

“W-w-what did Beast do to you, Axel?”

He looks me in the eye. “Nothing he didn’t do before. Only this time there were no girls, just beatings. He could have killed me when he told you I was dead, but he enjoyed watching me suffer and starve. I’m only sorry I didn’t pull the trigger that exploded his brains.”

I take his hand, squeezing it. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t you say sorry to me, Cricket,” he says into my hair. “Never say sorry.”

“The photo?” I croak.

“He shot me twice, and just as I threw my head back and opened my mouth to wail in pain, he took the photo. He was going to send it as a torture picture, to make sure you all gave him the USB, only he found out I had it on me, and decided the photo would work to prove I was dead. It was a freak shot; he got lucky.”

It was a freak photo? My mind spins, and I shake my head over and over. Axel shifts in the chair, and leans down, cupping my face.

“The only thing I saw in that place was you, Cricket. You saved me; you kept me fighting. I realized what a complete fuck-head I’ve been, when faced with the reality that I might never see you again. I don’t care what happens from now. I want you, and I’ll make you mine. I’ll cherish the fucking ground you walk on. I love you, Meadow. I should have told you sooner.”

I feel tears tumble down my cheeks again. “I love you too,” I croak.

“Then marry me, don’t waste another moment away from me.”

I nod, cupping his face, and pressing my lips gently to his. He kisses me softly, before pulling back and looking into my eyes.

“You saved me. You gave me hope when I had none left. You’re the reason I kept breathing, Cricket. The reason I kept fighting instead of giving up. I won’t live another moment of my life without you by my side. From this moment on, I claim you. I swear to everything I have inside that I’ll take care of you, and our baby. I’ll love you until the day I’m a bunch of ashes in the ground.”

I smile, and make a loud hiccupping sound. “Don’t you worry about that, biker,” I laugh and choke at the same time. “I’m never letting you go again.”

A small, weak smile plays across his lips. “If you ever run from me,” he murmurs, leaning down to my ear. “I’ll chase you, and I’ll always find you. You belong to me now.”

My smile gets bigger, and my eyes twinkle. “Damn right I do.”

Her eyes meet mine from across the room, and a wobbly smile spreads across her lips. I return it, only mine is harder, far more gruff. We lock gazes, and she knows as well as I do that there’s something here. Since the moment she walked into the club, all broken and fragile, she called to me. The minute I saw those feral yellow eyes, and she clutched my hand in fear when I took her to her room, I knew she was mine.

Even if that was wrong.

Then Jax came into the picture. Seems he felt the same pull. Now she looks at us both with confusion, and deep lust. Her eyes travel longingly over my body, but they light up when he walks in the room. We’re the yin and yang, the complete opposite to each other. He’s the good, I’m the bad, but she’s the line in the middle. She wants a little something of both, and I can already see how this situation will end.

Badly.

I get out of my chair anyway, walking toward her. The minute I stop in front of her, I see the flush fill her cheeks. She pulls that plump little bottom lip between her teeth, and those cat’s eyes lock on mine. I give her a lazy half-grin, and her flush deepens. “Hi, Cobra,” she murmurs, looking at the tattoo on my neck. Now, her cheeks are flaming red.

“How you doin’, darlin’?”

“I’m doing real well,” she says, meeting my gaze.

“You bein’ treated well?”

She nods, quickly. “Always.”

I nod, letting my gaze slide over her long, slender body. “Seems you’re gettin’ comfortable in my club?”

She darts her eyes around, like I’ve just insulted her. “I’m sorry...I...”

I lean in closer. “I never said it was a bad thing.”

She trembles, and lifts her face so we’re nearly nose-to-nose. “You don’t mind me being here?”

“Makes my fuckin’ day.”

She swallows, and her eyes drop onto my lips. Fuck, I want to lean down and claim those lips, kissing her until she moans my name.

“Ivy?”

She flinches at the sound of her name, and I grumble low in my chest, lifting myself up straight to see Jax walking in. Ivy smiles, her eyes lighting up when she sets her gaze on him.

“Jax,” she breathes.

He grins, stopping beside her. He flashes me a warning expression, an expression that says she’s mine. We’ll fuckin’ see about that. I take a step back, watching him help her off the stool.

“You ready?”

“Where you goin’?” I snap.

Ivy looks up at me, and a flash of guilt crosses her pretty features. “We’re just going for a ride,” she says.

I nod, because there’s nothing else I can do. I’m not going to make a song and fucking dance in the middle of the club. Jax gives me one more hard glare before taking Ivy’s hand, and leading her out the door.

Fuck; just fuck.

I want her, he wants her, but the cold hard truth is...

Only one of us can win.