Axel (Reapers MC Book 17)

by Elizabeth Knox

  “I’m not mysterious.” Rosa immediately tries to shut me down, but she knows she can’t. When I say I barely know anythin’ about the woman except when it comes to the club, her workin’ with the Vixens, and that sorta shit, I’m dead ass serious.

  Shooting her a knowing look, she lets out a pent-up laugh. “Okay, so maybe I’m a bit mysterious. It’s nothing special, though.” Rosa rolls her eyes in an attempt to dissuade me from asking about her past . . . but I want to know more about her.

  “I’d beg to differ,” I tell her, movin’ a few feet in front of her I grab a stray limb and pull it back so it doesn’t hit her in the face.

  She stops directly beside me and cocks a brow. “What do you mean?”

  “If you ask me, anythin’ about your life is special.”

  Rosa’s cheeks flush with a soft pink before she heads on and I follow close behind her. “I don’t know how to take all these compliments, Axel. It’s like you’re turning into a completely different man, one that isn’t such an asshole.”

  “Nah, I’m still an asshole. Just give me time,” I tell her and she breaks out into an unapologetic laughter, like nothin’ else in the world is on her mind and it makes me smile. This is the type of woman I like to see all the time, the one who’s relaxed, not the woman who came home from the bar a few hours earlier than the rest. That woman looked worried, like the weight of the world was on her shoulders.

  “What do you want to know?” Rosa asks as we venture down the small path that leads to the shore. Rocks of various shapes and sizes are underneath us and the water washes up and down onto the shore from the wind. Birds chirp in the background and other than that, the only thing around here is us. Truth be told, it’s why I brought her here. I wanted to have uninterrupted time with her, away from the club, away from the business and bustle of Billings.

  “Where’d you grow up?” I start with this one, wantin’ a good idea of the type of past she had before she became a Vixen.

  “I spent half my time in Arizona, just outside of Phoenix. The other half I lived in Mexico with my father.”

  Interesting. I had no idea she was bi-racial.

  “Are you about to say I don’t look Mexican enough? ‘Cause I’ve heard it all.”

  Furrowin’ my brows at her, I cock a brow. “Why the fuck would I say somethin’ like that? Who in their right mind says that type of shit? Fuck, I just wanna know more about you.”

  “You’d be surprised. Part of the time in Mexico I went to school there, obviously, and I was always picked on because of my skin. How it’s olive and not tan, and don’t even get me started on my eyes. They’d torment me, say my father wasn’t actually my father. It got to the point where I didn’t want to go so my father had a home schoolteacher come to the estate. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I would’ve passed tenth grade.”

  “Estate. Your dad rich or somethin’?”

  Rosa nods. “He was, before he died. I was seventeen when he passed away, so after that I went to live with my mother. Then I moved to Atlanta for a bit and stripped. It paid the bills. I got into being a cam girl while living in Atlanta, and then I moved to Charleston. When I was living in Charleston, Octavia launched the Vixens, so I applied, got the job, and moved up here. So, that’s my story.”

  “You really summed it up for me there,” I tell her, takin’ a few steps in front of her I look out onto the deep blue water. I’ve always known about this place, but in my darkest moments I’ve taken my ass out here and do exactly what I’m doin’ now. I’ll stand at the edge and look out onto the water ‘cause it’ll center me. I’m sure everyone at the fuckin’ club just thinks I’m a bastard who doesn’t give a damn about inner peace, but there’s a balance to everythin’. Just didn’t start to do anythin’ about it until Dixon got with Indra and she started preachin’ to everyone about meditatin’ and shit. She’s a yoga lady though, so it’s her jam.

  “Yeah, I did. It feels weird because I know so much about you already,” Rosa admits, lookin’ at me for a split second before her eyes turn back to the water.

  “It shouldn’t. You and Grim have been friends since you came here,” I say, watchin’ the way her eyes expand a bit. It must be awkward for me to even mention Grim.

  “Is . . . is it weird that we um . . . I mean do you think it’s weird we . . .” I’ve never seen this woman rendered speechless, but just as I thought she’s holdin’ some sort of nervous feeling about us fuckin’. I mean, shit, I’m a selfish bastard but even I thought about my brother and what he’d think if this turns into what I want it to. Then again, hearin’ her speak the way she is makes me realize I didn’t fuck up everythin’ the other day when we were at the baby shower. Sure, I pissed her off but my lucky ass still has a chance.

  “No, I don’t. I talked to Grim earlier, outta respect and whatever . . . told him how I feel about you and—”

  Rosa turns her body toward mine and grabs onto my forearm. “How you feel about me?”

  I nod. “Yeah. Considerin’ what happened when he and Natalie were just gettin’ together . . . I didn’t wanna be disrespectful as fuck, especially to my brother. I told him I’m into you, and in more or less terms he told me not to fuck it up.”

  Rosa’s quiet and I give her a few moments to process what I’ve just said. Before long I speak up again.

  “Now, I’m no saint and you damn well know it . . . but I’ve had my eye on you for a while. I just never did a damn thing about it and after havin’ a taste of you, I don’t wanna miss out on that opportunity again.”

  Rosa sucks in a deep breath and rips her hand away from my forearm, puts it over her face, shieldin’ her eyes away from me. Immediately I can see something’s up, so I take her hand away from her eyes and tears are slowly fallin’.

  Even so, she looks damn beautiful.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Never assume that loud is strong, or that silence is weak

  ~ Unknown

  Rosa

  I’m not a crier. Never have been, not even under the worst of circumstances but here my ass is, crying effortlessly in front of him. I’ve been so concerned about what Grim would think that I didn’t even realize I was holding myself back from something I wanted to do. So, all of these feelings came rushing in out of nowhere. Yeah, they grew and began to multiply after Axel and I fucked, and yeah I like the way he dominates me in the bedroom but I’m seriously concerned if he thinks he can order me around like a soldier outside of the bedroom . . . ‘cause I’ll never be that type of woman.

  I knew those types of women the entire time I was in Mexico with my father. They’re the type of women who worked with him, most of them having their husbands work on his estate as well. Instead of going to the women he’d walk right up to their husband and ask if they could do things, getting permission. I never understood it but growing up I began to understand the difference in Mexican marriages versus American ones. One thing I quickly began to realize is these differences were the most prominent in older people, versus the younger ones who worked for him.

  I don’t want to be like those women who couldn’t make choices for themselves. I want to have a life, and I want to have a partner, but it’s like I can’t even have my own choices right now. Xavier told me my father’s stipulation in his will, I must be married. There’s no way around it. I’m either going to be married and claim what’s mine or I won’t get anything.

  I’m not suffering over here since I work for the Vixens, and I do a damn good job at the content I put up, which is obvious from my subscriber count. I don’t need the money. I’m doing well on my own, so is this a selfish need? Do I really just want it, or is it because I’m Rosa Ramirez that I want it?

  “You gonna tell me why a pretty woman like you is cryin’ in a place like this?” Axel asks, sounding like one of those guys in the old western movies.

  It almost makes me laugh, but I don’t. “I’m sorry. I don’t like to . . . to do this,” I say, pointing to my face. “I’m overwhelmed and I t
hink my body is at its limit.”

  Axel takes a step closer to me and wraps his big arms around my body. He’s not an overly large guy, but he has this habit of making me feel small, like I’m perfectly tucked away from anything dangerous. I inhale deeply and scents of sandalwood hit me, calming me even further. I snake my arms around his waist and hold onto him, my ear against his chest, listening to the way his heart beats. It’s soothing, listening to the thumping, standing here quietly in his arms without him demanding some sort of information.

  He’s simply letting me be, allowing me to take the time I need.

  How can a man like this be the same arrogant prick who wanted to order me around? I don’t understand it. He’s like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

  Pulling my face away from his chest a bit, I speak freely, “My father died when I was a teenager, and I’m supposed to get my inheritance when I turn twenty-five, which is tomorrow, but he made a stipulation in his will. He required I be married before anything was turned over to me, otherwise I get nothing.”

  “A shitty demand to make on someone’s birthday,” Axel murmurs against the top of my head, running his hand soothingly against my back.

  “He always had a way of having the last word, even in death. This is his way of doing it I suppose.”

  “Mmm, so what’re you gonna do?” Axel asks, and I shrug my shoulders.

  “I don’t have a clue. It isn’t an easy decision to make.” I mutter, and the intensity of the situation floods back over me, pushing down on my shoulders and makes me feel miniscule.

  Axel continues rubbing my back and clears his throat. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry for bein’ an asshole to you the other day. I just didn’t want you to walk away, not when I realized I want you to be mine. Figured you weren’t even gonna give me a damn chance ‘cause of the history you had with Grim.”

  “We didn’t have any history, just some drama. I won’t lie and say I wasn’t concerned about it, but from the sound of it you two had a good talk and we can see if anything comes to fruition between us.” I’m willing to give this a shot, as long as Axel does the same thing.

  “I’d like that,” Axel murmurs against my forehead, keeping his lips against my skin I feel the heat of his breath as he exhales. It makes butterflies swarm through my body, calming me even further.

  Pulling my head away from him I look up into Axel’s eyes and tell him the one thing I believe he needs to know. “My father’s associate, Xavier, is the one who’s handling his estate. He ended up telling me about something else, about something that could be a problem later on.”

  “Alright. What is it?”

  “My father . . . he arranged for me to marry someone.”

  Axel looks like he’s either going to snap someone’s neck, or like he’s severely constipated. “I just found out about it so don’t think I’m interested in this dude, because I’m not.”

  “Who in the fuck thinks it’s remotely appropriate to arrange marriages for their daughters?! It’s not like you’re some fuckin’ mafia princess or somethin’, you’re just a woman, a woman who gets to make her own damn choice. Fuck!”

  My blood runs cold and I stare right into his eyes. “Axel, my father. He . . . Ugh, he used to be the . . .”

  “Don’t even tell me you’re about to say you’re a mafia princess or somethin’.”

  “Cartel, but yeah.”

  “Fucking Christ!” Axel grunts and looks up to the sky. “The one woman I wanna be with for the long haul and you have to make it difficult for me?!”

  “Who’re you yelling at?!”

  “God, your father, the world, fuck if I know,” Axel mutters, shaking his head while I’m sure he’s processing what I’ve just said to him.

  “So . . . are you thinking about anything, or have any questions, or something?”

  “Is this an interview?” Axel asks me with his brows raised.

  I put a hand on my hip and shove at his chest. “Stop being a dick. I like it better when you’re nice.”

  “Does the dude know where you are?” At his question I shrug my shoulders.

  “I don’t have a clue, and honestly . . . I don’t want to find out.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  I feel this gravitational pull toward you, like the universe and all the galaxies said ‘yeah, it’s time.”

  ~ Unknown

  Axel

  “I can’t tell if you’re pullin’ my leg or not, man . . .” Hammer tells me from his seat across from me. We’re both back at the club, sharin’ a beer together after we go over how crazy our day’s been. He’s dealin’ with gettin’ shit sorted before he goes down to Los Angeles, and from the looks of things, Zane chatted with Breaker and he won’t be officially leavin’ for about two more months. I’d much rather be losin’ one of the prospects, but I get why Zane’s sendin’ Hammer down. He trusts him. Considerin’ the two of them go way back, I can’t blame him for wantin’ to have someone like him in a new territory. If I were in his position, I’d be doin’ the same thing.

  “I’m not, brother. Trust me, I wish I were . . .” Rosa and I spent a few hours at the lake and now it’s a bit past eleven at night. I’m exhausted, but my mind won’t stop rollin’ around, wonderin’ what the fuck is gonna happen whenever this dude realizes she’s not gonna be with him. Hell, I guess it doesn’t matter when I think about it. I’ll fuckin’ crush any bastard who gets too close to her. She’s finally accepted I want her and she’s willin’ to give this a shot with me. Nothin’ will screw this up for us, and I mean nothin’. I won’t let it, not now and not ever.

  “I’ve heard stories about her father, man . . . shit. Blackjack and Zane know yet?” Hammer questions.

  “Know what?” Zane’s voice comes from behind me and I close my eyes for a split second. This isn’t the way I wanted to tell him this shit. I figured we’d have time before he needed to know everything, but maybe I was a fool for thinkin’ that.

  From the corner of my eye, I see Hammer slippin away. Scoffing under my breath, I finish off my beer and toss it in the nearest recycling bin. “Well, looks like we’ll be havin’ a chat now. You got a minute?”

  “No, but it’s fine. Hop in the truck with me. I got somewhere to be,” Zane tells me, and he turns heading toward the clubhouse doors. I follow him through them, up to his truck, and get in the passenger side.

  He’s bucklin’ up and startin’ the ignition when I start speakin’ to him, “There’s no easy way to tell you this shit so I’m gonna come straight out and tell you if that’s good?”

  Zane puts the truck into drive and starts on his way. “Well, what’re you waitin’ for? Spit it out.”

  “Rosa’s Rafael Ramirez’s daughter.” I do as he asks and the man slams on the brake before we hit the end of our long ass driveway.

  “Tell me you’re playin’ a nasty fuckin’ prank on me right now.”

  “I would, but I can’t. I found out this evening, and I’m tellin’ you right here right now that it doesn’t matter who her father is. He’s dead, and she’s someone I’m not lettin’ go of.”

  Zane stares at me like I’ve lost my damn mind. “You really wanna get involved with a Ramirez? Her father pissed off a lot of people, Axel. He has a lot of enemies and you know she’ll inherit every last one of them if word gets out who she is, and more importantly, where she is.”

  “No one outside the club needs to know who her dad is. The only things they need to know about her is her name’s Rosa, she’s my woman, and she works for Octavia as a Vixen. They’re the only three things they need to be concerned about.” I’m not fuckin’ around when I say this shit. Things are just startin’ between the two of us and I don’t want what we can be to go down the drain.

  Hell, she’s in my bedroom right now catchin’ some sleep. She wanted me to drop her off back at the Vixens’ house . . . but I didn’t wanna do that, not when we made progress tonight. Maybe part of me doesn’t want her to be spendin’ time alone where she can think of all the
things I don’t do right and find a way to talk herself outta bein’ with me.

  The second I get back tonight though, I’ll be makin’ damn sure she remembers just how comfortable she is in my bed.

  “You seem determined.”

  “As determined as you are with Octavia and Inc,” I comment back, needin’ him to understand how serious I am with her.

  Zane chuckles and keeps his eyes on the road. “I never knew you had a thing for her. Figured she was off limits for you.”

  “Grim and I had a chat. He couldn’t give a fuck about who she’s with, but he wants the best for her.”

  “And he’s cool with you bein’ with her?” Zane busts out into laughter. Asshole.

  “Shut up, will ya?” I end up laughing at this too, appreciatin’ the way here at the club we all act like family.

  A few minutes of silence pass by while Zane drives and we pull up to the small bakery in town, one I’ve been to many times before and they’ve got some bangin’ sandwiches as well as their baked goods. It’s a good thing the club isn’t right in town, ‘cause I’d be one fat bastard eatin’ all the donuts outta this joint.

  “You have a meetin’ with someone today?”

  “Mhm, a friend of Chaz’s,” Zane comments, unbuckling his seatbelt he opens the door and hops out. I follow his lead and meet up with him just as he rounds the vehicle.

  “Shit, before it slips my mind again. I had some time to dig into Gears’ daughter, Tara. Turns out she works part time at a bakery in their small ass town. She turns eighteen next month and graduates. From what I can tell on her Facebook and Instagram, she’s lookin’ to go down the culinary path.”

  Zane nods. “All good information. Give me a bit to mull over some ideas and we’ll make a plan. First, I need to get this meeting sorted.”

  Nodding, I follow behind Zane and we head to the front door, but when he’d normally push it open there’s a sign that reads: