Kiki and Bella both gave Hawk an innocent smile when he scowled in their direction.
“Gonna close down The Iron Horse to the public so Dirty Deeds can set up in there, an’ it’ll give us more room since their club’s ‘bout as big as ours. Gonna be a crowd.”
“They already know their invited?” someone yelled out. Bella thought it sounded like Crash.
“Yep. Comin’ with bells on.”
“With both clubs here, at least we don’t have to worry about the Warriors while everyone’s eating and drinking themselves into a coma,” Ivy murmured as she leaned into Bella, wrapping an arm around her waist.
“Why are you hanging on me?” Bella asked her.
“I can’t hug my sister?”
Bella frowned as she looked her sister up and down. “Why are you being mushy? Are you knocked up or something?”
“No!” Ivy’s eyes widened. “At least, I don’t think so.”
“Oh shit,” Bella groaned. “Better find out before the party.”
“I’m not.”
“Right.”
“If anyone’s going to be knocked up next it’s going to be Kiki,” Ivy insisted.
Kiki sucked in a breath. “No, it’s not. I’m still establishing my law firm in town. I don’t have time to have a kid hanging off my hip.”
“Hawk will do it. I could see him at The Iron Horse with one of those baby holster-thingies strapped to his chest, spit up on his cut,” Jewel said then laughed as she came up behind the group of women.
“Will you bitches shut up? The man’s talkin’!”
The group’s eyes swung to Grizz sitting two stools down from them, nursing a beer and yanking on his long, grey beard in agitation. Their eyes swung back to Hawk, who was scowling in their direction.
“Do you think he heard me?” Jewel whispered.
“You work with D’s crew, Jewelee. No one should scare you more than those terrifying motherfuckers,” Diamond reminded her, stepping behind the bar to join them.
“When did you get here?” Jewel asked her sister.
“Just now.”
“Where’s Slade?”
“Don’t know. Don’t care.”
Bella curled her lips under and bit them to keep from calling her out on her lie.
“Watching the bar,” Sophie announced with a sigh, her hand to her lower belly as she joined them, too.
“Are you holding onto that kid for a reason?” Diamond asked, grabbing a beer from the cooler.
Sophie grabbed a ginger ale and popped the tab on the can. “I don’t want to miss it when she starts moving.”
“You’re only going to feel gas if you don’t stop drinking carbonation,” Diamond warned her.
“It helps settle my stomach.”
Bella grabbed a bottle of whiskey. “Jack’s going to help settle mine.”
“Pour me one,” Ivy said.
Bella shook her head. “Not until I know you’re not pregnant.”
“Who’s pregnant?” Jag said, coming up to the bar and settling on a stool near them.
“No one’s pregnant,” Ivy told her old man quickly.
“I’m pregnant!” Sophie practically yelled.
“That’s old news,” Bella said.
“Baby, pour me a double,” Jag said to Ivy.
Ivy snagged the bottle from Bella and poured two doubles. Then she slammed the bottle onto the bar and downed her double shot with a wince.
Facing Bella, she said, “See? Not pregnant.”
Jag’s eyebrows shot up his face. “You’re knocked up?”
“No!” Ivy shouted.
“Thank fuck. ‘Cause I’d have to spank your ass if you just did a shot with my kid in your belly.”
“Holy fuck,” Ivy grumbled, pouring herself another one and downing it quickly. “My belly’s empty except for whiskey right now.”
“Better be,” Jag grumbled back.
Bella shook her head and sighed. Then she looked up at Hawk. “Are you going to finish?”
Hawk seemed to have misplaced his happy face. “Just waitin’ for you all to quit your yappin’.”
Bella raised her shot glass to him. “Carry on.”
Hawk frowned at her and shook his head.
Bella didn’t even bother to listen to everything else her cousin yelled out. It was the same old, same old. Prospects are going to do this, the women are going to do that, Mama Bear would prepare the food with help from the sweet butts and the line cooks, the band was going to play, the booze was going to flow, Dawg’s girls would give lap dances, head jobs and whatever else they can be talked into. Basically, people were going to get drunk, high, and fuck.
Typical club party. Christmas or not.
The only difference would be a pine tree in the corner and that this party would be held inside instead of the church courtyard because of the weather.
Bella would probably just stay behind the bar and sling drinks all night for the brothers and their ol’ ladies or their lays for the night.
If she was smart, she’d tie one on, grab one of the better looking, recently-bathed hang-arounds—if she could find one—and fuck his brains out to get Axel out of her head.
That’s what she needed to do, but probably wouldn’t.
Instead she’d tie one on, fill her belly full of good food, maybe dance a bit with the other DAMC women, then get a ride home before climbing into her empty bed.
Because that’s what her life consisted of... the club, the bakery, and a cold, empty bed.
And she just couldn’t see a man who wore a badge fitting into her exciting lifestyle. Z’s brother or not.
Axel stepped out of the shadows of the bakery’s back parking lot. “We need to talk.”
“What the fuck,” Zak growled, spinning on his heels to face him. His hand went automatically to his back pocket.
Axel quickly widened his stance. “You got a knife?”
Z dropped his hand though it remained curled into a fist. “No.”
“’Cause you know you can’t carry a weapon. Even a knife.”
“Fuck you.”
Axel nodded. “You fucking hate me, and I get it.”
“Don’t know shit.”
“No, I get it. Not one of us visited you once during those ten years you did at Fayette.”
“Your brothers threw me in there. Your brothers fucked up the investigation. Your brothers fucked up the evidence. Neither you nor our father said a fuckin’ word durin’ the trial or even at the appeal. Neither of you believed that I was set up.”
“Yeah,” Axel said simply, because there really wasn’t much more he could say. Everything his brother said was true.
“What’re you doin’ here, cop?”
“Said we need to talk.”
“Past talkin’. Nothin’ left to say. Makin’ my own family now with Soph an’ my son on the way. Got the club. More loyal than you an’ our sire.”
Axel pressed his lips together and inhaled deeply through his nostrils. “Got it.”
“Good. Then nothin’ to talk about.”
“No, you’re wrong.”
“Think we’re gonna kiss an’ make up? You’re fuckin’ dead wrong on that one, brother.”
“You have a good woman.”
Z didn’t answer.
“I want one, too.”
“Bella,” Z said softly, then shook his head. “If you’re lookin’ for my permission as prez, the answer’s no.”
“Why?”
“She’s DAMC property. You know that.”
“I’m not going to take her away from the club. I understand that’s her family.”
“You’re 5-0. Ain’t gonna happen.”
“I’m not going to give up my career.”
Z gave a sharp nod. “Even if you did, you ain’t welcome in the club. Ain’t welcome in her bed. Even if she wanted you.”
“She wants me, Z. I want her.”
“Ain’t gonna happen. Fuckin’ D would kill you.”
; His words drew a sigh from Axel. “She’ll never be with a biker again, Z. You know that.”
Z stared at him for a moment. “That’s ‘er choice. Not yours.”
“She’ll end up alone. She deserves to be loved.”
“Not by you.”
“She deserves better than what she had.”
Z planted his hands on his hips. “Why the fuck am I still standin’ in the dark talkin’ to a fuckin’ pig?”
“You’re talking to your brother,” Axel said softly.
Zak shook his head. “No. Know what a real brother does? Picks me up from prison after doin’ a decade in a fuckin’ concrete box. For a fuckin’ crime I didn’t do. That’s what a real brother does. Know who picked me the fuck up? Know who my real brother is? Diesel. Not you.” He snorted. “Conversation’s over.” He turned and headed toward the back of the bakery, to the door that lead up to his and Sophie’s apartment.
“Z!”
Zak stopped but didn’t turn around.
“We need to try to work this out. If not for Bella and me, then for mom and Jayde.”
Zak didn’t move for the longest time, then he spat on the ground and went inside, slamming the door behind him.
“Dad know you’re inviting her for Christmas?” Jayde asked, shoving a cupcake into her mouth. Her eyes rolled, and she moaned as she chewed.
He had sent his sister to the bakery to buy a dozen cupcakes because he couldn’t resist not having them anymore. And he was hoping she’d run into Zak.
“Did you see Z?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you talk to him?”
“Of course. And I got to touch Sophie’s belly. I can’t wait to be an aunt!”
Axel fought the roll of his own eyes. “Think you’re going to be able to hang out with that kid the way things are now?”
Jayde’s blue eyes hit him, and she frowned. “I’m sick of this fucking mess, Ax. Dad’s such a stubborn old coot. I’m telling you right now that I’m going to the club’s Christmas party. If you tell him, I’ll never get you another cupcake from the bakery again. You’ll just have to suffer.”
“You’re not going. Everyone will have a shit-fit.” He snagged a red velvet cupcake from the pink box and peeled the paper baking cup back to take a bite. Jesus. Sinking his teeth into that moist cake was almost as good as sinking his dick into...
He eyeballed his sister and swallowed hard.
“Telling you right now, I’m going.” She shoved a finger in his direction. “Don’t be a snitch.”
“When is it?”
“The twentieth.”
Axel tucked that bit of information away for his own use.
“So, you didn’t answer me... Dad know you’re inviting a DAMC bitch home for Christmas?”
He shot her a frown. “Don’t call her that.” He took another bite of the cupcake, this time with some of the sweet cream cheese frosting.
“That’s what they call them.”
He cocked a brow toward his sister. “Who?”
“The brothers.”
Axel snorted. “The brothers?”
“It’s in our blood, Axel.”
“No shit. You’re not telling me something I don’t know. And no, he doesn’t know.”
“Mom knows, right?” she asked.
“Of course, it was her idea.”
“Oh shit. Ding, ding, ding, the fight is on.”
“You think?” He popped the last bite of red velvet into his mouth and swirled his tongue around, savoring that sweetness. Jesus. He couldn’t eat red velvet without thinking of Bella.
“Well, of course. Dad’s going to be pissed that it was Mom’s idea.”
“I’ll tell him it was my idea.”
“You might find yourself outside looking in.” She laughed and rubbed her hands together with glee. “And I’ll be standing at the window by the warmth of the fire, waving at your cold ass with a big smile on my face as I get to open not only my gifts but yours. Yeah, so go ahead and invite her.”
“Why are you such a smart ass?”
Jayde smiled. “That’s in the blood, too.” She finished off her cupcake and wiped her hands down her jeans. “I like Bella.”
She wasn’t the only one.
“Don’t think she can have kids, though, after what happened to her.” She raised a brow in his direction. “Might want to reconsider your choice.”
That he wasn’t going to do.
“Not only that, but what’s it going to be like when you take her to the policeman’s ball and she has to wear a gown and all her bad-ass tats are showing? How will that look to the other cops when you have a biker chick on your arm?”
Axel looked in disbelief at his younger sister. “First of all, there’s no ‘policeman’s ball.’ And, second, I don’t give a shit if her whole body is tatted up.”
“You don’t know? Haven’t you seen her naked yet?”
Axel shook his head. “Fucking Jayde.”
She laughed. “I’m just messing with you. I’ve seen that shoulder tat of hers. It’s beautiful with all those flowers and stuff. I want one just like it. I’ll have to talk to Crow.”
“You’re not getting ink from Crow.”
“Why not?” she asked with a mouthful of her second cupcake.
“Because Pop wants you to lead a respectable life.”
She swallowed. “You can lead a respectable life and have tattoos, Dad.”
“I know that. But, remember, you’re still living at home.”
“Better than this shitty-assed apartment.”
That may be true. But at least he had his own place, unlike his sister. It was only supposed to be temporary, but five years later, he still hadn’t moved into anything nicer. It was fine for what he used it for, which was a bachelor pad. He just needed a kitchen, a bathroom, and a comfortable couch with a large screen TV. He didn’t need much. “At least I don’t get an allowance.”
“I don’t get an allowance!”
“Oh, did you get a job I don’t know about?”
“I may have something lined up.”
Axel eyed her suspiciously. “Like what?”
“Working for Kiki.”
“Doing what?”
Jayde shrugged. “Doing whatever she wants me to do. And I think Jewel’s spot is open at the garage, too.”
Axel shook his head. “No, Diamond took that.”
“Huh. You sure keep up with the club news.”
Well, he used to when he stopped at the bakery every day. Sophie would share a lot of information to keep him up-to-date on what was going on with his brother and his cousins.
“Dad might not like you working for Kiki.”
“Why? She’s a lawyer.”
Axel held up a finger. “One, she’s the club’s attorney.” He held up a second one. “Two, she’s a defense attorney. She defends the people we arrest.” He held up a third. “Three, she’s Hawk’s ol’ lady.”
Jayde shrugged. “He’ll get over it.”
“Just like he will when Bella comes over for Christmas dinner.”
Jayde laughed. “Right. Looks like we’re both going to piss off Dad.” Suddenly, her head twisted toward him, her blue eyes wide. “Wait. Does Bella know she’s coming to dinner?”
He grabbed another cupcake and took a bite.
Chapter Five
“You shouldn’t be here, Axel,” Bella said as she opened the door, using her body to block him from entering.
The man stood on the concrete stoop of her small rental house looking good. Way too good for comfort.
And that was exactly why getting her brains fucked out by a club hang-around wasn’t going to help get Axel out of her mind. She’d have to have a lobotomy for that to be successful.
“I have something to ask you.” His blue eyes swept over her face and down her body, pausing only for a split moment on the hard peaks of her nipples she knew must be visible through her baggy, off-the shoulder, boat neck sweatshirt. When she had arrived home
from church, it was the first thing she did... ripped off her shoes and bra and threw on a comfortable top along with a pair of black yoga pants.
“You couldn’t text me?” she asked, knowing full well that he probably didn’t even have her number. If he did, he didn’t get it from her.
“No, I needed to do this face to face.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “What?”
“Can I come in?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why?”
She sighed loudly. “You know why.”
He nodded then peered over her shoulder into the house. “You’re going to let all the heat out.”
“Then ask quickly.”
“Bella,” he murmured at her stubbornness.
“Axel,” she snapped back. “Ask your question and get gone.”
“Please let me in.”
Bella had a feeling that meant a whole lot more than just letting him into her house. “Can’t do that.”
He snorted. “Why? You can’t resist me?”
Whether he was trying to be funny or not, Bella forced a fake laugh, even though what he just asked was true. If she let him into her house, she might not be able to resist him. Not tonight. She’d had one too many whiskeys earlier. A warmth filled her belly, her guard was down, and her inhibitions were lacking from the liquor. Not a good combination when trying to resist a man she should not let into her house.
Not if she wanted to keep him at arm’s length.
Not if she wanted to keep from dragging his lean, but muscular, ass—one that without a doubt looked fucking hot in the Levi’s he wore—into her bed.
Not if she wanted to keep that protective armor she wore in one piece. Because the last two times she let him peek inside, poke around, she ended up full of his cum.
And the thought of that stoked the fire in her belly more than the whiskey.
“Let me in, Bella.”
She shook her head. “It’s not smart.”
“I just need to talk to you about something.”
She arched a brow at him. “I thought you had a question.”
He closed his eyes and blew out a breath, planting his hands on his hips and tipping his head down. She wouldn’t be surprised if he started tapping his toe with impatience.
She shivered as the winter chill crept through the door. Releasing it, she wrapped her arms around her middle.
Down & Dirty: Axel (Dirty Angels MC Book 5) Page 6