After two years of dating, Gibby proposed. Ax had to admit, he was surprised when Gibby told him he wanted to put a ring on it. He was a great guy and all, but he wasn’t exactly the settling down type. This bothered Ax, mostly because it didn’t seem to bother Sage. Gibby was a player, a borderline alcoholic who was too busy getting his drink on and fucking anything with a pussy to realize the beauty he’d been given. That Sage refused to see this . . . well, suffice it to say that he just didn’t get it.
When Sage got pregnant, Gibby was at an all-time low. He was stepping out on her, barely ever at home, and drunk all the time. Not only that, but he was falling down on his obligations to the club. That’s when they decided to intervene. Ax, along with Steele and a few other brothers, had a much-needed chat with Gibby. They told him to get his shit together or else. Sage was oblivious to what her Ol’ man was doing, and Ax wanted to keep it that way. The talk did little good. It wasn’t until Grizz stepped in that things began to change. Grizz told him to either stop the bullshit or walk the fuck away. Thankfully, Gibby got the message.
Then Petal was born. She was the most beautiful baby Ax had ever seen. Gibby adored his little girl, to the point that Ax thought he was finally going to do right by his family.
And then Ax busted him cheating again. It was the morning after Petal’s one-year birthday party—a party that Gibby insisted they have at The Cave. As usual, after the festivities, there was an after-party. Sage and Petal, along with half the club, ended up spending the night. Ax gave his room to Gibby so that Sage and Petal wouldn’t have to sleep on a blow-up mattress on the floor. Being that Ax wasn’t much of a sleeper, he was up early the next morning. On his way to make coffee, he heard voices in the game room and veered in that direction. He found Gibby kicked back in one of the leather chairs. A half-naked Shelly—one of the club girls—was straddling his lap while riding his cock. Ax didn’t get mad, he got enraged, to the point that he pulled Shelly off Gibby’s dick and plowed his fists right into his brother’s face. They fought. Ax said some harsh shit—shit that was a long-time coming—but still harsh.
A week later, Gibby was dead.
Chapter Four
AX STARED OUT the window, his thoughts focused on Gibby and that time in his life. It was hard to believe that five years had already gone by. Grizz’s death turned the club upside down. The unexpected loss of a great president, a great man, was a crippling blow that nearly destroyed them. If not for Steele stepping up and taking the reins, the club would have ceased to exist.
As their new president, the first thing Steele did was declare war on Militant MC. The vote to take them out was unanimous. Once revenge was exacted, his focus turned to rebuilding the club while Ax’s turned to Sage. He felt he owed it to Gibby to look after his Ol’ lady and kid. Sage, being the sweetheart that she was, welcomed his support with open arms. They grew close. Too close. What started as duty quickly became a compulsion. Obligation shifted to need—the need to see her and be near her as often as possible. Ax didn’t mean to fall in love with her. He couldn’t even admit that’s what it was . . . until she was gone. By then, it was too late.
“You okay?” Steele asked.
It took Ax a minute to shake off the past. “I’m good.”
“You want to talk about it?”
“Nope.”
“She was into you, brother.”
Ax tore his gaze from the window, his eyes shifting to his cousin. “I said no. Sage made her choice. She left us all behind so she could get on with her life. I did the same. As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing more to say.”
Steele didn’t comment, which was good because Ax was riding an ugly edge. It wouldn’t take much to tip him over.
Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the rendezvous point. Twenty minutes after that, a black Durango pulled in beside them. He took in the scene. A Hispanic guy was driving, Sage was sitting next to him in the passenger seat, and Petal was in the backseat.
“You’re up,” Steele told Doc.
Petal’s head turned. Her gaze found Ax, her eyes widening in recognition, her lips forming his name.
Heart hammering inside his chest, he pulled the handle and opened the door. He barely made it out of the truck before she was in his arms.
“I missed you!” she exclaimed.
Christ, she’s grown so much. Emotion lodged in his throat and he tried not to choke on it. “I missed you too, Sweet Pea.” He closed his eyes and breathed her in.
“Mom’s hurt,” she whispered in his ear.
He pulled back far enough to capture her eyes. “I know. Doc’s here. He’s going to help her.”
Her expression sobered, her big brown eyes—Gibby’s eyes—reaching deep inside his soul. She took his hand in hers, and in a tone much too old for a six-year-old, she said, “She needs you.” Damn, she was killing him.
Before he knew it, he was being dragged around the back of the Durango to Sage’s side of the car. The passenger door was open. Doc was standing in front of Sage. He appeared to be doing something to her arm, but all Ax could see was her face. He took in the purple and yellow bruises, the swollen eye, the knot on her cheek, the fresh scar above the other eye, and thought, What. The. Fuck?
“Could be broken,” he heard Doc say, followed by, “If so, it’ll have to be set and casted.”
Steele, who’d been conversing with the driver, called out, “Hospital?”
“No hospital,” Sage replied.
Ax’s jaw turned solid at the fear in her voice, his hands tingling with the need to hit something—or someone—specifically the motherfucker who’d done this to her. He assumed it was that dickhead Carlos. Petal’s hand clamped down on his—an indication that she, too, was sensing her mother’s fear. He took in a calming breath. Now was not the time to lose it.
“It could be a sprain, but we won’t know without an X-ray,” Doc said.
“No hospital,” Sage repeated, this time staring at Steele.
“Take her to the clinic,” Ax interjected.
Sage’s head jerked, her gaze shifting beyond Doc and Steele to where he stood. Their eyes collided, her lips parting in surprise. Did she think he wouldn’t come?
He stepped toward her.
Her hand came up as if to ward him off, her beat up but still gorgeous face crumpling. “I’m sorry,” she wailed before bursting into tears.
“Fuck,” he muttered.
“Told you,” Petal warned.
“Careful,” Doc said on his approach.
Mindful of her arm, he lifted her from the Durango and carried her to Steele’s Expedition. Petal followed after, and between the two of them, they got her settled into the backseat. Somehow, he ended up between them. Doc hopped in front while Steele finished talking to the driver.
“I’m okay,” Sage sniffled, once she’d gotten it under control. She sounded exhausted.
Five months ago, he would have pulled her onto his lap. The fact that he couldn’t bothered him. “Sleep. You’re safe now,” he murmured.
“There’s no such thing,” she softly replied. Moments later, she was asleep. Not long after that, he felt Petal’s weight against his shoulder. His mouth turned up into a smile. He finally had his girls back.