Chapter 16
Tracey
A fter years of abuse and watching Bryce worm out of consequences, the police finally did something right.
I never thought I’d see the day Bryce Sterling was in handcuffs.
Today, all my dreams came true. Axel came for me, Bryce went to jail, and my girls didn’t end up being subjected to any of this nastiness.
I placed my hand in Axel’s, and he helped me onto the seat of his bike, and I wrapped my arms around his solid frame.
When he took off, all I felt was freedom.
The engine vibrated beneath us as we rolled out of the industrial park and onto the open road.
The air rushed against my clothing. Everything about riding the open road with Axel was exhilarating.
In that moment I realized all over again why Axel had always loved riding his Harley.
This was a type of freedom I’d never known but I was quickly becoming addicted to it.
Here there was just the open road, a magnificent sunset, and the man I loved carrying me into a better life than the one I’d known before.
This ride was truly the start of the rest of my life.
By the time we pulled up in front of the clubhouse, I had gotten used to the idea that Bryce could never touch us or destroy this beautiful new life we were building for ourselves.
The glow coming from the clubhouse made it feel like a second home.
All the women came pouring out, warm and welcoming.
They ran straight to their men with smiling faces.
The brothers’ faces lit up to see them coming.
My girls came barreling out. Their little voices squealing, “Mommy! Axel!”
Angel followed behind, shooting me a smile, as Hacker rolled up beside her in his wheelchair, looking like a total badass. Storm and Celt walked over to talk to Hacker about how he managed to hack into Bryce’s security system.
I dropped to my knees as Jenna and Jill made it to me. When they started climbing on me, I pulled them both into tight hugs, one under each arm. Their small faces pressed into my neck, as they clutched me tight. “You okay, now?” one whispered, hiccupping. “You’re not hurt again?”
I held them tighter and explained, “I talked to your dad,” I said, my voice steady. “And he’s not allowed to see us anymore. He’s getting sent to a special school to learn to be a good little boy.” For the first time in their short lives, I knew I wasn’t lying to protect them. It was true.
Axel crouched down beside me. He reached out to smooth his hands over their backs. His eyes met mine and he gave me a tired smile. Something deep down inside told me that we would face every storm together.
Inside the clubhouse everyone was happy and carefree.
Rosie was pouring drinks, lingering over her old man’s drink to flirt with him.
Thunder was eating up her attention. Storm and Zoe settled down at a table with Celt and Gracie.
All the pool tables were taken and even the club girls were being nice for a change. This was peak clubhouse fun time.
But Axel steered us upstairs, away from the noise and revelry.
We were both exhausted and the girls were even rubbing their eyes.
This had been an emotional day for our little family.
Together we tucked the girls into bed in one of the upstairs suites.
We hovered at the bedroom door, watching them sleep.
Seeing their relaxed faces you’d never know what we’d all been through today.
The moment I turned off the light, their night light clicked on, casting a gentle glow over part of the room.
Being at the clubhouse meant they were safe.
Of course, anywhere we went was safe now that Bryce had been arrested.
Some small worry niggled at the back of my mind that they might let him out on bail, but I shoved it away.
When we went back into the sitting area, I noticed that the entire suite had been cleaned.
Someone had pulled out the sofa bed and set a bottle of water on the end table.
Axel guided me over to the bed, and double-checked that the door was locked.
Then he hovered at the door so long it made me wonder if he planned to stay with us tonight.
“Come here,” I said, holding out my hand to him.
Axel didn’t move right away. I could tell he was still hyped up from the fight. His shirt was damp with blood and sweat. It was dirty from rolling around on the floor with Bryce.
I got up and walked over to him. Taking his hand in mine, I noticed his knuckles were split and still bleeding a bit.
The cut below his cheekbone was dried over, but he hadn’t had a chance to clean it yet.
I took him to the bathroom in our suite and started a shower before going back to him.
When my hands came up to remove his cut, he stopped me.
“You don’t have to do that. I can take care of myself.”
“I need to touch you right now,” I said. “When you hurt, I hurt. If you’re mine, let me take care of you the way I want.”
He let my wrist go and removed every single piece of his clothing in turn. I encouraged him to get into the shower, stripped off my clothing and followed him. When I lathered up my hands and ran them over his chest, he just stared at me.
“I’m not used to this,” he murmured.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve been naked together.”
His lips twitched into an almost smile. “Not that. I’m not used to someone taking care of me.”
“You deserve to be taken care of though.”
He huffed out an exasperated breath. “Yeah, I almost killed a man today. I’m not sure what I deserve for losing my shit on Bryce but I’m pretty sure it’s not this kind of kindness.”
I slid my soapy hands up to wash his neck. “Bryce deserved what he got.”
“You told me to stop.”
My eyes lifted to his and I told him the truth. “I told you to stop so you didn’t wind up in jail for killing a man. Not because I cared whether or not he died.”
His worried expression faded. He cupped my face in both hands and kissed me just the way I liked.
Suddenly, his soapy body had pinned me to the back wall of the shower, and he poured everything he had into the kiss.
I kissed him harder. When my nails scraped gently down his ribs, he growled low, in the back of his throat.
When he broke the kiss, his forehead stayed against mine.
“I need to be inside you,” he said, voice low and strained. “Need to know for sure you’re all mine.”
“Actually, you’re mine,” I told him teasingly.
The grip at my waist tightened. He didn’t speak again. Instead, he turned me to face the wall and ran one hand between my legs to find me embarrassingly wet for him.
“Wanna put my mouth here,” he said roughly as he toyed with my clit. I tilted my hips back when his cock slid between my legs.
“You sure about this?” he asked in a rough voice, and he kissed along the column of my throat.
I nodded and pushed back, sliding his cock through my dripping wet pussy. “Yeah, all I want right now is to feel you inside me.”
He turned my head sideways and kissed me again as he slid into me.
My breath caught in my throat as I squirmed to get comfortable on his thick cock.
I almost felt too full, but he pulled out and surged back in so hard it drove me onto my tiptoes.
Something about this position felt open and vulnerable, like he could just do whatever he wanted with me.
It flipped all the right switches, spiking my arousal.
“Oh, you like a bit of power behind your thrust, do you?”
I whimpered because he’s caught me out. I didn’t think I was the kind of woman who liked rough sex but here we are. He dove into me over and over again, making me feel every single inch of him as he toyed with my clit, rubbing, teasing and even using his palm to drive me insane with pleasure.
I found myself making noises I didn’t usually make and vaguely realized I was getting louder.
I bit down on my hand to keep from crying out, but Axel tugged my hand away.
It was sweet that he didn’t want me to bite myself to stay quiet for the girls.
I didn’t know why I couldn’t get a hold of myself.
When I came hard, his hand clamped over my mouth as he continued thrusting through the orgasm.
Something about having his hand over my mouth while he was inside me felt so taboo and forbidden that I came all over again.
His hand slid away, and he turned me around, splayed both my legs open by draping them over his arms and fucked me good and hard all over again.
By the time I came for the third time, I was a sweaty compliant mess.
It didn’t help that he liked to whisper dirty things in my ear during sex.
This whole situation made me feel like we were back in college again.
“I always wanted to make you come like this,” he whispered against my neck. “I wanted to hear you try to stay quiet while I gave you the best sex of your life. Next time, I am going to lick this pussy raw.”
Good grief, Axel was everything a woman could ever ask for in a man. By the time he dried me off and carried me to bed, I was drowsy, sated and looking forward to this new life of ours.
***
Morning came far too early for this girl.
Axel’s arm was around my waist. His chest was pressed to my back, making me feel warm and loved.
I moved slightly, amazed that his cock was already hard again and laying against my spine.
I knew that I should get up and grab a shower but there was no place I’d rather be at this moment than lying in his arms.
Apparently, the gods had decided that was not to be. The sound of giggles, light feet hitting the carpeted floor filled my ears. Before I could get my scattered thoughts together, two small bodies launched themselves onto the bed.
“Mommy!”
“Axel!”
The mattress bounced slightly under the weight of two five-year-olds excited to be alive. Axel groaned into his pillow, then cracked one eye open as the girls crawled over us, all smiles, elbows, and little feet.
“Morning, ladies,” he said cheerfully. “You two are up early.”
“Are you awake?” one of them asked, poking his cheek.
“I sure am. Why sleep when there’s so much fun to have, right?”
Jenna nodded her head. “That’s what I say.”
“I have surprises for you, so get dressed quickly,” he told them.
When they started whispering, like they always do, Axel reached over and pulled a pair of jeans from his bag and slid his jeans on under the blanket in one practiced move.
Watching him run his hand through his shoulder-length blond hair reminded me that this man is not only a badass biker with a heart of gold, but he’s also sexy as sin.
He tossed me one of his black T-shirts from his bag. “Cover up, babe. I’ll grab a shower, give you girl talk time.”
I quickly slipped the shirt on, as the girls watched. Axel disappeared into the bathroom with the sound of running water. The girls cuddled up to me, each taking an arm.
“Are we going home today?” one asked, her small hand twisting in the fabric of my shirt.
I nodded. “Yes, sweetie. We’re going home.”
I realized at that moment that it was home. Axel’s house felt more like home than anywhere I’d lived with Bryce.
By the time Axel came back, towel slung over his shoulder, we were dressed and ready. He wandered over to the chair and picked up something and handed it to me. “You said I was yours. This is me asking you to be mine.”
It was a leather vest. I reached out and unfolded it. When I looked at the back, as well as having the Dark Slayers emblem, it had an embroidered patch that said, Property of Axel . I felt myself tearing up as the girls reached up to touch the leather.
He came over to give me a hug. “You like it, right? You know what this means?”
“Babe, I love it. It’s an honor to wear your cut.”
He took it from my hands and put it on me. I turned to look at the back in the mirror hanging on the door and couldn’t help but smile. Axel gave me a quick peck on the lips and announced, “Breakfast’s waiting. Let’s go get it while it’s hot.”
We headed downstairs to the back patio, where the smell of bacon and coffee hung heavy in the air.
The prospects were at the grill, flipping pancakes and sausage.
Seeing the prospects reminded me of when Harvey’s officer had loaded Fred into the back of the police van.
I had a bad gut feeling that he got off easily by being arrested.
Axel’s club didn’t seem like the kind of men to forgive that kind of betrayal.
“Good morning, Tracey,” Jamie called, waving at us. “Do the girls like chocolate chip or blueberry pancakes better?”
“Both,” I said with a wry smile. “If it’s a pancake, they’ll devour it.”
We settled at a picnic table under the shade and Axel brought us food. The girls chattered about school starting soon, their voices tumbling over each other with excitement and nerves. I listened, trying to make out every word.
Then Jenna piped up, her voice serious. “Are we really going home today?”
Axel leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. He looked from Jenna, to Jill, and then to me. “Yes, we’re going home.”