Chapter 13 #2
“Damn, that’s right. You’ve never met Zane.
This is Lovelyn’s younger brother, and Phillip Thorne’s son.
And the kid’s right. If Thorne is breathing, something bad is going down.
” Law leaned back. “If Thorne’s bold enough to use the General’s own notepad, either he is stupid, which he’s not, or he wants us to know he is involved. Either way, we need to watch him.”
Gage tapped the table. We’ll start digging into Phillip Thorne’s movements, his phone records, office access logs, everything. If he’s the one sending threats, we’ll find proof.”
Reid nodded slowly. “All right. Jaxon, you saw the General. And we know the watermark is real. But brother, you have eight years of hate for that man. Make sure your head’s clear. Tazzy’s safety depends on it.”
Jaxon’s jaw flexed. “My head is clear. My only priority is keeping my girl breathing. If Thorne or the General or anyone connected to them comes near her, I will end them.”
The table went quiet again. Every man understood exactly what that meant. Jaxon needed to keep his shit tight, or he’d wind up back behind bars.
The conversation moved fast after that, ideas flying around the table. Jaxon listened and answered questions, but his mind kept drifting back to Tazzy. Every minute he was away from her felt like a minute closer to danger for her.
He needed to leave. Needed to have her where he could see her. Touch her. Keep her safe.
“Guys, one of you will have to brief me later. I need to get back to Books-N-Brews. Given what we’ve discussed, I’m sure you get me.”
Everyone nodded in acknowledgment, but Jaxon was already on his feet and walking out the door. He drove straight back to Books-N-Brews, the need to have eyes on Tazzy clawing at him harder with every mile.
Stepping inside the shop should have been a relief. Instead, he saw a big, gruff biker he did not know standing at the counter talking to Tazzy. The man leaned in, said something low, and Tazzy laughed. Actually laughed. Was that asshole flirting with his baby girl?
Jaxon’s vision tunneled. Possessiveness roared through him so fast his hands curled into fists. He crossed the shop in six long strides. “Step the fuck away from her. Now.”
For a moment, the biker looked around, as if he was confused, before seeing Jaxon storming toward him. Ravage stood up from his chair, “Stand down, Jaxon. He’s with me.”
Jaxon didn’t take his eyes off the stranger. “I don’t give a damn who he’s with. He does not stand that close to my girl.”
Ravage moved between them, one hand on Jaxon’s chest. “His name is Brick. We rode together with the Warriors. When the club started moving drugs to kids, he walked out the same night I did and for the same reason. He’s been sticking close ever since.
When the rest of the Lawless crew pulled out of Darling two weeks ago, he stayed behind to work with me. ”
Brick gave a slow nod, eyes steady. “Not here to cause trouble. Just checking on Ravage. I heard you have some heat on your woman. Figured extra eyes couldn’t hurt. Didn’t mean to cause offense.”
Jaxon’s jaw worked. The rage still simmered, but Ravage’s words and Brick’s calm tone took the edge off. Barely.
Ravage clapped a hand on Jaxon’s shoulder. “Brick is solid. You can trust him. Hell, you should come on a run with us sometime. Bring Tazzy with you. It’s probably been a while since you did a road trip. The fresh air and open road would do you both some good.”
Jaxon glanced over at Tazzy. She watched him with those big eyes, a small smile playing on her lips. She wasn’t scared of the reaction he’d had to Brick. If anything, she looked proud of it.
He exhaled through his nose. “I’ll think about the run. Still not sure about you yet, Brick.”
Brick shrugged. “Fair enough.”
Tazzy came around the counter and slipped her hand into Jaxon’s. She squeezed once, then looked up at him with a soft, steady gaze that settled something inside him.
“I like it when you get all growly and protective,” she said quietly. “But I really am okay, Daddy. Ravage and Brick kept me safe while you were gone. You know, Daddy, while you were in prison, I got to know lots of people you’ve never met.”
Jaxon snapped his eyes on her.
“Never anything romantic,” she rushed to assure him. “There’s never been anyone for me except you. Though for a while, I wouldn’t admit it. Despite their looks, Ravage and Brick have been nothing but gentlemen. It’s you I get to go home with every night now, and I couldn’t be happier.”
She must have had countless opportunities to ditch him while he was in prison.
They’d never discussed any relationships she might have had.
Evidently, there were none to discuss. It hit him hard and deep.
She’d been choosing him the whole time he’d been gone.
She just hadn’t realized it. And she chose all of him.
Even the dark, possessive parts he had tried to keep leashed.
He pulled her close, one arm banded around her waist, the other cupping the back of her neck. “You sure about that, Sprite?”
She rose up and kissed the underside of his jaw. “I am sure. And please don’t call me Sprite when I am trying to be serious. Like I said, I’m your Darkling now.”
He chuckled, the sound low and rough. “Darkling it is, then. But only because Darkling sounds a lot like darlin’. And you’ll always be that to me.”
She smiled against his chest. “I can live with that.”
Jaxon held her tight. No doubt Ravage and Brick had been vigilant, but the threat Dax had told him about had his sense of danger on high alert.
The fact that the General was moving around Darling, despite wearing a tracker saying he was locked down at Graceview, had him worried.
The man had gotten close enough to leave a note on Tazzy’s car just outside the shop.
It was plain no one really knew where the General was or when he might strike again.
Jaxon knew two things for certain. His Darkling was in danger. And he would burn the whole world down before he let anyone touch her again.
Ravage caught his eye over Tazzy’s head and gave a single nod. Brick did the same, a silent promise that they had his back.
Jaxon pressed a kiss to the top of Tazzy’s head and let himself breathe her in. For the first time in eight years, he wasn’t fighting alone. He had his woman, his brothers, and a new crew of men who understood exactly what it meant to protect what was yours.
It didn’t matter how the General was beating the tracker he wore. If he ever came near Tazzy again, he was a dead man.