Chapter Twenty
AXEL
I’ve never been so torn before. It takes the strength of a fucking thousand men to force me to walk away from Sienna.
Especially after her opening up to me last night and this morning.
My fingers still have her scent lingering on them, and I want nothing more than to go right back to our room and spend the rest of the day exploring with her.
I catch up with Sin in the hallway, walking together into the common room.
“How’d it go with Sienna? The girls seemed to love her.”
“She said she had a great time. The girls made her feel welcome; she seemed happy.”
“Yeah, but did it get you in with her? How’s the relationship progression?” Sin nags.
“Maybe you should try the shit board, worked on Saige. Oh!” Malice yells, snapping his fingers. “You guys told me ladies like flowers. Try getting her some. Monroe loves the daisies I leave her.”
“If that huge gesture didn’t work, we’ll need to go back to the drawing board, brother. Don’t think you giving her one of your signature smoldering looks is going to be a panty dropper like it is with the patch bunnies.”
“Fuck off with that shit, Sin. Why are you being such a shit stirrer?”
“We’re invested in this, now! Spill! Did you at least get your dick wet?
You’ve been grouchy lately!” Wrong fucking thing to say, motherfucker.
I move quickly, and without even thinking, grab Sin by the throat and shove him against the wall.
The back of his head bounces off the concrete when he doesn’t put up a fight, his hands moving to the side, palms facing outward.
I flick out my knife and hold it to his jaw.
“Don’t you ever fucking talk about her like that again or I’ll cut off your fucking tongue and deliver it to Bristol on a fucking platter.”
Malice pops up, his head right next to Sin’s, whispering his words. “Don’t worry, buddy, my little pixie can sew it back on.” Then he licks up the side of Sin’s face before taking a step back and doing a little jig like he’s thrilled to see the violence.
“Do you understand me? Don’t fuckin’ do it again.” I squeeze one more time for good measure and then release him, closing my knife and stomping off. Both men are right on my tail.
“Brother, you’ve always been open about your sex life. What gives?”
“Shit changes, get over it.”
“Aww, Wrathie-poo, that’s not very nice!”
“Well, maybe I’m not very nice.”
“Lies!” Malice cackles. “You’re the nicest one here. I bet you’re just growly because it’s a protection thing. Like a papa bear protecting his young.”
“Yeah, Mal, something like that. Now, let’s get this moving. I want to find this motherfucker and make him regret the day he was born.”
We take two trucks to Autumn Bay: Chaos, myself, Rogue, and Malice, in one; Sin, Noose, and two prospects in another.
The drive goes by quickly, and Saint and his boys are waiting for us in their SUV at the diner when we pull in.
Climbing out, I check my gun, my knife, and then straighten out my cut.
The three men are standing together behind their SUV, Saint’s arms crossed, looking pissed off at the world.
The other two are a little more casual, and not so intense, but I look at the three of them differently after hearing some stories about them.
I don’t doubt they love Sienna, but I’m not going to stand by and allow them to continue to make decisions for her when she’s capable of making them herself.
I think Saint is suspicious, but the other two don’t let on that they think anything could be going on between her and me.
None of them would be too happy to find out I played with her pussy this morning until she came all over my hand.
I wish I could still taste her on my tongue.
She was fucking perfect, her body responding to me like it knew I was going to take care of her the way she needed, and fuck, when she came? Prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.
“Good day, fellas!” Malice greets, and I can’t help but chuckle, hiding my smile behind my hand. Deacon narrows his eyes at Malice before they roam down his body. Interesting.
“This is Sin, our vice president, and Rogue, one of our road sergeants. Boys, Saint, Creed, and Deacon,” I introduce.
“Interesting road names,” Sin says, giving them a head nod.
“Are they?” Deacon asks. I look between them, wondering why the fuck Sin had to open his big dumb mouth.
“Yeah. You’ve got the whole biblical thing going on, and it matches. Kinda matches with mine, too.”
“We’re here,” I interrupt, ready to get this shit moving. If I’m forced to be away from Sienna all day, it needs to be productive. And there’s not much progress toward finding Cain if we’re just standing here. “What’s the intel? Do you have a plan?”
Creed is the one to speak up first. “Cain is back at the clubhouse. There’s a warehouse close by that’s vacant, and we’re going to sneak in and watch for now. He spoke to the club last night and hasn’t left, so we know he’s there. Plan is—”
“I’ve just got one question,” Sin speaks up, cutting Creed off.
“Why hasn’t he come for you?” My eyes shoot to Saint when it hits me.
I’ve been so occupied with Sienna I didn’t ask the one fucking question that needed to be answered.
I cross my arms over my chest, waiting to see what he’ll say.
I just assumed these three assholes were exiled and on the run with Sienna, getting their intel from a mole inside the club. But they’re still in it?
“What do you mean?” Saint asks.
“You’re her brother, aren’t you? If Cain wants her so bad that he’s willing to kill people and rip apart your town, why the fuck hasn’t he done anything to you three?”
Fuck.
Saint stiffens. “That’s our business. It’s not something you need to know to move forward with helping us.”
“Yeah, see, I disagree. Now, answer me, or we fucking walk.”
Saint runs his hand over his head, looking from Creed to Deacon and then back at us. “She doesn’t know. Sienna can’t know.”
Yeah, that’s not gonna sit right with me. I take a large step forward, closing the space between us. “Sienna doesn’t fucking know what?” What the fuck have they kept from her?
“Our mother was raped thirty years ago. I was the result.” I stagger back like he physically hit me. Oh, you’ve got to be fucking shitting me. It all comes together and my veins fucking boil. That sick, twisted, evil fuck.
“By Cain,” I state firmly.
Saint nods. “Sienna’s dad, our dad, found her. They fell in love through her pregnancy and raised me as his own.”
“But Cain knows, which is why he won’t kill you.” And it’s why Sienna said Cain hurt her out of vengeance for something her dad did.
“He does. He was exiled, the Kingsnake tattoo burned from his skin before he was forced out. He showed up twenty years later and found Sienna at the bar.”
“Un-fucking-believable. And you kept this from her? All this time? What the fuck is wrong with you?” I yell, ready to spin this asshole’s head right off his shoulders.
“Watch your fucking mouth. I love my sister more than anything in this world; what she went through was fucking horrific, she’s still fucked up over it, the last thing I want to do is add to it by telling her the man who raped her also raped our mother and fathered me in the process.
Fuck that shit. She’d never get over it. ”
“She has a right to know!” I point at him with my finger. “You don’t get to decide what she can handle!”
“And who the fuck are you? You’ve known her a few weeks, don’t pretend like you know what’s good for my sister! You know what? Fuck this shit, I’m going back for her.”
Like fucking hell he is. Sin steps between where Saint and I are facing off, putting his hand on my chest and silently telling me to back off. He can go fuck himself. Any other time? Sure, I listen, but not when it comes to Sienna.
“Both of you settle the fuck down. I got my answer, and it makes sense now. We’re going to leave it alone, it’s between you and your sister.
We’re here to take out Cain, and that’s what we’re going to focus on.
Sienna is fine at the clubhouse. She’s been spending time with the women there and is making friends.
She’s safe there and should stay put until the threat is taken out, and she can return. ”
That won’t be fucking happening either. Not unless Sienna says it is.
I shoot Saint one last lethal look before taking a step back, pulling out a smoke from my back pocket, needing something to take the edge off before I fucking kill her brother.
This tangled web just got that much more fucked up.
So, if Cain couldn’t have Sienna’s mother, he wants to take the next best thing.
Sienna.
After a few more heated minutes, we all climb back into our vehicles, Rogue following their SUV through the small town of Autumn Bay, keeping to the outskirts and back roads.
We end up on a private dirt driveway and follow it all the way to the end, a large decrepit warehouse sitting off in the distance.
We follow the guys in, the scent of old oil, rust, and rot clinging to the air. My rage hasn’t simmered, and I don’t think anything could drown out the feelings raging inside me right now. Every moment that bastard gets to breathe is too long for me.
All the men start to talk about strategy and plans for how to get in, a bunch of words that mean jack shit to me right now.
All that’s running through my mind is the look on her face when she told me exactly what he did to her.
My brothers keep talking to the other three assholes, their voices all blurring together under the roar building inside my chest and head.
I want to kick down their front gate and flip every fucking stone until I find whatever rock he’s hiding under.
I want Cain scared, I want him to sweat it out, to know Wrath is coming for him. I’ve spent years learning control and discipline, learning when to use the monster inside me and when to keep him chained down, but right now? I’m only seeing red.
Rogue must sense the violence brewing inside me, stepping into my space and forcing my attention on him. “Reel it in. I know what you’re feeling right now because I’ve been there. You will get your time to rip him limb from limb, but right now, you need to focus and use your goddamn head.”
My head is only telling me one thing: protect what’s ours.