Chapter 28
AXEL
After last night, I’m even more determined to end Zach.
Leaving Wren this morning was hard. She was still in bed when I had to go check on one of our properties.
We own a bar outside town that had an alarm go off, so Levi and I ran to check it out.
It turned out to be a mouse that had chewed through the wiring, so it was a waste of a morning, but at least it wasn’t something serious.
I could have stayed in bed with Wren, making love to her again. Last night was profound for me. I already knew that I was in love with Wren, but for her to trust me so fully, that caused the last piece of the wall around my heart to crumble away. Wren owns me. Fully.
We head back to the clubhouse and find the rest of the guys at the dining table. We’re just in time for lunch, so we grab a plate from Chef and take a seat at the table.
“So, what are we going to do about Zach?” Cole asks.
I finish chewing my food and wipe my mouth. “I feel like we’re going to need to draw him out. Noah was able to get all his information, but it doesn’t really do us any good until he shows his face.”
“He won’t show his face for just anything,” Cane grumbles. “I don’t know how we’re supposed to draw him out.”
“The only way we could is something that Ax won’t be okay with,” Atlas says, and my hackles rise.
“We’re not using Wren,” I mutter before taking another bite.
Atlas holds his hands up placatingly. “I said you wouldn’t be okay with it.”
“None of us would be okay with it if the tables were turned,” Cane mutters.
“He’s right,” Grayson replies. “At the end of the day, we do what Axel and Wren are comfortable with. We can’t ask Wren to put herself out there like that.”
The guys murmur their agreement, and we all sit in silence while we finish our food. The food tastes sour after the guys’ suggestion, but I choke it down, anyways.
“What if we try to get to him through his lawyer?” Cole offers, breaking the silence.
“He hasn’t shown up in court,” Rowan says. “I doubt his lawyer even knows where he is.”
“What if we call Seargent Rojas and see if the cops have any leads?” Nash asks.
“That’s not a bad idea,” Grayson replies. “I know they would be looking for him since the judge ordered him to be in court, and they will want to deliver the order of protection for his ex-wife and kids.”
“How does that even work?” Levi asks. “Does the order of protection work even if they can’t hand deliver it to him?”
“Yeah,” I murmur. “His lawyer is obligated to notify him. So, it doesn’t really matter if it’s not hand delivered. It’s still enforceable.”
“I hate to say it, but can we use his kids?” Noah asks and then winces when we all glare at him. “I don’t mean actually use them; I just mean act like they’re going to be somewhere. I’m not that big of an asshole,” he grumbles.
“We could,” Grayson sighs. “I don’t know that he actually cares enough about them to come out of hiding, though.”
“I think he was only using the custody hearing as a way to try to control Alexis. I don’t think it was actually about wanting the kids,” I mutter. “We’ll have to try something else.”
“Use me,” Wren says from behind me, making us all whirl around. “I’m the only one who can draw him out and we all know it.”
“No,” I growl, pushing my chair back and standing in front of her. “That’s not even an option.”
“Yes, it is,” she mutters. “We know that he’s weirdly obsessed with me for some reason.
I can draw him out. We can’t use his kids or Alexis, and I wouldn’t want to even if we could.
They’ve already dealt with enough of his abuse for a lifetime.
More than they ever should have had to deal with.
I can end this for all of us,” she murmurs with a pleading look in my direction.
“I don’t like this.”
“You don’t have to like it,” she says as her hands cup my face. “It’s what needs to happen, though. I can protect myself and I know that you guys won’t let anything happen to me. The times he’s gotten the jump on me have been when I wasn’t expecting him. That won’t happen this time.”
I think it over. This time would be different because we have control over the situation. We can decide on a location. We can choose how many people are involved. We can watch his every move when he arrives.
“If we do this it has to be in a controlled environment. I don’t want him to be one step ahead of us. We have to be overly prepared for whatever can happen.”
Wren’s shoulders drop in relief. “That’s fine with me.”
I face the club, questioning them with just a look. “We’re all fine with that, brother,” Grayson murmurs.
I nod and pull my chair out, slipping into it and pulling Wren onto my lap.
“Do you have any ideas for a location?” Rowan asks.
“We could use Wren’s apartment,” I offer.
“He might already think that he has the advantage there because he’s overpowered her there before.
We could secure it beforehand. It would have to be anyone but me and the officers, though, because I’m sure he’s acquainted himself with our hierarchy.
He won’t be suspicious of the new guys leaving, but he could be watching every time we leave the clubhouse.
He’s definitely going to be looking for Wren every time she leaves,” I say as I tighten my hold on her.
“We already know he’s been watching,” Cane says. “That’s how he managed to take out Luke. I think it’s a good idea.”
“Me too,” Grayson murmurs and everyone else gives their agreement.
“When?” Rowan asks.
“Tomorrow?” I offer. “I want this done and over with. We can’t keep going like this, with his existence like an axe hanging over our heads.”
“Tomorrow,” Grayson confirms. “Who do you want there?”
“It’s not a big apartment,” Wren speaks up. “Zach isn’t a big guy. I think if it’s just two of you, that will be more than enough.”
“Cane, you with me, brother?”
He nods his head in agreement. “Always.”
I nod my head. “Tomorrow night we let the prospects drive us to Wren’s in a cage.
We’ll leave at eight and hide in the trunk.
The prospects can drive us to the alleyway behind Wren’s and we’ll head inside.
Wren will leave the clubhouse with Atlas in the trunk of her SUV an hour later.
Atlas will stay in the trunk unless something happens on the road.
Wren will come to the apartment and act upset, and we’ll just hope that Zach is watching her. ”
“Oh, he’ll be watching,” Wren mutters.
“I’ll protect her with my life,” Atlas murmurs.
“I know you will, brother.”
“Everyone get some rest tonight,” Grayson orders. “We all need to be fresh for tomorrow.”
****
Wren and I don’t rest like we should. Instead, I prepare her for what could happen.
We spar in the club gym and go over self-defense moves as a refresher. This is all stuff that she learned before, but it’s good to have the training fresh. I want her to be as prepared as possible. By the time we finish training, it’s late. We get something to eat and then shower and go to sleep.
Well, she sleeps. I don’t. I sit there thinking of every possible outcome. I think of everything that can go wrong. Before I know it, the sun is rising, and I still haven’t slept.
I lay there, holding Wren while she sleeps and basking in her love. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her, even if it means I won’t be here after.