Free Cowboy Gangster 02 - Gunnin' for Love (CMS) (MM) by CJ Bishop Page A

lips in a smile. “Yeah, I guess,” he mumbled, suppressing his own smile.
    “What is this?” Tommy asked. “An inside joke?”
    “No,” Gavin insisted. “Let’s go.” He rolled his eyes at Angel then shook his head and smiled at Axel. “It was good meeting you. Will you bring the pup around for regular visits?”
    “I’ll try,” Axel nodded.
    Tommy seemed to take notice of the pup for the first time and reached out, scratching its head. “Ah, hey, is this the famous pup we’ve been hearing about?”
    “Yeah,” Gavin smiled.
    “He could be the club mascot,” Tommy grinned.
    “And what does a gay strip club mascot wear?” Angel mused. “A rainbow G-string? Forget it. Not this little guy.”
    Axel laughed.
    “Come on.” Gavin chuckled and dragged Tommy through a door into the back of the club.
    Axel watched them go then looked at Angel. “Gavin really isn’t gay?”
    Sighing, Angel pursed his lips. “That remains to be seen. I’m still doubtful.” He smiled. “Tommy’s determined to convince him otherwise.”
    Axel felt suddenly self-conscious with the talk of sexual preference. He glanced across the room at Clint –and his heartbeat instantly quickened. It wasn’t that he felt ashamed to admit he was gay but rather…he looked at Angel –ashamed for the way he had treated Angel, the mean things he’d said about Angel being gay. Maybe this was Karma’s way of teaching him a lesson. Except…his gaze drifted to Clint again. Except it didn’t feel like a punishment. Rather, a reward.
    He felt Angel looking at him and met the young man’s eyes. “Do, uh…” Axel cleared his throat and glanced around the club. “Do you…dance here?”
    “No,” Angel said. “I’m an assistant bartender.” He smiled. “Max is letting me train with Carl and Riley.”
    “Max,” Axel nodded. “Your boss?”
    “Technically, yeah.” Angel shrugged, warmth seeping into his eyes. “But he’s much more than that. He took me and Maddy in after…” His words trailed off and he dropped his gaze to the floor, lips tight. “We didn’t have anywhere to go and he said we could stay with him for as long as we wanted.”
    Axel had been picked up by Clint’s men when they caught him lingering around Angel and Maddy, at a distance. He had just wanted to make sure they were all right and with people who would look after them. He’d known they were staying with someone, but he hadn’t been aware it was the owner of the Phoenix.
    “I’m glad you had friends to take you in,” Axel said quietly. “That’s why I was following you. I just wanted to know you guys were okay. I…I didn’t mean you any harm.”
    “I know.” Angel raised his eyes, which glimmered with a thin layer of tears. “The instant you stood up for me at the apartment…I knew you would never hurt us again. I knew then that you had come back to us.”
    Axel ducked his head and absently stroked the pup’s fur. His throat closed as a barrage of images assaulted his mind. Most of them were of him laying into Angel with his fists –usually because he was pissed off at Wade but too chicken shit to stand up to him. Angel was an easier target…and he wouldn’t fight back, because fighting back put Maddy at risk. Axel’s eyes burned with tears as he looked up slowly. “Angel…”
    His chin trembling, tears thickening, Angel shook his head slowly. “It’s over, Axel.” He swallowed thickly. “You were a victim, too. Wade and Byrd, they’re gone. Locked up. We’re safe now.” He touched Axel’s arm. “All of us.”
    Safe. Axel was suddenly propelled back to the alley, pinned to the wall by his attacker. He trembled. Until that moment…he thought the same thing –that he was safe. Now the only thing that made him feel safe…was Clint.
     
    ♦
     
    “So, how serious is this?” A mischievous glint sparkled in Gabe’s baby blue eyes. “You gave him your buckle and a puppy. That’s like some seriously romantic shit there. I