Free Axel (Ride Series Book 3) by Megan O'Brien

in. Instead of the posture scaring me, his weight and closeness soothed my raging nerves.
    “What is it?” His expression was tight as he peered down into my face.
    “Jill called,” I explained, looking off to the side.
    “Eyes on me,” he directed.
    I conceded, shifting my gaze to his. “Jill called and told me that men broke into my old place tonight.” I swallowed as his body grew noticeably tighter. “The thing is,” I continued, looking past his expression which had grown dark, “she thought it was you guys at first. She said they were bikers. I have no idea why another club would be looking for me or how they even found me in the first place. Do you think Henry told anyone else that he saw me?” I asked hesitantly. “I know he wouldn’t do anything to put me in harm’s way, but maybe he just didn’t know to keep that information to himself.”
    “I don’t know what the fuck is going on but I’m sure as hell gonna find out,” he growled.
    “She said she thought she saw Black something on their jackets. The Black Riders?” I asked my question aloud.
    I could feel his muscles go tighter still as he absorbed this information.
    “God, we could have still been there.” I closed my eyes trying to block out the images that had haunted me since Jill’s call. “What if they had taken Mad from me?” I croaked, my eyes filling with tears. “What if—”
    “You weren’t there,” his deep voice cut off my line of thinking as he swept my hair away from my face. “And I’ll never let anyone take our boy. I’ll never let anyone hurt you,” he soothed.
    I believed him. He had my back from minute one, despite all the bombshells I dropped on him.
    “Come here, babe,” he rumbled, rolling us so he was on his side and I was pulled deep into his body. It was only then I was really aware he was nearly naked, clad only in boxers. Being pressed against his firm chest, smelling his natural woodsy scent was almost enough to bring me out of my state of fear entirely.
    I breathed him in, burrowing deeper. I would have crawled inside him if I could have.
    “What are we going to do? How is this going to end?” I whispered as his large hand stroked over the dip in my waist and up to the curve of my hip in a rhythmic gesture.
    “We aren’t going to do anything. “ He squeezed my hip for emphasis. “I’m going to take care of this and you’re going to trust me to do that.”
    I pulled away and looked him in the eye. “I do trust you and a year ago I would have turned a blind eye, but our son is involved. I want to know what’s going on.”
    He was silent for a few moments and I braced for his response. “All right, darlin’. But you may not like what I tell you,” he warned. “I’m not afraid to use whatever means necessary to get the information I want. Especially if it comes to keeping you and Maddox safe.”
    “Whatever means necessary?” I asked quietly.
    He nodded, his jaw tight. “Violence is a part of my world. You should understand that about me,” he explained gruffly. “That means anyone gets out of line, I put them back in it. That means anyone threatens you, I will not fucking hesitate to make them regret it. No one will take you from me. No one,” he growled.
    “We’re here now,” I assured him – comforting him as he had me so many times.
    “Are you here, Soph?” he demanded quietly. “You’re so damn quiet. I can never tell what you’re thinkin’. You don’t want to touch me except for right now. Is it…was I just too late? Did I lose you even though you’re here?” His voice was thick with emotion.
    My heart lurched, thinking of what I put him through. What we’d put each other through. Especially with so many unknowns of what was to come, it was never more poignant to me to live in the moment. To let the past go.
    I knew words wouldn’t appease him.
    Actions would.
    I kissed his chest by way of answer. I heard his intake of breath and his grip tightened on my hip.