He nods. “Yeah. I’ll meet with my old man once he arrives and then he’ll give me my orders.”
“Do those orders include me?” I ask, hopeful, but smart enough to know that it isn’t going to be likely.
He shrugs his shoulders and sets his empty plate on the nightstand on top of mine.
There is another knock on the door. Axel pops up off the small bed with the worn quilt covering the top. I pick at the frayed edges as I sit on the foot of it and wait. Axel said the quilt belonged to his Grandma Foxie. I trace the stitches with my fingers and smile. I don’t have anything special handed down to me. All I have is more money than I know what to do with, but what good is the money if I can’t use it to help Axel. Maybe if I agree to contribute to that senator’s campaign fund, he’ll try to get him a reduced sentence. I tap a finger to my chin. I can’t just do nothing.
Axel gets the door and a guy who looks eerily similar to him but with shorter hair is waiting on the other side. “Old man wants you at church.” He moves to peer at me over his shoulder and grins at me.
“Abel, this is Ainsley. Ainsley, this is my brother.”
“I can see the resemblance.” It’s terrible but my mind flashes to a dirty thought of what it’d be like to be taken by them both.
“Stay here,” Axel tells me and slams the door as if he could read my mind.
Chapter 12
Axel
I follow my brother down the backstairs and into the bas
ement. I put my phone and my knife in the plastic container that sits on a table outside of the door of the meeting room. My father is seated at the head of the table. My Uncle, Striker, my VP sits to the side of him and across from my Uncle sits Stephanie accompanied by Hades, Prez of the Devils Rejects. I take my seat next to my Uncle and Abel takes the seat next to mine. The rest of the club isn’t here, and I wonder what in the hell is going on.
“We’ve gotta get a handle on this shit with Hernandez,” my father speaks first.
“He has been hounding me since Tiny’s death,” Stephanie says.
Hades looks to me. “I see you did your part.” He smirks and nods at the hickey on my neck. I cover it with my hand as all eyes turn to me.
I don’t say anything at first but realize they all expect me to. “I’ll claim Ainsley. Marrying me affords her extra protection, but I need to ask why do you all care?”
“Because we all agree that she can’t help who her father was, and we won’t send an innocent girl to a monster. He’ll marry her and take her money and once he has a hold on her he’ll kill Stephanie and take over the Leone territory making it a problem for all of us. Then he will either kill Ainsley or continue to torture her. Raul is dirty.”
I get what they are saying. “So, it’s settled. Harley will just have to share her day with me and Ainsley then.”
“Not so fast,” my father cuts in. “You’re supposed to turn yourself in a few days. You won’t do that girl any good from behind bars. I’m sorry, Axel but it has to be someone else.” My blood runs cold at his words and all color drains from my face imagining her with any other man. They all look to my brother and I clench my fists under the table.
“I’ll do it.” Abel smirks at me and clamps a hand down on my shoulder, shaking me. “I am my brother’s keeper.” He laughs. “Don’t worry, big brother. I’ll keep her warm for you,” he teases, and I push my chair back and grab him around the throat. All humor leaves his face and Hades starts to intervene, but my father crashes his fist down on the table.
“Enough. You won’t disrespect me in my house.”
I let go and Abel rubs his throat giving me a dirty look. Stephanie wants to see Ainsley, but I ask her to give me a minute with her first. The meeting is adjourned and it’s over. Ainsley will marry my brother and they will be taking over the Texas territory while I am left to rot. I know it’s the right thing to do. It is the best choice for everyone, but it feels wrong.
I stomp up the stairs and throw the door to my old room open. Ainsley is on the bed curled up with my Grandma’s quilt. I take a seat on the bed and stroke my fingers through her hair. “We need to talk.”
She sits up. “Okay.”
“I just spoke with my old man and your stepmother.”
Her eyes widen. “She’s here?”
I nod. “The thing is. Stephanie doesn’t want to see you share the fate that your own mother did. Your old man used your mother to gain control of some territory. He tortured her. He raped her all the time and eventually drove her mad. She’s alive, Ainsley. She is in a home somewhere out west. Stephanie says she is going to take you to see her when things calm down, but your father’s death left a lot of men eager for power. Eager to use you to make it happen. Stephanie is protected by her connection to her ex-husband but that won’t stop them from trying to take her out and it sure as hell won’t stop them from taking you against your will to get your money.”
“It’s blood money. I don’t want any of this.” Tears burn in the corners of her eyes. “My mom…she’s really?” She swallows, and I rub her jaw.
“Yeah, you’re going to meet her soon.” My bottom lip trembles and I struggle to tell her the next part. “The thing is… our situation…it’s not ideal. You’re unprotected and I’m going away for who knows how long. Someone has to claim you and as bad as I want to it can’t be me. You need someone…” She pulls away from me, sobbing into her hands. “Ainsley, listen to me. My brother.”
“Your brother!” She screams and shoves at my chest. “I want you, Axel. I can pay. I’ll give that senator every penny if it buys your freedom. I’ll do whatever…”