Page 15 of Jaxon

Then he was kissing her again, deep and slow and thorough. Rachel wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer as a bone-deep ache built within her.

Tonight, she would find solace in Jaxon’s embrace. Tomorrow could wait.

A loud bang suddenly echoed through the night, followed by shouts in the distance.

Jaxon tensed, pulling back from the kiss. His eyes narrowed as he peered into the shadows.

“What was that?” Rachel asked, breathless. Her heart pounded for an entirely different reason now.

“Trouble.” Jaxon grabbed her hand, pulling her along as he strode toward the source of the commotion. “Come on.”

Rachel hurried after him, nerves twisting in her stomach.

As they rounded the corner, Rachel caught sight of several bikers confronting a man she didn’t recognize. He was outnumbered, but held a gun in a white-knuckled grip, shouting threats.

Jaxon stepped forward, hands raised. “Easy now,” he said, voice hard with authority. “No need for this to get ugly.”

The man whipped toward him, gun swinging in Jaxon’s direction. “Stay back!” he shouted. His eyes were wild, pupils dilated. Rachel’s heart leaped into her throat, cold fear gripping her. This was not going to end well.

Jaxon froze, gaze locked on the gunman. His hand tightened around Rachel’s, a subtle warning.

The man’s finger twitched on the trigger. Rachel sucked in a sharp breath, bracing herself for the crack of gunfire.

But a second later, the gunman crumpled to the ground. A trickle of blood ran from his temple - he’d been knocked unconscious and the property was in a blaze.

Rachel stared at the scene in shock, heart pounding. Before she could ask what had happened, Jaxon pulled her into his arms.

“It’s alright,” he murmured, one hand cradling the back of her head. “You’re safe now.”

She clutched at his shirt, the adrenaline rush leaving her trembling. “What was that about?” she whispered.

“Just troublemakers looking to cause trouble.” His embrace tightened. “Doesn’t matter. You’re with me now.”

With me now. The words echoed in Rachel’s mind as her racing pulse began to slow. She breathed in the scent of leather and spice, felt the solid warmth of Jaxon’s body against hers.

“Rachel,” he said. “There’s no going back from this. If you’re gonna be mine, it means being part of this life. The danger, the violence...it’s all part of the package.”

His words resonated inside her, sparking a mix of fear and thrill. She knew, in that moment, she couldn’t walk away from him. From any of this.

Rachel lifted her chin, heart pounding as she whispered, “I’m yours.”

A slow, dangerous smile curved Jaxon’s mouth. He dipped his head, lips brushing hers, and sealed her fate with a searing kiss.

9

Smoke lingered in the air as Jaxon strode through the ashes of what was once their clubhouse. His boots crunched over shards of glass and charred debris, fury simmering in his gut at the sight of the devastation.

This was the Wolverines’ doing. Again.

“Bastards are pushing into our territory more each day,” Slick said, joining Jaxon’s side. “Something’s gotta give before this feud tears us apart.”

Jaxon sighed, running a hand over the scruff on his jaw. They’d been at each other’s throats for as long as he could remember, warring over land, power, reputation. Every few months, a new flare of violence would erupt, a vicious cycle that left them with little more than bitterness and bloodshed.

He thought of the young prospect who’d died in the last shootout, the light fading from his eyes even as Jaxon tried to staunch the flow of blood. They couldn’t go on like this.

“We need to end this,” he said. “Once and for all.”

Memories flashed in his mind of past confrontations, each more violent than the last. The raid on their warehouse five years ago. The brutal attack at the strip club that had nearly killed one of their own. And now this—the charred remains of the place they called home.

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