Page 33 of Cruel Savior

One of his eyebrows shot up. “You think this is easy? If so, I shudder to think what you consider hard. I feel like I’m working my ass off to get through these walls you keep throwing up. You gonna stop now?”

It was my turn to laugh. “Not likely. Those walls keep me safe.”

“Ikeep you safe. I know I did a shit job of that ten years ago, but we didn’t know what we were up against back then. Now we do.”

“That’s noble of you, but it isn’t necessary. Taking care of me isn’t your job. Not anymore. Your contract is with my father. You and the club should be taking care of him.”

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that to me,” he seethed. “Because there’s no way in hell I’m lifting a finger for that asshole unless it’s to slit his fucking throat.”

“Look, Axel, I’m not trying to piss you off. I’m trying to do the right thing. I don’t belong in this town anymore. I should have never come here, but I legit had nowhere else to go.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because after the case with Frank Mazzeo, the government burned me. Do you know what that means?”

He furrowed his brow.“Basically, but maybe you should explain it to me.”

“Basically, they completely disavow knowledge of you, and they freeze or take assets, leaving an agent with nothing more than the clothes on their back.”

“That’s what happened to you? For working with Frank?”

I gnashed my teeth at his words and the tone in which they were delivered. He clearly didn’t approve. Not that I blamed him. He didn’t know the whole story. However, we’d been through enough for a lifetime today, and I had no plans to reveal anything more. Enough was enough.

“I really can’t talk about it. All you need to know is that I came back here because I literally had no other choice. Even a job won’t be easy to get. I now technically have no work history. I was recruited out of college and the US Government is the only employer I have ever had.”

“How the hell am I supposed to accept that. I was there remember? I need an explanation for why you’d risk anyone’s life for that piece of shit.”

I cringed.

“Haven’t we been through enough today? Let it go, Axel. Please. I have enough trouble on my plate without adding to it.”

He looked hesitant, like he couldn’t decide what to do. But for me, there was only one choice. Walk away.

“I should go. I knew this wouldn’t work.”

I started to walk by him, attempting to skirt around him without touching, but he had other plans in mind. When I got next to him, he grabbed my arm and tugged me against his side.

“You’re not leaving. It’s too dangerous.”

“But I— “

“If you leave, then I leave, as does the rest of the club. Which puts everyone at more risk. Either way, we aren’t letting you face this alone. We’ve already made a promise and we will see it through.”

I winced at the multiple implications in that statement. If he didn’t think I could see anything through, then he didn’t know me at all.

I also didn’t want to put anyone in the club at more risk than necessary.

“What do you think we should do?” I asked.

“For starters? Tel is waiting to fill you in on everything he’s found. He’s followed a money trail that seems to connect our killer with the current Mazzeo operation.”

“Wait. What?” I shook my head to try and clear the sudden buzzing in my mind. “What Mazzeo operation? I thought that ended with Frank.”

Chapter Eighteen

Axel

Hours later,I felt like both our heads were going to explode from an overload of information. Mandy had insisted on hearing every single detail from Tel and many of them more than once. Clearly, her and Tel were in their element, while I was itching for some action.

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