Page 48 of Cruel Savior

Axel

I stoodin the entry of the clubhouse and watched Mandy be swept away by half the club and their women. Anyone else, and I might have questioned their loyalty. They were clapping her on the back and offering her shots of tequila to celebrate her win.

Bastards.

I smiled, pride filling my chest. She’d done insanely well out there and beat me fair and square. I’d warned her about bar banging for her own safety because I didn’t want her hurt, not because it was really cheating. That was all part of that kind of racing. But she’d more than proven she could handle herself.

“Did you let her win?”

I bristled at JD’s question. Maybe it wasn’t a stretch for him to question her win, but it annoyed me nonetheless. It was one thing for me to underestimate her without cause and a whole other situation for someone else to do it. Her and I had a complicated history that came with a bucket of trust issues. That didn't mean I wanted anyone else to have a problem with her.

“Nope. She got me on that last turn. I don’t know where she learned to cut the corners like that, but she is one hell of a driver.”

“CIA trains their people well. A test probably wasn’t necessary.”

Ismiled, letting a full grin cross my face. “Maybe not. But it sure was fun, and look at her now. I think she needed this.”

“I take it you two have worked through your differences.”

My smile faltered. I didn’t know about worked out, but we might be headed in the right direction. Maybe.

“Let’s just say we’ve worked out a truce.”

JD chuckled and clapped me on the back. “A truce isn’t a bad place to start. Relationships are complicated, some more than others.”

I looked at my prez and wondered whether he was talking about me, the past, or maybe even his present. If anyone understood complicated it would be him. He had the scars to prove it.

“Complicated is an understatement. Probably more trouble than I need is more like it.”

JD’s laugh deepened. “The ones worth your time always are. Just give it some time. I have a hunch there’s more to her story than either of us knows.”

“What does that mean?” I searched his face for an answer. “If you know something I should, you need to tell me. I can’t protect her if I don’t know everything up front.”

“Then I guess you’ll have to ask her. She’s the one with the answers you need, not me.”

I hated it when he hit me with his cryptic all-knowing bullshit. But I also knew he would only say what he wanted to say, no matter how much he was provoked.

"Go have a drink with your girl," he nudged. "Take a moment to enjoy each other before we all go to hell turning the criminal underworld upside down tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, huh?" I was happy to hear that. I was done waiting on this prick to make a move. I was beyond ready to bury a bullet between his eyes.

"I know what you're thinking." I doubted he did, but I didn't see the point in arguing. "When someone's messing with your woman, all you can think about is how you’re going to end it. Just make sure she’s okay with what you’re thinking, so it doesn't drive the two of you apart. She has been living in a different world for a while now."

I thought about that for a moment. "As far as I can tell, she doesn't live by the rules of her world or ours. She isn't afraid to get dirty, but her loyalty is questionable. I’m not sure that’s something I can or should get past." We were both painfully aware of the fact she'd worked with Frank and that association had nearly cost us more than we could afford to pay.

There was also a clear difference between what I wanted to believe, and what might actually be true. Digging into our past might have been necessary, but at what cost?

JD shook his head. "Talk to her, Axel. Find out for yourself what made her do the things she did. There has to be an explanation on her part. There has to be."

"Or this Mazzeo shit-head is just cleaning up the mess his father made in a very final way. If he gets rid of everyone involved, then the slate is clean for the new organization, and he cements his position in the new organization." That seemed the logical answer. Only, I didn't feel that in my gut. This dickwad had taken chances most men in charge did not.

"Worry about it tomorrow. Go congratulate your woman, and have some fun. After tonight, it might be a while before we can relax again. Declaring war on a crime syndicate isn't likely to make us very popular."

I nodded. While I'd heard what he said, my brain had focused on the my woman part and gotten stuck there. Was that really what I wanted? Or what she wanted? JD must have sensed my hesitation so he took that opportunity to walk over to Mandy and give her a congratulatory hug. One of the prospects behind the bar offered them both shots of tequila, which they clinked together and downed in one swallow.

I shook my head. If I wanted to talk to her about us, I needed to break this up before they got her sloshy drunk. Mandy drunk would probably be lots of fun. But Mandy sober could make clear decisions and understand what it was I had to say.

As I was about to walk that way, Bear crossed my path and blocked my view of Mandy. "What the hell, Bear?" I grumbled, trying to look around his massive bulk. The dude was as big as a standing grizzly and as lethal as one too. Not to mention the long hair and the long beard making him as hairy as one too.

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