Page 2 of Dangerous Daddy

Still, Axton cleared his throat. “It’s not you. I told Adan I would meet him.”

Jarek blinked—like Axton had slapped him. “Adan? As in Beau’s Adan?”

Axton’s hackles were all the way raised again. “He’s not Beau’s Adan. He’s just Adan. People aren’t property.”

“In this case, they absolutely are,” Jarek shot back. “Are you trying to get yourself killed? Because that’s exactly where things are headed if you’re messing with Adan. Beau will definitely see you dead before he lets that guy go. Plus, what about Banks? He’s supposed to be your friend.”

“What about Banks?” Banks asked, appearing from nowhere and claiming the seat Axton abandoned.

Axton motioned Jarek’s way. “He’s angry because I’m going to meet Adan.”

“Oh.” Banks sounded completely unmoved. “Why?”

Jarek looked between them. His frustration couldn’t be missed. “Why? Adan is the reason your mother took her own life. He’s the reason your brother tried to kill himself.”

There was some new information in there for Axton.

Still, Banks looked unruffled. “No, he’s not.”

“What do you mean, he’s not?” Jarek looked more irritated by the second.

Banks shrugged. He was rarely bothered by anything. “Mom had a drug and alcohol problem. I’m sure seeing Adan with Dad didn’t help anything, but she chose her addiction until she couldn’t anymore. That’s not Adan’s fault. As far as Boone goes, it’s possible he still sees things that way, and I guess Adan had a hand in things, but I can’t believe you’d blame a child over the old man who seduced him.” The way Banks held Jarek’s stare said he expected more from Jarek. “And that’s exactly what Adan was when my father put him on his knees.” His hard voice almost made Axton take a step back. For all Banks’ carefree attitude, he could also be terrifying. His gaze swapped to Axton. “Tell Adan he’s still welcome here. I don’t know if he’s stopped coming around for our sakes or not, but it isn’t necessary.”

Without looking his brother’s way, Axton dipped his chin and headed for the door. It was a little too early to meet Adan. He straddled his Harley and fired it to life. Because he was still the same terrible person who ended up doing time, he headed for the wrong side of town. Nothing good ever happened where he was going. But he wasn’t good and there was no sense in pretending. Even his brother expected nothing less.

Chapter Two

The stars were brighttonight, despite all the light pollution. Adan wondered all the time what the sky looked like in secluded areas. He had seen pictures and videos, but real life always beat reproductions. Adan had never been anywhere, except to hell. He twisted the tail on his pajamas and refused to go down that road. Adan did what he always did when he couldn’t breathe. He thought about Boone.

Not the Boone who hated him now, but the one who had loved him. Adan imagined he was the only person who ever truly had. He recalled every second of the first time they met. Adan had been sassy. That was always how he dealt with being nervous. Adan shivered. He knew what he had lost, but Adan wasn’t allowed to show it because it was completely his fault. Just like everything else, Boone was completely gone from him now. It was a bad mental health day. Not that he had good days.

“You look cozy.”

Adan startled at Axton’s sudden appearance. He had been so lost in his thoughts, he hadn’t heard Axton’s Harley approach. Adan looked down at his fuzzy pajamas—one of the few things he had been allowed to keep when tossed in the street. “Yeah. Sorry. I know you’re not into the whole Little scene.”

“Don’t apologize.” Axton filled the lounge beside him. “I’d never change who you are.”

“Really? I would. Change who I am, I mean. Not you,” he clarified.

Axton’s light gaze locked on to him. His nose ring caught the light. Everything about him fascinated Adan. He was the opposite of everyone Adan had ever known—in looks, anyhow. Axton was just as dangerous and deadly as everyone who had ever been in Adan’s life. But he definitely wasn’t the clean-cut expensive suit guy Adan had been surrounded by for years, and it was strangely comforting. Those suit-wearing guys had murdered his soul.

Adan had to change the subject. “Do you mind if I’m extra nosey?”

Axton shrugged. He nodded toward Adan’s open wine bottle. “Do you mind if I take a swig of that?”

“Go for it.”

Adan watched as Axton dug out a baggie full of pills and fished out a couple. He washed them down with Adan’s wine. Axton winced. “Shit. That’s nasty.” He held the bag out. “Do you want in on this?”

Curiosity always won. Adan leaned closer. It wasn’t like he had anything going for him anyhow. He eyed the pills. “There’s a lot of them. I wouldn’t know what to take.” But he wanted to. Just like with the wine, it was disgusting because Adan didn’t know how to pick alcohol. Beau had never let him drink.

Axton shook the bag and eyed the inside. He hunted through the contents and found two white ones that looked alike. “Take these. They won’t knock you out or have you bouncing off the walls. You’ll just feel good.”

That sounded amazing to Adan. He washed them down with the wine. It truly was gross. His tongue immediately loosened.

“Sorry. I didn’t know which wine to pick. Wrecker’s husband only recently took me to get my ID so I could buy alcohol. Beau never let me drink or anything. All the stuff Tabitha used to down is way out of my price range. Sorry. I shouldn’t talk about them.”

“You should stop saying you’re sorry.”

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