Page 18 of Jaxon

Harper’s hand stilled on a book spine, her heart leaping into her throat.She exchanged a glance with Clara, who had stopped mid-laugh, her expression turning to concern.

The engines grew closer, the sound reverberating ominously.Harper’s stomach twisted in a knot of dread.The acrid scent of smoke hit her nostrils, faint at first, but quickly intensifying.Panic prickled along her skin as she rushed to the window.Her breath caught when she saw the flicker of flames climbing the side of the building.

“Clara, call 911!”Harper told Clara, voice trembling.Clara, wide-eyed, grabbed her phone, her fingers dialing rapidly.

Harper’s hands shook as she fumbled for her own phone and scrolled through her contacts to Jaxon’s number.He answered after the first ring.

“Jaxon, it’s Harper,” she managed.“Someone set fire to the store.I can smell smoke, and I hear the bikes outside.”

“Get out of there, now!”Jaxon’s voice was a controlled bark, underlined by a thin edge of panic.“I’m on my way.Backup is coming.Just get out, Harper.”

They asked all the customers to evacuate.Once that was done, Harper grabbed Clara’s arm.She pulled her toward the back exit.

The smoke thickened, clawing at her lungs with every breath.They pushed through the door into the alley, stumbling into the cool air, gasping for breath.

Clara’s face was pale, her hands shaking.“Who would do this?”

Harper’s thoughts spun wildly, but they kept landing on one name—Clay.The warning had been clear, but she hadn’t believed it would escalate so quickly.

The fire was a direct attack, a message.Her heart ached at the sight of her store under siege, the flames curling around her dreams, threatening to reduce them to ashes.

The distant wail of sirens brought a small measure of relief as the fire department arrived, the bright red engines pulling up in front of the store.Firefighters moved swiftly, containing the flames to a small section of the building, but the damage had been done.Harper’s sanctuary had been violated, and the message was clear.

A roar of another engine pulled her gaze down the alley to where Jaxon’s bike came to a screeching halt.He leapt off, his eyes scanning the scene before locking onto her.In three long strides, he was at her side, pulling her into his arms.

“Are you okay?”he asked, his voice low and fierce.He ran his hands over her body, checking for signs of injury.

Harper nodded, her face pressed against his chest.“The store ...they set it on fire,” she whispered, still unable to believe what just happened.

Jaxon’s jaw tightened, a dark fury blazing in his eyes.“Clay,” he growled out, the name a promise of retribution.

Harper gripped his arm.“Not now, Jaxon.Please.We have to think about Mia.We can’t escalate this.We can’t make it worse,” she said.

His fists clenched, his entire body vibrating with the need for action.But her words cut through his rage.This wasn’t just about him.It was about protecting them—her, Mia, their fragile family.

“I’ll get the club involved,” Jaxon said.He clenched his hands by his side but kept his focus on Harper.“Gunner’s already talking this over with the President.”

Harper’s heart twisted at the sight of him, torn between his instinct to protect and the danger that now loomed over them.She could see the tension in his jaw, the way his shoulders squared as if bracing against an unseen blow.

The Iron Sentinels were his family, his strength, and now they had to be hers too.She knew the risk he was about to take, but there was no other way.They couldn’t handle this alone.

“All right,” Harper agreed.She knew it wouldn’t be easy loving a man like Jaxon and she would never ask him to choose her or the MC.

“If we’re going to be a family, we can’t let Clay or anyone else tear us apart,” she added.

The word “family” hung between them, heavy with meaning and promise.Jaxon’s eyes softened, the fierce protectiveness giving way to something deeper, more vulnerable.

He reached out, cupping her face with a tenderness that belied the fury simmering beneath his skin.Using his thumb, he brushed her cheek, a soothing gesture that sent a shiver through her.

“I won’t let anything happen to you or Mia,” he vowed, his voice a quiet, deadly promise.“I swear it.”

The distant crackle of the fire, now mostly subdued by the firefighters, served as a grim reminder of the danger.Harper pressed closer to Jaxon, finding solace in the strength of his arms around her.

The acrid scent of smoke lingered in the air, mingling with the cool breeze of the morning.It was a stark contrast to the warmth of Jaxon’s embrace.

As the firefighters moved methodically, extinguishing the last of the flames, Harper’s mind raced with the implications of the attack.This wasn’t just a warning—it was a declaration of war.Clay and his crew had crossed a line, and she knew there was no turning back now.They had to stand their ground, fight for what mattered most.

Jaxon’s grip on her tightened briefly before he released her, stepping back to assess the damage.His gaze was sharp, scanning the scene with a critical eye, already calculating the next move.

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