Page 140 of Wild Card
“Are you serious? What happened?”
I chuckled. “It’s a long story. How about I take you home and tell you all about it over dinner?”
Axel licked his dry lips. Shook his head. “What about what I did? The sheriff can’t date a criminal.”
“Says who?” I challenged.
He scoffed. “Come on, Dalton. Be real. Even if you’re sheriff now, it won’t last if I fuck it up for you. This is who I am. I didn’t go looking for trouble, but it still found me.”
I cupped his face and met his eyes. “Be honest with me, Axel. Did you start the fight today?”
“No, but I didn’t stop it either. I haven’t always chosen the right crowd to run with.” He swallowed hard. “It came back to bite me in the ass tonight, and I can’t promise it won’t happen again.”
“Well, that’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
His eyes searched mine. “You shouldn’t have to do that. I should just let you go.”
He sounded reluctant. I could work with that.
“Axel, I won’t lie. It’ll be awkward if you break the law while I’m sheriff. I can’t be like Hale and protect you from the consequences.”
“I’d never ask you to do that.” He swallowed. “I’d let you go if you needed me to. I thought maybe that’s what you meant by things having to change.”
“No,” I said softly. “That’s not what I meant at all. I’m so sorry if you ever thought that.”
“It made sense.”
“Nothing about that makes sense. Because I love you.”
His breath stuttered. “You really love me? Even after I fucked up like this?”
“One mistake won’t change how I feel. A dozen mistakes won’t. Okay? I’m not going to leave you. Ican’tdo that. Don’t even suggest it. Because I love you too fucking much.”
He looked stunned, and then he wrapped a hand around the nape of my neck and pulled me into a desperate kiss. I gave him everything he needed, ignoring the gagging sounds coming from Jett’s cell.
“I don’t deserve it,” Axel choked out as we broke. “But I’m gonna take it, anyway.”
“Darlin’, you of all people deserve all the love in the world, and I’m going to keep on loving you until you believe it.”
He blinked hard, face twisting, and I got to my feet so he could have a moment to compose himself. I extended a hand down. “You going to let me bail you out now, or are you determined to stay in here and punish yourself?”
He grasped my hand, surging to his feet. “I’ll come if you let me say one thing, and don’t argue with me.”
“I’m listening.”
“I’m going to try harder,” he said. “I’m going to be a better man. One worthy of a sheriff.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but he rushed ahead. “You say you love me, and I believe you, but I want to make your life better, Dalton. I want to be a stand-up guy that you can be proud to have at your side. I’m going to clean up my act. I promise.”
“Can I speak now?” I asked.
He nodded, looking braced for impact.
“Just don’t change who you are, Axel,” I said. “I fell in love with a fun-loving, chaotic, wild man, and I don’t know if I could handle being the one to dim that flame.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” he murmured, crowding close. “I’ll always burn plenty hot for you.”
“Seal it with a kiss?”
