Page 3 of Something to Believe In
"No," she whispered.
Axel's hands reached out for hers, and he held them softly. "Please don't ever see him again. If he ever hurts you again, I'll need to kill him, and then I can't go on tour with you all."
She grinned at his joke. At least it was halfway a joke. "I won't."
Then Axel surprised her again. "Okay." He squeezed her hands. "I'm sorry you ever went through anything violent with that dirtbag. Or anyone, for that matter. But certainly not this piece of shit."
She nodded as her eyes filled with tears. He cared. She knew they all cared, but Axel's level of care seemed special. And it tugged at her heart in all the ways it shouldn't.
The door whipped open, and a loud, angry voice yelled, "Get your scrawny ass out here."
Axel jumped up so fast that it didn't register in her mind what was happening. Sean and Tony followed him. She heard several loud punches as fists landed against someone. Jami ran to the door, and Maddyn couldn't just sit there; she and Livia followed their bandmates outside.
Just as she stepped out of the door, she saw Axel lift Doug off the ground by his shirt and the back of his pants and toss him across the ground, where he landed with a loud thud against the side of his car.
"If you go near Mads ever again, I'll make sure you'll never be able to use your hands. Got it, you son of a bitch?"
Doug slid to the ground and stared blankly ahead. She wasn't sure if he'd hit his head against the car, but he'd certainly received several blows to the face based on the red welts and dark spots on his cheeks, lips, and around his left eye.
She stood stone-still, watching Axel stalk toward him. Livia took her hand, and they hung on tightly to each other as Axel reached down and grabbed a handful of Doug's shirt and lifted him to his feet. He opened the driver's door and tossed Doug inside as if he weighed nothing. "I'll give you to the count of five to get your fucking ass out of this driveway. One."
Doug shook his head. He looked at her. She lifted her chin and stared.
"Two."
Doug swallowed and started his car.
"Three."
He put his car in gear and drove slowly down the driveway. He likely had a difficult time seeing.
Axel stood there, his breathing coming in gasps, and his hands balled into fists.
Jami put his arm around Axel and whispered in his ear. Axel nodded. Jami patted him on the back and turned toward the barn. "Let's give Axel a moment to cool down."
Livia squeezed her hand and moved toward her husband, Tony. They entered the barn together. She waited until she and Axel were outside alone.
He finally turned and stared into her eyes. The expression in his face seemed less wild than it had moments ago. His beautiful brown eyes nearly took her breath away.
He took a couple of steps forward and stopped in front of her. "Are you alright?"
She nodded. "Yes." Her eyes dropped to his hands. His beautiful drummer's hands. Scrapes and redness marked his knuckles. She reached out and took his hands in hers. Her thumb softly brushed over the braised knuckles. "Are you alright?"
"Yes." His voice was raspy. It sent chills down her spine.
"Let's go put ice on them."
He stepped forward toward the door, and she walked with him inside. Their bandmates were sitting on the sofa, and Axel sat next to Jami. Maddyn moved to the back and pulled a baggie from a drawer in the backbar. Filling it with ice, she grabbed a towel and wrapped the ice bag in it, then took it to Axel.
He took it from her and grinned, and that sent many emotions flying through her body. She wasn't allowed to have emotions about him. "Thanks, Mads."
She sat next to Sean, at Axel's left. "Thank you. But, honestly, you shouldn't put your playing hands through so much torture."
He grinned, and again, goosebumps formed.
"You shouldn't have to be hit on. Ever. Never allow that again."
"I won't." She swallowed. "I promise."
