“If he just remembers he’s Mom’s son before he belongs to anyone else, except himself, he can get the job back.” Wiping his arms across his snotty nose, Axel held out his hand. “Until then, we can be a team and share responsibilities. Deal?”
“If you target me, that turn you into a traitor.”
Axel dropped his hand and narrowed his eyes. “If I target you, that means you’re a stupid motherfucker.”
Sighing, Christopher stood and Axel tipped his head back so their gazes met.
“How about you and me choose a wall in this hallway and one downstairs in the East Hall where we can put up your rules?”
“I like the way you think, little dude.”
“How the fuckI’ma lil’ dude?”
“Only one Big Dude, Dad.” Axel pointed up. “Lolly told me all about the Big Man Upstairs. She said to ask Him to fix everything for me and He did. He sent Mom back to us. I could call him Big Man and you Big Dude. Would you like that more?”
Christopher smiled, accepting Axel’s explanation. “Whatever you like, boy.” He turned toward the bedroom door and placed his hand on the knob.
“Dad?”
Glancing over his shoulder, Christopher lifted his brow.
“I know you think I love Diesel more than you, but I don’t. Okay? He likes to be around me and my men. Me especially, though. I don’t have to repeat with him like I do with CJ and Reb for you.”
“You mean compete?”
“Uh huh. I know you’re so old and don’t have much longer to live. You’re fiftyandsenile. Hopefully, your brain won’t make you forget this conversation.”
Scowling, Christopher dropped his hand and faced Axel again. “Roxanne ma about eighty and you know her.”
“She’s a walking miracle. Her lungs still work and she remembers a lot of stuffs. You don’t. If you had, Mom wouldn’t have left.”
“I ain’t gonna forget again, boy. Your ma schooled my fuckin’ ass and I ain’teverfuckin’ with her again. Realizin’ she left me was the worst fuckin’ thing in the fuckin’ world.”
Axel smirked. “She’s awesome.”
“You admire your ma for what she did to me, huh, son?”
“Don’tyou?”
Smiling, Christopher nodded. “Yeah, boy. Ain’t no finer woman than one who stand up for herself.”
“And love her children and her husband so much.”
“Yeah.”
“I want a woman like Mom. One of the beautifulest girls in the world who likes to have fun, loves her family and the club, and puts me in my fucking place.”
“That might change.”
“Nope. A man knows what he wants.”
“He do,” Christopher agreed.
Axel gave him a quick hug again. “Gotta go, Dad, and take care of Diesel.” He turned and raced toward the main staircase,since Diesel’s room was right near the second-floor landing. “Bye.”
Christopher thought about stopping him, then decided he’d check to make sure his wife was in their room before either finding Axel or warning CJ and Diesel to watch out.
The moment Christopher opened his door and walked in, Megan stood from the bed in all her naked glory, her golden hair flowing around her. Slamming the door closed, he turned the lock, his breath hitching. He forgot everything except her, his little goddess.
