“What happened was on the Reapers—on Jack. I knew exactly what I was getting into when I chose you. I tried to walk away, tried to let you go, but I can’t.” I take a deep breath and try to steady my nerves. Oh God, am I really about to do this?
“So, stop acting like you dragged me into this. I know you would never put me in harm’s way intentionally.” I reach for him, hoping he hears me. Axel sighs and slowly drops into the chair next to the bed. I run my hand down his cheek, to his neck, finally resting it on his shoulder. The gold necklace he always wears catches the light, and I trace the chain until Ifind the ring that hangs from it. I’ve seen it quite a few times, but being this close I can see a small but beautiful oval-shaped emerald. Surrounding it gold leaves and vines wrap around the gem, securing it to the thin gold band. I quickly realize that I’ve been entranced by the ring when his hand comes to wrap around mine.
Axel is still, he doesn’t say anything but his eyes hold me in a way that makes my stomach fill with butterflies.
“I love you, Dane. I love you so much it hurts sometimes.” I barely get the last word out before he crashes his lips to mine. A small wince as pain radiates from my mouth, but it is instantly soothed by the soft feel of his lips against mine. As quickly as the kiss started Axel is pulling away.
“No—wait” I try to pull him back in, but he isn’t focused on our kiss anymore. Axel brings his hands behind his neck and unclasps the necklace. Slowly I watch as the ring I was just staring at slips off the gold chain and falls into his palm. It looks tiny in his large hand.
“What are you doing?”
“This was my mom’s,” he says in a husky voice. He stares at the ring for a moment, then wraps his hand around it and closes his eyes. A small smile appears on his lips as if he is remembering a happy memory.
“She gave it to me a few weeks before she died. I always thought I was never going to settle down, honestly, I didn’t see the point. The club was my life and all I cared about was the shop and my club. But she knew, she knew I’d find you.” My gut twists as I bring my hand up to cover my mouth. My vision becomes blurry and I can feel the hot tears burning the back of my eyes as I try to hold them in.
“My mom told me that one day I would find a woman that sets my world on fire. Someone so amazing that I couldn’t picture living life without them. I thought she was talking crazy,but she was right, she always was.” Dane slides the ring onto my left ring finger, a perfect fit. The corner of his lips curling into a smile as he peers down at my hand, rubbing small circles on my skin with his thumb.
“Jenna, I can’t picture my life without you in it. I want your daily sarcasm and stubborn personality. I want to wake up every morning to your sleepy smile and fall asleep to you rambling about your day. I love you so much, babe. And I understand you think this all started quickly, but I think I knew from the moment I saw you that you were mine.” Axel brings his hand up and wipes my face. I hadn’t realized the tears I had been holding back had begun to fall.
“So, what do you say, baby? Will you marry me? Be mine to love, protect and cherish for the rest of our lives?”
I swipe at my face as fast as I can to gain some sense of composure and start nodding like a crazy person. This whirlwind of a man stormed into my life like a tornado and ripped everything I thought I knew to shreds. But he replaced it with more love than I could ever imagine.
“Of course, I will marry you!” I finally say pulling him into me, not caring that he is getting tangled in the cords attached to me. Almost on cue, a doctor flies into the room followed be a gaggle of nurses who quickly start to asses me. With a smile, Axel pulls away and lets them do their job. But he never once takes his eyes off me.
God, I love this man.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
jenna
ONE MONTH LATER
“Marley,you look amazing! Blaze is the luckiest man alive,” I whisper to my best friend as we stand in line, getting ready to walk down the aisle.
With my winning personality and a lot of Blaze’s money, we were able to get the venue and all the vendors to reschedule the wedding. Everything is perfect, and Mar made me promise I wouldn’t leave her side today. I’m still dealing with the physical effects of my injuries. Even now, bruises and marks that linger on my neck and shoulders, but everything is healing well. Thankfully, when Jack shot me, he didn’t hit any major organs and recovery has been better than I could have hoped for. Emotionally, I’m still working through the trauma of being kidnapped by my crazy ex-boyfriend and used as a bargaining chip in a turf war.
As I smooth a rogue hair down on Marley’s gorgeous head, I feel a familiar hand snake around my waist and pull me in tight. I look down to see Axel’s tattooed fingers splayed across the front of my silky black dress. I opted for something a little more covering as I don’t want to be bombarded with questions and concerned looks about my current appearance.
“You look amazing, baby. So good I could eat you right here.” His eyes flash with lust and a hint of something dark. I can’t help but giggle at his remark, knowing full well his words have ulterior motives. His silver wedding band stands out against his tattoos, and I intertwine my fingers with his, melting into his side.
Axel and I couldn’t wait to be married and, unlike Marley, I wasn’t dying to have a big, traditional wedding. Nothing about our relationship is traditional. We went to the courthouse a few days after I was released from the hospital. Luckily, both of my parents had rushed to be with me when they had heard what happened to me and have been staying in town since. My mom nearly had a heart attack when I told her we were going to elope and before we left the hospital, she surprised me with a gorgeous, simple wedding dress. Leave it to my mom to find me a wedding dress day-of. Marley came and did my make-up and hair and everything had been perfect.
A soft ballad fills the room as the large wooden double doors open in front of us. I turn to Marley and see her trying to peer around us, hoping to catch a glimpse of her future husband. The wedding coordinator stands off to the side, nodding to each pair of bridesmaid and groomsman, alerting them when it’s their turn to walk down the aisle.
Finally, it’s Axel’s and my turn. But before we start walking, I hear the wedding coordinator ask Marley if she’s ready. I smirk when I hear Marley reply.
“Absolutely.”
So sure, so calm. She has found her person, just as I have found mine.
The ceremony and reception are gorgeous. Every detail screams tech wizard and biker, right down to the custom drinks—“Data Daiquiri” and “Whiskey.” Marley had made a big deal about Blaze naming his own drink, only to have him choose the actual name of his favorite liquor.
I decide I need a break from the fun. Grabbing my thick coat, I make my way through the reception hall and out the large French doors. An open deck surrounds the building, overlooking a peaceful lake. I lean on the thick wooden railing that outlines the deck and peer out onto the water. The wind whips around me, filling my nostrils with the smell of winter frost. Thick fog settles against the water and forest, making it feel dark and unsettling. A chill runs down my spine, leaving goosebumps in its wake. On a night that feels so perfect, I hate that I still let my brain pull me back to that day. But something keeps nagging at me, and I can’t let it go.
The man who let me go—who is he? Where is he? I asked Axel about him at the hospital and told him about what had happened. He had called Prince and Blaze, and they both confirmed that he wasn’t left at the house. I didn’t ask any further questions because I wanted to distance myself as far as possible. Thinking maybe he just had a change of heart and wanted to clear his conscious in that moment.
I tried getting into contact with Jill a few days after I got home from the hospital, but she hasn’t returned any of my calls so far. Maybe I should go over to her house to see if she’s okay.
