“They did try to take a few bites out of Snake,” I continued. “Sugar helped take him down after he tried to jump me.”
“Lucky the deputies got here,” Axel growled, “or I’d kill that asshole myself.”
Our eyes met, a sudden arc of understanding there. Axel had spoken casually. He wouldn’t havereallykilled Snake. But if he’d hurt his dogs, he’d have wanted to.
“Pretty sure Dalton prefers to keep you out of cuffs,” Holden said dryly.
Shiloh added, “Outside of bed anyway.”
Axel snorted. “How did my stick-in-the-mud brother end up with you?”
Shiloh smiled. “We both got lucky, I guess.”
Axel chuckled. “Yeah. Guess so.” He flashed me a dark look that said he didn’t think Bailey was so lucky.
The flashlight beam slid over something shiny. “What’s this? A knife?”
“Oh, yeah. Snake tried to use it on me. That should be good for assault too, right?”
“Oh my god,” Bailey said, sounding sick.
“I’m okay,” I said.
“He could have hurt you!”
“I’m fine. Not a single cut. I promise.”
Bailey wrapped himself around me again, tighter this time, and I held him to me. Axel watched, a frown creasing his brow.
“We should probably leave it there for the deputies to collect,” Holden said. “Axel, when you find that tainted meat, take it to Dalton. Then tell him where to find the knife, okay?We’ll head up to the house so we don’t trample evidence. Flynn can give his statement there when they’re ready.”
“All right.” Axel glanced at me, looking conflicted. “Thanks for protecting my dogs.”
“I love these guys,” I said. “I’d do anything for them.”
He nodded once and went back to his search. He wasn’t ready to forgive me. I wasn’t sure I deserved it, anyway. Axel had opened his heart and his home to me. He’d been my biggest ally with the brothers. I’d worked with him for weeks, just the two of us in the junkyard, before moving over to the shop, and all the while, I’d kept something from him.
“I really screwed up with him,” I murmured, mostly to myself.
Bailey heard me and reached for my hand. “He’ll get over it. Trust is a touchy subject with him, but I know how much he likes you.”
“I hope that’s enough.”
“Itwillbe,” Bailey said, eyes on my face. “We’ll make sure it is.”
Gray sighed. “It’s been a hell of a night.”
“And it’s not over yet,” Holden said grimly, turning toward the front of the junkyard. “Come on. Let’s go get it over with.”
Bailey laced our fingers, holding me tight as we followed.
A ball of lead sat in my stomach. I hated that I’d let Axel down. Hated that I’d had to sideswipe the guys like that instead of telling them on my own terms.
But I was so damn grateful to have Bailey’s hand in mine. To have a huge heart like his beating for me, fighting for me.
With Bailey by my side, I’d never truly be alone.
CHAPTER 30
