“What time is it?” I rasped, sitting up and wiping my hair back from my face.
“Two.”
“Fantastic,” I muttered. “Sorry, Sal.” I felt bad that they’d taken me in and were now being awoken by a perpetually moody Axel Black.
He snorted. “I had money he’d show up by now. Don’t worry about it.” He waved me off.
“But Kat,” I protested, knowing how tired she was these days.
“She’d sleep through a fuckin’ parade. She’s out; otherwise, I’d be out there having more than words with your man.”
I didn’t doubt that was true.
“I don’t want to put you in the middle of this but can you send him home?” I asked, my voice sounding small in the dim light.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Axel’s voice cut through the night with booming conviction.
“Fuck, man, I told you to stay out there,” Sal bit out.
“And I told you to stay the fuck out of it,” Axel growled. “She’s your sister. I get it. But she’s my woman and that’s my son in there.” He jerked a finger toward the nursery.
“Yeah and you’re acting like a fucking jackass,” Sal snarled.
“Sal, fuck, man, don’t make me remind you of all the shit you pulled on Kat,” Axel appealed to my brother with a sincere effort toward peace. “’Cause I took care of your girl while you were gone and I didn’t fuckin’ judge you for that shit.”
There was a heavy pause and I honestly couldn’t tell which way this would go.
“You’re right,” Sal agreed, shocking the hell out of me. “I was no saint.” He shook his head. “I get some of what you’re going through. But she’s my little sister, man. Anytime she turns up on my doorstep, I’ll take her in. Don’t cross a line where I don’t let you in,” he warned.
“I won’t,” Axel agreed.
“All right, I’m headed to bed,” my brother said gruffly. “Keep it down. If you wake up Kat, I’ll kick your ass out.” He shot a look at Axel though I could tell most of his anger had left him.
I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at both of them.
“Good luck, dude,” Sal muttered, slipping from the room.
“If my brother won’t kick you out, I will,” I hissed toward Axel after the door had been quietly shut.
He didn’t answer me but clicked the light off instead. I heard the sound of his boots dropping one by one to the floor with heavy thunks that ricocheted off the walls. When I heard the sound of his belt and jeans falling to the ground, I stared at him with wide eyes through the dark room.
“What the hell are you doing?” I demanded incredulously.
“Babe, we’re gonna fight; I don’t know much but I know that,” he muttered. “I’m an angry motherfucker and you’re as sweet as you are stubborn.”
“I am not stubborn,” I argued.
He chuckled as I glared.
“We’ll fight,” he continued as he climbed up onto the bed. I scooted away indignantly. “But baby, you’re mine. You sleep under our roof or I find the one you’re under.”
“Not if you’re going to fight like hell for us and then when you get pissed make me feel like a burden,” I argued.
“You’re never a burden,” he replied, his voice tired but sincere. “I’m just not used to fixing things by talkin’,” he explained. “It’s always been with my fists. When those fucks showed up at the club, I’ve never felt so torn. I didn’t want you out of my sight but I also wanted to let them know who the hell they’d answer to if they stepped out of line.”
“So you chose to be with me and regretted it?” I asked confused and hurt.
“All I regretted was feeling like I didn’t do enough to protect you by letting everyone else handle business that I felt was mine.”
