Page 30 of All's Fair in Love & Wrath

“We’ll be right back, just stay put. It’s all going to be okay. We wouldn’t do this if we hadn’t fully checked them out. They’re like us. Like how our club used to be. Just breathe for us.” Then he’s leaving me, his door slamming as he retreats to join Maddox and Lincoln, the lights from the other car bathing the three of them so all I can see are silhouettes.

Three men climb out of the van, walking toward my brother. I know Axel will be one of them, and the thought of him eases some of the tension.Some. Not much. At least there will be one person I know to some degree.

I scoot toward the door, listening to their conversation through the open windows.

“Your president agreed to take her under your protection?”

“We wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t,” Axel says confidently. I’d recognize his voice anywhere. “She’ll be safe with us. Both Rogue and Malice’s women live at the clubhouse, as well as two others. Patch bunnies are all there of their own free will and all under our protection. No harm will come to your sister while she’s with us. You have my word.”

My brother sounds desperate when he speaks, and it breaks my heart. I know I need to make this easier on him because there’s no doubt it’s killing him to send me away like this. “This isn’t an easy fuckin’ choice, but I’m out of options.I’ll owe you. Whatever you need, when the time comes, it’s yours.”

My brother nods at Gage, and I know it means my time is up. This is it. I either go kicking and screaming, or I keep my mouth shut and do what I need to do. It has to be better than Cain finding me. Gage opens my door and leans in, picking up my large duffel bag and holding out his hand to me.

“There’s no choice, Enna, so let’s get this over with.”

I take a deep breath and step out, rolling my shoulders back and crossing my arms over my center. My bag is handed to one of the other guys, but I don’t bother looking at any of them. I just stand there like a piece of luggage, a commodity that they’re passing around. I know it’s for my safety, but I just want to live for me. I want to be the one in control of my life. Nothing about this is living. It’s just running, doing what I’m told. It’s bullshit. It’s unfair. And I wish the ground would open up and swallow me whole.

But then Axel speaks directly to me, his voice dropping softer, gentler. I don’t know if I appreciate it or hate it. “Hey, Sienna, you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Maddox moves first, gripping my shoulders and pulling me into a huge hug. I take a deep breath of his rich scent, tears nearly springing to my eyes. We’ve never been away from each other. Not really. Not like this. Maddox separates us, but keeps his hands on my shoulders, as if he’s holding me in place, scared I’ll run. As if I’ve ever.

“Remember, zero contact. No phones, don’t try to reach me. I’ll reach out to their burner when I can. Stay put and be safe, you understand?”

“Yeah, I know the drill. I love you.” He pulls me back in for another hug, before releasing me and stepping to the side. He’s quickly replaced by Lincoln, who does the same, wrapping his arms around me and holding my head to his chest.

“Be smart. We’ll get you back before you know it.”

“I love you,” I whisper against his chest.

With one last squeeze, he steps away, letting his comforting arms fall to the sides. I look up at Gage, willing my tears not to fall. We make our goodbye quicker than the first two, because he knows that being the last one could break me. Then the three men who have been brothers to me for as long as I can remember turn and walk back toward the SUV, leaving me with three strangers from an MC in a town I’ve never been to.

Axel throws a set of keys to the huge guy who catches them midair. Then his eyes are on me, taking two large steps in my direction, putting us toe-to-toe. My heart races in my chest as he looks at me. It’s too dark and the headlights too assaulting to make out the color, but I know they’re blue and endless, with a dark swirl of purple close to the pupil.

“You’re safe with us. I promise. I won’t let anything happen to you. And these two are huge idiots, so just ignore them.”

I want to believe him. God, do I want to believe him. But I can’t.

“You’re wrong, Axel. I’m not safe anywhere.”

“We’ll see about that, sweetheart.”

He holds his arm outstretched, ushering me toward the waiting van. The other two club members open their doors and climb in, Axel opening up the back door and waiting for me to do the same. I hesitate for a moment, but I know the men around me have sealed my fate. Just as it’s always been.

Chapter Eleven

AXEL

Sienna sits on the far side of the van, her eyes cast downward, her lips pursed. This is the first time I’ve seen her look pissed off, giving me a glimpse of the fire that simmers just below the surface. Good. It means he didn’t extinguish everything; I just need to stoke those embers until they blaze.

I won’t pretend to know what it must feel like to get into a vehicle with three strange men, and I’m man enough to recognize the privilege I have as a man to never understand what she must be feeling right now. I have no idea how much she was a part of this, or if her brother just decided for her. Regardless, she’s in my orbit now, and I’m going to make sure Sienna has all the options and can make her own decisions moving forward.

I reach out slowly, running my fingers over her hand to get her attention. She doesn’t jerk away, but she does jump. Like she was so lost in her own head, she forgot I was right next to her. My eyes flick to the front seat, Rogue and Malice cast in shadows, the long stretch of empty road ahead of us.

“Hey, are you okay?”

She doesn’t turn my way, keeping her head facing out her window, eyes somewhere else. “How many times do I have to tell you? I’m fine. Everything is fine. Save yourself some breath, Axel, and stop asking.”

Whoa. Okay, I like that.A lot. If she’s willing to give me an attitude, that means she feels safe enough with me to do that. That’s a huge fucking win in my book.