Chapter Twenty-Two

AXYL

I’m jolted awake by the sound of shouting downstairs. The bed is empty. What the hell is happening? I scramble out of bed, pulling on my shirt and jeans before heading downstairs.

The sight that greets me makes my blood boil. “What the ~hell~ are you doing here!?” Everyone turns to look at me, their faces guilty, like kids caught stealing cookies.

“Axyl, honey. I came to get my boys. I miss my family. I miss you. I’ve changed. I’ve gotten help,” Lana says. Sure, she would say that.

She doesn’t know that we’ve been keeping tabs on her. Westyn has been tracking her for a while now. He’s kept us informed about her...side activities. There’s no way I’m letting my boys anywhere near that.

Before I can respond, Aliana beats me to it.

“Like I said before, you’re not getting anywhere near ~my~ boys. Get out of this club before I throw you out. No one’s going to stop me this time,” she snaps.

“They’re not yours. They’re MINE. I gave birth to them. I raised them. You’re just the slut who’s sleeping with my husband.”

“We’re divorced, Lana. Get out of here and don’t talk to my woman like that. You’re not seeing my boys anytime soon.”

“I’ll drag you to court, Axyl Sullivan. Just you wait. You’ll regret this and everything else. Soon, Axyl. Very soon.”

“Go ahead and try. We’ve been to court once and I won. What makes you think it’ll be any different this time? Just remember...I know who you hang out with.

“I know everything, Lana, and you’ll never know how I know.” Her face turns pale, but I can tell she doesn’t really believe me. Probably because she’s high as a kite right now.

“It’s funny that you’d try to see Murdock and Danny while you’re high, but you haven’t tried any other time. I don’t know what kind of help you got, but it sure as hell wasn’t for the drugs you’re on right now.”

“I’m not high.” Aliana snorts and Lana glares at her. If looks could kill, she’d be six feet under by now.

“And I’m a damn virgin,” Aliana retorts. “Just get out of here, Lana. Don’t make this hard on them. If you really care about them, you’ll leave and get yourself together.

“Until Axyl and I have seen you and decided you’re not a threat to our boys, you’re not going anywhere near them.”

“Mama. What’s happening?” I turn to see Danny standing there. Murdock isn’t far behind him.

“Nothing, sweetie. Just go back and play your games. Better yet, go see if Grandma Elaine and Grandma Vanessa need any help with dinner.” Danny nods at Ali and kisses her cheek.

Ali stands up, with my help, before turning her glare back to Lana.

“Okay, mama. I love you. Come on, Dock. Let’s go help the grandmas.” Danny rushes into the kitchen and Murdock is just standing there. Looking at his mother.

“I don’t want her here, mom. Dad, make her leave.” Murdock says, before running off. I start to follow him, but Aliana stops me.

“I’ll go. You handle this. She’s only causing harm and she can’t even see it. I want her gone in the next five minutes or I’m doing it myself.”

Before I can respond, she walks off after Murdock and I’m left standing in the main area with the mother of my children. I can’t stand this woman.

First, she starts hitting my kids, then she betrays this club and leaks information about my woman and the club. There are two things you don’t mess with. My family and my club.

“Get out, Lana. I don’t want to see your face here again. I’m not sure if I’ll even let you see them again.

If I do, it’ll be on ~my~ terms. If they don’t want to see you, then that’s how it’ll be. Do us all a favor and stay away. Get your life together. Prospect! Escort her out and make sure she leaves the compound.

I’m going to find my son and my woman.” The prospect escorts a screaming Lana out of the building and off the property while I go looking for Aliana and Murdock. I’m just glad she didn’t see Diego.

ALIANA

I follow Murdock out of the main area and into the backyard. He’s sitting on a swing, staring at the ground like it holds all the answers. I walk over and sit on the swing next to him.

I won’t pressure him to talk. If he wants to talk, he will.

“I remember when the dads built this playground. I was four or five, and your dad and Uncle Westyn were six or seven.

I was so excited because I finally got the playground I wanted. Your dad and uncle wouldn’t play with me and the other girls, so we still wanted to go to the park to play with other kids our age.

I remember my dad being so mad because he and the other dads spent days working on this to make it perfect and so it would last for their grandchildren’s children to play on.

My favorite part of this whole thing was that playhouse over there.” I turn to see he’s looking at me, listening intently.

“Why was it your favorite? It’s all girly.” He scrunches up his nose and I just laugh.

“First off, I’m a girl. Secondly, I used to hide in there all the time. Even as I got older. It was my escape, my sanctuary from all the boys.

“The only one who ever really noticed me was your Uncle Reaper. He’s my best friend. Even now. He would join me in that little house and listen to everything I was running from.

“He had his own secret spot when he needed to escape. If you want, I can show you that someday, but only if Reaper is okay with someone else knowing.”

“I think I’d like that. Sorry, Mom, but your playhouse is just too girly for me. I’m a man.” He stands from the swing and strikes a pose, flexing his muscles. I laugh and pull him into my arms.

“Yes, you are. My strong little man. Just don’t rush to grow up, okay? Enjoy being a kid for a while because once you’re grown, you’ll wish you could be a kid again.”

He nods and looks at me, then away. He opens his mouth and closes it a few times, like he wants to say something, but is too nervous to speak. “What is it, sweetheart?”

“How did you meet Lana?” His question catches me off guard. “How did Dad meet her?”

“I met her when she and her family moved to town during my freshman year of high school.

“We became friends and one day, your dad and my brother picked me up. I remember her stopping me and asking who the man was in the passenger seat.

“I told her it was your dad, and she said she was going to make him hers. She didn’t know it then, or maybe she did, but I loved your dad, and it hurt knowing I couldn’t do anything about it.

“Anyway, your mom started hanging out with me more and more just to get close to your dad, and it worked. Next thing I knew, they were dating, and your mom was pregnant with you.”

“Why didn’t you go after Dad yourself?”

“Well, back then, I was the president’s only daughter and the kid sister of the future president. I was basically off-limits to any boy who was interested in me.

“If it wasn’t for Reaper growing up with the club, I wouldn’t have had any friends. As I got older, your dad only saw me as a kid sister.

“I could have told your dad how I felt, but by the time I got the courage to do so, he had gotten your mother pregnant and asked her to marry him.

“I stepped back because I didn’t want to risk him losing you or your mom. He seemed so happy, and that helped my heart heal a little.”

“Is that why you left when I was younger? Because you were sad that Dad chose my mom?”

“That’s part of it. There were plenty of reasons for me to strike out on my own. I wanted to follow my dreams and not be tied down to the club for the rest of my life.

“I wanted to get a degree that I could use to help people. I always planned to come back, but things just didn’t work out that way.

“A big part of me left because my heart couldn’t bear seeing your dad with anyone else. The man I loved with all my heart was untouchable, and there was nothing I could do about it.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you.” He whispered. I pulled him into my arms and hugged him. This boy has a heart of gold, and I never want it to be tainted.

“I’m not. It gave me you and your brother and your father. You three are the light of my life. These two girls that I’m carrying are part of that light. I wouldn’t have them if things had gone the way I wanted them to back then.”

“I remember everything she ever did to me and Danny. I tried to take all the beatings because Danny is so little. It started when I was five, and it just kept going.

“Then two years later, Danny was born. It stopped for a while and then started back up when Danny was old enough to walk.

“I tried so hard to make sure she never touched Danny the way she did me, but sometimes I just hurt too bad to do anything.”

“Why didn’t you tell me when it was happening, son?” Axyl says from behind us, startling me.

“How long have you been there?” I ask.

“I got here when you were telling him why you left when he was younger.”

“Well, I’ll let you two talk. Is that okay with you, Murdock? Or would you like me to stay?”

“Can you stay?” I nod and lead them over to the picnic table, sitting down. “I didn’t tell you because Mom told us not to or it would be worse next time.

She was always good at hitting us where our clothes would cover it up. She slipped up that time you found out because she was drinking. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I was scared. I was trying to keep Danny safe.”

Axyl pulls Murdock into his arms as he cries into his dad’s chest. He meets my eyes and I see the tears lining them, much like my own. I stand up and walk to the other side of the table and kiss Murdock before kissing Axyl.

I’m going to go check on Danny and give them a few minutes to talk alone. They need this time and I’m having a hard time not breaking down. I need to be strong for them, but these damn hormones are making it so hard.

After hearing that story, I want to kill her more than I’ve ever wanted to kill Alex or anyone in his club. The thirst for her blood is greater than it ever has been for anyone.

She’s a dead woman walking because when I get my hands on her, she won’t be breathing any longer. Her ass is mine when I get my hands on her.