“Take a seat. I’ll bring some iced tea.”

Axel and I both sit, and I watch as she walks out of the room. Damn, she’s huge but in such a feminine kind of way. I turn to Axel, and he gives me a weak smile.

“You’re making me live with a drag queen?” I whisper.

He leans close. “That woman...she’s the damned best thing that’ll ever come into your life, Cricket. You need to trust me on that.”

“How do you know her?” I ask.

His eyes go vacant, and he murmurs, “She helped me through some shit, a long time ago.”

“Oh,” I say, sitting back.

“Here we are,” Lady says, walking back into the room with a bunch of glasses on a tray. I can hear the jingling of ice as she moves.

She places the tray down, then tucks a long, blonde strand of hair behind her ear. She sits down, and smiles at Axel. Her expression is warm toward him, her eyes are filled with love, and I can clearly see she adores him. Not in a sexual kind of way, but in the way a mother adores her child. She reaches over, and takes his hand, staring down at his thick rings.

“I heard you were the president now.”

It’s not a question, and the look she gives him is one of concern, as if she doesn’t like to hear this kind of news. Almost as though...she’s disappointed in him. He closes his hand over hers, and smiles at her. God, he’s breathtaking when he smiles.

“I am, and it’s all fine, Lady. Don’t worry.”

“You’re so much better than all that, Axel.”

“They’re my family,” he says stiffly.

“They’re also the reason you don’t smile right up to your eyes anymore.”

I narrow my eyes, and stare at them. I know what she means by that, of course. Even when Axel smiles, it never reaches his eyes, nor is it ever a true smile. I wonder what happened? Why would she say something like that? Axel obviously gives her a look, because her eyes turn to me.

“And the girl knows nothing of your past,” she says softly. “Where are you from, sweetheart?”

“Nowhere important,” I say, forcing a smile.

“How do you know Axel?”

I stare over at Axel, who’s watching me with a curious expression.

“We were friends when I was younger. Well, he was my father’s friend.”

Lady Matilda’s eyes narrow, and she turns to Axel. A moment of silence falls between them, and I can see she forces a smile on her face, but there’s concern etched there, I can see it.

“Well then,” she says. “I’m going to get us some of these delicious cookies I baked earlier, and you two can tell me what’s going on. Axel, come and help your old friend.”

I’m not stupid. She’s calling him out of the room because she wants to chastise him. He gets up, and murmurs a “stay here” to me before following her out. Curiosity far outweighs my need to obey his orders, so I get to my feet and creep over to the doorway. I can hear their hushed whispers on the other side.

“She has no idea, does she?” Lady whispers.

“No, and she don’t need to know yet. I’ll tell her everything that needs to be told when the time is right.”

“You can’t keep lying to the girl. She’s been through enough.”

“Look, Lady, I just need you to take care of her for me. She’s...she...”

“She what, sugar?” she pushes. “She means something to you?”

“No,” he says quickly. “She means nothing to me! I’m just makin’ sure she doesn’t get killed, then she’s goin’ her own way.”

I hear Lady tut at him, but I turn quickly, rushing back to my seat. My heart throbs as I lower myself down. I stare at the iced tea in front of me, and try to focus so I don’t end up crying and making myself look weak. Of course I mean nothing to him. I should know that by now. The man tried to kill me to get information, for God’s sake.

I hear the door creak, but I don’t lift my eyes.

“Here we are,” Lady says. “I made these fresh.”

I lift my eyes to meet hers. She studies my face, and a knowing look crosses her features. I turn my eyes away quickly, and mumble a thank you before taking a cookie. Axel doesn’t sit back down.

“I gotta run,” he says, and I know his eyes are on me. “Lady, I’ll come back as much as I can to check on her. If you have any problems at all, you call me. Meadow, walk outside with me.”

It’s not a question; it’s an order. I get to my feet, and I follow him outside. As soon as we’re on the front porch, he hands me a cell phone.

“I took yours. It’s not safe to use. I put my number in here, along with Jax’s, Colt’s and Cobra’s. If you can’t get me, got to Cobra second. If you need somethin’, just text or call. Lady will take care of you, and as soon as I’ve dealt with Beast, I’ll come back and get you.”

“And then you can send me on my way,” I whisper, lifting my eyes and meeting his. “Don’t pretend that I mean anything to you Axel, just go, do what you have to do. I don’t care. I’ll be fine here, and when you’re done, I’ll leave, and you’ll never have to put up with me interfering in your life again.”

I turn and walk toward the door.

“What the fuck is this about?”

I turn, and look at him. Then I repeat his words. “She means nothing to me. I’m just making sure she doesn’t get killed, then I’m sending her on her way.”