“No,” he roars. “You think you’d accept me. You think that me needing to control women is a problem you can fix. You think that this hard side is something you’re slowly cracking into, but it’s not. You’re not even scratching the surface of the fucked-up shit in my head.”

He turns and walks down the front stairs, not letting me answer.

In a small, timid voice, I say, “You can’t make me stay here, Axel.”

He stiffens, and turns, staring back up at me.

“Then go, Meadow. If that’s what you want.”

With that, he disappears into the trees.

~*~*~*~

I stand in the room, debating for a solid two hours. I know this is my moment to make my choice. I’ve been coming backward and forward with Axel now for too long, and I’m tired of it. He walked away from me, leaving the door open. He told me I can’t accept what he is, and then he left. Now it’s my turn to decide if I can deal with what he’s got to give, or if I’m going to walk away.

Since Axel came into my life, there have been so many things pulling me toward him, and an equal amount pushing me away. He’s the kind of damaged most people would run a mile from, but for me, he’s the reason I breathe. I don’t want to let him go, not without knowing what it is he hides behind the shadows. The only way I’ll know is to go to him, and let him show me.

I’m being unfair if I deny him the chance to be himself.

Only when I’ve seen all of it can I make an informed decision.

I turn and walk toward the door, shoving past it and heading downstairs. Lady is standing in the living area, staring blankly at the television. I know it’s still bothering her, and I can’t say I blame her. I would hate to be in the position she’s in. I walk over, placing a hand on her arm. She jerks and turns to me, forcing a smile.

“What’s the matter, love?”

“I need you to take me to Axel.”

She stares at me. “What for?”

“I have things to sort out, and I need to do it now.”

She sighs. “Sweet, I have direct orders not to let you go. I can’t take you, you know that.”

Dammit.

“Please, Lady, this is important to me.”

She looks sorry. “I’m afraid I can’t, I’m sorry.”

She’s not going to take me, which means I need to find another way. I plant a fake smile on my face, and nod. “I understand, I’m sorry. I’ll just call him.”

“Give him a little time. He’ll come to you.”

She’s wrong, but I don’t tell her that. “I hope so,” I say in a timid voice.

“You should get some rest. You must be exhausted.”

At her words, my body tingles with warmth. I know I need to rest, and I know the better time to go to Axel is at night. I’m safer if I go at night. So, I hug her, and head back up the stairs. When I reach my room, I close and lock the door behind me. I change into a pair of panties and a long shirt, and then I climb into bed, feeling my body ache with exhaustion.

Within minutes, I’m out.

~*~*~*~

When the sun begins to set that night, I decide it’s time to find a way to get out of here and to Axel. Lady is resting right now, but I know I can’t walk past her, or she’ll hear me. I remember Axel climbing through my window, and decide it may be the only way I can get out without raising alarm. I walk over, staring down. It’s only one story, and if I do it right, she shouldn’t hear me.

Deciding this is my only option, I pull on some jeans and a tank, then I throw my hoodie on, and my best pair of sneakers. I have to prep myself to get the guts to climb out that window, but I think of Axel, and I know it’s something that has to be done.

It takes me a solid ten minutes to get down without making noise, and I come close to slipping at least four times. By the time I reach the bottom, my heart is pounding, and a fine trickle of sweat is running down my face.

God.

I turn and quickly rush down the driveway. It’s getting darker by the minute, and a cool air is whipping across my skin. I wrap my hoodie around myself, and keep running. When I reach the road, I head the right direction back into town.

It takes me forty-five minutes to flag down a car. It’s an old woman that pulls over, and she seems to take pity on me because she goes out of her way to turn around and take me where I need to go.

“What’s a girl like you doing out on your own?” she asks, just as we get into the city.

“I got a bit lost after a party,” I lie.

“Young girls these days.” She shakes her head. “I never went to parties when I was young.”

I smile, but it’s forced.

“Where do you need to go, love?”

I give her that address and her eyes widen. “Isn’t that a biker lot?”

“My...father is there.”

“You shouldn’t be hanging around with them. They’re scoundrels, the lot of them.”

I don’t bother arguing with her.

“I just need to get my dad, that’s all.”

The minute we arrive at the Angels compound, I jump out of the car, quickly thanking the woman before she has a chance to argue with me, then I run through the open gates. I’m surprised they’re open, but it makes sense as soon as I get to the front door of the clubhouse, and I hear the pounding music coming through the door. They’re having a party.

I open the front door, and step inside. The scene before me has my head spinning. There are men and women everywhere, and the brothers are all up in the women. Some of them are having lap dances, others have their women bent over the bar, driving into them like mad men. Well then, I guess this is the real side to an MC club. I shake my head, and push my way through the people, looking for Axel.