Page 37 of Axle's Angel
North doesn’t say a word, just nods, but I notice his eyes don’t leave her retreating back until she disappears from sight. He takes his keys from his pocket.
“I’ll go clear out my place and tidy it up for her.”
Janis chugs her drink, “We’ll come with and give you a hand packing up. Tru can drive Aunt Angel's van, and we’ll help you set it up.”
“You don’t have to,” North says, looking surprised.
Tru waves her hand. “Told you, North. Family. This is what family does.”
“Keys are on the hook just inside the front door of Axle’s house, Tru,” I tell her. “Doors unlocked.”
“Gotcha. We’ll be back later.”
“No worries, proud of you girls,” I tell them.
“Ditto from me,” Siera says.
They roll their eyes. Grabbing North’s arms, they pull him away from us. “Come on, they’re getting teary,” Janis warns with a wink at us. “Hurry before we’re smothered in hugs.”
North laughs and shakes his head at them but allows himself to be led away.
“You have some pretty amazing daughters, Siera,” Roman tells her as we watch them disappear around the corner of the clubhouse.
“I do, don’t I,” she grins up at him, swiping at a piece of hair that gets stuck in the corner of her mouth, “but then so do you.”
“I don’t have a daughter,” Roman splutters.
She belly-laughs when she gets a good look at the shock on his face. “You two are the densest men I’ve ever come across,” Siera giggles. “Axle has a son and you have a daughter, but neither of you realised it. Blood doesn’t make family,” she says, her eyes on mine. “Actions do.”
“Damn straight,” I agree. “Now I need a drink after all that, preferably something that’s going to give me a pleasant buzz.”
“Same, sister,” Siera agrees, threading her arm through mine and tugging me towards the coolers. “I think I saw frozen margaritas. They’re in tins, but it’s better than nothing. I’m surethere’s tequila we can top them up with. Give them a bit more of a kick.”
“Sounds like a great plan to me,” I tell her with a smile. “You’re the best sister in the world, Siera. Love you.”
“Love you too. Now let’s get drunk.”
Chapter 12
Axle
“Well shit,” I mutter as we watch Siera and Angel walk away from us. “Are we really that dense? And why the fuck wouldn’t you tell me about helping Jen?” I growl as I turn to scowl at my best friend.
Roman pulls at the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable as he apologises. “Sorry, Ax, didn’t want to drag you into it. Seemed better to keep it just between Jen and me. Easier to keep things on the down low that way.”
“Huh, okay.” I slap his shoulder. “Glad to know you’re not a completely selfish prick.”
Roman laughs, and the stress eases from his face. “Thanks Axle.”
“Welcome, brother, let’s go find the women before you have to take off with Jen. Got to admit it, Roman, I never saw it. How the fuck did we end up with kids?”
“Fucked if I know brother, but at least they came to us mostly grown. Maybe this is the way to go. No shitty diapers to deal with.”
Amusement shoots through me. He’s not wrong, though. I push through the crowds of people milling around the club's backyard waiting on food and getting steadily drunker. Roman follows behind me. When I see Angel, she’s chatting to Lala with Siera beside her. She catches my eye and waves a hand to my brothers who are standing around talking shit.
With a nod of understanding, I grab a beer from a cooler and find Maverick. Roman will need to let him know sooner rather than later about Jen.
I drop into a chair next to our President, who looks at us in surprise. “Figure you’d be escorting your Ol’ Lady around.”
