Axel: A Bad Boy Romance (25 page)

Chapter Forty-Two

It was all over the news the next day. “St. Clare Security Closed for Improper Weapons Usage.” The news kept coming in. They found connections to a Mexican drug cartel. There was evidence that Austin had been using his security firm to act as enforcers for drug dealers. It piled on and got worse and worse.

Axel almost couldn't believe it. He never would have guessed that Austin St. Clare was involved in thing like this. He was worried for Marie, that she might somehow be involved in this. But she honestly had no idea about any of it. She was just as horrified as he was.

There were an entire host of charges and, to Marie and Axel’s happy surprise, Austin had been denied bail. He was a known flight risk with contacts all over the word and enough cash to get anywhere. His bail was remanded.

“It’s like a dream,” Marie said. “I can’t believe this is really happening. It seems too good to be true.”

“It’s justice,” Elizabeth said. “He’s getting exactly what he deserves.”

Cate was playing out back and Marie still wasn’t quite sure how to tell her that her dad was in prison. Not that it would be much different. Austin had never spent much time with Cate to begin with. But now Cate was hers. Honestly and truly hers. Austin and his family had lost everything. They would never bother with the money on legal fees just for Cate. They would be glad to be rid of her.

She called Ingrid and before Marie had half her apology out Ingrid was telling her everything’s forgiven. Marie was welcome back anytime. It was her house, after all.

“The crazy thing is, I almost ran.” She was standing outside with Axel later that day. Cate was playing with another local boy on the seesaw. The two went up and down and laughed and screamed and didn’t have a care in the world. “When you were gone I kept thinking I should just grab Cate and run. But if I had done that, I would have lost everything.” She shook her head and pulled her arms around her.

“He still would have been arrested and you could have come back,” Axel said.

“I would have lost you in the meantime.”

“No,” Axel said, shaking his head. “I would have waited for you.” He leaned down and kissed her, pulling her even closer, wrapping his arms around her. He never wanted to let her go. He looked over at her and she smiled. “What are you smiling about?”

“That I get to move back into the museum,” she said with a smile. “I’ve missed the ghost of Edith Hawks following me around late at night.”

“Ha, ha, very funny,” he said. He paused for a moment and then said, “You don’t have to move into that creepy museum. You could live with me.”

“Thank you,” she said, “and I might take you up on that later. But, right now, let’s just take things slow. We’ve only been dating a month. We probably shouldn’t move in together yet.”

“Fair enough,” he said. “We’ll give it some time.”

Later that night they drove to Hayden’s house. Marie wanted to confront him about the lies he had said, the danger he had put her in. But the car was gone and the house was dark. They drove up and got out of the car. They peered through the dark windows, but Hayden was long gone.

“I’m glad,” Axel said. “To think we’ve been friends since we were kids and he did this to me, I still can’t believe it. I thought I knew him. I thought I could trust him.”

Marie came around and brought her arms around Axel. She pulled him closer to her, leaning against him and rubbing his back.  She had nothing to say. There was no comfort that she could give.

“I wonder where he went,” Axel said looking around. “He’d never been anywhere other than here.”

“He’ll have to learn to find his way without you,” Marie said. “But I don’t feel bad that he left. He put Cate in danger, a little girl. I wouldn’t want you around a man like that.”

He scoffed, but she was right. Hayden was bad news and Axel was glad to be rid of him. He drove Marie and Cate and their suitcases back to the mansion. He carried them upstairs and deposited them on the living room floor. The place looked exactly the same and Marie sighed with happiness when she entered it.

He gave her space. He let her enjoy being back home. She had only just broken free from Austin and now she deserved to have some time with her daughter.  He walked towards the gym. It was closed; he would need to find someone else to run it and a new coach. His match was coming up; it was a bad time to lose so many people.

But he didn’t feel worried or nervous. He felt calm. He had just gone up against eight different guys and come out the winner. He wasn’t so worried about meeting someone in a cage now. He felt free. There was no one holding him back. He could get the best coach in the business. He wouldn’t have to worry about Marie. There would be no monsters coming in the night to take her away. There would be no one threatening her or lurking in the shadows and watching. There was no more noose around her neck. She was free and she had chosen to stay with Axel. She wanted to be with him.

He sighed and looked to the sky. His mother had always said God works in mysterious ways. He had never really understood that phrase until this moment. It was a strange line of events that brought Marie and Axel together. There was no other way for it to happen. This was how they had to meet. But from here on out, whatever happened belonged to them. They were in charge of their own lives. They could do anything.

Chapter Forty-Three

“I’ve never been in the museum after hours before, other than the benefit, of course,” Elizabeth said. She was sitting perched on the couch a glass of wine resting in her hand. Cate was sitting next to her drawing a picture and Marie was nervously cleaning the kitchen.

“You can go have a look around later if you like,” Marie called over. “We have the whole place to ourselves.”

“Ooh, a late night, private museum tour, that would be lovely.” But that was no guarantee it would happen. They were waiting. They were sitting on pins and needles as they waited. It was the Northeastern belt, tonight. Axel went on any minute. All the work he had put in, all the training, it all led up to this moment.

Would Marie be his undoing? Would everything that had happened with Austin negatively affect Axel? She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if that were the case. She didn’t want to be his downfall. The announcers were chattering back and forth about the odds, but Marie couldn’t focus on any one thing they were saying. It was all just nerves.

“Look, it’s Daddy!” Cate screamed pointing at the TV. Marie froze staring at the screen. It wasn’t possible that Austin was there; he was in jail awaiting trial back in Phoenix.

“What do you mean, Cate?” Marie asked.

“It’s Axel,” Cate answered. “Don’t you see him?”

“Did you just call Axel ‘Daddy’?” Marie asked as she moved closer to her daughter kneeling in front of her.

“Yeah. I want Axel to be my daddy now,” she said looking up at Marie. She was drawing a picture of the four of them; Marie, Axel, Cate, and Elizabeth and they were all standing in front of the Hawks’ mansion. “See, there’s you, and Grandma, and Daddy,” Cate said pointing to the figures on her picture.

“That’s very sweet,” Marie said giving her daughter a kiss on the cheek. She looked down at the drawing and everything it meant. A real family, a man she could trust. A man who loved her and put her first.

The announcer called out the name of Danny Castellano and Axel’s opponent made his way to the ring. He was short, but built like a tank. His arms were like tree trunks and his nose had been broken several times. He snarled at the camera as it circled him. He looked big and scary to Marie. She was worried about Axel; she wasn’t sure she was ready to watch this fight.

The announcer called out Axel’s name next and the crowd at the arena went wild. He was wearing the blue and red robe with his name stitched along the back. The hood was pulled out but his face appeared under the harsh light. He entered the ring and removed his robe. He was wearing only a pair of loose red shorts and tape on his knuckles. She wished he had armor on. She wished her was safe here, next to her.

The bell rung. Everything happened so quickly. Axel was on his feet bobbing and weaving as Castellano came at him with everything he had. The other man was kicking and punching and driving Axel back into a corner. But as Marie watched she could see what Axel was doing. He was getting into position; he was waiting for his turn to strike. And then in came. In the second round he got a firm hit on Castellano’s side and then a roundhouse kick to his stomach and he finished it with an uppercut that landed Castellano flat on his back.

The crowd screamed. Marie, Cate, and Elizabeth screamed and jumped from their seats and hugged each other. Marie’s heart was pounding. Axel had won in two rounds. The referee lifted Axel’s hand above his head and the crowd roared and he was declared the winner. Castellano was helped from the ring as a reporter joined Axel.

Axel faced was bruised and there was a trickle of blood along his jaw and sweat on his forehead. But his eyes were sparkling and he threw his arms around the interviewer.

“Axel Connelly, you have just won the Northeastern Belt. This is the highest you have ever ranked. How do you feel? Anything you want to tell the crowd?

“I feel great!” Axel responded. “And I want to dedicate this fight to the people I love. To my girlfriend, Marie, my daughter Cate, and my mother: I love you guys and I’ll be home soon.”

THE END

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I grew up in a small town outside of Palm Coast, FL. Raised in a house just a short walk to the beach, I enjoyed the peaceful, relaxed atmosphere and friendships that come from being raised in a friendly, small town area.

I now reside in Breckenridge Colorado, where I work as an accountant, along with my night time writing. I am married with two children, two dogs, and a pile of friends and family dotted all over the country that help keep me sane.

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And here is the description of the short story so you know what you're getting into!

He arrives on his screaming machine, but it's his body that ends up screaming for more - of her

Jessica Mallet is about to leave her florist's when Eric Burns' bike trundles into her parking lot with every intention of parking there all night. 

When Eric takes a flaming rose and hands it to Jessica, it's enough to make her forget her responsibilities, enough to forget where she is and what's appropriate. 

The thorns prick her goose bumped skin but that's nothing compared to what her body aches for--that moment when Eric removes petal after petal and lets the real flower inside her blossom...

I’m a heart-breaker, a lady-killer

Mason

I’ll be your prince charming for the night, but come morning, you best get the f*** out of my bed.

Then I met Caroline, and everything changed.

One taste of her and I’m hooked.

One taste and I know I had to have more.

She thinks I’m a monster. The last thing she needs.

But that’s not going to stop me from making her MINE.

Caroline

I hate bikers. Especially Mason Butler. Handsome looks and all the tattoos in the world aren’t going to hide what he is underneath.

A monster.

A monster who tied me down in his bed...

… and left my throat throbbing and raw from screaming his name.

A monster who’s just getting started.

A monster who won’t stop until he makes me HIS.