Axle's Brand (Death Chasers MC 3)

This double name thing just gets more confusing by the minute.

She beams at us as she stands there all dressed in leather with her blonde hair straight and hanging around her shoulders.

“When does the killing start?” she asks a little too giddily.

“Five minutes ago. You’re late,” Drex says with an arched eyebrow.

She rolls her eyes, then turns and bends. My smile etches up when she starts dragging a body inside.

“I was busy getting you a gift,” she says, dragging in a struggling Ben, who has been on the run for a while. After kidnapping Eve.

Drex’s eyes widen and then narrow as his features harden.

Ben is tied up like a fucking calf at a roping exhibition or whatever it’s called. And he’s gagged as he sweats, panicking as he continues to struggle uselessly.

“And Cecil—your little rat—is in a body bag in my trunk. One of you boys can handle that,” she says, patting Dash on the shoulder suggestively.

He groans while going outside to handle the body, and I smirk as I think back to Maya’s comment about Sarah.

Sarah’s like a cat. She gifts you dead rodents as a show of affection.

Is there any-fucking-thing that isn’t going to trigger a memory? She wasn’t in my life that damn long.

Drex’s fist slams into the side of Ben’s face, and Sarah whistles the tune to Jeopardy.

“We can reschedule this hit for tomorrow,” I tell him as he shakes out his fist, while Ben cries on the ground.

“Agreed,” Drex bites out. “I have plans for tonight.”

Jude walks back over, his steps hesitating when he sees Ben on the floor. His jaw grinds.

“Need help?” he asks Drex, intentionally avoiding looking in Sarah’s direction.

“Why the hell not? Everyone should get a turn,” Drex says, smirking when Ben sobs around the gag, tears pouring from his eyes. “Drag him below,” he adds as Dash walks in and drops the small body bag that is carrying our ex-tattooist and rat.

Jude and Dash grab Ben under the arms and legs, and the two of them carry the writhing snake toward the basement. Drex cracks his knuckles while looking back over at Sarah.

She forces a smile, jerking her gaze away from Jude’s retreating figure to eye Drex.

“What do I owe you for that?” Drex asks her.

“Simple. Bring Maya back and do what I asked you to do in the first place. It’s crucial she stays here. It means the other Families won’t just come in guns blazing and wipe all of you out.”

Trying not to strangle her, I say, “Maya is a liability. And we’re a liability to her as well. It’s not safe for her or us to be around each other. If Herrin—”

“Spare me the details of your reasoning. I’ve already heard it all,” she says with a shrug.

My eyes dart over to Drex, and he curses Eve under his breath.

“Don’t be mad at my girl. To be fair, she sort of owes me a debt as well. And she pays it by feeding me information that may keep you assholes alive.”

“We can handle ourselves,” Drex tells her with narrowed eyes.

“You can’t handle what’s coming without help,” Sarah says seriously. “Trust me. I know the depths of depravity that follow Phillip’s reign. Believe me when I say you pray for death once he sets his sights on you. And he will. Eventually. He’ll wipe out all the MCs in the area, because they’ll be in his territory once he finally settles in for good. You either work with him, or you’re against him. Unless you want to be a set of bitches for him, you will need my help. And Maya’s. And the other Families’ help as well.”

Drex runs a hand through his hair. “Deal with this and go scout the site again,” he says to me. “Take Sarah and make sure we didn’t miss anything.”

Sarah follows me out, and Drex turns toward the basement, ready to have some fun and release some pent-up frustration.

Sarah straps on a spare helmet as we walk out, and she climbs onto my bike without touching me.

“I have to hold onto you,” she says, clearly not touching me without permission.

I just nod once, and her arms slide around my waist. My entire body tenses, and I feel her tense in return.

“Should I just ride separate?” she asks me as I undo her hands from my waist, and pull my helmet off. I don’t answer.

Instead, I walk to her car that is parked against the alley wall, and she follows me, sans helmet. Wordlessly, we get into her car, and I hold my hand out. The second she hands me the keys, I crank the damn car and drive us toward the massive warehouse that is just a few towns over.

“Want to tell me what all that was about?” Sarah asks flippantly after a long stretch of silence.