Property of Drex (Death Chasers MC 1)

A knock at the door makes me jump, and Drex curses while tightening his hold on me. Sledge opens the door, and Axle steps in.

He’s monstrous and scary as hell. Even without the snake tattoos that line his arms and neck, he’d be scary. A scar runs from his hairline down his face in a vertical line, barely missing the outer corner of his eye, and it curves and angles until it meets his chin, stopping just under his bottom lip.

But he saved me. He’s still scary, but at least he’s not a sick bastard.

His eyes scan over me briefly before he offers me a tight smile. I almost feel bad for how I reacted earlier when he tried to speak to me. But damn, I needed a second.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Axle says gruffly, “but the guys downstairs are getting restless over the mess I made. Sorry.”

He doesn’t sound sincere in his apology. I don’t know what he’s talking about, but he seems more proud than apologetic.

“I’ll handle it,” Drex says, shifting, and my heart sinks as I cling to his arm, halting him from sliding out of the bed.

By some miracle, I manage not to lose the sheet that is hiding my very naked body.

His lips tighten as he looks at me, but I don’t care how pathetic I appear. I refuse to be left alone right now. I really refuse to be left with any other man but him. No, he doesn’t make it all better, but he’s sure as hell stronger than I am in case that ape comes back for round two.

“We should get downstairs, boss,” Sledge says to Herrin as he studies me. “I doubt they’ll listen to anyone but you right now.”

Herrin doesn’t take his eyes off me.

“I just want to hear her speak. I apologized. She needs to acknowledge that.”

Sledge makes a noise deep in his throat. Apparently he’s the only one who understands this is a seriously screwed up situation.

I try to speak, just to appease him. Let them win the battles so you can endure the war.

No words come out. My lip merely trembles.

“You want to press her about this with me in the room?” Axle’s tone is like an electrical charge that forces all three men to bristle. A chill spreads as he glares at Herrin in challenge.

Surprisingly, Herrin—the biggest alpha dick in the room—actually seems a little scared of Axle. Not that I blame him. Herrin is a tall man, but Axle is taller, and he’s nothing but a solid sheet of muscle, even though he’s not bulky.

I know he handled that muscled-up barbarian with little effort. Maybe Axle is even safer than Drex, considering Herrin seems to waver. But it isn’t Axle’s arms I want around me.

“I’ll let the dust settle,” Herrin says, acting as though he’s no longer interested in hearing me acknowledge his bullshit apology.

Axle nods to Drex, who settles back down as the three men walk out together, leaving us alone. I shiver as the door shuts, and Drex wraps me up against his side, pulling me back down as he gets comfortable on the bed.

I wish the light was off. Tears are trying to leak out, and I’m fighting hard to keep them back. One thing is for sure, I have to get out of here before it costs me my life. Even if I’m breathing, I’ll be dead if Drex ever decides he’s done.

“Ignore Pop. You’re barely a blip on his radar. He just likes feeling in control.”

“And you just give him that control,” I say before I can think, and I immediately wish I could suck the words back into my mouth.

To my surprise, he doesn’t get pissed.

“He’s my dad. And he’s President,” he says as though that explains everything.

Because I’m overwhelmed and suddenly finding my voice again, my need to endanger my stay in his bed persists. “Axle didn’t seem to give a damn about who he was.”

I don’t look at him, but this time he does tense.

“Axle has my back. He knows he can cross lines that I can’t. He didn’t interject for you; he did it for me. I’m the one who brought Axle in. One day, he’ll be my right hand man.”

I don’t point out the fact that Herrin seemed afraid of him. But he seems to feel the need to elaborate.

“Axle is unpredictable, or so my father thinks. He doesn’t like him. Doesn’t want him here. And though he won’t admit it, he doesn’t want to cross Axle. But I got to choose a crew. I wanted guys more my age, which is why I chose Snake, Axle, Dash, and a few others. Some of them you’ve met, some you haven’t. I wanted guys I could trust and guys who weren’t stuck in the old ways.”

I just nod, not really understanding this complex life he lives.