Axel (Carolina Reapers 1)

“I have to get downstairs and handle this shit storm Cannon just landed us in. He punched a ref—”

“This is my baby brother,” Axel cut me off, his words lethal and quiet. “This is family.”

“I understand that,” I said, my throat tightening. “And if I didn’t have to do my job right this second, I’d go with you. But I can’t. I have to fix this. This is what the Reapers pay me for.”

Axel parted his lips, opening and closing them like he couldn’t form the words. He sucked in a sharp breath and crossed the distance between us. His hands were gentle as he clutched my shoulders. “He’s your family too. And he’s the last piece of mine. I’ve never asked you to put your career on the sidelines, but I need you. I’m…he’s never been this hurt before. He’s never had surgery. I don’t...I can’t imagine, if something goes wrong—”

“You can’t think like that,” I said, reaching up to wrap my arms around his neck. I held him, my chest splitting in two. “He’ll be fine. He’s in great hands.” I squeezed him a little harder, hating that the career-mode side of my brain was ticking down the seconds until I could put out the fire occurring downstairs. Hating that I couldn’t be there for Axel in this instant. “I’ll fly over the second I put an end to this. I’ll catch up to you—”

“What?” He stepped out of my embrace, nothing but pure hurt and betrayal coloring his eyes.

“I have to get this done, and from what Gage is saying, it’s going to take more than the next hour. You need to get on a plane, now. I’ll handle the mess here as fast as I can, and then I’ll fly out and meet you.”

“Langley, I’m not asking you to choose between your career and mine. I promised I’d never do that. I’m asking you to choose your family over a paycheck.”

“I can’t walk out on this, Axel. I gave my word to the Reapers, and if I don’t keep it now, you might not have that inevitable team to come back to. Not without Cannon.” I kept my voice as level and calm as I could, handling him like he was a player—a client, rather than letting my emotions rule with my husband.

“You think I give a shit about any of that right now?” He narrowed his gaze, surveying me like he’d never seen me before. “How is this a choice for you? He’s family. Your family! He has no one but me, and I have no one but you. How can you be so…cold?”

The word clanged through me like a physical blow.

So much that I took a step back.

“I didn’t mean…” He rubbed his palms over his face. “Just come with me. Please. Don’t make me do this alone.”

I’d never heard or seen him so vulnerable, but I couldn’t stop hearing cold echoing in my head.

What if I did go with him?

Walked out on the Reapers?

Faith couldn’t handle something of this magnitude. Every second I stood here arguing with Axel was another moment the problem downstairs grew.

If I left now, I’d lose my job. A family emergency wouldn’t be an option in this situation. Not for me. Not when I had the League to deal with. And in a few weeks, this job might be all I had. Sure, Axel said he loved me, but we’d never once discussed what would actually happen when our contract was up. And he was making me choose. He swore he’d never make me choose.

“You’re my wife,” he pled.

“For only three more weeks, right?”

He flinched. “What are you saying?”

I swallowed back the tears threatening to crack my resolve. “It’s the truth, right? Three more weeks and then we’re no longer husband and wife. You made this deal, Axel. You knew who I was. How important my job is to me. You think I want to go down there and do this instead of coming with you to help your brother?”

“Maybe you do. Maybe it’s safer to handle everything, control everything instead of asking for help and letting go for once.”

Another sharp twist in my chest.

He shook his head, his eyes trailing me up and down before he walked to the door. “Maybe all I ever was to you was another signed player on the Reapers. But you got me here, right? I was stupid enough to think it was more than just business, but you...you’re all business, and I’m not. At least I won’t be on your to-do list. The press will love seeing me rush to my brother’s side, and I know how you love good optics.”

“Axel—”

He slammed the door behind him.

And my heart trembled from the power behind his exit.

Curl up in a ball, cry, rage—that’s all I wanted to do.