Page 168 of Axel

“No. No.” Halstead resists, but he’s no match against Wilder. Against any of us.

I take the tactical knife from my pocket, pressing the automatic blade. When Halstead sees it, he blubbers, “What do you want?”

“Your phone and laptop,” Nash calls over my shoulder. “And passcode.”

“In my pocket. In the fucking limo. Six sixes but please,” Halstead begs, “Please, fuck. I’m sorry.”

“Not yet.” I grab his right hand and smash it with my leather-gloved one over the table. “But you will be fucking sorry. You ever heard the saying ‘Taking the law into your own hands?’”

“Yeah,” he snivels.

“Good, because I’m about to take yours for touching my woman.”

“Told ya,” Wilder snickers into Halstead’s ear.

“Then I’m going to shove it in your mouth to stifle your screams while I kill you for hitting her.”

“Fuck,” Jace mutters from the doorway. “Goddamn, I don’t want to clean up a mess in here.”

But I make it as neat as I can, though cutting through awrist joint is a bitch. I give Halstead a long lecture on the controversial history of the term that once legalized vigilante justice in America while he screams.

Grant yawns. Jace rolls his eyes. Nash hacks into Halstead’s files. Wilder laughs, and Ruby stands there, with her chin lifted.

I keep worrying about my Wildfire. That this is too much for her, but she’s stone-faced and watching me.

Some people see red and explode when they feel rage. That’s what I’ve been told.

Not me.

I’ve been too exposed to this, seeing the woman I love hit. First, my mom. Now Ruby. I go right past rage and get ice-cold revenge.

I keep my word and take his hand. The fucker passes out but that’s why I carry saltandsmelling salts in my GO bag.

When he’s startled awake, Ruby insists, “Hand me your knife.”

Because I’m a gentleman, I wipe the bloody blade clean on Halstead’s shirt before handing it to her. “Are you feeling stabby, my queen?”

She winks at me, and I’m expecting her to slice his face or arm—some simple shit.

But she sneers at Halstead, “What did I tell you I’d do to your dick?”

His dick?

What the fuck did he do to her with his dick?

I don’t have time to ask.

I watch, shocked, as Ruby stabs his junk!

Three times!

Goddamn, like a queen!

“Fuck yeah.” Wilder claps. “Y’all are like mister and missus Smith, except without the whole Brangelina ugly divorce shit. You’re fucking soulmates.”

Yeah, I could propose right now. Hell, I’d live on bended knee for this woman, but I have a better plan.

“I’m in.” Nash leans on the wall, tapping through Halstead’s phone.

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