Page 68 of Savage Outlaw

Words were low and mumbled between father and daughter.

“I’m okay, I promise.”

Hearing the upset in her voice he had to work hard not to go to her, to give her this time with Axel.

Like she’d said, it was a miracle the man was inside his house and not putting bullets in the wall.

“I want you home. Do you have stuff to get?”

Butcher’s eyes narrowed. Over his dead body.

But then his Roux spoke. “My head hurts, daddy. It might be a concussion; it’s better I stay here. Tad has medical experience.”

A grin split his mouth as he leaned on the dresser. His little con artist.

More bluster from Axel. He didn’t catch it all, but he caught the gist of him not wanting her to be around Butcher.

“Daddy, please don’t start this right now. I could have died last night. Tad took care of it; you need to be nicer to him.”

Even Butcher muffled a laugh at that shit. His girl was laying it on thick, which meant she wasn’t as lost as he initially dreaded.

“Don’t push it, girlie.” This from Chains.

“Tad, you can come out now.” she called out.

His eyes roamed over her as soon as he walked into the kitchen, ignoring the two other men at first. Her eyes were cry-red, and the tick in his jaw became tighter.

“Can you tell dad I need to rest.”

“She needs to rest.”

Roux snorted, curled in Axel’s arms. The man was glaring at Butcher like he’d eaten the last piece of bacon. Fuck him. Butcher wasn’t intimidated by the guy at all. He might have nearly killed Butcher once over, and Axel could intimidate the enemy as well as Rider could, but this was about Roux. He had a whole new set of give a fucks for anyone who got in his way.

“I meant more than that.”

“She got a nasty punch to the head. I’d prefer she was here so I can make sure it doesn’t cause any side effects. Dizziness, vomiting, loss of consciousness.”

He ignored the disagreeing grumbling from Axel so he could look at her. Smile free and so small in his clothes. He wanted her in his arms.Always.

She was a goddess in sweats and Axel didn’t know it yet, but his girl was never going to sleep under his roof again. Not permanently.

“Tomorrow.” Axel gruffed. “I’m bringing you home tomorrow, end of argument, Roux.”

“We’ll see how I feel, daddy.”

“Don’t daddy me in that little voice, it won’t work.”

Roux grinned up at him and pressed her face into his chest. “Won’t it?”

For all his faults, there was genuine love between them, Butcher watched it for ten minutes. Quiet in his own kitchen, his eyes on Roux, waiting for any sign that she might not be okay.

“A word outside.” Axel rasped coolly to Butcher on their way out. He kissed Roux’s head. “I want you home, kiddo, where I can protect you.”

“I’m fine. I’m a real Tucker now that I killed someone, huh?” Her chin wobbled and tears filled her eyes. Butcher stepped forward to grab her, but Axel got there first, enfolding her in his arms. “You listen to me now. You did the right fucking thing. Always fight. You use anything you can, and you fight to live, baby. Don’t feel one ounce of guilt over it either.”

A tear dropped down her cheek. Butcher couldn’t stand it. As she released from Axel’s arms, he moved forward, made a presence of himself behind her back, putting a hand on her nape, which Axel couldn’t fail to notice.

“What if Ruiz starts something with us?”

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