Page 92 of The Saviors: Part Two
“It says I let you win! You don’t get it, do you? Every move you make, I already know before you even think it. Why do you think that is? Who’s been with you the longest? Who knows you better than you know yourself?”
Cole sits up on the couch so fast that it makes Chelsea jump. Axel’s eyes flash to his, and he shakes his head, indicating for him to keep his mouth shut. We know good and damn well Cole would never betray Axel. “What are you getting at?”
“Cole is the one who would have all this information. Am I right? He would know about your disgusting relationship with your hacker, about Kai’s pathetic claustrophobia, and he would also know you would have been in Abbs Valley. Why else do you think he was the only one left in one piece? He knows you inside and out. He was easy to flip, really.”
“You’re so full of shit,” Axel laughs without humor. “You really think for one goddamn second that I’m going to believe Cole betrayed me after everything we’ve been through? Fuck you.”
“No, fuck you. I see you have your bastard brother on your side now too. Is he as fucked up as his mom was? It’s a damn shame all that shit that happened to him when he was younger. Too bad no one was there to stop it.”
Axel’s face turns blood red, and Chelsea reaches over to grab his hand to calm him down. He takes a deep breath. “You were there, weren’t you? You knew what was going on with that sick fucker, and you didn’t do anything.”
“Why would I? The whore set me up thinking she would get money from me. I should have killed her then, but the pussy was too good.” Chelsea shudders in disgust, and I cringe. “I kept track of him, though. He turned into a damn good hired killer. What did they call him? The Reaper? It would be a damn shame if that information got out, given he has a fucked up family now. It would be kind of hard to raise a kid in prison.”
“This is between you and me. Leave Gray the fuck out of this.”
“Youinvolved him, so now I’m coming after both of you. I know your little faggot hacker is tracking me, so I’m going to leave you with a bit of advice. Look closer at who you have at your side.”
The call disconnects, and Axel slams his fist down on the coffee table. “Fuck!”
“You know Cole didn’t have anything to do with this, right?” Chelsea asks, climbing onto his lap. As soon as his arms close around her, it’s like all the tension leaves his body.
“I do,” Axel answers. “But damn if he can’t get in my head.”
“That’s what he’s trying to do. That’s what he’s been doing. I’d never in a million fucking years stand by someone like Charlie against you.”
Axel reaches over and squeezes Cole’s arm. “I know, man, I swear. Nolan, did you get anything from that call?”
“No. He’s bouncing the signal around, so once I zero in, it shows him in multiple places.”
“I think the plan is working, though,” I say. “He’s grasping at straws now, blaming Cole for this shit.”
“I need to warn Gray,” Axel sighs.
“I already did,” Les answers, coming down the stairs. “I’m sorry, but I heard most of the conversation. He said he’s not worried, but he’s fucking pissed that Charlie would try to send him to prison.”
“I thought I destroyed everything on Gray. After we got him out, we got rid of everything he had. That’s how I found out about Gray in the first place. Maybe I should have stayed the hell out of his life.”
“No. You did the right thing,” Les assures him. “Gray needed your help without even realizing it. You found his sisters, Axel, after he spent a lot of years thinking they were dead, and it was his fault. Don’t let Charlie take what good you have away from you.”
“He’d have to have damn good proof,” Zane says, walking up behind Les. “Gray hasn’t been active as the Reaper for years now. He’s just trying to throw you off your game because he knows he can’t win this otherwise.”
“Let’s see what information we can get from his guards and Amber’s house,” Kai says. “Maybe we need to set the Reaper loose and make him nervous.”
“I agree,” Les adds. “He sounded proud of Gray and more than a little scared. Why else bring it up? He doesn’t have shit to go on.”
“I’ll call Gray in the morning and see what he thinks. Until then, I’m taking my woman and my man to bed.”
Chelsea gives us each a kiss goodnight, and I watch Axel lead her and Nolan upstairs. Kai excuses himself to go outside, and I look at Cole, who looks like a kicked puppy.
“Axel doesn’t believe his shit, Cole.”
“Fuck, I know, but the slightest little doubt right now could turn this around on me. I hate that for even a second Axel believed him, but I could see it in his face that he did.”
“We know better. Charlie is just a disgruntled jackass who isn’t getting his way right now. He’ll start casting doubt on all of us soon because he has nothing else. This family is solid, and nothing can break that.”
“Thank you,Mi amor.”
“You’re welcome. Now come on. You can sleep with Gorilla and me tonight.”
