Page 65 of Filthy Savage
“I’m gonna kill that fucker for touching you,” he grinds out, rubbing my back soothingly. “I never should’ve fucking left.”
“No. I should’ve listened to you… should’ve let you stay with me,” I croak out in a raspy whisper, barely able to speak through the pain pulsing in my throat right now.
“No. This is my fault,” he barks. “This is on me. He only came after you because of me. I should’ve followed my gut.” With no effort at all, he slides his arms around my back and behind my knees. Scooping me up into his arms, he gets to his feet and starts to the door. “I’m taking you home now…with me.”
I feel a twinge of relief that he’s still willing to go to such lengths for me, but God, I don’t want to be weak either. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Yes. I do,” he mutters, tilting my chin up so I’d look him in the eye. “You’re not gonna fight me on this. You’re not just my responsibility… you’re mine.”
There’s a depth and solemn tone to his voice that I’ve never heard before. And he’s right. I don’t want to fight it anymore. I’ve been his for longer than I care to admit.
“Okay,” I whisper, and point back to the desk. “My purse.”
“No problem,” he answers, and turns, grabbing it.
“I need to call the police to report this… after you leave, of course.”
“Don’t you worry about that, or that piece of mafia coward trash in the corner.” Axe motions to the door. A man with a blue Mohawk stands in the doorway. He nods my way and I notice he’s wearing a leather cut just like Axe’s. “That’s Tate. Silas and Cole are outside. My biker family will get him out of your hair and have the place all better by morning.”
“Thanks, Axe. So who exactly is he? Did he do all this to me? To us over the last few days?”
“That prick over there is Giovanni,” he seethes.
I flash a puzzled glance across the space to the unconscious man lying in a heap amongst the broken glass and fallen hard covers and magazines. “But… I don’t understand. He was already waiting inside here before we even arrived… I mean, why would he believe…how would he know that I’d come here at all today?”
“Crazy has no logic. The bottom line is he won’t ever get another chance to hurt you or anyone again.”
“What are they going to do with him?”
All Axe does is shake his head. He says nothing more on the matter. I shudder. It probably is better for me not to know.
“Let’s get you to the hospital,” he says as he steps out through the front entrance.
I stiffen up in his arms. “No. I’m tired, and I detest hospitals.”
“That mark around your neck’s pretty bad. Are you sure?” I nod vehemently. “All right. I’ll take you home. As in my place… at the clubhouse.”
“For how long?”
“As long as it takes. Maybe longer. A few days, weeks. I’m not sure how long yet. Just to be safe.”
“That’s the only reason? For my safety?” I probe. He was pretty clear just now that he wants me to be his, that he believes that I’m his. And I want that too, deep down. It’s just been so hard to admit it to myself let alone Axe. It’d be so much simpler if I could accept his love. I want to believe we both deserve that.
“Yes, there’s that, and I…I want you there. Look, I understand you already said you’re not looking for—”
I put my hand over his mouth. “Yes, I’ll come with you. I was hasty before. No, that’s a lie. I was scared. I still am. But…yes. Just yes. I’m ready for this.”
He presses his mouth against my temple. “Awesome. Good girl.”
“But on one condition,” I add, smiling for the first time since he dropped me off earlier. “Well, more like three.”
“Which are?”
“Jet, Marley and Spencer. They’remyfam.”
“Dogs, huh? Among mean as fuck bikers?”
“Take it or leave it,” I add, and brush my lips against his.
“Silas will probably kick my ass out for saying yes, but fuck it. You’ve got yourself a deal.”
