Page 20 of All's Fair in Love & Wrath

Unknown: I can’t explain it. I just do.

Me: I shouldn’t believe you.

Me: Or trust you.

Unknown: But you do. You can’t explainit either.

Me: Goodnight, Axel

Unknown: Goodnight, sweetheart

My cheeks ache from smiling, something I haven’t felt in a really long time. I delete the text thread, powering off the phone just as Maddox walks back inside. He seems to have cooled off a bit, but I have a feeling I’m going to rile him right back up again.

“Sit down, Mad, we need to talk.”

Chapter Eight

AXEL

Ican’t stop thinking about her, and I don’t know what to fucking do about it. I haven’t heard from her in days, and I’m two seconds from getting in the car and driving back up to Autumn Bay. I said I’d stay away if she texted. I’ve given her days to check in since the last text, and I don’t know how much longer I can wait.

It’s the middle of the night, and I’m sitting restless with a joint in my hand, my eyes tracking the last remaining flames in the fire pit as they dance above the wood, when my burner phone goes off. The notification chime is almost as refreshing as her voice. There are only two other people who have this line, and that’s our road sergeant, Rogue, and Wes Draven. Both of whom are in Aspen Ridge right now and shouldn’t need us. I pull it out of my pocket, seeing a number I don’t recognize. It’s not the same one Sienna texted me from.

Unknown: Heard our interests may be aligned

Me: You heard correctly. This Saint?

Unknown: Yeah. I’ll call in 2. Only want to speak to your president.

Me: Done.

I gently tap out my joint, putting the rest of it in the pocket of my cut before jogging inside the clubhouse. Most of my brothers are already there, wide awake, just like I am. I spot Chaos quickly, tying his long hair back in a bun at the top of his head, Saige sitting next to him.

“Just heard from her brother. He’s calling in a minute, only wants to talk to you.”

Chaos nods, the burner phone ringing seconds later. He accepts it and walks away, out of earshot. I’m uneasy, waiting, wanting the details in the moment but forced to sit here and wait. I want vengeance for my brother’s murder just as much as the next person here, but I also want to keep Sienna far the fuck away from it all. I will take out Cain at some point, I just need to figure out how.

I don’t know what changed for her, what made her tell Saint about us and what we needed, but I’m grateful. I just want it to end there. She made the introduction, and there’s no need for her to be involved any further.

“Where the fuck is Mal?” Chaos barks as he walks back into the room. Malice is falling deep into whatever obsessive claim he’s making on this poor, unsuspecting woman. Chaos, Sin, and I all reach for our phones at the same time, no doubt pulling up the location app I put in all of our phones. Sure as shit, Malice’s dot doesn’t appear.

Chaos: Tracker is off again. Mal really?

Malice: You’re a needy fucker

Malice: You really do like this group chat, huh? I knew you would! You just wanted to play hard to get

Chaos: You had better not be stalking her

Malice: I don’t stalk people

Me: Are you watching her and following her?

Malice: Yes

Sin: Does she know about it?

Malice: She does now