Page 46 of Axel (Belles & Bratva Beasts #2)

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

AXEL

“Are you sure this dress is okay to meet your mom?” Ruby smooths the front of her lilac Chanel frock.

“You look beautiful, Wildfire.”

It’s not a lie. Ruby takes my breath away.

She’s twisted her hair up with fiery tendrils falling free. Her lips are painted blood-red, the contrast with her blue eyes mesmerizing. Her curves in that dress are sinful, but it’s that color. It makes me a better man.

“You know, you wore lilac the first time I saw you, and it was love at first sight.”

“Insta-love?” she questions. “That’s only in romance novels.”

“The ones with or without shirtless men?”

“Both, and it’s pure fiction.”

“Your honor, if I may introduce my beating heart as evidence.” I hold her hand to my chest, her warmth seeping through my shirt.

“Because you sat in front of me in a lilac dress with a bleeding kneecap, and wouldn’t shut up about how incredible you are, and my heart agreed.

This damn thing hasn’t stopped beating for you since.

This is insta-love, Wildfire. Case closed. ”

She swallows, and I’m dying to know, “Did you get insta-love for me, too?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “I felt insta-hate. Like white hot and obsessive. I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I hated you.”

“Why?”

“Because I saw the posters on the front of your office before my interview. That’s why I tripped. I’d never seen a law office do that; warn about the signs of sex trafficking. I was touched and impressed. But then I met you and you shot that all to hell.”

She makes me laugh. “How?”

“Because you look like an orgasm of muscles and ink with ice blue eyes that would make God marry the Devil. And don’t get me started on your nose ring and bling.”

“Wow,” I smirk, “my ego’s growing bigger than my cock.”

“That, too,” she confesses. “I clocked your bulge when you stood to shake my hand. I hated every thick inch of it.”

“Yep, that’s growing to hate you, too.”

Cutely, she rolls her eyes. “But then you stalked me for so long, and I finally figured it out.”

“This should be good.”

“This is fact: the opposite of love isn’t hate. It’s apathy. It’s when you don’t care. Because hatred requires the same passion as love. But I didn’t trust love when I met you, so I hated you.”

“And now?”

“Now?” Her eyes soften, her hand on my chest gripping it harder. “I love hating you, Axel King.”

Good God, this woman. If this is what romance feels like, hand me a shirtless man book. I’m in .

“Oh, so you still hate me?” I aim my mouth for hers, hoping to wear her lipstick tonight.

“Yes,” she sighs over my lips. “You’re the first man I’ve hated. The only man I’ll ever hate. The man I’ll die hating. And I’m going to live, every day, hating you so much that your heart will grow bigger than your cock and ego combined.”

“I’m going to need more evidence.”

I take Ruby in a kiss that proves more. It’s every sunrise we’ll share. Every night she’ll be mine. Every stupid fuss and stubborn fight. Every child and every memory I will have with her.

Jesus H. Christ, this woman had me at first sight.

“Wow,” she gasps, grabbing a breath. “I really hate your kiss, too.”

“Um, I agree. Your bratty, soft lips are abhorrent.”

“Oh shit,” she gasps, “my lipstick.”

Licking the pad of her thumb, she reaches for my mouth.

But I gently grab her wrist. “Is that your spit you’re about to clean my face with?”

“What?” She laughs. “Your tongue will play tonsil hockey in my mouth, but I can’t use spit to wipe my lipstick off your face before I meet your mother? I don’t think so. Hold still. I need to make a good impression.”

“This is impressive, alright,” I mutter, letting her groom me. “I’m fucking five again.”

“Small price to pay to impress your mom.”

“I don’t need to impress her. She has to love me.”

I touch the small of Ruby’s back, guiding her past the guards at our bunker’s double, metal doors. We just gave them a helluva show, and I give zero fucks about it.

I didn’t want Ruby to meet my mom here, but The Queen insisted .

“But I want to impress her,” she whispers nervously. “What should I call her?”

“Most call her Ms. Faye. Or Nadine. Or The Queen.” I take her hand, leading her down the corridor. “And, you’ll call her Mom one day.”

The rare ring I bought for Ruby burns a hole in my pocket. I’ll propose to her, but I’ll do it as she requested. An intimate, romantic moment. Lots of lilac flowers and tears. Then a royal party where I can show her off to family and friends.

But the timing is bad.

We just ambushed Turner’s compound last night. The sadistic fuck hid his human trafficking empire in an old church. We took out his men and rescued the victims, but Turner was MIA.

He’s still on the loose.

Add that to Halstead, the irate rental property owner bribing Ruby, Nick, Stacey’s step-daughter, and countless others. Grant pays Ruby’s bribes for his silence while Nash follows the money trail.

Our payments are a trap. We’re figuring out how Halstead operates, who he’s extorting, and where he hides.

All while we have Alena and Loch’s wedding to celebrate this weekend.

And then … there’s this.

My captive, half-brother.

My mother won’t share the intel she’s getting from him, and I understand. She doesn’t want to talk about it until she’s sure—until she knows which of her sons betrayed her.

“What if she doesn’t like me?” Ruby worries.

“She already loves you.”

“How?”

“Because I do. ”

She pauses, tugging our held hands. “You can’t be so sweet when I have to be serious.”

“Should I be a dickhead instead?”

She grins. “You’re really good at it.”

“You really love it…” I smirk. “In your mouth.”

“Axel.” Her eyes widen with her smile. “Not here. Good impressions, remember?”

“Here?” I glance around. “Wildfire, read the room. We’re in our hidden bunker full of recently used guns and weapons.

You’re about to meet my mother, the owner of the most exclusive sex club in the South.

She’s a dominatrix who’ll shoot men’s kneecaps for grabbing women.

And you’re about to meet our captive, too.

My half-brother, whom we’ll kill once we get the intel we need.

By comparison, you’re tracking just fine. Don’t worry.”

“That’s easy for you to say.”

“No, it isn’t easy,” I say softly. “It’s serious, because I’m serious about you. I want you to meet my mother. For her to see why I love you and to give us her blessing, because after Alena’s wedding, it’s our turn.”

Her eyes sparkle. “Who said we’re getting married?”

“Me.”

“Hmm.” She lilts, “Better ask me nicely or I’ll say no.”

“Better say yes, or I’ll spank you.”

“Not in front of the kittens.”

“Nah.” I tsk. “All of my pussies need to see who’s boss.”

“They see me every day.”

I laugh. “You wish.”

“You know. ” She laughs back.

“Care to share the joke?” A velvet voice echoes down the concrete corridor.

My laughing eyes swing in my mother’s direction.

With one hand on her hip, she holds a cigar in the other. With her toned body and long, dark hair in a chignon, she doesn’t look a day over forty, wearing a black leather sleeveless dress and blood-red spiked heels.

Smoke curls around her. Armed guards stand, ready for her command. The heavy door to the captive’s room is closed as Ruby’s mouth falls open.

“Oh my god,” she mutters at the lethal sight of my mom. “Big fan. Like, huge.”

“Mom,” I tug Ruby’s hand, leading our steps and the introduction, “please meet Ruby Jones, my future queen.”

“Well, you sure look like one.” With open arms, Mom pulls Ruby into a hug. “Dressed like a cowgirl or in Chanel. My dear,” Mom gushes, “you are stunning . No wonder my son is so smitten.”

“Is he smitten?” Ruby jokes, meeting her eyes. “Or smug? It’s hard to tell.”

“Both, darlin’,” Mom drawls, beaming at her. “That’s what happens when God gives them balls and brains. But don’t worry. They’ve got nothing compared to ours.”

They laugh, their ease instant. I never doubted it. They’re a lot alike.

And God, help me.

“It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Faye,” Ruby says. “For real, this time.”

“Please.” Mom waves her cigar. “Call me Nadine, and call me impressed.” She winks at me. “I approve. She’s whiskey in a teacup.”

I laugh. “You just met her.”

“Bless your heart,” Mom sighs. “Shall I wait another minute to draw the same conclusion, or can we move on?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

It’s what every wise man says to survive.

“Now,” Mom takes Ruby’s hand, “before you say yes to my handsome second-born, you must know what you’re agreeing to. In our world, we have great days and gruesome ones. Do you understand?”

Ruby nods. “Yes, ma’am.”

“My boys and I do good work in evil ways,” Mom explains. “The victims we help don’t need prayers and patience. They deserve pissed off women who won’t put up with this shit anymore. You must be one of those women, or my son wouldn’t be so in love.”

“Yes, ma’am. I am.”

Ruby nods, not intimidated. She’s in awe. Most are when they meet my mom.

“Good.” Mom nods back. “Now, I have a situation in this room. What I must do to get the information I need may make you uncomfortable, so you can leave, but it would help me if you stay. This man wants an audience for his pain.”

With dread, I exhale. “Mom, do I have to watch this? I’m fine with blood, but not your BDSM.”

Mom tsks just like me. “Quit clutching your pearls. I ain’t getting naked or fornicating. I’m just using whips. Nothing to permanently scar your mind.”

Ruby snorts, cutting her eyes at me. “It’s not like you’re an angel, either.”

“I’m sure he’s quite the devil, and I don’t want to see it.” Mom puffs her cigar. “Just as long as my boys never hurt a woman, I don’t need to know how they love her.”

“He does love me,” Ruby rushes. “Thank you for raising a good man. Axel cooks me breakfast and gives me foot massages and?—”

Mom looks at me, sharing the memory of what only she’s seen. My scarred feet. But that was thirty years ago, and no one has seen them since.