Page 41 of Bruised MC Bear

19

Axe

“Excuse me?” Axe’s stare shot back and forth between Kade and Nancy, and rested on his sister. “Run that by me again? I must be out of my mind, because what I thought I heard was that this motherfucker is your husband?”

“You heard correctly,” Nancy said, meeting his gaze. “What part ofI’m getting married to Kade Jacksondid you not hear back then?”

“How the fuck was I supposed to know it wasthisKade Jackson? You never gave shifters the time of day, so I just assumed—”

“Don’t give me that. Your assumptions almost killed my kids’ father in his own home!”

Groaning, Axe lowered the gun and jammed the safety into place. He put it away, wiping his palms across his face. “Maybe you’re right. We do have a lot to talk about, and sleeping with the enemy is right at the top of the goddamned list. It may have occurred to you to have told me something like, Hey Axe. Guess what? I married a panther shifter, and not just any panther, the president of the motherfucking Nevada Chapter. I mean, Jesus Christ, what if you hadn’t come in the house? Did you consider that, sis? Kade’s big ugly mug would be splattered all over your perfect kitchen.”

Axe clutched one arm to the counter beside him, suddenly visualizing that night all over again. “I could have fucking killed him, and the kids are right upstairs…they would have seen…”

Unable to cope, he quickly pushed off from the spot, brushing by Nancy and Angel. He made a dash for the front door, heading right back to the truck. One stupid move could have put those kids through exactly the lives he and Nancy had, even though he had fought so hard to protect her from it back then. His head pounded and even in the blistering hot truck interior, his skin was cold and sweaty. Thank fuck he hadn’t had much to eat yet, because the thought had him ready to puke his guts out.

“Alexander?” Nancy’s muffled voice floated in as she knocked on his driver side window.

He cracked the door open slightly, not wanting to bother with starting the car to lower the window. “What?” he croaked, swallowing down bitter bile.

“Are you okay?”

“I should be asking you that…I did almost murder your…Kade. You married that guy? What the fuck, Nance?”

“It wasn’t a secret. You knew his name. I figured that was one of the reasons you kept your distance.”

Axe shook his head wildly. “No way. I’m not buying that bullshit story. You knew exactly what you were doing by keeping the truth from me.”

A heavy silence hung between them, and then she said, “Fine. Okay, maybe I did subtly neglect to mention the panther part. I should have told you a long time ago.”

“Yeah, you damn well should have.”

“Will you just come inside so we can talk?”

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, when Angel and I have been running from a bunch of Louisiana panthers. How the hell can I keep her safe when Kade over there probably already gave them the headsup that we’re here? How can I be sure he’s not in on it? I could have just walked Angel right into her last day on the planet.”

She glared at him. “He is not, and he won’t.”

“You’re sure about that?”

“Stop looking for another excuse to run, Axe. Get inside so we can all sit down and get this out. I’ll put on a movie for the kids upstairs, and we’ll have a good hour to clear the air.”

“Wait a minute. What exactly are the kids?”

“What the hell do you mean by that?” she grunted out.

“Well, you’re a bear shifter. He’s a panther. So what are they? Some kind of hybrid?”

“You know what? I’m starting to like the quiet, brooding brother I knew all those years ago way better than the one who’s on my doorstep saying ignorant things about my children.”

“I’m not trying to insult you. Jeez. I just want to know…well, I’m curious.”

“Asher’s a bear shifter. Annalee got her dad’s panther gene…and just so you don’t go apeshit a year from now…” she lowered a hand to her flat stomach, and her face softened. “We’re expecting one more. A boy. I’m five months along… I know, I’m not showing that much. That’s how it was for Annalee, but I don’t know what he’ll be yet, all right?”

“Wow. Okay. Congrats, I think.”

“You think?” Nancy asked, raising her eyebrows. “Look, just get inside.”