Page 42 of Bruised MC Bear

“I don’t think so. You and I need a one-on-one. Get in the car.”

She nodded and walked around the front, climbing into the passenger side. “Fine. I’m here. Let’s do this.”

“Okay. How about we start with the elephant in the room…or more like the panther in the kitchen,” Axe grunted. “My question for you about that is…what the fuck?”

She shook her head and gave a faint smile. “Real classy, Alexander. I think you’re asking how I ended up marrying someone in the life, so if that’s what you’re asking, I’ll just say, things happen. We met, we got serious, and I married him. I won’t get into the nitty gritty of falling in love and all the chick flick dramatic stuff that makes you men block us out. As for the fact that he’s a panther shifter, it’s pretty much the same answer. Got any more questions for me?”

“Uh, at least tell me whether he’s been good to you.”

She nodded. “Kade is a good man. He’s great with the kids, he’d die for every one of us, and he’s never uttered a single negative thing about you, bear shifters, or any shifters at all to the kids.”

“Fuck, so you’re saying I’m the bad guy in this lovely story? Because that’s what I’m hearing, Nance. All those years that you were on me about being in the brotherhood, living like an outlaw, and only consorting with bear shifters. What was that? I’ll tell you what it was. It was a fucking double standard. Now, you’re telling me that you can date someone in an MC, marry and have kids with them, but you hound me and judge me for having that life? I’m your own flesh and blood, and you basically disowned me for that. What the hell do you have to say, sis?” By the time he was done, he was huffing and puffing, and feeling way worse for saying things that had been burning the back of his throat.

She stretched her hand over and rested it on his shoulder. “I deserve that…every word. I’m sorry. I was wrong for trying to turn you into something you’re not. I didn’t handle things well. I know that now, Axe.”

“Damn right you didn’t. Jesus,” he said, unhappy that his voice sounded like gravel.

“I think you need to apologize too,” she continued, placing her hand back in her lap.

He turned and stared at her in disbelief. “Me? Why the hell for? We were all we had, Nance. You turned your back on me.”

“Don’t be melodramatic. I’ve been phoning, trying to see you. We could have hashed this out at my wedding, or when the kids were born, or even three years ago when we were supposed to clean out the storage unit with Mom and Dad’s things. The storage locker is still packed to the rafters, you should know. I keep renewing the lease, because I’m not going there without you. What do you have to say about that?”

He swallowed past the lump in his throat, chest tightening with the sharp sting of all those years they lost. “Right. The locker. I guess that part was my bad.”

“And not coming to my wedding, and barely getting to know the kids.”

“Sure, those too.”

“I’ll take that as an apology, you little shit,” she said, smiling. Her hand reached over and skimmed the back of his. “Truce?”

A loud crash came from inside before he could answer. Both their heads turned toward the front door. Angel’s voice echoed through the screen door.

“Aww, fuck.”

“I think your girl is yelling at my husband,” Nancy muttered, opening her door.

Axe stepped out onto the curb. “She’s not my girl,” he ground out.

“Like hell she isn’t,” his sister said, snorting out a laugh as she followed him inside.

Angel was in the middle of the kitchen when they got inside, shouting something about panther killers as Kade just stood there, arms crossed and head tilted, not making a sound.

“What’s going on in here?” Nancy asked from behind him.

“Your brother needs to tell his woman to back off with that fierce tongue of hers.”

Axe smirked and shrugged his shoulders. “Oh, Angelface? Yeah, sorry. I don’t control her.”

Angel met his neutral expression and rolled her eyes. “Damn right. I just want to know why these panther shifters have been trying to kill me.”

“You kids need to take this conversation out in the backyard or something,” Nancy suggested.

Angel cocked her head, seeming to assess the suggestion. “Maybe you’re right. I’m sorry, Nancy. Axe, are you coming?”

Axe pasted on a half-hearted grin and made a motion with his hand. “Hell yeah. I want to see the fireworks. Please, by all means, continue nailing his ass to the wall.”