Page 6

Axton woke up to a letter letting him know Adan had gone to work. Sunlight poured into the room and still Axton had slept like the dead. He stretched. A smile pulled at his lips. He could stay in bed all day, but he had things he wanted to do. It was time to deal with Beau so they could move on with their lives.

As much as it pained him to leave the warm bed that smelled like Adan, he did. He found his pants and ran out to his truck for his overnight bag. As usual, Axton went through the process of checking for trackers and explosives. While he didn’t think Beau would try to blow up his vehicle for fear of Adan being with him, he absolutely believed Beau would track him. Axton didn’t find anything suspicious. All he found was Adan’s cat ears still inside the truck. He grabbed them and his bag.

Axton went through his morning routine, trying like hell to get the tangles out of his hair. He should probably cut it someday, but his hair was so fucking light, he already looked white-headed. When he had short hair, he looked like he was going bald. It was honestly kind of aggravating. Once he was clean and had his shit together, he locked up and then stashed his bag back in the truck. Axton circled the building. He couldn’t leave without saying goodbye.

As Axton rounded the corner, a growl rose in his throat. Beau’s SUV was parked near the door. He supposed this saved him from having to hunt the guy down. Still, a man could only tolerate so much. He didn’t get Beau at all. Beau had built an empire from the ground up. The guy obviously wasn’t weak or dumb. Yet when it came to emotions, the guy was a total dumbass. Likely, he was beyond all hope.

Axton didn’t bother looking for Beau as he came through the door. His gaze automatically found Adan. Adan lit like a bonfire the second he spotted Axton. His expression warmed Axton’s chest. He had never had this. Adan couldn’t possibly understand what he gave Axton, but Axton would make sure Adan felt his love every day.

“Hey.” Adan sounded breathless as he skipped to meet Axton.

“Hey.” He held up the headband. “This was in the truck.” Axton put it on for Adan. “There.”

Adan touched the ears. “Thank you. I wondered where they had gone. You said they were in the truck. Are you going somewhere?”

“Yeah. I have a few errands to run, but I’ll be back by the time your shift ends.”

Adan bounced a little. “Okay. Be careful.”

Without thinking about where they were, Axton cupped Adan’s face between his hands. He swept a kiss across Adan’s lips before giving him a peck on the nose. Finally, he pressed his lips to Adan’s forehead. “I love you. You be careful too.” His gaze collided with Beau’s stare over Adan’s head. His face was expressionless, but his eyes looked cold and murderous.

“I love you too.”

Adan’s sweet claim brought Axton’s attention back to him. “Text me if you need anything.”

“Okay. Oh. That guy asked for coffee. Oops.”

Axton smiled as he watched Adan bounce away. Then he focused on Beau. He became his realest self. Beau had once hired him to commit murder. Now he had to deal with the killer. He crossed the room. Beau watched his approach. In the corner of his vision, he saw two men move. Beau held up his hand.

Axton pressed his palms against the table and leaned Beau’s way, keeping their conversation between them. “We have some bullshit to settle. I won’t do that here and I sure as hell won’t do it on your terms. Meet me at The PlayPen tonight at six. It’s time for this shit to end.”

Beau dipped his chin.

The PlayPen belonged to Banks. As Beau’s youngest son, the place was neutral ground. Beau would never pull anything around Banks. Banks was crazy. Even his own father feared his wrath.

With a meeting in place, Axton walked away. The shit with Beau would end how it ended, but it would stop tonight. Axton wanted a future with Adan. A real one without Beau. He had to find a way to make that happen. Beau’s sons seemed like the best place to start.

Adan was very careful putting himself together to go to The PlayPen with Axton. He understood Axton had no desire to be a daddy. Adan didn’t want to embarrass him. He didn’t own a lot of clothes, and what he owned all had coffee stains from work, so getting dressed was an exercise in frustration. Finally, he chose a dark purple T-shirt, hoping the stains wouldn’t be as obvious. He didn’t feel good about the choice. Adan didn’t feel like himself at all.

Giving up, he stepped from the bathroom and tried to be an adult. “Okay. I guess I’m ready.”

Axton’s gaze swept down his body. His expression hid his thoughts. “Is that what you’re wearing?”

Adan didn’t want to cry, but he thought he might. He had already been so unsure and now Axton had proven his thoughts correct. “Maybe you should just go without me. Everything I own looks like this. I can’t afford new clothes and I get coffee on everything while working.” Even he heard the defeat in his voice.

From his spot on the couch, Axton eyed him, as if seeing him for the first time. Adan wasn’t sure that was a good thing. He liked thinking Axton saw him through rose-colored glasses. Adan hated that was ending already. Axton made a dismissive gesture. “That’s not what I meant. Why aren’t you wearing your pajamas?”

“Oh.” That was the last thing Adan expected. “I don’t want to embarrass you.”

A sweet smile touched Axton’s lips. He stood and closed the gap between them. His lips swept across Adan’s mouth. “You could never embarrass me, especially by just being you. Put on some pajamas. I have a surprise for you.”

No matter how hard Adan tried to hide how ecstatic he was, he couldn’t squash his smile. “Okay. Give me a second. I think I only have one pair clean. It’s a lot of hard work, carting my clothes to the nearest laundromat.” He darted inside his bedroom and dug through the dresser. There was a two-piece set with fire trucks. Adan didn’t wear the outfit often because it was a little tight. The shirt had shrunk and showed off part of his stomach. But if Axton wanted him to wear pajamas, he would.

This time, when Adan emerged inside the living room, Axton wasn’t expressionless any longer. When his gaze swept down Adan’s body, heat flashed in his eyes. “This is my first time seeing this outfit. It definitely leaves nothing to the imagination.” He met Adan’s stare. “I like it.” He waved Adan closer. “Come here.”

Adan practically skipped to Axton.

Axton patted his lap. “Sit. I have something for you.”

Adan climbed into Axton’s hold. While sitting sideways across Axton’s lap, he tried to hide his excitement. He loved surprises.

Axton shifted and pulled something fuzzy from beneath his thigh. “Put these on.” He took Adan’s hands and helped him slip on a pair of furry, fingerless cat paws. They were adorable.

Adan turned his hands from side to side, eyeing the little paw pads. He squealed. “They’re so fucking adorable.”

A sexy chuckle rumbled from Axton. “One more thing.” He reached over the arm of the couch and grabbed something from the floor that sat out of sight. It was a helmet. It had cat ears.

Adan’s mouth fell open. “Are you serious?”

Axton’s grin proved how proud he was of the gift. “If you’ll be riding with me all the time, you need your own helmet. Let’s get it on you.”

He managed to sit still long enough for Axton to get the strap adjusted. Adan was dying to look in the mirror. “How do I look?”

Axton’s gaze moved over his face. “Like my gorgeous kitty.”

Something inside Adan gave way. It didn’t matter how Axton felt about being a daddy. Nothing mattered except being with this flawless person who made everything better. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. I’m the one who gets to stare at you all adorable like this.”

Adan shook his head. “Not for the gifts, even though they’re amazing and thank you for those too, but thank you for this. For being here and not seeing me the way everyone else does. I don’t deserve to have someone as amazing as you in my life, yet here you are. You’ll never know how grateful I am.”

Halfway through his speech, Axton’s expression turned serious. “The fact that you think I’m worth anything at all is crazy to me. Don’t thank me. I’m not sure I don’t have an ulterior motive. I can’t promise this isn’t me bribing you to please keep loving me. The ability to do things with a conscience left me a long time ago. I’m just not sure of my actions anymore.”

It hurt Adan’s chest that Axton couldn’t see that he was a good person. It was obvious no one had ever believed in him. He took off the helmet. “Take it back. Get your money back. I don’t need gifts. I used to have everything. None of it meant a damn thing because I didn’t have love. Now I do and I’m not losing it if I can help it. So don’t bribe me.”

Axton plopped the helmet back on Adan’s head and strapped it on. “You’re right. It’s just stuff and I want you to have it all because I love you. Everything about you.”

Even though Adan understood Axton tried to get a point across with his last statement, he refused to read too much into things. Adan was used to being whatever everyone else wanted. He would do the same for love.

“We should go.” Axton stood, holding Adan as if he weighed nothing.

Adan snuggled close when it became obvious Axton had no plans to set him on his feet. He let Axton lock up his apartment and carry him down the stairs. Axton didn’t set him down until they reached his bike. Then he stole a quick kiss before straddling the Harley and waiting for Adan to do the same. Adan crawled on behind him and held on. He didn’t stop smiling the entire ride to The PlayPen. Something kept growing bigger between them. Adan had never felt more hopeful about his future, even while seeing no way out from beneath Beau.

At The PlayPen, Axton held his hand as they headed inside. For the first time, someone was proud to be seen with him. It felt amazing. Beau never held his hand. Adan had always just sort of followed in his wake and existed in his shadow. Axton kept bringing Adan’s hand to his mouth and kissing it. Each and every time, Adan’s chest swelled.

Inside the play area, Adan scanned the room. The only Little he recognized was Beau’s lawyer’s husband, Luca. Luca always made a point of turning his back on Adan or leaving when Adan arrived. His shoulders fell at the idea of playing alone again.

“Is it okay if I sit with you?”

Axton didn’t hesitate. “Of course, but I have a meeting first.” His gaze swept over the tables where the daddies sat, as if searching for someone. “Here.” Axton led him to an empty table. “How about this?” He pulled out a chair for Adan. “You sit here and play with this.” Axton pulled out his phone and clicked around before setting the device on the table in front of Adan. “Smack the fish, kitty.”

A bright smile lit Adan from the inside out when he saw the fish flying across the screen. He swatted one, and it went flying. A laugh burst from him. He smacked another one.

Axton kissed his ear. “I’ll be right back, baby.”

“Okay.” He didn’t watch Axton leave. Adan was too focused on getting all the fish.

“Hello, little one.”

A chill ran down Adan’s spine. His chin lifted. He subtly looked for Axton.

A knowing smile stretched Beau’s lips. He held a bouquet of roses out to Adan. “Don’t bother. I had one of my guards distract him. It’s just us.”

Only Beau would see every other person in the building as nothing or no one and consider them alone. In his eyes, they were. No one would dare stop him from doing whatever he wanted to Adan. A wave of sadness washed over Adan. This was one of Beau’s biggest flaws. He didn’t see people as people, even when they begged to be noticed. Adan didn’t touch the flowers. Beau didn’t need any encouragement.

“You have to stop this, Boo.” The words fell from Adan, sounding as if they came from his soul. Adan couldn’t stop. Beau looked like he didn’t know how to react, and Adan took full advantage. “You already lost Tabitha. Now your boys are on their way out. It’s time to stop.”

Something flashed in Beau’s eyes. “My boys will fall in line. They always do. They’re both married now and have their own lives. There’s no reason we can’t start over.”

Sadness weighed heavily on Adan. “Oh, Boo. There are a million reasons we can’t start over. Do you really want Boone and Banks to simply fall in line? Don’t you want your boys back? You have to stop using me as the weapon you bludgeon them with. It’s time to just love your kids and find a way to fix things with them. For real this time. No manipulation. They used to really love you and look up to you. It’s not too late to get that back, but it’ll never happen if I go back home with you, and you know it. They’ll never see me as anything other than that person who drove a wedge between Tabitha and you.”

“You didn’t.”

A sad smile pulled at Adan’s lips. “I certainly didn’t help anything and all I can do at this point is destroy any chance you have left.”

Beau leaned back in his seat. His dark gaze moved over Adan’s face. “I’m pretty sure that ship has already sailed. Banks won’t speak to me at all, and Boone sticks to business. At least you loved me. I think you’re the only person who ever really has. How can you ask me to walk away?”

Adan took a deep breath. He knew Beau, probably better than anyone ever had. Beau never hid anything from Adan—the good or the bad. That was why Adan knew either Beau would listen now, or Adan would never be free. “I’m not asking. I’m telling you. Your sons lost their mother. Don’t take away their dad.”

A light tap landed on Adan’s shoulder. He tore his gaze away from Beau. Luca stood, clutching a board game to his chest. “Would you like to play with me?”

Adan didn’t even look to see what game he held. He scooped up Axton’s phone and walked away, following Luca to a spot nearby on the floor. Adan didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, but one way or another, Adan would never go back. Beau would never win, even if that meant Adan was dead.

So much bitterness, anger, and pain had sat on Beau’s chest for so goddamn long. He hadn’t known how to be human in a long time. While he had money and power, it brought him nothing. It simply funded and protected the addictions that destroyed his family. His rage at life had twisted him until he no longer knew what was real and what emotions he had manufactured to stop himself from killing everyone. He just wanted the pain to end. Beau no longer knew who he blamed or hated the most. All he knew was he couldn’t stop punishing himself and everyone he loved. He needed them to feel his misery.

The bouquet of roses he had brought for Adan was suddenly swept away. An adorable blond boy, around the same age as Adan, clutched the flowers to his chest and spun.

“For me? Thank you. I love them.” His blue eyes sparkled with mischief.

Despite everything, a smile tugged at Beau’s lips. The guy was dressed crazy even for The PlayPen. He wore policeman pajamas with a pink tutu. A crown sat crooked on his head. His chaos was oddly charming.

Beau pulled out the teddy bear he hid beneath the table. He had wanted to surprise Adan. Adan didn’t want him anymore. That was pretty typical of everyone he loved. “It comes with a bear if I can have a name.”

“I thought you had a name. The kitty called you Boo.”

Oh. He was a brat. Beau’s smile grew. He shook the bear at his new friend.

The guy’s gaze dropped to the stuffed animal. He obviously wanted it more than he wanted to be a smart ass. “Kylo.”

With a dip of his chin, Beau handed Kylo the bear. “Just promise you’ll think of me when you look at it.”

Kylo’s fingers closed around the bear’s arm. His gaze never wavered from holding Beau’s stare. He clutched the bear against his chest. “You have to think of me too.” He set the flowers and bear on the table and took off his crown. Kylo moved in close and placed the crown on Beau’s head. Up close, he was flawless. His light blue eyes were like the sky in the summer. With the crown in place, he met Beau’s stare. “There. Now you can think about me every time you rule the kingdom, King Boo.”

Goddamn. Beau was fascinated. There was no way Kylo knew who he was. There wasn’t an ounce of fear in his eyes. Before Beau regained his wits, Kylo grabbed the flowers and bear and danced away. For much longer than necessary, Beau watched him twirl around the room. He caught sight of his guard. With a sigh, Beau stood. They were obviously having trouble with Axton. Maybe he should just hire Axton to take their place. The guy was obviously braver than them.

Beau headed for the foyer. When he turned the corner, he found Axton waiting, looking irritated.

When Axton spotted Beau, his eyes flashed with rage. “Did you have your guards keeping me waiting for you out here so you could harass Adan?”

Beau barely spared him a glance, instead focusing on his guards. The men obviously tried hard not to stare at Beau’s newly acquired crown. Beau owned it. It was a gift from someone who saw him at his lowest and saved him. He nodded toward the door. “Let’s go. This is over.”

Rico looked Axton’s way before meeting Beau’s stare again. He licked his lips nervously. Yeah. Beau should just hire Axton. “What about him?”

“This is over,” Beau repeated. He headed for the door without looking back. His guards scrambled to stay ahead to open the door for him. Beau had expected his pride to sting at the idea of bowing out, but he felt nothing. Adan was right. It was time to stop. He didn’t want to lose his boys. That meant he had to find a better way.