Axel

Chapter 12

It’s been a little over two months since Axel barged in on me at the tattoo parlor. Two months of his constant hovering and throwing his demanding bullshit in my face. I am sick of it; he’s been annoying me every single day. Nothing else has happened with Brandon and the biggest shock of all, was getting a call Friday morning telling me he signed. I am officially a divorced woman.

Finally.

Maddox and Zeke, or ‘Locke and Coop’ if you ask the men, went back to visit Brandon Monday. They came back and said they had no issues and Brandon seemed nice enough, agreeing he needed to sign the papers. Agreeing? What a joke. I don’t know what they did to push this along but I am thrilled it is over.

Maddox and Beck have become pretty permanent fixtures at Dee and my house. Beck is there for obvious reasons, and they all start and end with Dee. Little hussy. Maddox and I have struck up an odd friendship. I can tell he doesn’t let people in often but for some reason he chose to let me past his stoic exterior, for whatever reason he seems to need the friendship as much as I do. I am starting to learn all his moods and he can tell right when I need a good calm down. Bottom line, he is a good friend and a wonderful distraction. Plus, having him around as the ‘protector’ is the perfect excuse for why I don’t need Axel around.

Greg and I haven’t spoken much since his role in the ‘Axel abduction’; I miss him but I can’t seem to be in the same room without flipping my shit all over him. He, out of everyone, knew why I was avoiding Axel, but decided to take matters into his own hands. Deep down I know he meant well, but I’m not ready to forget how easy he turned on me. Having Maddox around has another plus when it comes to Greg; Maddox doesn’t play well with others, even his ‘brothers’. If I get upset, Maddox turns into a grizzly. I have been so used to only having Dee and Greg that it is almost refreshing to have another person I can trust in my life.

It is Saturday morning and November is in full Georgia force and we have a nice cold, rainy day on our hands. I call Maddox to see if he wants to come over and watch some football, drink some beer, and celebrate my newfound singlehood. Dee has already been to the store and bought a cake, streamers, and freaking balloons. I think she might be more excited than I am. I haven’t heard from Axel since earlier in the week when he called to let me know he was going to be out of town and to let him know if anything happened. No chance in that.

Maddox shows up early in the afternoon with one of his rare smiles in place. Dee lets him in and he wastes no time coming to congratulate me.

“Hey girl, happy?” Leave it to him; all it takes is those three words for me to let the water works flow.

“Oh. My. God.” I get out between broken sobs. “It’s over, Mad. Can you believe it? The last eight years of my life are done, with just one signature. Freedom, do you know how long I prayed to be free from Brandon?”

“Yeah, I get you girl. No more worries.” He wraps his strong arms around me and just lets me let it out. Tears of relief, joy, and maybe a whole lot of shock.

I don’t know how long we just sit there, words aren’t necessary because he just gets it, he knows I need to let this out in order to move on and completely let the pain of my marriage die. After I am done using his shoulder as a tissue, I look up and meet his normal blank face, expecting to find annoyance but instead, get a smirk before he throws his head back and laughs. That is another Maddox moment that doesn’t happen often.

“Girl, you look like a drowned raccoon. All that black shit you chicks use, is all over your face. Go clean up before I’m forced to call animal control to come take your ass.”

I throw a pillow off the couch in his face before leaving the living room and going to clean myself up. I hear him click the TV on and the game day broadcast taking over the silence. Walking into the hallway I almost jump out of my skin when I nearly collide with a damp faced Dee.

“He really is a big softy under that don’t touch me vibe, isn’t he?” She asks.


“Don’t let him hear you say that, but yeah, he’s been great these last few weeks.”

“I’m so happy this is over, I know I haven’t been around much but you know I’m here if you need me.” She looks so guilty and even thought I know she means well, it breaks my heart.

“Dee, don’t you dare feel bad about having a life. I’m good, really, I feel good and I haven’t been alone. Mad’s been around and Coop comes sometimes, plus you’re here…even if it’s holed up in your room shaking the walls with Beck.” I walk away leaving her red faced but laughing.

“Love you, you stupid bitch.” She yells after me.

The alarm has beeped a few times while I was in the bathroom getting cleaned up, signaling someone has opened and shut the front door a few times. Assuming that it is either Beck or Coop, I just brush it off and continue to get ready. I throw off my yoga pants and tank, switching them out for some worn jeans and my favorite University of Georgia tee; game day gear, a must for any Georgia fan. My face is clear of all black tracks under my eyes and down my cheeks from my crying fit earlier. I am just pulling up my long hair in a ponytail when a deep voice clears their throat behind me, causing me to jump about a mile out of my body.

“Baby girl, can we please talk?”

“Not if you plan on dragging me down, Greg. Today is not the day to do this, we’re celebrating.”

“Izzy, you know how much it hurt to hear the a*shole finally signed from Locke? He’s known you a few months and you tell him first? Every step of the way, Izzy, I’ve been here for everything and you didn’t even call me.”

“Okay, you want to do this, fine. I am pissed, Greg. You went behind my back and called him, you not only called him but you might as well have thrown a f*cking bat signal into the air and beamed his ass right into the shop. How could you? How f*cking could you?”

He bows his head and lets out a long sigh, “Do you know what it’s like to sit back and watch someone you love turn into themself? You were headed back to that f*cked up hole you always push yourself in. Don’t think I did that lightly, Izzy. Not for one second. You avoiding talking about shit to me and Dee, and ran around God’s green earth to stay busy enough so you didn’t have to deal with the shit in your life. We were worried; worried about that shit Brandon was pulling but mostly worried about how you were handling Axel showing back up. Don’t think I didn’t know the real reason you ran. And you know as well as I do, if I hadn’t forced your hand you would still be running today.”

“It wasn’t your decision to make, G. It was mine and by forcing my hand you took my control, the one thing I have fought to regain in my life. If that wasn’t enough, you forced him on me. I just don’t know if I can forget that so easily. I can forgive you because even pissed as hell, I know you wouldn’t hurt me, but you knew, you f*cking knew how hard that was going to be on me. I wanted that meeting on my terms when I was ready.” It’s hard to keep eye contact with him because he has started pacing around my room. Sure fire sign that Greg is frustrated and worried.

“I’m sorry, I am f*cking sorry, I don’t know what to say other than that. You’re my family and given the chance, I would do it all over again if it were the best move to help you. Axel aside, that shit with Brandon was f*cked up and you needed all the power behind you that you could get if he tried something else. The only thing I regret was upsetting you.”

I hate fighting with Greg. This is by far the worst, and to be honest, not having him around is hard. He is my rock. Maddox is becoming just as important but no one can replace what Greg meant to me.

“I get it, I do. It hurts but I can see where you were coming from.” I get up and walk into his open arms. “No more fighting, okay? But, don’t pull that shit again.”

“Alright, baby girl. No more fighting.”

“Come on, kickoff should be soon and if you make me miss that you’re watching the game somewhere else.”

Laughing, he follows me out of the room, almost knocking me to the ground when I reach the living room and stop dead in my tracks.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I ask the man relaxing on my couch, feet propped up on the coffee table with a beer in hand.

“Well, hello to you too, Princess. Coop called, said he would be over here watching the game with Locke, joined along. Didn’t think you would mind.” Cocky, arrogant, a*shole. He is just daring me to throw a fit and kick him out.

“You’re a dick, you know that Axel Reid? Shut up and get your feet off my table.” I kick his feet off the table when I walk past, only earning me a deep laugh before he props them right back up. “Get them down a*shole,” I grumble under my breath as I continue my way into the kitchen to grab the food and a beer.

Coop and Maddox are standing around the island when I walk in. I get a small smirk from Maddox before walking over to Coop and smacking him on the side of the head. “Ass, you do not invite him here.”

Maddox gives a boom of laughter, before grabbing the tray of taco dip and walking back into the living room, “Girl, he probably didn’t even feel that with his hard head.”

“Shut up, Mad.” I smile at his retreating back before throwing another scowl at Coop. “Jerk.”

I grab the chips and a few beers before walking back in, just in time for kick off. Dee and Beck are cozied up on the loveseat against the far wall; Greg and Coop have taken the recliners, leaving Maddox and Axel sitting on the couch, with one empty spot between the two of them. “You have got to be kidding me, sit on the floor asshat.” I try to give Axel the mean, hard look Maddox is always sporting but apparently I lack the conviction.

“You look like you need to take a shit, Princess. I won’t bite, unless you want me to.” His evil arrogant smirk and that cocky twinkle lighting his emerald eyes up.

I can play this game; I can act like being in the same room with his handsome self isn’t ripping me apart. Easy, right?

“Don’t you know, I prefer it hard and rough now, Axel. But, you keep your teeth and everything else to yourself.”

That wipes his face clear, no more look of male giant ego and arrogant pride. Nope, he wasn’t going to get the upper hand on me. Dee and Beck are too into each other to notice the tension in the room. Greg looks concerned, Coop looks like he might laugh at any moment and Maddox is just looking at the TV, but I can tell he wants to speak up. I just plop down as close as I can to Maddox without sitting in his lap and ignore Axel as long as I can.

The third quarter is just wrapping up when the doorbell rings. I wave off Dee and head off to the door, noticing a little too late how lightheaded I am. I have been throwing back beer after beer for the last hour, not eating much because I am still holding on to my snit about Axel being in the house. Walking around the corner of the living room and down the short entryway, I can hear the loud cheers and male grunting signaling another touchdown as I reach the door. This better be good.

Swinging open the door, it takes my beer filled mind a second to register who is standing on my porch. When I do, my first reaction is to shut the door, serves me right not checking the peephole, but when I go to shut it, I’m met with the resistance of his foot.

Before I can even get a shout or scream past my terrified lips, he reaches in and pulls me outside, closes the door and pushes me back. My back meets the frame of the door, hard, causing me to let out a small grunt of pain. He closes his hand around my neck and squeezes, cutting off my air supply and keeping my cries for help from escaping.


“Hello, Isabelle. You think you can get rid of me that easily? Look at what your boyfriend did to my face!”

His nose has a bandage over the bridge, clearly holding the broken bone together. His eyes are both bruised and blackened and his lip has a small cut in the corner. If I wasn’t so scared I would smile, finally Brandon has had a taste of his own medicine.

“Don’t think I don’t know who he is either, Isabelle. You talked about him enough for me to know exactly who he was when I opened the door. You think you can threaten me? Tell my father and the board about my little extra-curricular activities? I don’t think so, Isabelle. And if you know what’s good for you, you will call off the trashy animals sniffing around in my business. You got your papers signed, but hear me, you will always be mine. Call them off, now.” He looks raging mad, so close to my face that the spit from his whispered words hits my face. I have no idea what he is talking about. “Answer me, bitch, you will be telling them to leave me alone, you understand?” He forces out, again spraying me with his spit.

I claw at his hand trying to get him to loosen up his hold; I can feel my lungs burning, demanding oxygen. My nails are clawing his hands and wrist, trying desperately to get some air. My lack of being able to breathe must have missed the mark with Brandon, his rage blinding him from his actions. My vision is getting black around the edges but not before I see him pull his arm back and bring his fist racing forward, meeting my right eye with unbearable pain. My head hits the doorframe, sending another wave of stomach rolling pain shooting through my head. He releases my neck and throws me down onto the porch, standing over my body with his feet on either side of my stomach. He leans down and whispers in my ear, “I will be in touch, Isabelle, but you tell those motherf*ckers to stop f*cking coming around and asking questions. I did what your boyfriend said and signed those papers, but I don’t need those f*cking papers to prove who you belong to. You f*cking hear me, bitch? You are mine. I will f*cking kill him if he touches you, got that? I’ll be keeping an eye on you, Isabelle.” He gets off another punch to my right eye, finally releasing the scream that was trapped moments ago. Then he’s gone. The amount of pain my body feels is the only think keeping me from thinking I just dreamt this whole thing.

I can feel them, from my position on the porch floor, running inside the house. The front door is pulled open and strong hands lift me up. I wince in pain when my back meets a solid arm.

“What the f*ck!” Greg, I think, says from somewhere behind me.

“Oh my God, Izzy! She’s bleeding, oh my God!” Dee screeches from the same direction.

My vision is blurry, I can only make out that the person holding me is male. If it weren’t for the deep scent of leather and cinnamon, I wouldn’t have known it is Axel who held me so tenderly.

“Coop, Locke go f*cking find that motherf*cker before he gets away.” He grates out, his tone is lethal. “Someone call the god damn police, now! Princess, are you hurt anywhere else other than your head?”

“Neck.” Gasp. “Back.” Wheeze. “It was…Brandon…was here.” I can’t make out his expression, my right eye is throbbing and swollen shut; I can’t even open my left eye because the movement causes more excruciating pain to blast through my skull like lightening. Belatedly, I feel what must be warm blood running down the back of my neck.

The arms holding me go rock hard at the mention of Brandon. Not what he is expecting to hear. But then again, he wasn’t exactly planning on football Saturday turning into this mess.

“Here, hold this,” Greg says, playing something over the back of my head.

Axel adjusts his hold on me and stands from his crouched position on the porch, I can feel him walking into the house, through to the living room. I can hear the sounds of people moving around the room. Axel sits down on the couch but doesn’t release me.

“Sit up Princess; let’s take a look at your back, yeah?”

He helps me lean forward, making my stomach lurch and I feel warm hands moving up my shirt.

“F*ck!” Greg yells, “How the f*ck did this happen? You’ve got welts all the way up your spine, Iz!”

I don’t answer, because really what’s the point, I think it’s pretty obvious how I got like this.

I can hear the sirens approaching, making me snuggle closer to the safety Axel’s strong arms are providing. Just when I think I am finally free, what a joke that was…I am beginning to think I won’t ever be free of Brandon’s reach.

Dee is directing the police officers and the paramedics into the living room; I can hear Greg off to the side somewhere talking in low tones with Maddox answering back. I can’t tell where anyone else is, and I’m in no hurry to open my eyes and check.

“Ma’am,” a new voice joins the group, “ma’am can you open your eyes?” Axel shifts and moves me away from his warmth, placing my body in a way that allows this person to start touching my face. Immediately, I draw back into his body.

“Shhh, Izzy, let them look at you.” His warm breath tickles my ear and his arm tightens around my shoulders, reminding me that he is there and I’m safe. His head turns from my ear and he addresses the new voice. “I don’t think she can open her eyes without pain. She tried a second after I reached her but they snapped shut quickly. Hasn’t opened since. Her breathing sounds raspy and her voice seemed hoarse when she was able to talk. Hasn’t spoken since. Her back has, what looks like, a welt like bruise from tailbone to shoulder blades. I haven’t been able to take a good look at it. Neck injury and the source of the blood is from the back of her head, again I haven’t taken a good look.” He must be speaking to the paramedic because when he finishes I feel soft gloved hands start pressing into my face, around my neck, and up my throat.

“Ma’am, I need to lean you forward a bit so that I can look over your back and head, slowly and let me know if you feel like your--” He doesn’t get a chance to finish before I empty the contents of my stomach all over the floor.

“Okay, that’s okay. Do you feel nauseous?”

“Y-yes.” I answer back, again not recognizing my own voice. I sound like I’ve spent the last few hours screaming.

“Did you hit your head?”

“No…yes,” I whisper my reply, “I don’t remember. I was pushed into door frame before he grabbed my neck, I don’t remember much after that.”

“That’s okay; let’s check you out right now, okay?” His soft hands spend a few minutes taking my blood pressure, then continue to press and poke around my tender skin, earning a few hisses of pain from me and growls from Axel. They have me lean forward again, moving my hair around to check out the source of the bleeding and then he checks my back. I can feel the torn skin on my back stretching and pulling tight with every small movement of my body.

“Sir, I can’t be sure without taking her to the hospital but I’m willing to bet on a concussion, the head wound definitely needs stitches, her back is troubling but again I can’t guarantee the damage done is only on the surface; that isn’t even counting her facial injuries. I would strongly advise a trip to the hospital.”

“That’s fine, but I’ll be driving her. I’m not letting her out of my sight.” Even I can tell by his tone that there will be no bending on this. The poor guy trying to do his job attempts to explain to him that I would be completely safe riding in the ambulance but there is no use. Axel and all his stubbornness have spoken and there will only be one way for me to get to the hospital tonight.


Begrudgingly, he stops his protest and asks Axel to sign off that no further treatment by the paramedics is preferred. He gets my head cleaned and applies some gauze to my back, telling Axel he needs to keep pressure on my head until I get to the hospital. I get a few ice packs and hold one to my right eye and the other to my sore neck. After he has done all he can, the paramedics take their leave.

I start nodding off shortly after, listening to the voices around me explain the events leading up to me crying out from the porch. I attempt to answer the questions the officers have for me but my drowsy and confused mind keeps pulling me under. Axel rouses me a few times and I am able to tell them who attacked me but after falling asleep again, I faintly hear Axel tell them to meet us at the hospital with any further questions. Despite his calm and strong tone, I can hear a small tremor of fear.

He adjusts me in his arms and begins to stand. I don’t hear much after him telling someone to get the truck and drive him to the hospital. I let the safety of his strong arms and the comforting scent that only comes with Axel, carry me off to the numbing blackness.

I wake up to the annoying sound of beeping and the nauseating smell of antiseptic and cleaner. Death, I’ve always thought the hospital smelled like death. It’s a smell you never forget, and one I have always hated.

I try to open my eyes but they don’t obey my commands. I try to open my mouth and demand answers but nothing comes out. It’s like my body has decided to play dead.

“The doctor says there are no internal injuries other than some bruising; a lot of old broken bones badly reset. Home job the best he can tell. I looked at the scans, Reid, it looked like she has had every rib in her body broken at one point. I would gladly kill that motherf*cker if I got my hands on him.” Coop. I’ve never heard him sound so pissed. He’s usually the fun loving one of the group. “Took ten stitches to close up her head, nothing too bad and should be fine. Her neck is swollen; f*cker must have had one hell of a firm grip on her. The biggest concern at this point is her concussion, and assessing her vision after she wakes up.”

The warm hand holding mine flexes and tightens a few times during my grocery list of injury review. Even with my eyes closed and my mind hazy, I can feel the energy in the room grow heavy. It feels alive, making the hairs on my arms and neck stand on end.

“He’s f*cking dead, you hear me? I’ll kill that sick f*ck myself.” He releases my hand and I feel it return, pushing the hair back behind my ear. “It guts me to know she lived like this for so many years. Knowing this wasn’t even close to the worst…slices me f*cking deep.”

“I know, Reid.”

“Where’s Dee, Greg, both—either, I don’t care.” He must have his head turned because it’s hard to make out his question. I’m shocked that Dee isn’t already by my side.

“Beck made her go get something to eat, said she wouldn’t stop pacing and was shaking something crazy. Last I saw Greg, he was about to pop some hemorrhoids he was holding it in so tight. You sure there isn’t more there? They seem pretty tight.”

“Just friends.” He says. “Doesn’t matter, he isn’t touching her.”

His hand returns to mine and he brings his lips down for one small kiss to my hand. So tender and unlike the Axel I’ve been dealing with for the last month.

“I feel you. I’m going to step out and see what Locke found.”

A few minutes pass, he has his forehead resting on my hip; his lips resting on our joined hands. I can feel his mouth moving, warm breath caressing my skin but I can’t make out his whispered words. “Izzy, please wake up. Please, please Princess.” I don’t know what shocks me more, his gentle pleading or the single warm tear that hits my hand.

I don’t know how long we pass time just like that, a few of the others come and go asking Axel some questions, asking if he wants to leave and take a break. The cops come to see if I woke up yet, nurses come and check my I.V. bags and vitals. All the while, I am struggling to make my body listen; to wake up.

Dee is back in the room, I think Beck, and Greg. To my horror they are discussing the abuse I lived. I can hear Dee explaining to Axel what happened that night she came to save me, telling him how long I was forced to stay in the hospital to heal, and how much worse the injuries had been then.

“Jesus f*cking Christ.” I hear Axel say when she tells him how many bones I had broken then. He starts to speak but stops short when I finally force a whisper past my lips.

“Dee…”

“Oh God,” she cries out before rushing over to my side. I crack open my left eye and take in her face. She’s a mess, mascara running down her cheeks, her eyes are red rimmed and swollen. With just the sound of my voice she is a blubbering fool. “Oh, Iz…I was so scared!”

“Okay, I’m…okay.” I look around the room and notice that it isn’t just Dee, Beck and Greg that Axel was speaking to but Maddox and Coop are standing off to the side, faces set in stone. When I meet Axel’s eyes they are bright and full of compassion.

“Hey Princess.” That’s all it takes for me to join Dee in a fit of hysterical crying.

The nurses come in shortly after and start checking all the machines, poking around my body, changing the dressing on my head and applying some ointment to my right eye. A doctor that looks like he is well past time for retirement comes in next and attempts to clear the room to discuss my injuries but Axel puts his foot down again and refuses to budge. The fight would be futile, so I just shake my head and wait for the doctor to go over everything.

“Ms. West,” he begins, looking over at Axel with worry. He must assume that he is the reason for my injuries. “How are you feeling?”

Even though I know it’s going to hurt like a bitch, I can’t hold back the laugh that bubbles up.

“Like I was hit by a truck, thrown a few feet, then run over by a bus.”

“Well. This is no joking matter, Ms. West. I understand that you had an altercation late yesterday evening?” Did he just say yesterday?

“Um…yes. Yes, Sir. My ex-husband.”

“Right. I’m going to let you go home later this afternoon. I was assured by your roommate, Ms. Roberts, that you will be monitored and she will return you to the emergency room with any signs of concern. She has the list of what to watch out for. You need to keep your head dry for the next 48 hours. After washing your hair, dry as best as you can. Your back needs ointment applied every six hours. Keep the open wounds covered and watch for signs of infection. I’ve given her all the prescriptions for your home care. Antibiotics, as well as some pain medication. Do you have any questions?” Obviously grandpa doesn’t specialize in bedside cheer.

“No, Sir.”

“Ms. Roberts has already signed all of your discharge paperwork. Try to be more careful in the future, Ms. West.” That earns a low growl from Axel. I squeeze his hand to make sure he keeps his mouth shut.

Five hours later, I am being wheeled out to the entrance and loaded up into Axel’s monster truck. Dee has already left with Beck and Greg to go get my medication filled. Maddox and Coop climb into the back and we head off, away from the disgusting smell of death.

A few minutes down the road I realize we aren’t headed in the right direction of my house. “Axel, where are you going?” I roll my head to the side with the help of the backrest and look over at him with my one good eye.


“My house,” he replies as calm as can be.

“I don’t want to fight with you, Ax. Please take me home. Dee can take care of me just fine.”

“Not taking you back there, Princess. Not until I know that f*cker is no threat.”

“Take me home, Ax. Please. Just take me home.” Tears start to prickle against my lids; if I had the energy I would probably be throwing my attitude all over the cab of his truck.

“No.” That’s all I get in return.

“Axel. Take me home, now.”

“Izzy, get me now, that motherf*cker walked up to your door. Walked right up. There were three trucks in the driveway, not to mention Maddox’s bike right up against the walkway. He walked right up to your door like there wasn’t a problem in his life, attacked you right under our noses,” he is gripping the steering wheel so tight, I start to worry he might snap it right off, “I will not send you back into a house that he has no fear of strolling right up to and risk him put his hands on you again. No, not f*cking happening.” He looks over at me and his eyes are blazing, his nostrils are flaring and I can see the blood pounding through his veins. He looks like a rabid beast. “Never again will I allow you to be harmed when I can do something about it, so pitch your fit another time.”

“Please…”

That earns me another harsh snap of his neck and death glare. “NO!” he booms.

Sighing deeply, “Maddox?”

“Yeah, girl?” His grumbled response comes from behind me.

“Take me with you, please?”

He pauses for a second and I can feel the vibes coming off Axel go from pissed to nuclear, “Yeah, girl.”

“Thanks, Mad.”

“F*ck!” Axel bites out, slamming his fist against the wheel. “We will have words later, Locke.”

Other than Coop’s soft laughter, the rest of the ride back to Axel’s is passed in tense silence.