Jax's X Game The Axelridge Series Book 2

JAX

Since the bar, I needed air. I just had to get away and clear my head so, I grabbed my midnight black Corvette and took off. I rolled the windows down and let the wind wash away this feeling Audrey just smacked me with.

Friends. I can’t be friends with her. It won’t work because I know her too well. I’ve seen her most intimate parts and now she wants to bench me? No, it won’t be like that. It’s either I’m in or out. I can’t be that sideline guy. It would drive me nuts. I need to figure out a way that will keep us both apart enough that I keep my sanity.

As I think on that, I turn onto the south bridge. My engine roars over the lake as I speed down the middle of the bridge. Axelridge glows ahead of me and the lake whips by in between the suspension cables. The lights from the bridge light my face as I rush by them.

My fingers wring the steering wheel as I run plan after plan through my head.

My thoughts were broken when the sound of another engine came up behind me. I look in the mirror and see him.

Oh, this is sweet. I need something to kill.

With a rev of his bike, the Black Mace comes right up my ass, swerves and speeds past my passenger side. I watch him zoom passed me and race up the bridge with his mace on his back.

“Not this time, asshole.” I grit as I slam my car into a higher gear and my car explodes in speed.

The chase is on as we enter Axelridge.

He leans low and turns onto the parkway. It’s busy, but not congested, still, I slam my wheel and drift onto the road after him and horns blare as I fishtail straight.

Through three lanes of traffic, he swerves around cars and I’m right on his ass.

I shift again and get close to his tire.

He pops a wheelie and hits the gas, creating a few car lengths between us.

“Fuck. What’s he got in that thing?” I shift again and bury the needle. I could lose my car, but catching this guy would be so worth it.

He squeezes between two cars and I swerve into the third lane. The middle lane is too full to switch so I keep up with him side by side. I watch him out my window and he waves as the middle lane cars act like a barrier between us and speeds up.

“Dick!” I see a chance and change lanes, swerving back behind him and he breaks off onto a main street.

I skip over two lanes and squeal my tires as I make the turn. My engine growls as I regain my speed.

He’s driving up the middle of the street and turns a few blocks up. I follow a few seconds later.

When I get to the street, I can’t see him. I slow down and search between houses and buildings as I drive by. “Where you hiding, mother fucker?”

Just as I approach the end of the street, his bike fires out from a driveway. He’s so close, he punched my hood as he sped passed down the street.

“ASSHOLE!” I slam my gears, burn my tires and turn down the street went down.

He turns down the tower boulevard and it’s busy. Fans are everywhere and our Alpha towers loom over head as we pass cars at dangerous speeds.

An intersection comes up in front and I wait for him to slow or turn as the light turns red. Instead he guns it and blows the light.

“OK. We’re going crazy now. Alright." I tick my head and hit the gas. I bite my upper lip as I push my car faster and blow the light. Cars skid, spin out and honk. People jump out of the way. My heart pounds as I see headlights aiming for me then turn away sharply as they avoid collisions.

“Ho! Whoa. OK.” I catch my breath, absorb the adrenaline and find my target.

He turns back onto the road to the parkway that circles the island. I follow him back into the six lane road and he speeds to the North Bridge.

“Skipping town? Don’t think so.” I squeal onto the bridge heading to Ajax. He’s gonna try and jump the border, not a chance, buddy.

I pull out my phone and enter in my pass code. I open security protocols and push the command to remotely close the end barrier of the bridge.

I toss my phone on the passenger seat and grin over my steering wheel. “Got you now, dick head.”

I gear up and close the gap. The nose of my car hits his back tire. He jolts, looks back and then speeds up, creating an even bigger gap.

The 10 foot barrier wall comes into view.

“What you got, punk? You got nothing! What you gonna do?!” I cackle as I practically bounce in my seat.

He lifts his front tire, speeds up, slams his brakes and spins a perfect 180. He pauses and my eyes meet his visor. He revs his throttle, his back tire smokes and he releases his clutch. His bike careens toward me. My eyes go wide and I bury the brake pedal. My tires lock and my car skids just as his front tire lifts. I scream and cover my face as his tire hits my windshield. It cracks and spider webs as his tires dig in. I duck down in a panic as he pushes more gas.

He revs and his bike climbs up my corvette and onto the roof. The steel dents, the roof caves and the moon roof smashes, raining glass down on me. The back tire destroys the paint and leaves a deep canal in the hood.

“ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY?!!” I yell over the roar of his engine.

He spins his back tire on my roof, denting it more before his front tire busts out my rear window. Glass flies at my back as I growl loud and cover my head.

His front tire rips my spoiler off as he demolishes my trunk and lands on the road.

“MY CAR!!” I yell as I spin around in my seat. He stops, turns around in his seat and waves. He hits the throttle and drives off, leaving me destroyed on the bridge.

“FUCK!” I punch the steering wheel and slam my forehead on it.

****

I feel like crying as I stand with my arm around my waist and my other hand covering my mouth.

My eyes scan the crumpled mess of my baby. “I…uh…I’m gonna need a minute.” I turn away from the guys, place my hands on my hips and blow out breathes to calm my heartbreak. I feel like puking.

“They just don’t make them like they use to.” Eddie says as he pick up the spoiler, flips the long cracked attachment in his hands and tosses it in my back seat.

“The Black Mace ran you over?” Finn asks as he crosses his arms.

I turn back around. “Yep. Turned on me like a cornered cat and clawed my ass." I glance at the tread marks in the gully of my hood. I whimper and look away.

Marcus looks it over. “As long as the engine’s still good, we can fix this.” He lifts the caved in hood, it creaks and breaks off. It rocks on the road. “It might take a bit.” He shrugs.

I press my lips together and fight my grief. “I’m getting that rat bastard if it’s the last thing I do.” I throw a finger in Finns face. “Nobody hurts my baby and gets away with it.” I growl.

“Ok, Jax. Did you get anything off him. Identifying marks?” Finn asks.

“Only that he’s a kick ass driver and completely insane!” I throw a hand to the corpse of my car.

“Here’s something.” Griffin stands as he finishes processing a picture of the bike tread.

His app scans the tread pattern and matches it with a tire that’s very rare to have on a sport bike. I point to the picture. “Those are 1200 a tire. That’s serious coin to be tearing up the blacktop like this.”

“Aye. What’s more? The waiting list is years long. If the Black Mace has them, he’d be on a very short buyers list.” Griffin supplies.

Finn points to Griffins phone. “Get that list.” He turns to Eddie. “Get the footage. I want to know where he came from and where he went.”

“I know where he came from.” Marcus walks over with his phone.

He pulls up a news reporter and turns up the volume.

‘Behind me is the Vinellis manor house in New York City where an attack occurred earlier this evening. The victims, late Antonio Vinellis niece and her boyfriend who were staying in the home for a vacation. Claudia Vinelli was rushed to hospital with apparent lacerations from a weapon carried by the now infamous, Black Mace. Her boyfriend was unavailable for comment.

The Black Mace has been the main suspect in several attacks on the Vinellis in recent weeks. Witnesses say the Black Mace can only be identified as wearing all black and driving a black, unmarked motorcycle. The weapon used was a spiked mace much like the one carried by Alpha Jaxton Dupree of the Axelridge Alpha Council. This leaves many to question whether or not the Black Mace is working with council or if it’s possible Alpha Dupree has taken the Vinellis into his own hands.

Either way, enforcers are aware of his presence in Axelridge and have failed to capture the vigilante for questioning.

The Vinellis refused to speak on camera and only have been quoted as saying. ‘This attack is the full responsibility of Axelridge. The threat is being taken seriously and will be returned in kind.’ The Vinellis declared war on Axelridge over three weeks ago and are now considering the Black Mace’s attacks as a first strike.

As of yet, the Axelridge council has not made a statement. More at 11.’

Finn turns to Noah. “Write a statement to all the wires. Tell them we are not associated with this psycho and that it’s not Jax. Tell them we are investigating.”

“On it.” He pulls out his phone and starts typing.

“Damn it!” I spin around and grip my hair.

“They won’t suspect you, Jax.” Finn says.

I turn back. “They won’t believe it, Finn. This has me written all over it. Everyone knows I’d kill the Vinellis in a heart heat, but not the ones who are innocent. This looks like I’ve snapped.” I scowl.

He puts a hand up. “Once we get the footage…”

“Uh…problem.” Eddie says.

“What.” I grit.

“He scrubbed the cameras. There’s no footage.” Eddie shrugs.

“Every one?!” Finn growls.

“Yep. At least 24 hours worth. I’d have to get to the hub to find out the depth, but the proof…it’s gone, bud.” Eddie pockets his phone.

“He’s in the system. It’s the only way he could do that.” Finn concludes.

“I can try and find him, but we have hack trackers in the system. None have gone off which means this guys good.” Griffin informs.

Finn nods. “Jax. Do a check of specialized skills. Anyone with the skill level to hack our systems.”

“Sure. I’ll crawl the files with keywords, but I doubt he’s one of us.” I say as I cross my arms.

“Expand the search. Check all the Alliance packs. There has to be a base somewhere.” Finn says.

“Yeah, ok.” I rub my nape. “Can I get a lift?”

“Sure, buddy. Maybe lay off this guy. You seem like you just get too emotional around him. Let us take care of it.” Finn says as he walks with me to his car.

“All I can do is try, but if he insists on getting in my face, I’m smashing his.” I clench.

“Ok, tough guy.” Finn chuckles. “Seems like you’re the only one getting smashed here.”

“Minor set back.” I open the car door and get in. “I’m prepared for him next time.”

“Whatever you say. Just don’t get yourself killed.” Finn buckles up and puts the car in gear.

“Please. If anyone has any hope of killing me, it’s Audrey. The Black punk has nothing on the Man-eater.” I scowl.

Finn laughs as he drives off to the city.