Jax's X Game The Axelridge Series Book 2

JAX

As I fiddle with my yellow tie, I stomp to the front door because it’s pissing me off. I rip it off and aggressively open it.

“Hey, man. Come in.” I say as I pull up my collar and start again.

Marcus shuts the door. “Wow. Look at you. Did you get a haircut?”

I stand at the hall mirror and pat my hair. “Yeah. It looks OK, right? I don’t look like a pussy or anything.”

“No…What?” He chuckles behind my back.

I position my tie and begin the knot. “Good. I need everything to be perfect.”

“Jax, relax. Audrey doesn’t need perfection. She just needs you.” Sophie says as she kicks back with some popcorn.

“Says the one not going.” I say as I complete the knot and fold my collar down. “You know, going will be good for you. It’ll get you out meeting people.”

“Ugh…No thanks. I'll take a Terminator marathon over hanging with a bunch of love sick wolves any day.” She shoves popcorn in her mouth as she turns the TV on.

“Hey…I love Terminator.” Marcus starts to walk toward her and I grab his red tie, pulling him back.

“No. Alphas on deck. You have awards to dish out.” I eye him.

“Fine.” He grumbles. “I really need to pick a Beta.” He breathes as he rubs his nape and chuckles. In the mirror, I see him smile at my sister and I shake my head.

Truthfully, as far as bro in laws go, I could do worse than Marcus. My only problem is Sophie is mentally damaged. She needs to get her shit together before she should pursue any kind of relationship. Marcus included. He also has his own shit. Hopefully, her time with him, as friends, will help heal what Vinnie did to her.

I throw my jacket on and turn to the living room. “Soph. Don’t stay up too late. Remember, you have to look into college and find a job.”

She turns her head to me. “Yes, dad.” She shoves more popcorn in her mouth.

I point to her. “Not funny.”

She smiles. “Yeah, it is.” She says with snark.

I shoot her a warning look.

Marcus walks up behind the couch and crouches down to her, folding his arms on the back. “Listen to your brother, princess. He knows what’s best, ok?”

She feeds him popcorn. “Ok.” She smiles.

“Ok.” He gives her a quick kiss. “I’ll stop by later.”

“Sweet.” She smiles big.

He kisses her forehead. “Have fun.”

“Jaxton! Have you seen my clutch?!”

I take a quick look around and find it on the counter of the kitchen island. “Got it!”

“I swear…I’d lose my head if it wasn’t screwed on.”

My hand with the clutch drops to my side and my face falls.

Audrey comes down the stairs, putting an earring in as she does. Her hair is in big curls and draped over her shoulder. She’s wearing a tight, floor length glittery, yellow dress with a slit up to her hip. Her long tanned leg is teasing the fuck out of me. Her make up is perfect and she’s looking damn sexy in a pair of matching strappy heels.

I can’t breathe. I don’t know what to think. Her scent hits me and my brain turns foggy.

All I can do is blink as she approaches. She takes her clutch from me and smiles. “What?”

“I’ve never…seen something so beautiful in my entire life.” I take in a shaky breath as I slightly lower my head and my lip ticks up.

She gets real close. “Neither have I.” She whispers as she straightens my tie and locks with my eyes.

I slowly thread my fingers into hair and press my lips to hers. My heart stutters at the thought of kissing her as my Luna for the rest of my life.

“Gross.”

We break the kiss and Sophie is grinning while chewing popcorn.

I point to her again. “You’re asking for it.”

She makes a face at me and I narrow my eyes.

“Ok, kids. We need to go or they’ll start the ceremonies without us.” Marcus says as he opens the door.

“Alright. Bye, Soph!”

“Bye!!”

We get into the limo and drive to the Axelridge Hammers Stadium. Finn always holds the ceremonies based on our contract deals. I don’t mind. His stadium holds more people anyway. Besides, it’s nice having a party in one central location. At least, it’s safer on the island.

Vinnie may he dead, but like we said, the Vinellis are a large family. It won’t take long before another picks up the reins. Unless, we wipe them all out, we will always have to be on alert.

I smile at Audrey before turning my eyes out the window. As we drive beside the lake, I stare at the full blue moon. The city reflects in the water and everything is blue.

My life was so empty before Audrey walked back into it. Truthfully, I didn’t think this would ever happen. We're both such stubborn people most days. Most of it is because we spent our lives not needing anyone that we actually didn’t recognize that we did, in fact, need each other. I think that’s why I could never find the right person after Audrey. My heart was already taken and I was just fooling myself thinking I could move on, but that meant I had to grow and change for Audrey. Her leaving was my punishment. Her coming back was my redemption.

Audrey had her own changes. She needed to trust me and I think she does now. I don’t think she’d be in the car with me now, if she didn’t. She needed to see and feel like I was safe for her. She needed to feel like the decisions or actions I take are against her, I do them for her because I love her so much. She needed to see that she can make a home with me and not have to feel scared ever again.

We truly needed to be together. It won’t all be fixed over night. We both have a long road ahead, but at least if we're hand-in-hand, it’ll be that much harder to break us next time. That’s a damn promise.

The limo pulls up in front of the stone courtyard. The streets around the stadium are blocked. Only cars for players are allowed through.

I help Audrey out and Marcus steps out behind her. We walk the red carpet and the press snap their pictures.

I kiss Audrey and the surrounding fans cheer us on. Audrey sparkles as she waves to the people. Her smile almost outdoes the moon.

Marcus signs autographs and talks with people as we walk up.

More cars pull up and we turn. “Finns here.” I wave at the blacked out limo that stops at the red carpet entrance.

“What?” Marcus plugs his ear as he talks on the phone.

I turn to him.

“Slow down! What?!” He says into his phone. “Hold on.”

He puts it on speaker.

“GET OUT NOW! THE VINELLI'S…”

“HEY, LUCCO!!”

We all raise our heads to the limo with all its windows down. I see the barrels of guns and grab Audrey. “EVERYONE DOWN!!”

They open fire and people scream and panic. The barricade is broken as the shots ring out and people start dropping like flies.

The glass doors shatter and the stone breaks as the walls of the stadium are riddled with bullets.

I cover my head as I look at the car. Like everything slows, the flashes of the bullets being shot, fill me with fear and for a second, I’m 19 years old again when the Lycans stormed my pack. Everything I felt that day came flooding back as I watch body after body hit the pavement.

“Jax…” My head whips to Marcus. His struggling voice breaks me out of daze. His shirt soaks with blood in his gut.

“MARCUS!”

I quickly stay low and crawl to him.

“Ugh…what…I’m gonna…Jax.” He whines as grabs my arm and struggles to keep his legs still. His breathing becomes erratic and his shaking hand is covered in blood.

I grab his chin and focus his terrified eyes on mine. “You are not dying. No. You aren’t allowed to die before me!” I grit at him. “That was the deal!”

His lip trembles and he nods.

More shots ring out as I sit him up. “Ok. Don’t move.” I carefully take his jacket off and pull him into my chest. I inspect his back and see a patch of blood. “It’s a thru and thru. You’ll be OK.” He whines and grits as I place his jacket on the blood. “Just hang on. Where’s Rey?”

I look through the running legs and see her laying on the carpet.

“AUDREY!!”

I crawl to her fast. I lift her up and see two bullet holes in her chest. “Rey!!” I grab her face, turn it to me and tap her cheeks to wake her up. “Rey!” I feel a pulse and she’s breathing, but it’s very shallow.

My eyes well as I lift my head to the limo. They’re still firing and my mind fills with blind rage.

I crawl back to an unconscious Enforcer, pull his weapon, stand and raise my arm. I take big steps through the crowd as I fire round after round at the car. They do up the windows and the tires squeal as they peel out. Sirens blare into the night as terrified people cry.

A tear falls after the 10th empty click. I drop the gun on the carpet and turned back.

I walked back to Audrey, pulling her head into my lap. “It’s OK, baby. Helps coming. Hang on.” I hug her and speak softly.

I could barely breathe through my anger and pain. I need to stay calm. The feeling of her electric warmth seemed to go straight to my heart then it started to grow.

I look up and the moon reaches its peak. Suddenly, the entire area felt so thick with electricity, I thought they downed some wires.

I look down at Audrey. Her sleeping face has me smile. “You feel it, Rey? I feel it. See, you have to come back. You have to make it. The moon says you have to.” I sniff as I pet her head.

The air pressure drops and my chest tightens. Everything I’m feeling increases and seems to focus on my heart. It concentrates then snaps out of my chest and lands on Audrey's heart.

I raise my head and laugh at the moon then break into tears as I lower my head to hers. “I love you.” I choke. “Don’t leave me. Please. You’re mine. You can't.” I beg.

The bond snaps back and forth and I hang onto that for dear life. As long as it’s still there she’s still with me.

Medics and Enforcers flood the area and attend to the injured and dead. All I can do is hold my Luna until they get to us.

A medic lands on her other side and pries me off her. He rips her dress and starts applying bandages to her wounds.

I turn and see that they’re assessing Marcus. He's flipping out, but I can barely hear him. All I feel is my beautiful bond with the woman who holds my soul.

“Mine…”

I whip my head to her and I smile. I get on my hands and knees and lower myself to her head. My hands petting her hair and touching her soft skin. “Baby…” I hitch.

“Jax…” She says through an oxygen mask.

I wipe my face. “Yeah. Yeah, beautiful. You've been shot. The medics are here and they’re taking care of you.” I say as I look into her beautiful blue eyes.

“I love you.” She says.

I press my lips to her forehead. “I love you too. So much.” I mutter.

“Mate.” She says as she tries to smile.

I nod as a tear falls. “Yeah, baby. Mate.” I chuckle.

“I knew.” She says.

“So did I. I knew from day one. It was always you, Rey. Always. I’m sorry I was such a dick. I’m so sorry.” I take in a stuttered breath.

She shakes her head. “No. You loved me. That’s all.”

I huff a laugh. “Too much, I think.”

She tries to laugh, then winces.

“Ok. We need to move her. You can meet us at the hospital.” One medic says.

“Thank you.” I grab Audrey’s hand and kiss it. “I’m right behind you.”

I see a tear fall as she nods.

I wipe her cheek and step back as the move her to a stretcher. “Right behind you! Don’t worry, baby!” I shout as the wheel her away.

“THE FUCKERS DEAD! I'M TEARING THEM APART!”

I turn and Marcus is holding his side.

I stop him and look him over. “You OK?”

“NO! I HAVE A HOLE IN MY GUT!”

I hold up a hand. “Ok. I get that.”

“It’s healing. I’m fine.” He waves me off. “Finn said they stole his limo. I’ve got teams on the Comms to find out how they got past the security.”

I scrub a hand down my face, trying to use the bond as my lifeline to not losing my shit. “What was this, Marc?” I motion my hand out to the devastation and look at him.

He rubs his nape. “Obviously, the war started up again and they ain’t starting small this time.”

I lean to him and cross my arms. “They have a hit out on you.”

He glances at me and rubs his bandages. He nods. “Yeah…um…until this ends, I’m…I’m not safe to be around. Uh…tell Soph…just tell her…”

“No, Marcus. You can’t run. We'll fight back.” I grab his shoulder and find his eyes.

He shakes his head. “This isn’t war, Jax. This is personal and it’ll stay personal until we’re all dead. That’s how it goes. Sending in the army won’t stop the shootings and attacks. It’ll make it worse which is why the truce was made. I guarantee, my father has already killed five of their guys and now they want me. They won’t stop. Alpha son is top prize and every goon knows that. I’m sorry.”

I rub my neck and nod. “Where will you go?”

He looks over the red carpet now marked and soaked with pools of blood. He shakes his head. “It’s best you not know.” He rolls an eye to me. “For safety, yeah?”

I suck in my bottom lip. “Yeah, ok.” I wrap my arm around his neck. “Be safe.” I mutter on his shoulder.

“You, too.” He claps my back. He pulls back. “Hey…you, um.” He points to my chest.

A smile grows on my lips. “Yeah. I did. Audrey’s mine.” I softly chuckle and look to the ground.

He grabs my neck and looks in my eyes. “You deserve it. You love the hell out of that, Luna, understand?”

I nod. “I will.”

“I’m happy for you. I’ll call you.”

“You better.” I stare at him and feel my chest tighten. We've never been apart aside from work trips since we were 15 years old. I tried so hard to protect him from this, but it seems like it tries so hard to get its claws into him. Now, he has to leave. Someone’s paying for this. I promise that.

For now, we need to regroup. Marcus needs to get somewhere safe and I need to see my Luna.

Since this turned out to a nightmare with a somewhat, happy ending, the marking will have to be where I make everything up. I will mark her and I will see the Vinellis in hell before they stop me from claiming my Luna.

No one’s stopping us now.