SWNOVELS Axel: Chapter 27
I can’t help feeling rather smug that I have at last become Axel’s woman. Deciding to stay in our room instead of going downstairs, I lie on the bed and drift to sleep, with my head in the clouds and hope in my heart that at last I’ve found where I belong.
Waking a bit shocked as someone is hammering on the door and as I sit up, it flies open with Shar bursting in laughing loudly, ‘Oh, cockadoodle-dooooooo.’ she screeches with delight.
I throw myself onto my back and cover my eyes with my forearm; I know this could be awkward, but Shar’s laughing is too much to resist, and I laugh myself.
‘You know Axel missed his meeting, which had everyone knowing exactly what you two were doing.’ She giggles, throwing herself on the bed beside me. ‘We also were supposed to be at work tonight, my first night. I hope you didn’t get me fired already.’
‘Oh, damn, Shar I’m sorry, but you won’t get fired, I’ll make sure of it.’ I sit and twist my legs off the bed, ‘I’m going to the bathroom, then we’ll go get a drink.’
Going downstairs we are smiling and talking about working tomorrow, rather than waiting until my next shift, but as we walk into the commons room, my head snaps up when I hear the sounds of cockerels crowing and see brothers strutting, flapping their elbows back and forth.
Oh, my, how embarrassing, my face flames and I’m about to turn around and make a run back to the bedroom when Axel walks up behind me and picks me up, carrying me to the bar while laughing his ass off at his brother’s antics.
Hammer walks over and kisses my cheek, much to Axel’s disgust, and I have to look at him as I’m sure he growled, yeah, like a fucking dog, growled… What The!!
Handing a box to Axel, Hammer walks away with an enormous smile on his face.
Axel stands and bangs his fist on the bar, shouting, ‘Quiet, everyone, quiet. Tonight I want to announce Mia is officially my ol’ lady.’
The room bursts with cheers of congratulations and dirty remarks about how Axel made me his ol’ lady, which has me blushing purple, also makes everyone else laugh even harder.
Holding my kutte open for me, Axel guides it up my arms and settles it on my shoulders and I cannot help but smile broadly, shedding a few tears at the same time.
Shar walks over and gives me a hug and then also one to Axel, threatening him that his cockadoodle will be gone if he hurts me at all.
We spend the rest of the evening talking, laughing, and relaxing with all the brothers. Bubbles and Brandy are the only club women here at the moment, as Abbie has still not returned.
Thankfully, Bubbles and Brandy have kept their distance from me since Shar showed up. I think they are frightened of her, but I have to admit she is pretty intimidating at times.
Axel is standing behind my bar stool and has an arm around me and resting his chin on the top of my head. I can’t remember the last time I felt so wanted or cherished.
AXEL
Walking into Church this morning, I know we have to make some headway with all the shit that has been hanging over our heads.
I’m also lucky that Mia’s now officially my ol’ lady, and she’s excited to see the coffee house finished and get involved with other things as they come along.
Sitting at the head of the table, a few brothers are already in here and waiting, but we have a few more still to come. Buzz walks in and sits, giving me a nod that lets me know he’s spoken to Target.
Taking out my cell, I send a text to Joe telling him to get his ass to the clubhouse pronto as I needed to speak to him.
The rest of the brothers arrive and get settled. I hit the gavel on the table. ‘Okay, brothers, meeting open. Let’s hear from Buzz first, regarding Target finding information.’
Buzz sits forward in his seat, then surprises me when he stands and leans against the wall, ‘Target has confirmed the two addresses, both private dwellings, one’s like a mansion but run down, the other’s a rundown shack on the outskirts of town.
‘Chaos is watching the shack. He’s confirmed six men in and out, never more than that, and they seem to use it like a communal place, getting take-out and waiting for whatever they’re told to do next.
‘The mansion has eight men, plus Alan and Bloom, so ten in total all are hanging around the property. Target’s man, who is homeless, said he saw a black Mercedes sedan with blacked-out windows arrive a couple of days ago.
They didn’t go inside, Bloom came out to the vehicle and started arguing, they got pretty heated and one goon from the Merc grabbed Bloom by the neck and had him dangling until he passed out, then they threw him on the ground and drove away.’
Chuckles burst from a few of the brothers and caustic comments. I have to admit I had a smirk myself.
‘Target and Chaos think it’ll be best to hit them at the same time. Just take the fuckers out. The police are going to do nothing. They’ll be glad to be rid of the trash.
‘Nearly forgot the Chief of Police was seen with them at the mansion just after that incident with the Mercedes, so he may need taking out if he’s around when we go in.’
After some discussion, we agree to split us into two and take out the two places at once, get rid of the trash and be done with it. Buzz will make up the list of teams and make sure Target and Chaos are on separate teams as they both have the military experience and it’s still fairly fresh too, as they haven’t been out of the military that long.
‘Okay, brothers, I suggest we go in tomorrow night. That gives Buzz twenty-four hours to get everything organized. Will anyone second that?’ I state, looking around at my brothers, who I know will stand tall and firm, but I don’t want to lose any of them.
‘I’ll second,’ Beer states, and it bounces around the table so we have a unanimous decision we’re going in tomorrow evening.
‘Okay, I’ve asked Joe to come over from the garage, as you all know he’s running the place and living in Jenks house at the moment and I want to put his name forward for full brother status, and manager of the recovery and garage.
‘Can I call for the manager of the business first brothers, who will second this motion?’ I say and hope they all go for this.
‘I’ll second.’ Drag taps his knuckles on the table and nodding his head, ‘He’s been a great prospect and he’s doing good things with the business.’
‘Unanimous decision needed brothers.’ I state, and one by one we go around the table until everyone has given the go ahead.
‘Okay, now that’s sorted, we need to vote on Joe being a full brother. It’s time. He’s done his time, proved his worth. I propose his membership. Who’ll second?’ I say, looking around at the room.
‘I’ll second.’ Clay shouts out, ‘I agree with Drag, he’s been reliable, respectful and has jumped to every order with no hesitation.’
‘Give me your votes brothers, we need unanimous or he’s out.’ This part always makes me a little nervous when it’s a good brother that could be thrown out, and it could happen because someone just doesn’t like him for whatever reason they may have.
The votes go around the table and one by one they vote him a full brother; I let out a breath and I’m thankful he made it.
‘What about his club name?’ Specs asks, which takes me by surprise as I hadn’t given that a thought.
‘I suggest, Grease, since he always has a greasy rag hanging out his back pocket.’ Rock suggests with a grin on his face.
‘I’ll second that.’ Knuckles laughs.
Around the table, Grease gets a unanimous vote, so that is Joe’s new name, whether he likes it or not.
‘Buzz, call Joe in, let’s get him his status.’ I stand and grab the box with the full brother kutte inside. All he’ll have to do is get his name patch sewn on.
Joe steps inside and we can all see he is nervous as it’s not normal for prospects to enter Church meetings.
‘Okay, Joe, you’re running the recovery and garage and we feel it’s only fair that you get the right title for the position you’re filling, so from now you are the Manager of the business, you’ll get a decent cut because of the responsibility you have, you’ll also continue living in the house. We’ll see about finding you some help because you can’t continue doing it all yourself.
‘Saying all that, are you happy to be manager and run the place, Joe?’ I ask, and I have to hold back the smirk I can feel as the shock on his face is pretty damn obvious.
‘I’ll be happy to manage the business, Pres.’ Joe replies and sticks his chest out a little more with the pride of it. ‘Thanks for trusting me to do it.’
‘Okay, another thing, it’s time we call you up for full membership of the club. You had to have a unanimous vote, or you were out. It wouldn’t affect you being in charge of the business, it would just mean you’re no longer a member of the club, in any way, shape or form.’ I state, seeing him sweat a bit, I hang on a little, stretching it out.
‘I’m pleased to say we voted you in as a full brother. Congratulations and your club name is Grease, because you always have a greasy rag hanging out your pocket.’ I smirk and I can see the relief that crosses over his face.
The brothers rise from their seats and slap Grease on the back, which has him stumbling around the meeting table. I’m sure he’s going to have a massive bruise tomorrow, but it will not stop the huge smile on his face.