Chapter 11

Ainsley

Kentucky

Axel is snoring in the backseat. He looks so uncomfortable and cramped as I stare at him through the rearview mirror. I wish I could just drive and keep driving until all our problems disappear. I’m scared. I’ve been driving slowly, trying to prolong our time together even if it is just me behind the wheel and him asleep for the ride. As I drive, I keep reliving every moment of the past few days we have spent together.

His intoxicating scent.

His cocky grin.

His soul piercing eyes.

The way he makes me feel more alive than I ever have. For the first time in my life I feel like I matter to someone. Not because I am Tiny Leone’s daughter but simply because I am me. I believe Axel when he says he didn’t know that the real reason we were both sent to that house was for him to protect me from Raul. I could see it in his eyes. There was only truth there. He held the same look on his face when he told me about the charges he’s facing. Dawn is on the horizon and in a few hours, he’ll be in handcuffs and this will all seem like a crazy dream. I don’t want it to end.

I’m scared of what’s to come.

I’m scared to be without him.

I’m not ready to say goodbye.

My heart squeezes in my chest. I press harder on the gas, wondering what he’d do if I drive us to the closest airport and book us two tickets out of here. I still have family in Italy. I’ve never met them, but I know they would welcome me there. I allow my mind to wonder. I fantasize about us making a life there. Maybe we’d buy a vineyard or something. He’d work in the field and I’d run the business. I even imagine my stomach swollen with his baby. Like the foolish girl that I am, I grab onto the dream and hold on tight. Then I tuck it in the back of my mind as I see the sign that reads Drag Creek twenty miles.

This is it. The end as I drive down the highway to hell.

I should wake him, but I want to enjoy this quiet moment a minute longer. Where there is nothing but the two of us. I wish we were on his motorcycle. Him driving fast and my hair in the wind. We could just ride and go anywhere.

I turn down the radio as a tear slides down my cheek. I know I need to let him go so he can face what lies ahead. I have problems of my own. A chill creeps up my spine thinking about Raul and what he said. I pull into the parking lot at the Black Rebel Riders’ MC clubhouse or as Axel called it the Roadhouse. I shut off the car and Axel wakes up. I don’t want to get out of this car. I don’t want him to get out of this car either.

I should have kept driving but to where? Like he said you can’t run from your problems. I’m eighteen. I shouldn’t have such heavy shit weighing on me.

Axel exits the car and when he shuts the door, I feel he is shutting the door on us. On me. Then he opens the driver side door and holds his hand out to me. We walk inside hand in hand. There isn’t a lot of people around save a couple of old men at the bar. There is a huge tree in the far corner of the room and three large trash bags full of discarded wrapping paper next to it.

“Every year my Mom and now my Aunt Karly, they do a toy drive for needy kids. They fill the tree with paper angels that have names on them with clothing sizes or whatever it is they need. Everyone pitches in to adopt a kid or family in need then on Christmas Eve the Roadhouse hosts a dinner and the kids get to open their gifts. My grandpa even dresses up like Santa Claus,” Axel explains.

“That’s so nice.”

The men at the bar both turn to stare at us.

“Grandpa, I’d like you to meet Ainsley.” I stare at the old man wondering what he looked like when he was young. He has all these teardrop tattoos on his face that disappear under his white beard. I bet he was a scary motherfucker in his youth. The name on his cut says Grim and judging by the expression on his face I can see why. I can’t imagine him wearing a Santa suit. He’d scare the children. 

The man next to him smirks at me and winks. The name on his patch says Romeo and I smile to myself. I bet he was a real player. I bet they both have some stories to tell.

Grim nods and mumbles something to the other man. His grin fades and I wonder of it is because of who I am.

“Come on.” Axel pulls me toward a set of stairs. “Let’s freshen up.” He takes me to what looks to be a community bathroom and I try not to cringe at the thoughts of what goes on in this clubhouse. I don’t know much about bikers or clubs, but my imagination is running wild. I bet if these walls could talk…well I am sure they would make me blush.

After we clean up a bit a woman knocks on the door of the room we are relaxing in. She has a change of clothes and breakfast for us.

For the first time in days my appetite is returning. I devour the eggs, bacon, and toast.

Axel grins at me as he enjoys his own plate. I get up and take advantage of the clean clothes.

“So…do you know what happens next?”

He nods. “Yeah. I’ll meet with my old man once he arrives and then he’ll give me my orders.”

“Do those orders include me?” I ask, hopeful, but smart enough to know that it isn’t going to be likely.

He shrugs his shoulders and sets his empty plate on the nightstand on top of mine.

There is another knock on the door. Axel pops up off the small bed with the worn quilt covering the top. I pick at the frayed edges as I sit on the foot of it and wait. Axel said the quilt belonged to his Grandma Foxie. I trace the stitches with my fingers and smile. I don’t have anything special handed down to me. All I have is more money than I know what to do with, but what good is the money if I can’t use it to help Axel. Maybe if I agree to contribute to that senator’s campaign fund, he’ll try to get him a reduced sentence. I tap a finger to my chin. I can’t just do nothing.

Axel gets the door and a guy who looks eerily similar to him but with shorter hair is waiting on the other side. “Old man wants you at church.” He moves to peer at me over his shoulder and grins at me.

“Abel, this is Ainsley. Ainsley, this is my brother.”

“I can see the resemblance.” It’s terrible but my mind flashes to a dirty thought of what it’d be like to be taken by them both.

“Stay here,” Axel tells me and slams the door as if he could read my mind.