“Well, merry fuckin’ Christmas to us.” Hawk stood in front of The Iron Horse, hands on hips as he surveyed the damage to the front of the building.

“Warriors are the gift that keeps on fuckin’ givin’,” Zak muttered and spat on the ground.

Axel let his gaze roam the front parking lot. It was hard to miss that Diesel was nowhere to be found. And it wasn’t like he took Jewel home. She was still in church with the rest of the woman.

Luckily, the Warriors didn’t do any damage around back. Maybe they thought everyone was in The Iron Horse since they could hear the band playing.

Nash ended up with a graze along his ribs from a stray bullet. Two of his band members had minor cuts from shrapnel hitting them since the stage was set up by the front wall of the building.

Linc had gotten Jayde to safety as did Slade with Diamond. Then the former Marine came back to help Axel get everyone else to cover.

By the time they were done clearing the bar area, the Warriors were gone. But Axel had a feeling D and some other Angels were on their tail. And he was sure D had called in his “Shadows” for assistance.

Axel wasn’t going to ask since he figured it was better not to know the details.

There were enough cops on scene between Shadow Valley PD and the Pennsylvania State Police that he didn’t need to get involved in the investigation.

In fact, a few of his fellow cops were surprised to see him already on scene when they arrived code three. He didn’t bother to clear up their curiosity.

But he couldn’t wait for them to be done. He wanted to get to Bella. Even though he knew she was okay, he wanted to see for himself.

Axel groaned when he saw his father beelining in his direction, his face a mask of fury, his body tight, his hands clenched into fists.

This wasn’t going to go well.

Mitch’s eyes landed on Zak who stood about ten feet away from Axel, then bounced back to him.

Joy.

“Did you know your sister was here? Did you know she was inside when those... those motherfuckers,” he spat, “shot up this place?”

Axel’s eyebrows rose at his father’s uncharacteristic cursing. He was in his civvies, so he wasn’t on duty, but still... it had been awhile since he’d seen the man this angry.

Mitch shoved a finger in Axel’s face. “You knew, and you didn’t get her the fuck out of here. What the fuck is wrong with you?

“Pop...” Axel started.

“Don’t fucking ‘Pop’ me!” Mitch swung an arm toward the bar. “Things like this were why I kept our family away from this club. The last thing I wanted was my boys to get caught up in this violence or my daughter to become an old lady!”

“Jayde isn’t becoming an ol’ lady,” Axel reassured him calmly and hoped that was true.

Mitch’s eyes snapped as he scowled at his youngest son. “She better not. It’s bad enough Zakary’s a bad influence on her by being a part of this club, but you...” he shouted, “I expected better of you. Have a fucking sense of pride, boy. There are plenty of other women who you can stick your—”

“Pop,” Axel growled a warning.

Mitch inhaled deeply and then blew it out in a rush. His bluster quickly disappeared, the red in his cheeks faded a little, and he began to talk much more calmly. “Look, I like Bella. Honestly, I do. But she comes with baggage, son. A lot of it. And some of it remains because she won’t break free of this life. This is not your life. You have a good life. You’re a fucking police officer.”

Axel’s jaw tightened. “You don’t need to remind me of that.”

Mitch shook his head. “And I assume you want to remain one.”

Suddenly, Z was standing next to Axel. “Got a good life. There ain’t nothin’ wrong with bein’ a part of this club, this brotherhood, this family.”

Mitch’s gaze landed on his oldest offspring, his eyes hard. “Right. Kidnapping, rape, assault, theft... prison,” he swept an arm around again, “having your place shot up and people almost getting killed... Yeah, what a life. One that you’re going to be raising my grandchild in. You want to continue to put your wife and child at risk like this? Is it worth it?”

Axel watched as something crossed Z’s face. In a blink it was gone. Reality. That’s what it was. Reality that his wife and future child could be killed with the chaos that Warriors kept bringing.

As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he understood where Z was coming from. This club was a large part of his older brother. But so was his wife and unborn child. He could imagine the internal struggle Z was having because Axel was living it himself right now.

The disappointment was clear in their father’s face as he studied Zak. Then Mitch shook his head and sighed. “I’m getting your sister and getting her out of here.” He turned toward Axel. “I don’t want her here; do you understand me? I can’t tell you what to do but she still lives under my roof and she’s not to come here. She’s not to hang out with these bikers. If you want to risk your career hanging out with this club, that’s on you.”

With that, he stomped away, shoving his hands deep into his jacket pocket and shaking his head.

“I guess inviting Bella to Christmas dinner is out?” Axel shouted at his father’s back.

Mitch raised a dismissing hand over his shoulder at him.

“Fuck,” Axel muttered. He looked at Z. “Couldn’t have one fucking night where crazy shit didn’t go down.”

“You didn’t have to fuckin’ come. Why don’t you just leave Bella the hell alone an’ leave us all alone. Go with Mitch an’ Jayde back to where you belong.”

Axel tensed, and a muscle popped in his jaw. “Shut the fuck up, Zakary.”

His older brother turned to face him bringing them eye to eye since they were the exact same height. And pretty much the same build. So, if Z wanted to get “down and dirty” Axel was ready. There was no way this would be a one punch knock-out like D gave him.

Hell no, it wouldn’t.

“You’re in my house here,” Z grumbled, his fingers twitching at his side.

“And I’ve got my brothers at my back right now, too,” Axel reminded him. There were plenty of cops still in the parking lot and inside The Iron Horse. “So think about that.”

“Need your pig buddies to get your back?”

“Nope. You want to go at it?” Axel raised his arms out. “Bring it.”

Z spat at Axel’s feet. “You’ll have me arrested.”

“No. Want to take a shot? Do it. It’s been a long time coming. They all know you’re my brother. I won’t press charges.” Axel raised his arms out again, wagging his fingers, encouraging Z. “C’mon, brother, take your best shot.”

Axel ducked as Zak took a swing. He felt the rush of air as Z’s fist just missed him. He straightened, and Zak caught him under the chin with an uppercut. Axel grunted at the impact.

Widening his stance, Axel lifted his fists in a defensive position to match Z’s. Then he took his shot, nailing Z in the chin and when his brother’s head flew back, Axel came in with his left fist and punched him in the gut.

Z stumbled back another step with a grunt and then recovered, bringing his body up to full height, his fists ready to strike.

They rounded each other, breathing heavily, eyes and feet active, watching for the slightest movement. Zak swung again, this fist making contact with the side of Axel’s eye.

Fuck. That hurt! Not as much when D hit that eye, but even so...

Axel reacted with a quick one-two punch. The first one directly in the gut, the second one glancing off Z’s cheekbone.

“What the fuck!”

The scream came from a distance, but Axel kept his attention on his brother as they kept rounding each other, waiting to deflect the next strike or jump on an open opportunity to land one of their own.

“Stop it!”

“Will you separate them?”

“Zak!”

“Axel, stop it!”

Axel took another punch, but Z dodged it. Z got another uppercut in and got Axel in the stomach. All the air rushed out of him and he gasped for breath.

“Separate them, goddamnit!” It finally sunk in that it was Sophie’s voice. “I’m pregnant! Don’t make me do it myself!”

Those words made Zak turn his head slightly toward his wife and Axel took advantage by doing a leg sweep and taking Z down to the ground. Zak landed on his back with an oof.

Breathing hard, Axel wiped the blood off his mouth with the back of his hand and backed up.

He stared down at his brother, who was struggling for breath, whose nose was bleeding, his eye swelling, and his knuckles busted.

Axel lifted his right hand. His were busted, too. And he could already feel his eye bleeding and swelling, as well.

Fuck.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

He looked over his shoulder and saw a line of cops just standing there watching them, amused. He turned back and saw a line of Angels watching, as well. Though they didn’t look so amused.

Not one person interfered besides Sophie.

And next to Zak’s ol’ lady stood Bella, her arms crossed over her chest as she took in the two of them.

With a sigh, Axel stepped up to his brother and offered his hand. Zak clasped it without hesitation and Axel helped pull him to his feet.

“Brother,” Axel said.

“Brother,” Zak answered. He swiped at his bleeding nose, then laughed. “Fuck that felt good.”

“Damn right,” Axel said with a smirk.

“So glad you thought that ‘felt good,’” Sophie shouted at Zak. “What the hell?”

Z grinned at his wife then threw an arm around her shoulders. “Let’s go, woman. You need to clean me up.”

“The hell I do. What the hell’s wrong with you two?”

Z swung her around and they headed around back to the private side of the building.

The onlookers began to disperse. Angels whacking Z on the back as he passed, the cops going back to their cars or heading back inside the bar to finish their investigation, shaking their heads and chuckling.

Bella remained with her hands now planted on her hips, staring at Axel. “What the hell was that about?”

“Nothing.”

“Wasn’t nothing.”

“You’re right. It was something.”

She tilted her head as she studied him. “A breakthrough, maybe?”

Axel shrugged. “Maybe.” He wiped at his lip again and stared at the blood smeared on the back of his hand. Then he glanced up and let his gaze roam over the front of The Iron Horse. Hundreds of rounds had been aimed at the bar which was full of people enjoying a Christmas party.

This was life in an MC.

This was reality.

He couldn’t imagine the long-term beef between the two clubs would ever come to an end. Even if the DAMC wanted it to. The skirmishes weren’t petty crimes or minor clashes, like a simple fist-fight. No. These were life-taking, life-altering circumstances.

Jazz would never be the same again after falling into the Warriors’ hands.

Then there was Kiki and Jewel. As well as Diesel getting shot.

And everyone who died before them.

This ongoing rival between the two clubs had resulted in actual deaths.

How could he go off every day to work as a police officer and not worry that his woman could be kidnapped, raped, shot at, or even murdered because of who she was or who she considered her family?

He would worry about her every minute of every day.

He grabbed Bella’s bicep, and she flinched. He almost released her immediately, but he wasn't going to hurt her, and she had to understand that. He just needed to show her reality. The truth of the situation.

He pulled her along with him as he took long strides to the front of the bar. He lifted the yellow police tape and pulled her inside. A few of the remaining cops looked up, saw who it was, and put their heads back down to finish their reports.

He dragged Bella to the middle of the bar to the exact spot where she had been dancing not even a couple of hours before.

He pointed to the debris on the floor. “Look.” He pointed to the bullet holes in the walls, the overturned tables, and the pool tables. “See that?” He pointed to the blood on the floor near the band’s stage. “And that?” Then he turned her to face him. “Is this how you want to live?”

She didn’t answer.

He shook her. “In constant fear of being shot or kidnapped? Or worse?” He let her arm go and scrubbed a hand over his hair. “Fuck!”

“Nobody wants to live like this!” she shouted back at him. “We’re still paying for shit that happened decades ago.”

“This is exactly why my father pulled us away from the club, Bella. Can you blame him?”

“No.”

“It’s this shit... This shit...” He shook his head and pointed pleading eyes at her. “Bella, I can’t lose you. I can’t.”

“You’re not going to lose me, Axel.”

“How do we know they won’t take pot shots at you in the parking lot out back? Or at the bakery? Or, hell, even at your house?”

“We don’t. But I’m not going to live in constant fear that they’re going to do something to me. I’m not going to let them win like that.” She flattened her palm on his stomach, then curled her fingers into his shirt. “You go every day to a job that’s dangerous. Every day you could be injured or killed. Did you ever consider that?”

“That’s different.”

“No, it’s not. Axel, I don’t want to lose you, either. But I would never ask you to give up your job, your career. I know the risks. None of us want or encourage what the Warriors bring on us. They keep this alive, not us. Zak and the others are doing what they can to keep this club legit. Warriors keep trying to bring us down. We can’t just sit back and do nothing. Can’t allow them to destroy this club, to destroy us as a family. We can’t.” She looked directly into his eyes. “We won’t,” she finished with a determined tone.

For fuck’s sake, he loved this woman, but it scared the shit out of him that something could happen to her at the hands of that outlaw club. Just by being a part of DAMC, she became their target.

“I see your mind spinning. And I’ll tell you right now, I’m not going to leave this club, Axel. Not even for you.”

Axel closed his eyes and drew a long, slow breath through his nostrils. He needed to calm his fears. He needed to look at the two of them together with clarity.

He needed to do what was best for not only Bella, but for himself.

The club might be her priority, but it wasn’t his.

His career might be his priority, but it wasn’t hers.

However, they needed to make themselves priority to each other.

No matter what.

And he didn’t know how they could do that. Not with how things stood.

“I’m taking you home,” he said finally.

“I have my car here.”

“I don’t care. On the way, we’ll stop by your place to make sure everything is okay there, then you’re coming home with me.”