Bella gasped and Axel winced as he pulled off his shirt. She was leaning back against his headboard since his big bed was now stuffed into the small bedroom of her rental house.

She rolled to her knees as he approached the bed. “Holy shit, Axel, what did you do?”

He grinned at her. “I didn’t realize tattoos hurt so damn much.”

She grinned back. “Yeah, they can. Depends where you get them and how long you sit for.”

“Seemed like forever. My skin felt like it was being burnt by lava.”

“Well, yeah, that’s a helluva lot of black ink. But you didn’t need to do that!”

He turned his back to show her and looked over his shoulder. “I know the brothers get the club’s rockers inked onto their backs to show their loyalty to the club, to their brotherhood. I got your name because I want to prove my loyalty to you, Bella. You are a part of me forever. You’ve been under my skin almost my whole life and now you’re on it, too.”

“You know that’s permanent, right?” She let her gaze roam over the large black block letters that spelled out BELLA in an arch at the top of his back. His skin was both red from the tattoo being fresh and shiny from the ointment that was smeared over his irritated skin.

“That was the point.” He might as well have added a “duh” onto the end of that sentence. Even though he didn’t, she heard it in his tone.

“You’re crazy,” she muttered. “You need to put a clean cotton T-shirt over that until it’s healed, honey.”

“I know, Crow told me how to take care of it.”

“Crow!”

“Yeah, of course. He’s the best.”

“You really are crazy!”

“In love with you,” he finished for her.

She climbed off the bed and dug into the dresser drawer she had cleared out for his shirts. She dug a worn T-shirt out and held it to her nose.

His eyebrows rose. “Are you sniffing my clothes?”

She grinned into the soft cotton. “Yep.”

“Do you do that often?”

“Yep.”

“And you call me crazy.”

She laughed as she gathered up the tee and pulled it over his head. He tucked his arms through the sleeves and she pulled it down over his torso, making sure to drag her fingers over his warm belly as she did so.

“Keep touching me like that, you’re going to make me hard.”

“That’s the point, officer.”

“I don’t think I’m up for playing with cuffs tonight.”

She pouted. “And you’ll have to be on top for a while, too. At least until that heals.”

“There’s always doggy-style. I’m sure we can come up with other creative positions. Like against the wall, remember that one?”

“Mmm. How can I forget?”

He slid his fingers into her hair on either side of her face and tipped her head up. She sighed as his lips met hers and he took advantage of her open mouth to explore it thoroughly with his tongue.

She groaned and grabbed at his waist to keep her knees from buckling. He was a great kisser. She was lucky that he was so skilled with his mouth. And not just with kissing.

He pulled away just enough to murmur against her lips, “When’s the next executive committee meeting for the club?”

She pulled back a little, her eyes wide. “Why?”

“I’m not done declaring my love for you.”

“Have I told you today yet that you’re crazy?”

“I think you have that covered, but you can tell me again as soon as you’re done telling me how much you love me.”

She smiled.

So did he.

* * *

“Some of you might not like me, and I don’t give a shit. The truth is, I want to make this work with Bella no matter what. I don’t care if you spit on me, hit me, call me pig. You’re not going to get me to give up Bella. She’s mine and I’m here to tell you all that.”

No one said a word in the meeting room. He had busted in on their executive committee meeting knowing that he might get thrown out on his ass, or even get his ass beaten. But he didn’t care. He was doing this no matter what.

He cleared his throat and widened his stance. “I’m here to claim her,” he stated more loudly than was necessary. But he wanted to make sure everyone sitting around that table heard him loud and clear.

Dex snorted. “You can’t claim her.”

Axel planted his hands on his hips and looked to his right, directly at Bella’s brother. “I just did.”

To his left, Ace’s head dropped, and Axel saw the older man’s body shake with laughter. Finally, Bella’s uncle looked up, slammed his palm on the table and said, “Boy, you got balls the size of watermelons. That’s for damn sure.”

Axel nodded. “That’s right. Watermelons. If any of you have a problem with it, you let me know directly. Don’t go to Bella about it. I won’t tolerate it.”

Dex snorted again, then mumbled, “He won’t tolerate it.”

“She ain’t leavin’ the club,” Diesel growled, his eyes hard.

Axel stared at the man who he knew would push back the hardest. It wouldn’t be his brother, Zak, and it wouldn’t be her brother, Dex. No, it would be that monster of a man, Diesel. He would be their biggest obstacle.

“No, if she wants to leave the club that would be her choice.” He lifted a palm to stop any of them from interrupting. “I’m not going to encourage it, but I’m not going to stop her if she ever decides that.”

“Your bitch ass can’t ride along on our runs,” Jag spoke up, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest.

Axel shrugged, swinging his gaze to the club’s Road Captain. “I wouldn’t ask that, anyway. You forget that I’m VP of the Blue Avengers, we have our own runs.”

Someone chuckled. Could have been Hawk, could have been Zak, Axel didn’t know nor did he care. The Blue Avengers MC wasn’t out to prove that they were more badass than the Dirty Angels MC. They weren’t, and they weren’t trying to be.

“She gonna be accepted by the rest of your type?”

His type. He sighed silently at Hawk’s question.

“Yep. And she agreed to wear my colors,” Axel quickly raised his palm again when Hawk slammed a fist on the table, his big body tensing, his dark eyes narrowing. “On the runs only. She’s DAMC. I get it.”

“Can’t see my sister wearin’ anyone’s cut after Rebel,” Dex muttered with a frown.

A few grunts rose from around the table in agreement.

“Look, the reason why I’m here is that I’m asking for you all to just respect what Bella and I have. That’s it. We don’t need to drink a beer together. We don’t need to play a game of pool. Just let me take care of her.” He directed his gaze to D. “We both want what’s best for Bella.”

He grunted.

“We both want to protect her and see her happy.”

D grunted again.

“You’ve got your hands full with Jewel,” Axel told him.

Axel was sure the big man did not appreciate that little reminder when D’s eyes narrowed on him and his jaw got tight.

“She’s my cousin and I know she’s your ol’ lady. But I also know she probably doesn’t make life easy for you. Plus, I know you thrive on the challenge. So why don’t you let me take care of Bella. Leave the worry to me. Let me protect her.”

D’s shoulders squared off and pulled back. “My job to protect her.”

Axel shook his head. “Not anymore.”

“We gonna let this pig come in here an’ claim one of our own?” Diesel said, his gaze bouncing around the table from one brother to the next.

Ace nodded. “I think that’s for the best, son. For Bella.”

Dex nodded, too. “Yeah, for my sister.”

Axel eyeballed his older brother at the head of the table. “Are you going to bring it to a vote?”

The corners of Z’s lips curled up slightly in a smirk. “That what you want?”

“Yeah,” Axel answered softly.

Z nodded and announced, “Motion to make Bella this asshole’s woman.”

Ace shook his head with a grin. “I second.”

“All in favor?”

“Ayes” went around the table.

From every one of them.

Every. Fucking. One.

Axel smiled.

Life was sure going to get interesting.