“Fuck me,” came in a low grumble beside her. Bella followed Zak’s gaze to see what he was commenting on.

“Fuck me,” she repeated under her breath and tossed the small towel she was using down onto the bar.

Z started to push to his feet and Bella quickly reached out to him, shaking her head. “No. Let me handle this.”

Z’s eyes narrowed on her, but he gave her a nod.

All the raucous carousing, the smack of the pool balls, the hooting and hollering—except for the loud music being piped into the common area of church through the speakers—suddenly lowered to a dull roar. Nash’s band, Dirty Deeds, continued to play hard rock Christmas tunes on the public side of the building in The Iron Horse. Of course, they had no idea the end of the world was upon them.

Bella grimaced as she rounded the bar. Eyes were either pinned to her as she moved quickly through the crowded floor space or they were on Axel as he stepped inside the clubhouse by the way of the back parking lot.

Bella’s heart began to race and worry ate at her gut.

She ignored the low insults, curses and unkind comments that were shot his direction as she met Axel about three steps into the room. She got as close as she could, stopping his forward progress by grabbing a hold of his jacket at the waist.

“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea,” she said, staring up at his serious poker face and tight jaw as he surveyed the room before dropping his gaze to hers.

“Didn’t I tell you that?” he asked stiffly, his lips hardly moving.

“Yeah, I know. But—”

She felt the presence of the two extremely large bodies behind her before she saw them, though she had a feeling she knew who was at her back, especially by watching Axel’s face. His reaction disappeared as quickly as it had come. He certainly was good at gathering his courage and hiding his rightful concern.

Suddenly, those two men flanked either side of her. She sighed but refused to step away from the subject of their attention. She refused to let him face them alone.

Magnum leaned close to Axel and sniffed loudly, his nose wrinkling. “Smellin’ pork.” His dark eyes flipped to Diesel. “Didn’t know we were roasting two pigs tonight.”

“Any night’s good for a pig roast,” D mumbled.

“So what’s he doin’ here?” Magnum asked, as if Bella and Axel were deaf.

D’s eyes slid from Magnum to Axel and back. “Fuckin’ my cousin.”

Bella closed her eyes and inhaled deeply through her nostrils before letting the air escape through her lips in a rush. She was not going to go postal on those two meatheads. She wasn’t. But it didn’t help that Axel was as stiff as a board under her hand. He needed to keep his shit together, too, for this to work.

They were just toying with him. And he couldn’t let their attempt at intimidation pressure him.

“Then take the fucker out,” Magnum suggested with a shrug and a smile.

“You know, I’m fucking standing right here. I can hear your threat.”

Diesel and Magnum both grunted as they grinned at each other.

“Ain’t gonna do nothin’ about it. Already met this one,” D held out his fist that said “Dirty,” then raised his other one that had “Angel” tattooed on the fingers. “Might meet this one, too.”

Magnum put his head down and chuckled, his big body shaking.

A sudden whirlwind hit them. Jewel, hands on her hips, stood toe to toe with Diesel, her eyebrows raised as high as the stars and stripes on a flagpole. Her face was flushed, her eyes snapping. “Are you fucking serious? This is a fucking Christmas party! Are you really threatening to hit Axel when he was invited here by Bella? Why are you acting like a fucking beast?” She shook her head and scowled at him.

“Woman,” D grumbled in a low warning.

She jabbed a finger into his chest and screeched, “Don’t you ‘woman’ me!”

His head jerked back as he stared down at his ol’ lady. “Woman, back the fuck off.”

She stabbed his chest again. “You start shit tonight...”

“What? What you gonna do?”

“It’s what I’m not going to do,” Jewel huffed.

Diesel grunted then shot a look at Magnum. “My woman needs a fuckin’ lesson.”

Magnum’s full lips drew into a wide, knowing smile. “Best kind.”

Then before anyone could react, D had Jewel thrown over his shoulder and was taking long strides toward the stairway to the second-floor rooms. His shouted “Be back” promise was drowned out by her bitching at him to put her down and slapping at his back.

A bunch of hoots and whistles followed them as he disappeared up the steps taking two at a time.

Axel glanced at Bella, his brows raised. “Uh... Is she going to be okay?”

Bella snorted. “Yeah. But we might want to turn the music louder, so you don’t hear your cousin howling like a cat in heat.”

“Jesus,” he muttered.

She nodded, fighting a grin. “Trust me, it isn’t pretty.”

He winced. “I’ll take your word for it.”

“Yeah, I’d highly suggest that. Let’s go get as far away from the stairs as possible.” She moved to Axel’s side, still holding a handful of his jacket, and gave Magnum the eyeball. “Not that it’s your club and you shouldn’t have shit to say, but do you mind getting the fuck out of our way? We have a Christmas party to attend, booze to drink and good food to eat.”

Magnum’s lips twitched at her little speech.

“Now,” she continued, as she held the larger man’s dark gaze. “I appreciate your brothers bringing back the stolen toys. And I’m sure this representative of the Shadow Valley PD does as well and he’s about to say thank you for that.” She looked at Axel and tilted her head toward the pine tree decorated with Harley ornaments, bike parts, and random paraphernalia that was propped up in the corner of the room. His eyes slid that direction and then widened.

When Magnum and his crew had arrived earlier, they all came in carrying the shit they “confiscated” from the Warrior’s stash house. Because there was that much stuff, it all didn’t fit under or even around the tree, so she had them stack some of the toys there, but the rest ended up stored in the club’s meeting room until the prospects would be able to deliver everything to the Toys for Tots representative the next day.

Watching the Dark Knights bringing in all those toys almost made her fall to her knees in relief. Hell, why she was down there she would have even kissed Magnum’s feet for cooperating with her plan for his club to get the toys out of the house before Whitehall PD did.

It worked and from what Z said, everything had gone smoothly. No run-ins with either the PD or the Warriors.

But she was sure the Warriors weren’t happy. Nor was the PD for taking the time to get a warrant then showing up and not finding shit after Axel called them.

But, to Bella, that was neither here nor there. A large chunk of the donations was recovered. Which meant it would be a merry Christmas for a lot of families who needed it and for kids who normally went without.

“So now Axel’s going to thank you.” She tugged on his jacket.

His blue eyes narrowed at her for a split moment before he turned to face the Knight’s overly large Sergeant at Arms. His face got a pinched look, and it looked as though he had a bad taste in his mouth as he said, “Yeah. What she said.”

Bella bumped her hip into him and whispered, “Try again.”

Axel grimaced, brushed a hand over his head, then choked out, “Thanks.”

Magnum smirked and cupped a hand to his ear. “What was that?”

“You heard him,” Bella said, frowning.

The Dark Knight bellowed out a laugh and lumbered away.

She sighed. “Let me get you a beer.”

“I think I should stay one hundred percent sober.”

“You need a beer to loosen up.”

“Not sure if that’s going to happen tonight.”

She bit back a smile. “Come. Sit by the bar while I serve.”

“Why are you working?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. It keeps me busy and I’m used to it. And bartenders always hear the best shit.”

She slipped her hand into his and intertwined their fingers before tugging him behind her toward the front of the crowded room.

He tilted his head as he followed her. “That a band playing?”

“Yeah, Dirty Deeds set up over at The Iron Horse.”

“Bar closed?”

“To the public, yeah.”

He nodded his approval. “Probably for the best. Safer that way. Front entrance locked?”

“Yes, Axel, everyone has to come around back to get in.”

He nodded again.

Before he could ask the next question, she interrupted him. “Can you shut that shit off?”

“What?”

“The cop shit. If you think anything’s going to go down with all these bikers in here tonight...” She let that ride.

“I sure as fuck hope nothing goes down.”

She let her gaze drift down to his boots and wondered if he did what he said: strapped a gun to each ankle. If he was double packing, she couldn’t tell.

Suddenly he lurched forward, knocking their hands loose.

“Look at that, thought the only pig here tonight was on the spit outside,” Zak exclaimed, going toe to toe with Axel.

“Z,” Bella said in a low warning.

Suddenly, Sophie was between the two brothers, shooting Bella a look and a secret smile. She grabbed Axel in a hug, squealing, “I’m so glad you came!” She took his hand and put it on her belly. “Feel your niece? She’s rocking and rolling tonight to the festive music!”

Axel’s eyes went from hard as he stared at his brother to soft as he dropped his gaze to his sister-in-law’s rounded belly.

Then they widened as he said, “I feel her. Damn! She’s a busy little thing.”

“Ain’t a girl,” Z grumbled.

Bella pinned her lips together in amusement until it hit her that she’d never be pressing Axel’s hand to her belly to feel their child move.

Sophie looked over at her tentatively. “Want to feel?”

Bella hesitated and then shook her head. “Another time.”

Sophie nodded and went back to beaming at Axel, keeping his hand glued to her stomach. She winked at him. “If you want to get her something, little pink onesies with elephants would be cute.”

“Ain’t a fuckin’ girl,” Z grumbled again, a little louder. Both Axel and Sophie ignored him.

With a smirk, Axel asked, “And if I can’t find a pink one with elephants?”

“Any cute animal will do,” she assured him.

“Ain’t gonna be a fuckin’ girl,” Z griped louder one more time as Ace and his wife, Janice, approached. Ace snorted and slapped Z on the back.

“Don’t matter if it is. Just want her healthy,” Janice told Zak.

“Stop sayin’ she an’ her,” Z complained. “Gonna jinx it.”

Ace chuckled and pointed to Zak’s groin. “Whatever came outta that nut sack of yours is what the sex’s gonna be. If it’s a girl, it’s all your fault, son.” Ace turned to Axel and put a hand on his shoulder. “Glad to see you here, Axel. ‘Bout time you come hang out with the dark side of the family.”

“Well, he had a good reason to, right, Bella?” Janice asked, giving her a sly look.

“It’s nice to see you two boys gettin’ along,” Ace said, his eyes crinkling at the corner like he was trying to contain his amusement. “Should sit down an’ have a beer together.”

Sophie gasped. “That’s a great idea!”

Z and Axel’s gaze slid to the other and then slid away quickly.

“Gotta go check somethin’,” Z grunted then disappeared.

Sophie patted Axel’s arm. “It’s going to take a little while. Don’t worry.”

Bella contained her snort. She doubted Axel was worried about it. Though she did have to admit that at least he took a step forward by showing up here tonight.

Sophie leaned against Bella, wrapping an arm around her when she whispered, “Thank you.”

Bella gave her a small smile. “Too early to thank me.”

Sophie nodded. “I’m going to head over to The Iron Horse and get some food. I’m starving!”

“Kiki and Hawk over there?” Bella asked.

“I think so,” she answered over her shoulder as she walked away.

“I’ll pop over there in a bit.”

“Don’t wait too long, get some of the food while it’s fresh.”

She watched Sophie walk away with Janice following in her wake.

“Coming, ol’ man?” the older woman called out.

“In a minute,” Ace answered.

Bella started as her uncle unexpectedly cupped her cheek and turned her to face him, his eyes soft. “Proud of you,” he said quietly.

“For what?” she asked, surprised.

“Overcomin’. Pickin’ a good one this time.”

Her eyes flicked to Axel, who pretended like he couldn’t hear what Ace was saying.

“Ace,” she breathed.

“Know it’s all new...”

Ah, fuck.

“Ace,” she began again, a little firmer this time.

“Just gotta work on bringin’ Mitch ‘round. With Mitch, will come April. No need to work on Jayde, she’s here tonight.”

“She is?” Bella asked, surprised.

“Yeah. Saw her headin’ over next door.”

“As long as she isn’t heading upstairs with anyone,” Axel interrupted.

“Nah. You know Z would bust a gut if that happened. He’ll see after your little sister.”

Axel scowled as if he was worried about Zak taking over his job protecting their younger sister.

“An’ my boys won’t let anyone take advantage of her, either.”

That was for damn sure. Both Diesel and Hawk would keep an eye out on their president’s sibling.

“All right, ‘nough talkin’ to this ol’ man. Go have some fun. It’s fuckin’ Christmas for fuck’s sake!”

With a whack on Axel’s back, Ace wandered the same direction as his wife.

“C’mon,” Bella said, yanking Axel toward the club’s bar. “I’ll buy you a beer.”

* * *

Axel watched Bella move down the bar, pouring beers, opening bottles and handing out shots. Even when she was busy, she’d pause and give him a smile that would shoot the blood straight down into his cock.

He wasn’t planning on leaving the party until she did because he was taking her back to his place. He wanted to kiss that sweet mouth of hers. And that was just for starters. His cock twitched in his jeans at the thought of her wrapping those lips around it.

He sipped at the draft beer she had slid in front of him twenty minutes before. He’d hardly made a dent in it since he needed to stay on top of his game. He was in enemy territory and most of the time he was at the bar, he’d sat at an angle because he hated putting his back to the crowded room.

Though, he was pleased to see that the club members, both Angels and Knights, as well as various prospects and club hang-arounds, didn’t give Bella any shit. She was super comfortable around all the bikers and their women. But then she should be. This shit ran in her blood. She knew no different.

As he sat there trying to keep to himself for the most part, he tried to imagine how his life would have been if his father hadn’t broken away from the club. Hadn’t raised him and Jayde, and even Zak, away from the club family. Though, as soon as Z could, he slipped right back into the fold.

That’s when the split occurred. His father had been—and still was—pissed that the effort he put into raising his children “right” went to the wayside when it came to his oldest child.

Z and Axel had always been close when they were little, it wasn’t until Zak turned ten or so when he decided he wanted to ride motorcycles, whether dirt bikes or just riding on the back of Ace’s sled.

Every time Z would take off with Ace on the back of his bike, Axel would feel the jealousy biting at him. But every time Z got dropped back off he had to deal with Mitch’s wrath. Year after year, Z pulled slowly away from the family, sneaking off whenever he could to hang at the club, to learn about Harleys, to entrench himself into the biker lifestyle.

Axel knew Z had hid his prospect vest under his bed. The fucking guy was a prospect when he wasn’t even old enough to vote yet. He was patched in the day he turned eighteen and was the club president before he was even old enough to drink legally.

This club was his brother’s life. At least until Sophie walked into it. Now, his life revolved around the MC, his wife and his future kid.

Axel felt a little bit of jealousy nipping at him again as he watched his blood brother surrounded by club brothers. They all respected him, loved him, and had his back. The allegiance ran deep in this MC.

It also hit him how their brotherhood was even stronger than Axel’s own, the “blue line.” The DAMC members were more loyal to each other than his fellow officers at the station. Yes, his fellow officers were a family in a way, but not as tight as this MC or even the Dark Knights.

Axel’s head spun toward Bella as he heard her striking laughter rise up from the other end of the bar. She was leaning over, whispering with Crow. Her eyes were alight and her smile wide as the tattoo artist knocked her hand away from his long, black pony tail with a smirk. They clinked their whiskey glasses together, took a sip, then she headed back toward Axel, her eyes still smiling.

Axel studied Crow at the other end of the bar and wondered how the hell the man ended up a part of the DAMC. From what Axel knew, the man had no blood ties to the club and he wondered how a man with Native American blood would even land in such a normally non-diverse club like this.

Bella stopped in front of him.

“What’s his story?” he asked her.

She glanced back down the bar. “Crow?” She shrugged.

“How’d he end up in the club?”

“I don’t remember. It seems he’s always been around.”

“But he didn’t grow up in the club.”

“No. But neither did Crash, or Rig. Or even Dawg and Nash. Not all of us were DAMC kids.”

He was well aware of that fact. Especially since the club was actively recruiting. None of the current prospects had blood ties from what he could tell. It wouldn’t be until their generation’s children grew up and joined would the Doc and Bear bloodline continue.

That bloodline ran strong and was pretty much the tie that bound the club in general. That’s why he was surprised that Pierce was voted in as president after Z went away to prison.

He had no idea why Ace hadn’t stepped up. But then he knew Ace had a lot on his plate. And still did.

When he heard Bella make a disgusted sound, Axel shook himself out of his thoughts. He glanced up at her.

“What?”

Bella tilted her head toward one of the prospects who was rounding the bar to approach her. Axel read his name patch.

The prospect named Weasel pointed to his groin and asked Bella, “Gonna kiss me under the mistletoe?”

Axel’s gaze dropped to where he was pointing, and his hackles rose. The asshole had a piece of plastic mistletoe hanging from his belt buckle and he was holding back his leather prospect vest to show her.

He was ready to leap over the bar to thump the twenty-something year old idiot when he realized Bella could handle herself just fine. She was probably used to obnoxious behavior like that, especially when she tended bar for years over at The Iron Horse.

Bella wrinkled up her nose and rolled her eyes. “Seriously? Does that work with other women?”

Weasel shrugged. “Yeah.”

“Right. You think I’m stupid?”

“All bitches—”

“Careful,” Axel growled. There was only so much he was willing to take, though.

Weasel’s head swung his direction. “What the fuck are you doin’ here?” He turned wide eyes to Bella. “What the fuck’s that pig doin’ here?”

Bella’s eyes narrowed as she slapped a hand on her hip. “He’s with me. Got a problem with that?”

He frowned and shook his head, muttering, “Crazy bitches.”

As he stomped away pissed, Bella yelled, “Still want me to kiss you under the mistletoe, Weasel dick?”

As the prospect shot her the bird, he stepped from behind the bar and slammed directly into Crow, who scowled down at him. “You just give ‘er the finger, prospect?”

Weasel scowled back. “What’s it to you?”

Crow straightened to his full height, his dark eyes narrowed on the prospect. “Let me see that finger you like to flash around. Must be an important one.”

“Fuck you,” Weasel grumbled, trying to skirt the bigger man.

Crow shifted, blocking his escape. “First, fuckin’ disrespectin’ Bella, now disrespectin’ a patched member. Can see your time’s limited in this club.”

“Ain’t gotta say in it.”

“Ever wonder why you ain’t fully-patched yet?” Crow said in a low, dangerous voice.

“Startin’ to wonder since they patch in people like you.” Weasel spat on the floor at Crow’s feet.

“Like me,” Crow echoed softly.

“Yeah.”

Weasel tried once more to step around Crow, but the ink slinger widened his stance to block the open end of the bar. “Still waitin’ for you to show me that important finger of yours.”

Weasel slowly lifted his hand, giving Crow the middle finger. As he shoved it in Crow’s face, Crow grabbed his hand lightning fast and snapped the extended finger.

“Fuck,” Axel muttered and winced as the prospect screamed in pain.

“Gimme your cut,” Crow demanded, ignoring the man’s hollering as he held his injured hand.

“Fuck you!” Weasel yelled, doubling over.

“I need to break your other one?”

Then Z was there, moving Crow to the side with a hand on his back. “Gimme your colors, you fucknut, before I get D to take ‘em from you.”

“Don’t need D,” came a deep voice behind Crow and Zak. Hawk reached through them, grabbed Weasel by the collar of his vest and yanked him through the two other men as they moved out of the way quickly.

The prospect ended up on his knees at Hawk’s feet. And since Hawk was six-foot-four, not counting his mohawk, that was not the best place to be.

“I feel like I should be stepping in,” Axel murmured to Bella.

Her eyes slid to him as she shook her head, but said nothing.

Axel sighed, taking another sip of his beer and then decided he’d only intervene if things got too out of hand. He had to remind himself that he was outnumbered here, and he didn’t want to end up as the piñata he worried about becoming.

Crow moved behind Bella and put his hands on her shoulders, leaning close to her ear. “Okay, baby?”

“Yeah, he’s just a weasel dick.”

Axel stared at Crow touching his woman. Crow’s dark eyes slid to him and he gave him a grin, then wrapped his arms around Bella even tighter, pulling her against his chest.

“Really?” he mumbled.

Crow cocked a brow at him. “Gotta problem with it?”

“Yeah, I do,” Axel responded.

Bella patted Crow’s forearm then peeled his arms from around her. “C’mon, Crow.”

The man shrugged, shot Axel another smile and wandered off to the other side of the bar. Once he was gone, Axel’s attention went back to what Hawk was doing with the prospect, or former prospect, apparently.

When he turned his head that direction, he realized they were gone. Axel shot up from his stool and turned around to see Hawk dragging Weasel toward the back door. He no longer wore his prospect cut, instead Zak was holding that. But Hawk still had him by the collar as the smaller man was being slid along the concrete floor.

Dawg rushed to open the steel door and once Hawk got him to the threshold, he got behind the former prospect and shoved him out the door with his big-ass boot. As soon as Weasel tumbled outside, Dawg slammed the door shut and made a big show of dusting off his hands.

“Good fuckin’ riddance,” the strip club manager shouted.

A yell rose up from the crowded room. Then Hawk bellowed, “Down an’ dirty...”

“’Til dead!” came the answering cry.

Zak jumped up on a nearby pool table interrupting their play and held up the prospect’s cut in one fist. “Listen up!”

The room’s noise level lowered. “This is a warnin’ to all you prospects an’ wannabes. When you’re a prospect you’re lower than dogshit. You disrespect any one of us, includin’ our women, an’ your ass will be outside lickity-fuckin’-split.”

“You hear your prez?” Hawk hollered.

“Yeahs” and “fuck yeahs” were shouted around the room.

Hawk nodded then looked back up at Z.

“Now we got lots of pussy, food an’ booze here to celebrate Christmas right. So, eat, fuck an’ be merry!”

Axel shook his head at his brother’s speech. “So fucking eloquent,” he mumbled.

“Gets the job done,” Bella said.

Axel’s attention was drawn to the swinging door of the kitchen. He was hoping it would be his sister, Jayde, coming through it. He couldn’t help but be worried about her being amongst bikers from two MC’s. He doubted any of the Angels would fuck with their president’s sister, but he wasn’t sure about the Knights.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t Jayde coming through the doors, but Grizz with a plate piled high with food. Axel’s stomach growled. It actually looked and smelled good.

Imagine that.

But it was time he found his sister. “I’m going to head next door and check on Jayde.”

“I have a feeling I know why she’s been over on that side.”

“Why?”

“Two reasons really. And both are pretty good-looking.”

Axel’s brows shot up. “Who?”

“Well, Slade for one.”

“That new guy that hit on you? The one that Diamond’s chasing?”

“Yeah.”

“And who else?”

“Well, last time she was here—”

“Last time? When the hell was that?”

“That time she came into church to say hello to her brother who just got out of the slammer. Remember that?”

Axel frowned, but nodded.

“She was eyeballing Linc. And those two were having a little chit-chat at Z’s wedding, too.”

“Great,” he grumbled.

Bella laughed. “She’s old enough to make her own decisions, mistakes or otherwise.”

Axel’s frown deepened. “Still my little sister.”

“Understood,” Bella said with a smile. Her eyes twinkled with amusement. “I’ll go with you.”

“Why? You worried about me?”

She hesitated. “Yes. But I could use something to eat, anyway. And Grizz’s plate looks good.”

Axel snorted. He met her at the end of the bar and held out his hand to her, which she accepted right away. He raised their clasped hands and kissed her knuckles. “Lead the way, baby.”