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  Laney laughed, a shallow sound that resonated between them.

  “What do you want me to say? You want the truth? It's a bitter pill to swallow, are you sure you wanna hear it, Esme?"

  Esme's eyes were so blue in the sunlight Laney had trouble concentrating on anything beyond their color and the agony stretching her skin too tight over her thin frame.

  "I don't need to hear it, but I think you need to say it," She said softly.

  Laney's gaze dropped to the carpet as she ran a hand through her black hair, her nails just barely digging into her scalp.

  "The truth is, my husband told me he loved me, and then all of a sudden he didn't. He told me he wanted a baby, and then all of a sudden, he didn't. He found some other woman to warm his heart and his bed, and then he gave away his family."

  Her fingers dropped to the concave curve of her stomach, resting over the empty cavern that used to house her baby.

  Emptiness never felt so heavy, and it hung between her and Esme like a wet blanket.

  "Laney, not all men are like that."

  With a laugh that chilled them both to the core, she tilted her head up just enough to look her in the eye when she asked, "Aren't they?"

  Esme had no idea how to console the other woman, so she just reached for her hands and slowly shook her head.

  “No, baby. They’re not. Not all men are gonna use and abuse you-”

  “You’re wrong. Men are predictable, selfish, dishonest creatures, Esme. They want one thing, and once they get it, whatever it is, they’re gone. Poof. Just like that,” Laney said.

  She turned in her chair so she was facing the windows once more and Esme had no idea how to respond.

  What do you say to someone who is already broken?

  How do you fix that?

  Esme wasn’t so sure she could fix it, but damn it, she’d been there. She knew what it was like to have her whole world turned upside down in a matter of minutes.

  “Did you have a miscarriage, Laney?”

  Laney’s whole face crumpled for only a second, for a millisecond, for less than a moment. Esme would have thought she’d imagined the blatant show of emotion if she hadn’t already been paying such close attention.

  “I wish I had.”

  Esme frowned in confusion as she squeezed Laney’s hands tightly, trying to get her attention.

  “Tell me what you meant, when you said he gave your family away.”

  Laney tried to yank her hands away from Esme as she shook her head.

  “It doesn’t matter anymore, does it? He got what he wanted.”

  Esme stood, ran her hands through her hair.

  “Laney, ya gotta let it out. Ya gotta tell somebody the truth. It’ll eat you alive if you don’t!”

  Laney’s empty gaze met Esme’s for the barest of seconds.

  “It already has. Why the fuck do you think I’m here? Why the fuck would I want to spend time here with the outlaw MC that killed my brother? I have a nephew now, sure, but that doesn’t change the fact that Miles is dead and that he isn’t coming back. I needed him! I didn’t have anyone after James left and look at me!,” Laney cried.

  Esme paused, noting the tears on Laney’s face.

  Laney’s whole body was stiff with emotion, her lower lip quivering, her hands shaking. It felt like an eruption, like a volcano, like she was going to combust.

  “You’re here because Ox had no idea what to do with you. You’re here because you can’t be left alone, obviously, Laney. You think you’re better than everyone else here? I have news for you, you’re not! You’re the same. You’re just like all the rest of us women who have wandered into Seven Deadly territory. The only difference between us, is that you haven’t found what you need to fix you, yet.”

  Esme was breathing just as hard as her friend, but she was hoping that if she tried hard enough, she could make a difference sooner than when it had happened for her.

  Earlier.

  Before Laney dove headfirst over the edge of a cliff that would lead her into that same black abyss Esme had lived in for months.

  “Don’t you get it, yet?”

  “What?”

  “I can’t be fixed.”

  Esme had no idea what to say, but she had a troubling feeling deep in her belly, that her friend may be right.

  Chapter 5

  It was cold.

  Laney registered that fact as she headed into Axel’s office, a frown on her face. It’d been hours since Esme left, and all she wanted to do was be left alone, but first she wanted to set Axel straight.

  She didn’t want to be there.

  She didn’t want help.

  And, she certainly didn’t want anyone’s old lady bothering her no matter how sweet they may be. Yeah, Esme was a sugar plum, a veritable fairy. But, Laney didn’t need or want anyone’s sympathy. She just wanted to be left alone to drift through her own grief of her own accord.

  Why the fuck is that so hard to understand?

  Laney could hear the soft riff of a guitar coming from the other side of Axel’s office door as she turned the knob and swung it open. He was sitting behind the desk, glasses perched on his nose, as he combed through a stack of papers. His long hair was tied up and out of his face, leaving his stern features bare to her.

  He eyed her closely over the rims of his glasses, his mouth twitching slightly.

  “You look mad.”

  “You’re observant.”

  He slowly set his stack of papers down and motioned towards the door.

  “Close it if you’re here to argue. I don’t need anyone hearing our business.”

  Laney didn’t even blink at the curt tone of his voice, but she did close the door behind her. Axel stood to his full height behind his desk, and Laney tried not to be intimidated. He was wearing a long sleeved black shirt that left little to the imagination and a pair of black jeans that hugged his muscular thighs like a second pair of skin.

  In that moment, he did resemble a monster.

  “Get on with it, woman. I don’t have all night.”

  Laney bristled at his words and crossed her arms defensively across her chest, her eyes narrowing.

  “I don’t need a babysitter.”

  Axel’s mouth lifted on one side, a half-smile overtaking his face.

  “Is that right?”

  Laney nodded.

  “I hate to break it to ya baby, but if that were the case, you’d be snug as a bug in your own bed tonight. Not the one down the hall.”

  What an ass hole-

  “I don’t need your little girlfriends bombarding me. I just want to be left alone.”

  Axel’s eyebrows hit his hairline as he stepped around his desk, moving closer to her. Laney instinctively pressed herself up against the door.

  “Esme is Prettyboy’s old lady, and you’d be wise to respect her. She’s family.”

  “I don’t want to be anyone’s family.”

  Her words seemed to surprise him.

  Fighting not to grind her teeth, Laney stood her ground as he stepped even closer to her.

  “If it were that easy, trust me, I’d send your ungrateful ass right back to where you came from. You think I want some looney-tunes head case runnin’ around my lot right now? No. Christmas is right around the corner and business is booming! I’ve got a million other things to do other than worry about whether or not you ate today,” He snapped viciously.

  “Good, then it won’t matter if I pack my shit up and drive away tonight!”

  Axel swore under his breath and shook his head, a lock of hair falling into his eyes. Laney tried not to concentrate on how fucking handsome he looked.

  “I don’t give a damn if you drive off the edge of a cliff, but Rider would, and he’s who I’m loyal to. Not you.”

  Without even thinking about it, Laney took a step closer to him and jabbed her index finger into his hard chest.

  “I don’t want your fucking misguided loyalty, ass hole! I want my brother back, but none of you
bike-riding-gun-toting-coke-slinging fuckers can give me that!,” She cried out angrily.

  Laney hadn’t even realized she was crying until she felt Axel’s breath land across her cheek and her skin prickled beneath the wetness of her tears.

  His dark gaze landed on hers and for an instant, the entire room faded away.

  “I’ve killed men for talking to me like that.”

  “Then go ahead and kill me too, ‘cause I got nothing left to lose.”

  “Apologize to me, and I won’t spank that perfect ass of yours.”

  His words had her laughing, a snort following as she shook her head.

  “You won’t lay a hand on me.”

  Axel’s head tilted to the side slightly, his eyes still on her, his mouth pursed slightly.

  “Fuck,” He whispered before he planted his hands on her waist and turned her around so that her palms were flat against the door.

  Laney startled and huffed a breath, an expletive on her lips.

  “You bother me so damn much, I can’t think straight,” Axel said gruffly.

  His hands were still around her waist and Laney had no idea what the hell his intentions were, until he yanked her yoga pants down, panties and all.

  “I may not be able to kill ya, but I can make sure you learn your lesson, Laney. I’m gonna spank your ass red until I’ve made my point, and you’re gonna let me, because you know you deserve it.”

  I know no such fucking thing!

  Laney’s mouth fell open, and for some reason she didn’t actually believe Axel would do it- spank her ass raw, that is- until she felt the swift smack of his calloused palm fall across her left ass cheek.

  She cried out in surprise and pain, but she refused to let him get the best of her.

  With a heave, she whispered, “Is that the best you’ve got?”

  Axel’s mouth twisted for just a moment, and Laney knew that he’d give her the best he could without actually hurting her…

  Or maybe he will hurt me.

  He does claim to be a monster.

  That pissed Laney off even more for some reason, so she glared at him through narrowed eyes as he spanked her again. Her skin tingled fiercely as his hand gripped her bare flesh, and for the most part she wasn’t even embarrassed about the fact that a grown man had her pinned against his office door, his hands all over her bare skin.

  It was a power play for both of them, because Axel knew damn well that Laney Jackson would bow down to no man.

  “Have you had enough?,” He murmured.

  His fingers caressed her skin softly, a direct contradiction to the punishment he was supposed to be giving her.

  “Not even close,” She hissed.

  It fucking hurt, yeah, but she wouldn’t ever tell him so.

  Axel grunted, his fingers leaving her sizzling skin for a second before he spanked her again, harder this time.

  Now, Laney was doing her best to fight against the sticky wetness between her thighs as the sting was eased by his palm gripping her skin and rubbing away the sting. The atmosphere in the room changed abruptly as he pressed in closer to her, the denim of his jeans scratching the backs of her thighs.

  “Tell me you’ve had enough, Laney. Tell me you’re done and apologize,” He said breathily.

  He sounded like he was begging her, and she was breathing so hard that she’d never be able to get the words out anyways, so she stubbornly shook her head.

  “Never.”

  Axel’s hands slowly slid lower, beneath the cheeks of her ass, between her thighs.

  “Jesus Christ, Laney! You’re enjoyin’ this,” He said heatedly.

  She opened her mouth to deny him, but his fingers slipped between the wet folds of her pussy and all she could do was groan.

  This is wrong.

  This is so wrong, tell him to stop!

  But, it’d been so long and for some reason, it felt better than anything she’d felt in a long, long time.

  Axel moved in closer, so close she could feel his muscular chest against her back. He was warm and hard, all over. Laney could feel his dick pressed against her thigh, separated only by his jeans.

  His fingers spread her wide, his thumb finding her clit like he knew exactly what she wanted. Like he knew exactly how to get her blood heated, roaring through her veins, pounding in her ears. It felt like an inferno was blooming to life between them.

  Her ass was throbbing, causing her pussy to clench in all the right ways.

  As his fingers dipped inside her, she gasped and then moaned yet again.

  “Fuck, you’re so tight. Tell me to stop, Laney. Tell me,” He pleaded.

  Laney shook her head and lifted her hips to meet him thrust for thrust.

  “Feels so good,” She murmured huskily.

  Axel leaned forward and she felt his lips against her earlobe, his tongue against the back of her neck.

  Monster, monster, monster-

  Laney cried out in pure ecstasy as an orgasm crashed through her, his whole body stiffening from the pleasure. Axel caught her around the waist with his other arm and flipped her around, making the whole room spin for a second.

  His mouth landed on hers, and it was then that Laney realized she was whispering his name.

  Axel didn’t say another word as his tongue slipped into her mouth and caressed hers, his teeth nibbling on her bottom lip, his fingers still coaxing another orgasm out of her.

  Her body was still wound tight from the first one, ready to explode at any second…

  “Come for me again, Laney. Say my name.”

  Laney shook her head, but he gently wrapped one hand around her throat and demanded, “Yes.”

  Laney’s pussy clenched so hard around his fingers he could barely move his hand, but he managed to get her to come again, but this time, she gushed all over his hand as she cried out his name like a curse.

  “Axel!...”

  He kissed her again, his thumb still circling her clit, his other hand still wrapped around her throat.

  She had no idea how the fuck him threatening her had turned into him finger-fucking her, but she wasn’t going to lie and say she didn’t enjoy it. It felt too good for her to say that.

  However, it was essentially letting him get the best of her, and she internally cringed at the idea of him ever getting the best of her.

  Of anyone getting the best of her.

  Laney’s eyes flew open and she saw that his eyes were closed. His expression was serene, calm, relaxed for the first time as his mouth stroked hers. Like magic, his touch turned gentle, and his eyes slowly opened.

  They stared into one another’s eyes for a long while before he finally said, “I’m sorry.”

  Laney didn’t answer.

  She pushed him away from her just enough so she could pull her pants up. He tried to stop her, called her name a time or two, but she ignored him. Now that the shock was wearing off, the panic was starting to set it, and if she thought her circumstances were complicated before…

  “Why did I let him touch me?”

  Because it felt too good to stop….

  It did feel too good to let him stop, but at the same time, that’s exactly why Laney didn’t get involved with anyone. Touching took things to a level she wasn’t comfortable with anymore.

  “I’m a fucking mess,” She admitted to herself as she locked her bedroom door behind her.

  If that ain’t the fucking truth.

  Now, Laney felt no better than the whores that lingered around the clubhouse. She’d given her pussy up in a matter of minutes, and for what? For an orgasm she could have easily given herself if she truly felt the need?

  Liar, liar, liar.

  Laney couldn’t haven given herself either one of the orgasms Axel had just given her, not even if she had three hands instead of two.

  With a heavy sigh, she fell back against her sheets and shut her eyes.

  Chapter 6

  “I’m sorry, you what?”

  Rayna’s eyes were wide as pies
as she eyed Laney, her blue gaze intense.

  Laney rubbed a hand over the curve of her face, her lashes fluttering closed.

  “I let the man spank me like a dirty, wanton, slut!”

  Rayna started to laugh so hard she almost slipped out of her chair, her long blonde hair falling into her pretty face.

  “You let Axel, Axel, of all people spank that ass? Jesus, girl! You’re a little kinky, ain’t ya?”

  Laney groaned and Rayna laughed again. She glanced around the clubhouse, fully aware of the fact that there were men scattered all over the place, any of whom could hear them at any time.

  They were having a lot party, and after Laney and Esme had made up, all the ladies decided to enjoy their evening by getting absolutely wasted with each other at the bar.

  Esme started to laugh too, and soon Scarlett and Emily were following suit.

  “Stopppp! I know how it sounds, but I really can’t stand the man. He thinks he knows everything, and I absolutely hate him!,” Laney said with a laugh.

  Rayna snorted and glanced at her ol’ man who was hanging with Axel and Ox across the lot, all of whom were laughing with a drink in their hands.

  “Yeah, at one point Fury and I didn’t get along either, so that won’t stick for long, baby.”

  “Don’t you fuckin’ jinx me,” Laney gigged.

  Her and Rayna were drinking tequila while the other ladies were drinking whiskey, a choice Laney was completely happy with.

  “So, what now? Ya’ll haven’t discussed the spanking incident since?,” Scarlett asked.

  Laney slowly shook her head, her eyes finding Axel once more.

  “Nope.”

  “Me thinks that shit is awkward as fuck,” Emily chirped.

  Rayna started laughing again, nodding her head yes.

  “What am I supposed to do? Say, ‘Thanks sir, may I have another?’”

  All the girls laughed at the same time, Emily almost falling off her bar stool.

  Rayna eyed Laney, watched the way her gaze strayed to the giant across the lot, studied the expression on her pretty face. With dark hair and light eyes, she was a veritable goddess, no wonder Axel couldn’t keep his hands to himself, except…

  “Axel doesn’t take to women very easily, ya know.”