tell them that I secretly hope it does. I wasn’t kidding about not messing things up with Axelle, but if he throws the first punch, I can’t be held accountable for defending myself.
“I got dibs on second,” Blake holds up a hand to mark his place in line.
Jonah next. “Third.”
“Fuck that. I get third.” Ryder raises his hand.
Rex grins and lifts a hand. “Fourth.”
“At this rate, we’ll kill the poor bastard.” Mason chuckles.
Jonah growls. “He deserves no less for what he put Axelle through.” He glares at Ryder. “Third.”
For a moment, I just sit back and watch as this group of men argue over who gets to exact retribution on the dickwad that put Axelle through hell, and it hits me that, although the two men who meant the most in her life left her, they’ve been replaced by this renegade team of fighters who would gladly get arrested for her. My heart swells at the show of support, and I wish I could capture it on video and show her just how loved she is.
“Mind if we do this before noon, boys? I’ve got a woman at home with two kids who all speak the same language, and I could’ve sworn they were plotting against me this morning.” Mason narrows his eyes. “Either that or they were planning to go to the park. My Russian is mediocre at best.”
“Here’s the deal. I go in first and drop the warning; you guys back me up and keep me from doing anything stupid.”
They all agree, and like a wave of menace, we descend on the apartment complex. Blake pulls up beside me. “Think he had to move here after I had my buddy at the LVPD pull a search warrant on his house. Turns out his roommate was selling crack. Ole Cliff weaseled out of any charges by squealing on his buddy, which pissed me off. I was hoping we could get the piece of trash locked up for a while.”
I scan the door numbers in search of the right one. “She told me what he did, Blake. How could you keep from killing him?”
“I wanted to; trust me. But when you’ve got people who depend on you, you have to consider them too. Getting locked up won’t do my family any good, ya know?”
“I’m starting to understand that, yeah.” Because as much as I hate Clifford, I love Axelle more. Leaving her for any reason is no longer an option. I nod toward the door in front of me. “There it is.”
“Good.” His lips pull back from his teeth. “Now let’s have some fun.”
I close my fist and bang on the door. The heat of fighters at my back floods me with power, but more than that with security. There’s no doubt they’ll keep me from doing something I’d regret.
The door swings open to reveal Clifford in nothing but a pair of jeans. His eyes narrow on me, but then widen as he scans the wall of muscle behind me.
“What’s up, Cliff.” I push past him and into his pad. “Long time no see.”
“Hey, wait. You guys can’t just come in here.”
Jonah knocks into Clifford’s shoulder, accidentally on purpose, sending the guy back a few steps. “Sure we can, kid. We just did.”
The cramped living room is littered with fast-food trash and empty pizza boxes. Beer cans and overflowing ashtrays cover the coffee table and the place stinks. Remorse turns my stomach to think of Axelle and a baby living here. For a year, I imagined them making house, but never considered it would be like this. I have to believe Blake would’ve never allowed it.
“I’ll call the cops.” Clifford grabs his phone off the couch only to have it snagged from his hand by Wade.
“Not so fast, Clit.” He shoves the phone in his pocket.
“It’s not Clit.” Rex shakes his head. “It’s Clifford, bro.”
“Oh, my bad. Listen, Clitford, we’re not gonna hurt you.”
“Unless you want us to.” Rex smiles wickedly.
“You guys come here to jump me? Is that it?” Cliff’s fake bravery is so pathetic I almost feel sorry for him. Almost. “That’s how you assholes fight, huh? Six against one.”
Jonah pops out his bottom lip. “Aww, don’t hurt him, guys. He can’t count.” His face turns damn near homicidal. “There are nine of us, and if you so much as raise your voice, we will fuck you up.”
“Oh, nine against one. Freakin’ cowards.”
“Says the cocksucker who bullied a girl half his size.” I close in. “Tripped her when