Addicted to You (Devils Right Hand MC #3)

Chapter 2

Axe's POV

My muscles ache as I climb the old wooden staircase to our apartment. Though it is honest work, mowing lawns after school is kicking my ass. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep doing both, especially since my grades are already slipping. Maybe it'd be better if I just dropped out. That way I could start making actual money for us.

The old golden key shakes in my hand as I open the door to the crappy apartment we share. I mean, technically Beyonce Rowland rented the apartment. It's amazing what two-hundred bucks and the right connections can get you, and thankfully, it got us some fake identities. People look at us and think we are still children, but we are making it on our own, together.

"Mel," I call as I step over clothes that are on the floor. We really need to clean this place up. "Baby, have you eaten yet?" I ask as I notice the bathroom light is on but she isn't responding to my calls.

"Did you fall asleep in the bathtub again?" I laugh as I open the bathroom door to find her looking peaceful in a tub full of water. In any other instance, I would've tried to wake her up, but something about the tension in the air gave it away. I knew. She didn't look like her anymore.

She wasn't herself anymore.

I sit straight up in bed as my heart is pounding in my ears. Sweat drips down my forehead as I try to steady my breathing and calm myself down but it's not working because this wasn't just a dream. This was a memory of the single worst moment of my entire life. A moment I keep reliving every single time I close my eyes.

That's something nobody prepares you for. That particular moment is only the beginning of the pain. The shock made me so numb it was almost bearable, it was like I was in a dream. Which is ironic because my dreams now feel like real life. It's the aftermath that's unbearable, having to move on with your life as if nothing happened and waking up every day like you didn't just relive the moment that shattered any chance of a happiness.

I have to keep going, though. I owe it to myself and to her to do the one thing she couldn't: live for her.

With a groan,I throw on my work clothes and make my way down the stairs to the bar where Grace, our First Lady always has breakfast made for us. While most people think my club is full of heartless criminals, it's mostly just a big family. A family that I've always craved.

"You oversleep again?" Grease, my boss and club brother asks with a laugh.

"I'm here in plenty of time," I quip as I fill my plate with cold eggs and bacon.

"Figured you cried yourself to sleep after last night," Skillet jokes. Of course, the news of the girl from last night spread all over the clubhouse. I have no idea what was wrong with her, I was just trying to pick her up and she just started yelling at me.

"It wasn't that bad," I try to deflect.

"Dude, she literally called you Mr. Fix-It, which was very clever but I thought I'd have to give you some silver sulfadiazine cream for that burn," Clove, Wolf's old lady laughs.

"I don't even know what the fuck that is and you weren't even here," I groan.

"One, it's the prescription name of burn cream, dumbass. And two, I didn't have to be here, I got a play-by-play from every single person who was here. It was the highlight of our week," she responds as she picks up her daughter from her small car seat that is on the ground.

"She's blacklisted from the bar right?" I ask Grace. I just want to change the fucking subject.

"Why the hell would we blacklist her?" Blade, our president, finally chimes in.