Moving In

Whose to Blame

Chapter 26

They have a similar glare.

It reminded of before. Before the love, the support. Back when it was an uncertainty mixed with curiosity, but even then I could still see the compassion. There was something about me to him, and he knew I was his soft spot from the start.

But this glare, is cold and calculating. It holds more hostility and less curiosity. I will never be this mans soft spot and he will always expect me to fuck up.

"Padre."

I feel the weight of an arm wrap around my waist and a solid chest, shaped from training and broader than most his age, press against my back.

But I keep my eyes locked onto the glaring blue ones. They hold a harder grey than Axels but still has more vibrant blue undertone than Jax.

"Dad stop."

His hand grips my hip and I decide to let the father win this round. I slice my gaze upward to Axel who is not looking at me, but holds me closer. As if to acknowledge that I let it go for him, and he is thankful. He knew his father wouldn't back down, and he is thankful I am adult enough not to play mind games with a man who is alive because of how well he plays mind games.

I turn my body slightly towards him, and place a hand on his chest. I also need to remember how hard it is for him. To have asked his father for help, after what this man put his family through. I truly couldn't imagine.

"So this is Blaze?" His voice is quieter and deeper than I expected, but he is still analyzing me. Still unsure if he can even be in the same room as me. Therefore he is keeping all of his cards hidden.

"Yes," Axel bites back before turning his head down towards me, "baby this is my father, you can call him John."

I'm take back by the name, "John?" I repeat stealing a quick glance at the man himself. Dressed in a Italian suit and gold rings. His hair, although thinning, had a soft wave to the hard hair.

"It's not real," Axel murmurs to me, and although I know it's for safety the sting in my chest stays for a moment too long.

"But it's what you will call me," Axel's father, John, says instantly but neither of us turn to face him.
I watch Axel's searching eyes as he tries to assess the damage him and his father's relationship has already done to me, to us.

I give him a reassuring smile, "John it is." And Axel seems to relax against our embrace.

"We don't have much time," John says after we take to long to pay attention to him, "it isn't safe here."

I look around at the group of armed body guards filing the quaint living room. If he felt unsafe right now I would hate to have seen Axel's childhood where his father always kept them 'safe.'

"I know," Axel counters his father calmly even though I can feel his irregular heartbeat against my palm. He is anxious, nervous even.

"So then start talking," John says, "from the top." I grip Axel a little tighter without realizing it.

From the top? Meaning this man glaring at me will know my darkest secret. He doesn't like me much, I can already tell that. But he definitely doesn't like me with his son.

"You already know enough," Axel snaps sensing my worry.

"No I don't. I need to know more before I put my neck on the line for some chica, that suddenly entered our lives without warning," John snaps.

He has a point. Who am I to come into Axel's life and ask for help, for protection, when I had nothing to offer.

"You are doing this for the woman I love. Isn't that enough?"