Page 128 of Peaks and Promises

“How could Axel track my phone?”

“I don’t know, but for now, stay off it. I have a burner in the glove box. I’ll go get it.”

Summer was still pacing when I returned with the burner phone. I handed it to her, and she angrily entered her mom’s number.

I typed a text to my brothers while I waited to see if Roxi would answer.

“Hi, Mom,” Summer said. “Could you call me back at this number? I just… I need to talk to you.”

“No answer?”

Jamming the phone into her back pocket, she shook her head. “I don’t know if she’s ignoring me because she didn’t recognize the number, or she doesn’t have her phone on her.”

“If she calls back, don’t tell her where you are. Just in case.”

“In case it wasn’t Axel? Reese, it was him. I’m positive.”

“I believe you. I’m sure it was him. But we don’t want to give Mayhem any information if we don’t have to.”

She put her hands on her hips. “Okay. But what do we do now?”

I hated the answer I was about to give. But I couldn’t lie to her. “I don’t know.”

Her eyes searched my face, and I didn’t flinch away from her scrutiny. I wanted to tell her I had it all figured out. That she didn’t need to worry because I knew exactly what to do.

But I didn’t. Not yet at least.

“Listen.” I stepped closer and tucked her hair behind her ear. “I promised I wouldn’t let Axel hurt you or your son. I’m going to keep that promise.”

She hesitated but didn’t break eye contact. “I don’t know what Mayhem will do.”

I nodded. I knew what she meant. And that was the problem. If I took out Axel, there could be retribution from his club.

“We’re going to face this one thing at a time,” I said. “You’re safe here. And for the moment, that’s what matters.”

She nodded.

Against my better judgment, I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers. I had no reason to kiss her. No one was watching. But as her body melted against mine, it was hard to remember why I needed to hold back.

And there was nothing fake about it.

My phone was blowing up with texts, so I reluctantly pulled away to answer my brothers’ questions. A few minutes later, Garrett called. I explained what had happened, and Summer gave him an updated description of Axel, as well as Buzz, Hammer, and a few of the other club members she thought could have come with him.

Josiah and Zachary had already reached out to the SPS. They’d be on the lookout as well. I was torn between staying—I didn’t want to be more than a few feet from Summer and Nate—and heading into town to search for Axel.

Ultimately, I decided to stay for the night. Half the town was keeping an eye out for him and any other club members who might be lurking in Tilikum. Summer and Nate were safe. And I needed time to figure out how the hell I was going to get rid of the asshole.

The faint sound of a vehicle engine reached my ears, and I was instantly wide awake. Summer lay next to me, her breathing slow and even, and the rest of the house seemed quiet.

But someone was there.

I didn’t want to wake her, so I slipped out of bed and tugged on my T-shirt and pants. If it was just my dad, I didn’t want to jump out at him without any clothes on.

Except I had a feeling it wasn’t my dad.

Summer stirred, rolling over as I grabbed the handgun I’d stashed in a gun safe in the closet before we’d gone to bed. She exhaled. Still asleep.

I quietly left the room and did a sweep of the house, making sure the doors and windows were locked. Nate slept soundly in one of the bunk beds. Nothing seemed amiss.