Cowboy Gangster 03 - Outlaws of Love (32 page)

“I love you!” Tears streaked Axel’s face. His chin trembled as sobs caught in his throat. “I love you, Clint.”

From the corner of his eye, Clint saw the shooter’s finger tighten. “
Axel!
”

The gunshot exploded, consuming all other sound, silencing Clint’s scream as Axel jerked in his arms, his head hitting Clint’s shoulder with a heavy thump. Warm wetness oozed down Clint’s back as the boy lay limp in his embrace.

“
Axel! No!
”

“You were born with a bloodstained soul.” The man’s words punctured Clint’s heart like bullets. “Everything you love…dies.”

Clint shook and clutched Axel’s lifeless body, his face buried in his hair, screaming his name.

♦

“Axel!”
Clint screamed and bolted forward, tumbling off the bed. He hit the hard floor with a crash as his arm swung out and caught the lamp. “No!” His head spun and mind wouldn’t focus. Hands grabbed him and he fought them viciously, eyes squeezed shut. “Axel!
Fuck!”

“Clint!” The voice felt distant –from another world. Strong arms wrapped him from behind, impairing his thrashing. “Wake up!”

Clint shuddered as the arms tightened. His eyes opened, wide and wild. Breath surged through his nostrils, his chest heaving.

“Clint!” Cochise’s voice cut through the fog around his mind. “It’s just a dream!”

He was in his bedroom in the Sanitini house. He trembled and sagged back against the Egyptian’s thick chest, tears flooding. The man’s arms tightened –no longer restraining, but hugging. He shook his head. “No,” He shuddered, his voice shaking, thick with tears. “It wasn’t.” He leaned forward as Cochise loosened his hold, and buried his face in his arms. “It wasn’t just a dream.”

“What do you mean?” Cochise gripped his shoulder.

Clint raised his head, his breath trembling on his lips. “It was a premonition,” he whispered. He swallowed thickly and looked at the man. “If I go back to Axel…” Tears rolled down his face as an unprecedented fear chilled his heart. “…He’ll die.”

His cell phone vibrated and Clint flinched, his eyes jerking to the night stand. When he didn’t move to answer it, Cochise picked it up and looked at it, his brow furrowing as he slowly met Clint’s wet, fearful eyes. “It’s…Axel.” Clint just stared at him. Cochise licked his lips anxiously and opened the phone. His frown deepened and he handed the phone to Clint.

The device shook in his hands, the words swimming across the display but somehow still in focus.

I miss you. Do you miss me, too?

Clint closed his eyes. Fresh, warm tears pushed out and slid down his face. He sucked in a deep, shaky breath –and typed out his reply. His thumb hovered over the
send
button.

Forgive me, baby.

His heart shattered as he pressed down and the message slipped away like an evil spirit, sent forth to wreak havoc and ruin lives.

Cochise stood up slowly as Clint gripped the edge of the bed and pulled himself to his feet.

“Clint…?”

He looked down at the phone, still open in his palm. He began to shake as his face tightened, eyes burning with fresh, hot tears.
“Fuck!”
he exploded and launched the phone at the wall. The device shattered on impact.
“Motherfucker!”

♦

The slamming door jerked Angel awake with a start. He sat forward quickly, his head heavy with sleep. Dane was already out of bed, dragging on his pants.

“What was that?” Angel asked, his voice thick.

“The front door,” Dane said tightly, his tone instantly clearing Angel’s head. “I think Axel just took off.”

Angel frowned, fear seeping in. “But it’s the middle of the night.”

“Yeah,” Dane whispered and pulled on his shirt then grabbed his shoes and headed for the stairs.

“Wait…” Angel scrambled out of bed and slipped into his pajama bottoms and hurried after Dane.

The living room was empty, the sofa vacant. Jonah was at the door, scratching and whining.

“Why would he take off?” Angel asked.

Dane went to the sofa then picked up Axel’s phone off the floor where it lay open. “Fuck,” he whispered and dropped the phone on the coffee table. He pulled on his shoes. “Wait here,” he said and started for the door. “Lock the door behind me.”

Catching up to him, Angel scooped up Jonah before he could slip outside. “Where did he go?”

Dane glanced back toward the sofa, and the phone. He cupped Angel’s head and kissed him. “I don’t know. But he just left. I’ll find him.”

“But…” Angel stared at him helplessly as he opened the door and stepped out.

“Lock the door,” Dane repeatedly. “I’ll be back as soon as I find him.”

Angel immediately locked the door the instant it closed. He hugged Jonah to his chest and stared at the phone lying on the coffee table. His legs felt rubbery as he walked back to the sofa and sat down. Uncertainty twisted his stomach as he reached tentatively for the phone. His arm tightened around Jonah for comfort as the pup squirmed in his tense embrace. He looked at the display and his heart broke; Axel had messaged Clint.
I miss you. Do you miss me, too?

It was Clint’s reply that had sent him running away. Angel hugged Jonah harder and buried his face in his fur, crying –the scattered shards of Axel’s broken heart embedding in his own –and terrified that Clint had finally pulled the trigger on the fatal shot…his words more deadly than a bullet.

I don’t miss you. I don’t want you. I don’t love you.

~~~

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