My Knight

Chapter 44

I stare at the screen in front of me, the legal mumbo jumbo giving me more of a headache than the past week has. I hate talking to lawyers. The fan whirls around, like normal, pushing the muggy air, scented with fresh hay and sweat. Such a pleasant smell. To be fair it's the smell of my childhood, something I grew up enjoying. It's familiar. "Kota?" The radio clicks on, moments of static follow.

"What's up Cowboy?" Digger has finally upgraded to carrying his very own radio. Not that it's been super amusing to him. He's had quite a few disturbances and interruptions needing his attention.

"Axel is here for your meeting." I grunt and rub the bridge of my nose in thought. It's not like I wasn't waiting for this, I called him this morning with curt instructions to be here at ten sharp.

"Send him up please?" I'll admit, I tacked on the please as an afterthought. One could say I'm slowly reverting to the soldier in me, you could also say I'm just gearing up for war.

"Do you want me to hang around?" Digger asks almost blandly, already guessing my answer. I offer him a soft chuckle and shake my head.

"Not right now Cowboy, don't worry, I promise your boy's safe, I won't jack his jaw again." He offers me his own chuckle.

"It's his skin, he can watch his own back." I can only imagine how much Axel is grumbling right now, probably even flipping me off. "He's headed up, holler if you need anything Little Lady." With that the radio falls silent, I'm left to sit in silence, it doesn't take long before the rickety steps start to creak. This should be interesting to say the least. A strong knock sounds on the door making me turn slightly to it.

"It's open." His shadow clouds the window for a moment before he pushes the door open and stands, the overcast sky leaving him completely visible. His appearance shocks me, the mellow, nearly subdued look is a sharp turn from his typical stern expression. Maybe something did click in his head. Axel's dark green eyes are filled with an understanding I've never seen from him, the large welt on his jaw marred by an ugly bruise.

"Dakota..." He clears his throat before shutting the door with a sigh and shoving his hands into his pockets, taking on a vulnerable stance in my eyes. His normal swagger gone, I stare at him slightly intrigued.

"Axel." I greet calmly, watching him as he stands in front of the desk, it takes him a moment to meet my eyes again.

"I'm sorry." When he meets my eyes I see something I've never seen in his eyes before, a look of clarity, acceptance.

"I don't want apologies." I shrug it off simply watching as he shakes his head.

"Please? Let me get this out?" The troubled look makes me stare at him, weighing my options carefully.

"Axel, there's nothing you need to get out." To me this is something of the past, it's not important to me.

"Yes there is." He asserts and meets my eyes in a long self-assured stare. "Dakota, I know I fucked up. I was angry and trying to blame someone, was it right? No, hell no. I thought if I had someone to blame it'll make it easier to deal with my mother's death, to deal with everything." Axel gets out steadily and drops into the chair, resting his elbows on his knees.

"You were young, we both were young." I shrug off and earn a look from him as he shakes his head.

"That's not it, I was blaming you for my pain and suffering in any way possible. When you asked me to drive you I thought... I thought I knew everything, your silence on the matter made me question it all. I figured he... Knuckles got to you like he did everyone else." He grunts making me stare at him silently. That night still haunts me, I was hot headed and thought I could take out the old man. He was missing an arm, I underestimated him... It was my mistake.