My Protector

Chapter 37

I actually thought they'd help me this time. Sitting in Axel's office with my knees drawn up to my chest, I can't ignore the painful sensation burning in my chest. I can't ignore my stupidity. The carpet has become the most important thing to observe, I can't even stomach the idea of glancing at the two men, talking to each other mere feet from me. How stupid of me? I really believed they'd help. Truth be told, I don't even know if they would've protected Axel in the end; they might've just put him in jail as well!

It's all my fault. "We need to keep this on the right side of the law, blow up their organization, letting them do it." Bear muses, his deep voice filling the silence and the room with its strength. Why can't I be strong? Axel takes a deep breath; the sound reaches my ears as he thinks about his next words. What would be different if I was strong? Would Axel and I have ever met? That's a terrifying thought; the past few days have made me cherish us, love everything he has taught me. I've grown better, because of him I don't feel completely broken.

"Make them self-destruct in a sense?" Axel mused, making me glance at him through my lashes. I watch as he rubs his jaw, leaning back in his chair with a thoughtful expression. "It'd be hard, but that'd be a good way of getting them to turn on their own." Axel nodded at the thought.

"Right, if we can get them to self implode, then we can get them to do our job for us." Bear finishes with a nod. "Going after them this way will take time, but it'll be worth it. You'll clean the town up, save your woman without her being hurt." I watched him, slightly surprised.

"But, how?" I asked softly, looking at the pair, feeling worn down and lost. Like I've been standing outside in a harsh blizzard for years, fighting to withstand the storm. How could we even get that to happen?

"If we find out their runs, their pickups, routes, drop offs. Steal a few shipments, have a few members go undercover, turn the narrative against them. If we get them to think they have a mole shit's going to go to hell in a handbasket quickly." Bear spoke up, musing to Axel as he glanced at him. Axel arched his brow and nodded slowly.

"I'd rather be hurting them myself, but it'll work. We need to bring in fresh faces to do this, people who can hold their own." Bear let out a chuckle and shrugged.

"I know it's not preferable for you, but it'll be best for everyone involved. It keeps your hands dirty, makes the town clean, and the police have no dirt on you." Bear offers Axel a lopsided smirk and I watch the pair. But how?

"How do you get someone on the inside? Won't that be hard? I'd think that they'd be suspicious right now." But what do you know? Trusting my judgement just doesn't seem like the smartest play, not after my recent stint. How could you be that idiotic?

"It'll be hard, but their numbers have been dwindling as of late, we can use that to our advantage. We can play this smart, get a few members in, fake a death or two, and they're cleared given new names." Bear says as he turns to look at me for a moment, offering a kind smile before looking to Axel. "I don't want our undercover's getting any heat because of this." Axel nods in understanding.

"I get that, they don't need that type of backlash. Do you have anyone in mind for that?" Axel responds to Bear focused on him.

"Off the top of my head, no, but I think I can wrangle a few nomads from some sister chapters, maybe even from our mother chapter. Go through it that way, I think that'll do us best." Bear nods in thought, his eyes focused on Axel's meeting his gaze boldly.

"They need to be vetted." Bear nods with a slight chuckle.

"Don't knot up your panties boy, I'll get their dossier, you can vet them yourself, pick the ones you want and no one else." Axel nodded his approval as he stared at his desk.