Axel: Chapter 28

Waking I’m not sure where I am when I look around. Then I remember I’m in Axel’s room, well, our room now. He’s been up a while, as his side of the bed is stone cold. I’m disappointed, but I know he has a huge day in front of him.

I yawn and stretch my arms over my head, then run my fingers through my hair. Leaning against the headboard, thinking about the things I’ve to get done today.

The door opens and Axel walks in with a tray in his hand. Coffee smells great. ‘Morning babe, I wasn’t sure if you’d be awake yet, but I brought you breakfast.’

Placing the tray across my legs, Axel leans down and kisses me, then gives me a smirk when I’m still in a daze from his lips on mine. Then I realize my lips are puckered and my face flames with embarrassment.

‘You’ve got an hour before Hammer comes for you. Stay close to him, you’re going to the coffee house, it’s finally finished and I think your design nailed it, because it looks great.’ Axel says while sitting on the edge of the bed.

‘Oh, I’ll be ready. I’ll just have my breakfast and be down.’ Looking at my tray, I have a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. That is a lot when you’ve not even gotten out of bed.

‘Okay, I’ll catch up when you get back. If you’re not happy about anything, make sure you speak up. Until we open or sell, we can still change things.’ Axel states, then kisses me on the top of my head, winks, and walks out, leaving me with a sigh of contentment.

Rushing downstairs carrying the tray with my dishes, I see Hammer walking my way through the common room. ‘I’m ready Hams, just let me drop this off.’

Climbing into the SUV, I check my purse, making sure my Sig is inside. I’m not going anywhere without it anytime soon.

‘We’re goin’ straight to the coffee house Mia, keep your eyes open for any trouble on the way.’ Hammer says, then stops at the gate. The back door opens and Knuckles jumps in, much to my surprise.

‘Okay, let’s go.’ Knuckles smirks, ‘Close your mouth Mia, you’re catchin’ flies.’

I snap my mouth shut and turn back to the front. Hammer chuckles but doesn’t comment, then drives us to the coffee house while talking to Knuckles about anything and nothing.

It doesn’t take long to get to the coffee house, and the outside looks amazing. New windows have made a huge difference. The sign ‘Coffee House’ has a steaming cup of coffee on the side and it looks pretty cool.

‘Come on Mia, come and look at what all your plans achieved.’ Knuckles says, taking my elbow and leading me inside.

The first thing I notice is the incredible smell of coffee. It assaults your senses as soon as you walk in; it is truly incredible.

The two rows of counters are long and sleek, one row has coffee bean dispensers and grinders lining the wall and coffee machines in front. My goodness, it looks amazing, much better than my imagination had given me.

Turning to the other counter, it has sandwich fixings in the coolers behind and has everything needed to create panini’s. I can’t even say how exciting all this looks.

‘Hams, it looks incredible. The tables and chairs look perfect against the window where people can sit and look outside.

‘The smell is divine and I can see the machines to make cappuccino and lattes. It’s just amazing and so exciting.

‘What about the kitchen? Can we go look?’

‘Of course you can. Come on, I’m gonna show you everything.’ Hammer states and wraps his arm around my shoulders and leads me through to the kitchen.

Looking around the kitchen, I can see it is set up exactly as I had planned. It should be easy to keep everything clean and in its own place.

Turning to Hammer and Knuckles, I give a huge smile. It must go ear to ear and just as I’m going to tell them how much I love it, the door to the basement opens and Sting walks through.

‘Mia, hey babe, what do you think of the place?’ He asks and gives me a hug before guiding me downstairs to see the basement.

‘I love everything so far Sting, it looks incredible,’ and reaching the basement I stand in awe as they have all the cupboards for storage set up as I wanted, the shelving is perfect and the counter across one side to use for opening deliveries and checking the contents, again, perfect.

We spent the next ninety minutes going from one room to another until we have covered the entire building and I’m now more determined that we keep the place, even if we have to find a manager, I think it will be financially viable and profitable.

Back at the clubhouse we walk into the common room and Bubbles is standing doing nothing as usual, but as I’m the top dog of the women around here, I look at Hammer and wink, his eyes shoot open until I can see all the whites of his eyes and then he frowns as he realizes I’m up to something.

‘Bubbles, what are you doing?’ I ask calmly. With only her and Brandy, they have more weight to pull than usual and they cannot afford to stand around doing nothing.

‘I’m waiting for Brandy.’

‘Waiting? What do you mean, waiting, waiting for what?’ Hammer moves up nearer to my right side and I notice Knuckles is sitting at the bar but with his back to it, watching this drama about to go down.

‘I don’t know, she said to wait here?’ Bubbles responds, but keeps her face down, trying not to look at me, which is not good in my opinion.

‘Have you cleaned all the bathrooms? Done the laundry?’

‘No, I don’t do that.’ She shrieks.

‘You don’t do that, then who does?’ I ask her, walking nearer to her.

‘I don’t know but I don’t do it.’

Brandy storms into the common room from the kitchen and slams her hands on her hips, and I keep myself from smirking because I know the drama queen just entered the room.

‘We’re not fucking cleaners, we don’t do all the cleaning around here.’ Brandy shouts, or screams, depending on your definition.

‘Okay, Candy is gone, not coming back, Abbie isn’t here, we don’t know yet if she is coming back, that leaves you two,’ I state walking nearer to Brandy and I’m ready for this bitch today, ‘So if you can count you two have the cooking, cleaning, shopping and everything else to do that the brothers don’t do. They work, they bring in the money that keeps you in food and clothing, well what clothing you wear because girl, what you’re wearing is a rag.’

‘You bitch,’ she lunges towards me, but Hammer is faster than I am and grabs her. He wraps his massive hand around the back of her neck and shakes her like you would a mangy dog.

‘You touch our President’s ol’ lady and you’re a dead woman.’ he murmurs. He doesn’t bother shouting because his tone is so corrosive she has to get the meaning.

Shar walks out of the kitchen with a basket of laundry clean and folded and I look over at her with a questioning look.

‘Got to earn your keep. I’m cooking and doing laundry. These ugly bitches can do the rest. They’ll spend the night on their backs so it’s okay.’

Knuckles bursts out laughing then takes the basket off Shar and follows her out of the common room.

‘Get the cleaning done, and I’ll be checking later. Stay out of Axel’s and Shar’s rooms. If you go in, you answer to Axel, you listening?’ I snarl at them, because I’m sure they have been stealing in my room, because none of the men would steal tampons, that’s for sure.

Both of them scuttle away, mumbling curses as they go. I don’t care they can say what they like, but they will earn the food they eat and the bed they sleep in or they are gone. I’m sure we can find some better club women, anyway.

Hammer laughs, then takes my elbow and leads me into the kitchen where he makes us both a coffee and we sit talking about the coffee house and how amazing it is.

An arm wraps around my shoulder and looking up, Axel smiles, then leans down and kisses my forehead before helping himself to a drink.

‘The coffee house is amazing, Axel, and we need a manager to take over. I don’t think you should sell it. When I looked at what options were available in the town, the coffee house was well needed and it’ll be very profitable I’m sure.’

Shar walks in and overhears my statement. ‘If you need a manager, I’ll do it. I wouldn’t mind living above the place either.’

Turning, we all look at her as we haven’t considered anyone as yet. In fact, we didn’t know if we were going to keep it.

‘That would be excellent, Shar. Leave it with me as it needs to be brought up in Chuch, but if you managed the place, it would mean you’d have to hire and fire people, do the stock and anything else.’ Axel states giving her a steady look.

‘I can do it Axel. The only thing you’d need to cover is the books. I’m useless with bookwork, good with money, just not all the financial bullshit.’ Shar says as she sits near us with an iced tea.

‘Okay, I’d be pleased to give you a shot at it, Shar. Let’s get it past the brothers. But you’re still up for helping at the club for the next week as Mia will need you tomorrow when you both go in.’

‘No problem Axel, I can do that. I’ll keep doing meals here for now too.’ Shar responds, then walks into the laundry room, humming.

Shrugging I look at Hammer and Axel, smirk and turn to walk off too, then turn, ‘Oh Axel, I told Bubbles and Brandy to stay out of our room and Shar’s room, if you see them I expect you to throw your authority around.’

Hammer bursts out laughing and as I’m leaving the kitchen, I hear Axel’s deep warm chuckle, which is exactly the reaction I was looking for.