<div style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Didact Gothic', 'sans-serif'">
<div class="bbImageWrapper lazyload js-lbImage" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-single-image="1" data-src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FBvn9yMC.png&amp;hash=3c4a1b01ed6b70f748e046c83ac5ae6a" title="Bvn9yMC.png">
<img alt="Bvn9yMC.png" class="bbImage lazyload" data-src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FBvn9yMC.png&amp;hash=3c4a1b01ed6b70f748e046c83ac5ae6a" data-url="https://i.imgur.com/Bvn9yMC.png" data-zoom-target="1" height="" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" style="" title="" width=""/>
<noscript><img alt="Bvn9yMC.png" class="bbImage" data-url="https://i.imgur.com/Bvn9yMC.png" data-zoom-target="1" height="" src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FBvn9yMC.png&amp;hash=3c4a1b01ed6b70f748e046c83ac5ae6a" style="" title="" width=""/></noscript>
</div>
</span>​</div><span style="font-family: 'Didact Gothic', 'sans-serif'"><br/>
A gruff, slow sigh escaped a pair of full lips. There was a moment of tenseness in the precinct. Everyone was silent, even the phones refused to chime with their usual chaotic tune. The dark-haired male rose his hand to brush over his beard, touching the coarse hair as his gaze remained on the computer screen before him. A fellow cop had been murdered on the very streets he worked. It was painful to lose a member of their team, but it was far more painful to know he was leaving his wife, his children, everything. The man had been taken too young, and the whole force was shocked. Axel trailed his hand up through his hair, huffing softly before he rose to his feet. Standing at six feet two, being as broad and as muscled as he was, the man was intimidating. With the etching of anger over his firm, stone like features, it was clear that no perp would be escaping him that day.<br/>
<br/>
Once the moments of silence had ended, Axel grabbed his jacket from the back of his rather broken down and abused chair and slung the leather over each arm and pulled it snug around his burly physique. “Gonna go down Charleston?” A voice echoed to him from across his desk. Like most, his desk was paired with another with an officer opposite him. His partner, Luke Cole, was a good man. He was shorter than Axel with dirty blonde hair and a fresh shaven face; he was certainly one of the ‘pretty’ police officers. “Best time, don’tcha think? The last thing they’re going to expect is us going for them while there’s a dead cop being flashed all over the news.” His words may have seemed in bad taste; among the coffee scented office, several dark glances drew his way before they continued with their work. Axel didn’t know the man who died, not well anyway. He had respect, but he also had a mind enough to know the opportunity that sat before them. A drug dealer who lived in a fairly shabby part of town had been under his watch for some time. Since an officer was killed, he knew they’d all be assuming all resources would go to that case. Unfortunately for them, Axel had other ideas.<br/>
<br/>
“I’m with you.” Luke announced as he grabbed his gun, fitting it into the holster that hung by his chest. With a nod, Axel led the way out of the precinct and toward his car. Thankfully, he could bring his own beauty to work. She had been a great deal of effort to restore, and he adored <a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.admcars.com%2Fgalleria_images%2F502%2F502_main_l.jpg&amp;hash=18715ccc276118fb15cb55c06f418c36" href="https://www.admcars.com/galleria_images/502/502_main_l.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">her</a>. <br/>
<br/>
Once the men had settled into the car, Luke saw fit to question his partner on his late-night antics. “So, who’s this dancer you keep going to see? Before you even try and question me, I had to check up on you. Leaving work earlier, driving into a dodgy part of town.” The blonde shot his friend a concerned look as he gripped the leather coating the wheel. “You followed me?” Axel’s demeanour changed into one of stone, the usual dormant smirk was long gone. In a swift movement, he leaned in the leather seat before offering a thump of his fist against his friend’s arm in jest before chuckling. “You remember the woman I found? She works there. I just like to check up on her. He did a number on her, sick son of a bitch. I hope he rots in hell.” Luke paused as his friend pushed his keys into the ignition and turned them. The black beauty purred to life, responding immediately as he pressed the gas and glanced briefly over his shoulder before pulling out.<br/>
<br/>
“So… Are you dating her?” Luke was being cautious, and it almost made Axel laugh. They’d been friends for ten years, but for some reason, he was only prying gently. “Not dating, no nothing. We’re friends, I’m just looking out for her.” Axel didn’t turn his attention from the road as he spoke. His words were firm, and somewhat honest. Truly, he didn’t know what they were. His own feelings were just as complex, and he didn’t want to press anything onto her. Tempest had been through enough, let alone the person who had saved her ending up wanting something more than that. It could seem like a violation of trust, completely. Axel was certain it was just hormones, he barely knew her, and she barely knew him. To think that more was on the cards was foolish; he was just content with being there for her. Knowing she was okay was all he needed.<br/>
<br/>
The rest of the car ride was fairly silent, until Luke piped up with another comment. “So, you haven’t… And you don’t want to? From what I remember, that girl was a fox.” Axel cocked his brow as he turned to his friend as he pulled up into a spot a block from their destination. “Did you even see the case file? You twat, the woman needs to be protected. I wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t want another man near her for the rest of her life. There was sexual abuse, physical abuse…” The male was clearly getting worked up as he spoke, his jaw clenched before he took a breath. “Fine, fine, sorry I pushed. I’m just curious. All this effort and you’re not even hitting it, ever the white knight, eh?” Axel genuinely swore, giving his friend a roll of his eyes before he stepped out of the car. “If you don’t watch it, I’m going to run you over the next time I see you arriving late.” Luke shot his friend a grin, “We’ll see Crowe, we’ll see.”<br/>
<br/>
After another unsuccessful banging on the front door, Axel scouted the home before choosing to dash and leap over the garden fence. Luke continued to bang on the door as the dark-haired male began to inspect the property. They were long gone. The last known activity was at their current location, and it was only two days ago. With a stifled sigh, the male made his way back around, giving Luke a shake of his head. “Furniture is gone, there’s barely anything left.” An oath left his lips. “This scumbag needs to be found Luke. We need to drag him in.” It seemed like he was losing this game of cat and mouse, and he was not impressed. It was evening, and it was nearing the time he’d need to take off to go make his journey to pick up Tempest. “Hey look, I gotta go check up on her. You want a ride back?” Luke gazed to his partner as they strode back toward the car. “Yeah, drop me off back at mine on the way, I’ll make up the hours tomorrow.” Axel gave a nod, “We get started on this tomorrow asap, all right?” Luke gave a nod, “We’ll get that cunt.”<br/>
<br/>
It didn’t take Axel long to drop Luke off, he wasn’t exactly doing the speed limit. Most of the time, he was cautious of his road manner, but being in an unmarked car certainly had its perks. Not to mention, it’d been some time since his baby had been out for a ‘run’. As he pulled up at a red light, he glanced down at his phone that seemed to buzz to notify him of something. The male’s jaw fell slack as he noticed he’d missed a text and a call. <i>Fuck</i>. He’d have to make it up to her. Without hesitation, he pulled off the moment he could and took a side route. He knew what she enjoyed; and he had just the place. It was a fairly unknown burger place, but it had the best cheese burgers he’d ever tasted. Noticing the time, the male hastily got out of his car and rushed into the joint. When he was ordering, he summed up the size of the burger. “Yeah, four of those please.” The female at the till almost paused. “What? I’m a growing boy.” He shot her a wicked smile before she bagged up his food. In ten minutes he was in and out, hurrying back to his car before he was too late; he was already in her bad books.<br/>
<br/>
It didn’t take long for Axel to pull off and direct himself to the strip club, he just hoped the burgers would be enough to curb her rage.<br/>
<br/>
Somehow, when he pulled up, Axel was still in time. A sigh of relief left his lips as he eased out of the car and made his way around the beauty to lean back against her and watch the exit with a hawk like gaze. It didn’t take long for Tempest to leave the club, and she looked exactly as her name would suggest. “Ah!” The male feigned pain as the female gave him a smack, it was pretty good, he’d give her that. “Ey,” The male offered an apologetic glance. “I’m sorry, I know I should’ve. It was just a hectic day, I didn’t even see the messages until I got off.” He could tell how much she cared from how angry she got; it was fiery, it was real. It was one of the reasons he felt like he couldn’t ever leave her side; she had the same fire he had, except it came out in different ways. The male watched her spark up a cigarette, his orbs focusing on it for a moment before he gazed over her delicate and beautiful features. As much as he shouldn’t, he found her all too alluring when she was angry.<br/>
<br/>
“Don’t you glare at me, come on Tempest.” The male stood up straight, his broad form easing closer. “Come here,” It wasn’t a question, or a command. The male slipped a strong, powerful arm along her hips as he drew her form against his with a tender tug. His other hand swept to ease her arm around his neck, before his ducked under hers to pull her into a warm, welcoming hug. His coarse stubble brushed against her hair as his lips found her ear. “I’m not going anywhere. I promised you when I found you that I’d look after you. Don’t you dare think I’m not going to keep my word.” His whisper was firm, much like a parent laying down the rules; he believed it to his very core. There was nothing that could stop him when it came to her. The male gave a soft kiss to her head before he drew back, folding his arms over his chest, causing his muscles to ripple beneath the fabric of his navy cotton shirt beneath his jacket.<br/>
<br/>
“Now, you want to go home? By the way, I’ve got something for you in the car. And two of those are for me,” He eyed her before nodding toward the car.</span>