Drake ✔️

Chapter 2

"Don't worry about it, Shay. I'm not." He reclines back in his chair and studies me with his signature flawless smile. He's perfected it over the years and I know he's fully capable of turning it on, even when he doesn't feel like smiling inside. I narrow my eyes on him, unconvinced.

"You're sure?" I press.

"Yes. I assume the guy's gonna be okay?"

Jason. He is okay. The bullet didn't hit anything major. He's gonna be in a cast for a while, but he's absolutely living to tell the tale. 

"Yeah, he had surgery. He's fine." I answer, and Axel nods.

"Good. Now talk to me about North Bridge. You've made friends?" His smile widens. 

I roll my eyes and he laughs openly at me. I'm not here to discuss my sham of a new life, and he fucking knows that. But I guess - he's interested in Penn. How could he not be?

"They're moving in together for when the baby comes." I inform. He nods his head like it's obvious.

"So what about Thornton House?" He asks. "Where does this leave you?"

I shift in my seat a little, unwilling to talk about the current state of my living arrangements.

"I've been living in an apartment actually, Penn pays the rent. Not sure if he's gonna keep that up now..."

"Doubtful. But no matter. You didn't wanna stay there anyway, so it's fine." Axel says. It's a statement, not a question. He knows I felt badly taking a cent of Penn's money. I've lied to Penn about so much already and I haven't heard from him yet. I've texted him a bunch of times and tried calling, but he's busy with Jax today I guess. I gotta give the boy some time.

"Penn hates me now, and he knows the truth." As in - he knows who was really responsible for the bullet in Jason's arm. "And as far as his friends go, the truth's gonna come out. It always does." I say on a sigh.

"It doesn't need to. No matter the outcome at court." He says cryptically. My mouth opens slightly as I analyse his features, but he gives me nothing. Is he suggesting that he might get off? Do his lawyers have a bulletproof defence after all? I'm hopeful, and hopefully Axel will share more with me once the lawyers start building their case. 

"Why'd you move here, Shay? Huh? Why'd you do it?" He blurts out randomly while sitting forward in the chair. His eyes search mine and I heave a deep breath, knowing that my life in North Bridge is all we're gonna talk about today. He won't tell me anything about the past three years of his life, or the court case. Fine, I'll accept that for now.

"Penn found out about me and he hired Jason to find me. They found me, Penn offered me a new life, I took him up on his offer." I say blandly, knowing it won't be enough. Axel bites down on his pierced lip like he's biting back any further questions, allowing me to go on.

"I talked to my parents." I say carefully, and he nods his head. He knows I'm talking about Annette and Tony Del Testa and he knows I wouldn't dare utter their names under these circumstances. "They agreed to cut me loose because all they want is for me to be happy. They know Penn has plenty money and they know he's a good guy. They let me go."

"Just like that?" He comes back immediately. I nod and he laughs.

"Come on, Shay. Your parents would never agree to let you walk out of their lives that way. Not in a million years." He frowns at me and I shrug my shoulders, unsure how to convince him. I'm a first class liar with everyone other than Axel. He always could see through me.