Page 108 of Axel

AXEL

“Oh my god,”Ruby groans into her pillow. “Who hit my pussy with a big Bratva truck?”

“Ex-Bratva.” I chuckle, holding her, my cock hard and ready for another collision. “Need anything?”

“You.”

“You got me.” I kiss her bruised neck with a mix of pride and guilt at the marks I’ve left on her. “Need anything else?”

“For you to hit me again.”

I laugh harder. “Wehitit until dawn, and you just said you’re sore.”

“Just be tender next time.” She turns around in my grasp, her fingers tracing the tattoos on my neck. “You know, treat me like a delicate virgin.”

The mention of a virgin clenches my heart. There’s so much I still need to tell Ruby. I kiss her shoulder and brace myself for a long talk.

“Let me get us some coffee first.”

Crawling out of bed, I pluck my pants from the floor and tug them on. Of course, I never took my socks off as I open the door to Ruby’s bedroom and follow the savoryaromas.

Luca Mercier’s penthouse suite in his Mykonos property leaves your jaw on the floor. White marble. Gold fixtures. Grecian blue furniture and a breathtaking view of the sparkling sea from every wraparound window.

But the sight of my brother sipping coffee and holding Zar’s hand at the dining table on the covered terrace makes me smile.

“Goddamn,” Nick shakes his head, “are you two finally done? The poor girl: it sounded like you broke her last night.”

I rub my sore dick, smiling. “No, my woman broke me, and I love it.”

“Speaking of love,” Zar asks, “how long are you staying?”

“I leave this afternoon.”

“Does firecracker know that?” He points to her room. “Because I don’t want to be here when she explodes.”

“She knows.” I turn toward the credenza with its sumptuous breakfast presented on gold platters. Flipping over two porcelain cups, I pour two coffees. “She’s my queen. She understands we’ll go to war with Turner’s men once we find him soon.”

“But she’snotyour queen,” Nick warns. “Not yet. And you know we’ll always protect her, but you need to make it official.”

I drop sugar cubes into our cups. “I’m not offering her to another king.”

“How long will you disrespect her like that?” Nick challenges me, and I whip around, abandoning the coffees.

“What the hell does that mean?”

“We initiate our queens.” Nick lifts his hand holding Zar’s. “If they’re not queens by blood, like Alena, every queen is initiated. No matter what. No matter if we don’t want to share. It’s our tradition. It’s out of respect, and to make Ruby the only queen not fully initiated like the others leaves her out, when she should be included and honored. She’ll be thefirst king’s queen,yourqueen. And she’ll be far more than Katya ever was because we all love her. And you love her. Ruby belongs with us, so make it right and?—”

“Who’s Katya?”

The gut punch is instant. I close my eyes, sick and not wanting to confront the voice asking.

“Axel?” Ruby sounds hurt. “Whois Katya?”

Dragging in a brave inhale, I open my eyes to confront my fiery beauty. She’s wrapped in a white silk robe, standing at the marble threshold, as I confess, “Katya was my first wife.”

The truth smacks her face, making her wince. “Your firstwife?”

“Yes, I’m divorced and was going to?—”

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