Page 116 of Axel

When he parks, I stare up at Axel’s hideout, its floodlights revealing it’s a secluded waterfront cottage on stilts, nestled under sprawling, wide oaks dripping with Spanish moss. Though it’s past midnight, I can smell the wide river, marshland, and pluff mud nearby.

Inside, it’s a casual, coastal vibe. Axel locks the door behind him, apologizing for the “rustic accommodations,” while they look five-star to me.

Taking my hand, we leave my luggage by the door before he leads me down a short hallway. Grabbing the door knob, he turns to give me another kiss, his lips brushing over mine. “Welcome home, Wildfire. We missed you.”

When he opens the door to what appears to be his bedroom, a clowder of golden kittens wobbles our way.

“Oh my god, they’re so cute!” I plop down on the plank floor and let them surround me.

“They just started walking.” He sits beside me. “And now the cute little shits have started sleeping in my shoes.”

“Yowl!” Sparky prances my way, and I scoop her up.

“Hey, Mama! Good job.” She looks healthy, and the kittens are adorable. But Axel? He looks troubled, gazing at us with happy eyes under a heavy brow.

“Okay,” I ease, petting one kitten after another. “Tell me what’s wrong and I promise I won’t run or slam doors or spit in your coffee or?—”

“You spit in my coffee?”

“Uh…” I bat my lashes. “No?”

“Fuck,” he fights a chuckle, cupping my cheek, “I’ve missed you.”

With a hot kiss, that threatens to turn into our first fuck of a dozen in a day, I’m sure with how we’ve missed each other, I sigh over our lips, “Tell me, first.”

Pressing his forehead to mine, he drops a bomb.

“My father has found us.”

Blink.

Breathe.

Think.

Don’t throw up.

“What… How… When… Oh my god, Axel.”

“I don’t know,” he answers. “I don’t know who knows, who betrayed us, or how he did it, but I know what he’ll do. He’ll go after my mom, then he’ll go after you.”

“Me? Because I’ll be your next queen?”

“Ruby,” he shakes his head, “I want to be smart and have your brother-in-law hide you in some luxury resort far away from me, for the rest of your life.” He nuzzles his forehead to mine. “And I want to be a selfish, smug, dickhead who’s in love with you and never lets you go again.”

Heart thumping, I sigh, “I vote for option two.”

He half laughs, half growls, “You don’t know what you’re agreeing to.”

“The world’s biggest asshole. Got it. If he catches me,he’ll torture me in unimaginable ways until he has you on your knees, agreeing to be the next Russian Pac-Man.”

“Pakhan.” He finally laughs. “It’sPakhan. It means crime boss, or gang leader, or?—”

“Cunty stubborn brat. It means that’s what your father will suffer every day if he kidnaps me.”

“Wildfire, be serious.”

“Iamserious. You’re a lucky man. You happened to hook up with a woman who’s already suffered a terrifying abuser. I’m immune.”

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