Page 171 of Axel

“It means that my father has known where we are for a while, but for some reason, he’s waiting. All while our big advantage is that he doesn’t know thatIknow. ThatThe Queenknows and we’re going to keep it that way until we know more.”

“Until you know how he found you?”

He nods. “And until I get Lev, I won’t risk my son being used as a pawn.”

Axel reaches for my hand, lifting my fingers to his lips. “Now, enough of my father’s bullshit. Go make me proud as usual, and finish this mission, my queen.”

“I’m not officially your queen,” I tease, but finally…

I’m ready.

After Halstead’s deadly threat. After watching Axel brutalize the man who hurt me. After watching most of the kings descend upon that creepy hotel to rescue me, and all the queens comforted me afterward?

I’m ready to be initiated.

“So impatient.” Axel grins, brushing his kiss over my fingertips. “And so late.” He nods toward Zar’s front door. “Go do your meeting.”

“You know, after our meeting, Zar and Nick have an erotic party planned.”

“Don’t remind me,” he growls. “I saw Brayton Jervis, your Tennessee quarterback, and his lovely husband, Jim, go inside an hour ago. I’m sure they’d love a replay night with you.”

“But you trust me.”

“With my life.” Something cracks the ice in his eyes. They search mine. “Do you trust me? Again?”

I lean over, wrapping my hand around his inked neck,pulling him into a kiss. I find his lips, his tongue, his moan, and I make them mine before I pull away.

It’s my answer when I can’t sayalmost.

“See you in the morning,” I sigh.

The plan is, after the meeting, I’ll stick around for the guests. Particularly for Beau, Colton, and Blair. They’re here and I’ll stay to answer questions in the morning after their long night, I’m sure.

It’ll begin the next phase of our plan—the PR campaign. Vale and I have it all mapped out.

And Axel will pick me up tomorrow after everyone leaves.

“You behind all this?”Colton asks me, impressed after our long meeting, where Nick and Zar convinced them to join their movement.

“In a way, yeah,” I answer, peeling a shrimp. “But it’s not just me. I’m like a representative.”

The sun is setting. The low-country boil picnic on the patio is a hit with the players, and my friends are glowing. Relieved and excited to be free soon.

“So you work for someone?” Colton’s full of questions, and I understand. He’s about to risk his entire career for love.

“Work? Fuck? Love?” I answer. “It all comes together, right?”

“Any minute,” Blair says, “I expect to see my sister walk through the door. That plan? That’s something she’d come up with. She studies this for a living. I know she’s in this other mysterious group.”

But I can’t answer her.

I just smile and know they trust us.

The mysterious group. The kings and queens. My friends can’t know about us. They think I’m friends with Nick and Zar through my sister Scarlett and her husband Luca, and it’s not a lie.

It’s just not the whole truth.

As we finish our dinner and all refresh in the restrooms, I catch my friends eyeing the other guests, disappearing upstairs. They’re curious. I can tell, and they’ve never had a chance to be free like this.

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