Page 174 of Axel

“Every damn time.” He lingers his hand down my back. “It’s what we do, Wildfire.” He kisses my hair, his voice getting husky. “And you know chasing you is my kink.”

“So now what?”

“So now we can lie here and listen to dozens of men fucking,” he says, rolling on top of me. “Or I can make you scream louder than them.”

“I vote number two. I mean, the second one. Not shit. But you and me fucking and?—”

He smiles, nuzzling his nose to mine. “I want to do something first.”

“So youdidbuy me a cake.”

“Not quite.”

He climbs off the bed, aiming for his jacket on the chair. When he reaches into the inside pocket, my heart starts racing.

“Are you about to?—”

“So impatient.” He grins, pulling out the blue velvet ring box.

I chew my lips, forcing myself to shut up. To not ruin this as he lowers to one knee by the edge of the bed. I sit up and let him take my hand, but it’s burning inside me.

I have to investigate. I have to ask.

“Are you about to propose to me in your boxer briefs?”

He smirks. “I can take them off if that makes it more romantic.”

I consider it.

But he’s the impatient one now. “You’re lucky. I was tempted to put this ring on the one I already wear for you.”

“On your penis piercing?”

“Hmm, but then you’d be too distracted by that ring to see this one.”

He cracks open the box, and I gasp.

It’s the most unusual, precious sparkling stone I’ve ever seen, set on a thin gold band.

“It’s a rare antique, Russian Alexandrite gem, rarer than a diamond and circa nineteen hundred,” he explains. “It changes color from blue like your eyes to purple like your favorite color, and under certain, rare light, it’s the most beautiful ruby…” He pauses, gazing up at me. “Like my wife, if you would please marry me, Ruby Jones.”

“Yes.” I nod. I cry. I let him slide the ring on my shaking finger. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

He cups my wet jaw, pulling my lips to his for a kiss…

But of course, I have to investigate.

“Does this mean you’ll make me your queen, too?”

When Axel smirks, he makes the Devil swoon and God nervous. He makes grown men shake in terror and me tremble with excitement when he teases, “So impatient.”

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

AXEL

“What doyou think she’ll like?”

I consider a black latex bodysuit.

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