Chapter 25
AXEL
"Where are we going?"
Aurora's in the passenger seat of my car, wearing a sundress and sunglasses, looking more relaxed than I've seen her in weeks.
"You'll see."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only answer you're getting."
She huffs but doesn't push. We've been doing this dance for three days now, ever since our first date. Small moments of normalcy between the chaos. Coffee together in the mornings. Working side by side in my office. Falling asleep tangled together every night.
It's terrifying how quickly I've gotten used to it.
"At least tell me if I'm dressed appropriately," she says.
"You're perfect."
"That's also not an answer."
"But it's true."
She rolls her eyes, but she's smiling.
The drive takes forty minutes, heading north along the coast. Viktor is following in another car with Sergei. I told him to stay back, give us space, but I'm not stupid enough to go anywhere without backup.
Not when someone's still testing my defences. The warehouse fire was just the beginning. There have been three more incidents since then. Small things. A shipment intercepted. A meeting disrupted. My suppliers being pressured.
Someone's probing for weaknesses. And I'm running out of patience.
But today isn't about that. Today is about Aurora.
We pull off the main road onto a private drive. Trees give way to open sky, and suddenly we're at the water. A small cove, completely private, with a dock stretching out over crystal-clear water.
"Axel." Aurora's staring. "This is beautiful."
"I own the land. No one comes here without permission." I park near the dock. "Thought you might like it."
"Like it? I love it."
We get out, and she immediately heads for the water. She kicks off her sandals, dips her toes in.
"It's warm," she says, surprised.
"Natural hot springs feed into this cove. Keeps the water temperature perfect year-round."
"Can we swim?"
"That's why we're here."
She turns to me, grinning. "I didn't bring a swimsuit."
"Neither did I."
Her eyes widen. "You want to skinny dip? In broad daylight?"
"It's private property. No one can see. And Viktor knows to stay on the road."
"This is crazy."
"Is that a no?"
She bites her lip, considering. Then she reaches for the zipper on her dress.
"It's a yes."
I watch as she strips, revealing smooth skin and curves I've memorized with my hands and mouth. She's not showing yet, still looks like herself, but knowing there's a life growing inside her makes her even more beautiful.
She catches me staring. "Your turn."
I strip quickly, and we're both naked in the afternoon sun. It should feel vulnerable, exposed. Instead, it feels free.
Aurora runs into the water, laughing when it hits her thighs. I follow, catching her around the waist and pulling her deeper.
"It's perfect," she says, wrapping her arms around my neck. "The temperature, the privacy, all of it."
"Good. You deserve perfect."
We float together, her legs wrapped around my waist, just enjoying the warmth and quiet.
"Tell me something," she says. "Why did you buy this place?"
"I needed somewhere that was just mine. No business, no organization, no expectations. Just space to breathe."
"Do you come here often?"
"Used to. Before prison. After I got out, I've been too busy."
"I'm glad you brought me."
"Me too."
We swim for a while, playing like children. She splashes me, and I retaliate. She tries to dunk me, I let her think she succeeds before lifting her up and tossing her gently into deeper water.
Her laugh is the best sound I've ever heard.
Eventually, we make our way back to shallower water, where we can stand. The sun is starting to lower, casting golden light across the cove.
"Thank you for this," Aurora says, her arms draped over my shoulders. "For trying to give me normal moments."
"You deserve more than moments. You deserve a whole life of this."
"In your world, that's not really possible, though, is it?"
"Maybe not normal. But we can carve out pieces of peace. Places like this where the violence doesn't reach."
She's quiet, tracing patterns on my chest with her finger. "What do you want for our baby? Really want, not just the safe answer."
I think about it. "I want them to have choices. To not be forced into this life like I was. If they want to be part of the organization, fine. But if they want to be a doctor or a teacher or anything else, I want that to be possible."
"You'd let them leave?"
"I'd support whatever they chose. As long as they're safe and happy."
"That's a good answer."
"What about you? What do you want?"
"I want them to know they're loved. To never doubt that, even for a second. To have two parents who are there, present, not just going through the motions." She looks up at me. "I want them to have better than what we had."
"They will. I promise you, they will."
She kisses me, slow and sweet. When she pulls back, there's something vulnerable in her expression.
"I had this bucket list," she says. "Stupid things I wanted to do before I turned thirty."
"Like losing your virginity to someone you chose."
"That was number seven. But there were others. Skydiving. Learning to surf. Traveling to Japan. Swimming naked in the ocean." She gestures around us. "Check that one off."
"What else is on the list?"
"Seeing the Northern Lights. Getting a tattoo. Learning to shoot a gun."
"I can teach you that one."
"Really?"
"Really. Viktor's been wanting to start your defense training anyway. Firearms should be part of that."
"What about the others?"
"When things are safe, when you're not pregnant and vulnerable, we'll check them all off. I'll take you to Japan. We'll find the Northern Lights. I'll even go skydiving with you, though the idea terrifies me."
"You're scared of jumping out of a plane but not of running a criminal empire?"
"One I can control. The other is just falling and hoping the parachute works."
She laughs, then her expression turns serious. "Do you really think we'll have time for that? For bucket lists and adventures? Or are we just going to be running from one crisis to another forever?"
"I'm going to end this," I tell her firmly. "Whoever's testing me, whoever's behind these attacks, I'm going to eliminate the threat. And then we're going to have a life. A real one."
"How?"
"I'm working on it. But Aurora, I promise you, this isn't forever. The constant fear, the attacks, the chaos. I'm going to fix it."
"What if you can't?"
"Then we'll adapt. But I won't let you live in fear for the rest of your life. Won't let our child grow up the way we did."
She studies my face, searching for something. Whatever she finds makes her nod.
"Okay. I believe you."
Those three words hit harder than they should. She believes me. Trusts me to protect her, to build something better.
I don't deserve that trust, but I'm going to earn it.
"Come here," I murmur, pulling her closer.
She comes willingly, pressing her body against mine in the warm water. I can feel every curve, every soft place. The desire that's always simmering between us flares to life.
"Axel," she breathes.
"I want you."
"Here? In the water?"
"Everywhere. Always."
I kiss her, deeper this time. My hands roam her body, relearning curves I touched just last night. She makes small sounds against my mouth, her nails digging into my shoulders.
"The dock," I manage. "There's a platform."
We make our way to the dock, where there's a lower platform meant for sunbathing. I lift her onto it, and she lies back, water droplets glistening on her skin in the fading sunlight.
"You're so beautiful," I tell her, kneeling between her legs.
"You say that a lot now."
"Because it's true. And I should have been saying it from the beginning."
I start at her ankle, kissing my way up her calf. She shivers despite the warm air. I take my time, worshipping every inch of her leg until I reach her thigh.
"Axel, please..."
"Patience, baby. I'm going to make this last."
I kiss and lick my way up her inner thigh, deliberately bypassing where she wants me most. Moving to her other leg, starting the whole process over. By the time I finally reach her center, she's trembling.
"Please," she gasps. "Stop teasing."
"I'm not teasing. I'm savoring every inch of you."
But I give her what she needs. My tongue finds her clit, and she cries out, her hands flying to my hair. I start slow, using broad strokes, letting her get used to the sensation. Then I focus, circling her clit with the tip of my tongue while my hands hold her thighs open.
"Oh God, Axel..."
I vary the pressure, the rhythm, learning all over again what makes her crazy. When I slide one finger inside her, she's already soaked.
"You're so wet for me," I murmur against her skin. "Love how responsive you are."
I add a second finger, curling them to hit that spot inside her while my tongue works her clit. Her hips start moving, grinding against my mouth.
"That's it. Take what you need."
I can feel her getting close. Her thighs are trembling, her breathing ragged. I increase the pressure slightly, the pace, pushing her higher.
"Axel, I'm... I'm going to..."
"Come for me. Let me taste it."
The orgasm crashes over her. She screams my name, her whole body arching off the platform. I work her through it, not stopping until she's pushing at my head, oversensitive and gasping.
"Too much," she pants.
I kiss my way up her body, taking my time. Stopping at her ribs to bite gently. Sucking a mark on her breast that makes her whimper. By the time I reach her mouth, she's recovered enough to kiss me back desperately.
"Your turn," she says, her voice husky.
"You don't have to..."
"I want to." She pushes at my chest. "Lie down. Please. I want to make you feel good."
The please does it. I lie back on the platform, and she kneels between my legs. Her hand wraps around my cock, and I groan at the contact.
"Tell me what you like," she says, stroking experimentally.