Chapter 33
Ever since my run-in with Darren, Ben basically assigned Axel as my full-time babysitter.
School is finally out for winter break, but before that, the rules were clear: go to school with Axel, come home with Axel, don’t go anywhere without Axel.
We’ve spent so much time together over the past two weeks, I’m amazed we haven’t murdered each other.
Don’t get me wrong, at first, it was fun being together constantly. But then the little things started getting under our skin. Now, we’re just annoying each other on purpose. If we make it to the new year without bloodshed, it’ll be a Christmas miracle.
Finals flew by in a blur of caffeine and stress, but we did it. Pending final grades, I am officially a high school graduate. Axel, Nik, and Jessie all swore they wouldn’t survive the next semester without me. Rachel had no comment. Naturally.
Before I know it, Christmas morning arrives, and Axel wakes me up in true Axel fashion: by getting a running start and launching himself onto my bed.
“I swear to God,” I groan, shielding myself with a pillow. “I’m going to knee you right in your Christmas cheer.”
He just grins and leans down to give me the sweetest kiss.
“Merry Christmas, Princess.”
“Merry Christmas, Asshole.”
He frowns dramatically. “Someone’s not in the holiday spirit.”
“I haven’t had coffee yet. No coffee, no spirit.”
“Roger that. Come on, it already smells like someone brewed some.” He hauls me out of bed, and I toss a fluffy robe over my pajamas before we head downstairs.
In the kitchen, Axel guides me to the table and hands me a steaming mug.
A box of festive donuts sits in the middle of the table.
I grab one with white frosting and red sprinkles praying it’s filled with pudding.
Axel chooses a chocolate cake donut slathered in green glaze.
Honestly, it looks like something that belongs in the toilet.
“That looks nasty.”
He shrugs, already taking a bite. “I’ve had worse things in my mouth.”
I make a gagging sound, which is precisely when Maryanne walks in.
“Merry Christmas!” she chimes, as cheerful as ever. “Oh, good. You found the donuts!”
“Sure did. Lina says they look gross,” Axel tattles like on me. What are we, five? I sock him in the arm.
“Ow!” he yelps. “Mom! Lina hit me!”
“I’m sure you deserved it, sweetheart,” Maryanne replies without missing a beat, focused on pouring her coffee. God, I love her.
“Did you talk to Nik? What time did we decide on?” she asks.
“Nik said they’ll be here around five thirty. Dinner’s at six, right?”
“Right,” she says, distracted as she rummages in a drawer. “I love you two dearly, but please, for the love of God, stay out of the kitchen today. And do not mess.”
“Aye aye, Captain.” Axel gives her a salute. “Let us know if you need us to supervise anything. Like couch stability. Or hot chocolate taste testing.”
We finish our breakfast and carry the rest of our coffee upstairs. Axel snuggles up with me in bed, and we spend the morning and early afternoon watching old Christmas movies. It’s lazy, cozy, and perfect.
Around four, I kick him out so I can shower and start getting ready. I haven’t met Nik’s parents yet, and I’m nervous. I like Nik a lot, and I really want them to like me.
Once I’m done in the bathroom, Axel jumps in for his turn.
I’ve started keeping all my hair tools and makeup in my room so I don’t hold him up when we’re both getting ready.
I blow-dry my hair straight and run the flat iron over it until it’s extra smooth and shiny.
The last haircut I had was back in Arizona, and now it falls all the way to the top of my butt.
Despite the neglect, it’s still healthy.
I pull it half-up and tie a festive red ribbon around the base.
I keep my makeup simple with some liner, mascara, and a sheer red gloss. Once that’s done, I slip into a long-sleeved white top, faux leather skirt, black tights, and booties. Clean, classic, and very “meet the parents.” I hope.
Axel returns and makes himself comfortable on my bed while I finish up in the mirror.
He’s wearing a red-and-black checkered flannel, the top buttons undone to reveal a white undershirt beneath.
The sleeves are rolled up just enough to show off his muscular forearms. I catch myself staring. He notices.
Grinning, Axel comes up behind me and slides his arms around my waist. I lean back against his chest, and we watch each other’s reflections.
We look good together. His tan skin and dark features contrast against my pale coloring, and for a fleeting second, I wonder what our kids would look like. Would they have his brown hair? My blue eyes?
“What’re you thinking about?” he murmurs.
I flush immediately. “You don’t want to know.”
“Yes, I do.” He nuzzles my hair, voice low. “You got this happy, dreamy look in your eyes. I want to know what put it there.”
“No way.” I laugh nervously. “Nik should be here any minute. Let’s go wait for him.”
I try to step away, but Axel gently tugs me back by my hair.
“Mmm.” He brushes his lips against my ear. “I love when you wear your hair like this. It reminds me of Halloween.”
“Yeah?” My breath catches.
“Yeah. Now be a good girl and tell me what you were thinking. Maybe I’ll convince Nik you deserve a reward later.”
Damn it, he doesn’t play fair. I lick my lips.
“Okay, but don’t make it a thing,” I mutter. “It’s just… we were standing there, and I thought we looked good together. Which made me wonder, you know, how our genes might… combine.”
Axel sees right through me, and his expression softens into something warm and reverent.
“You were thinking about kids?”
“Umm… yeah? But like, scientifically.” I fidget. “It was just a passing thought. Curiosity.”
“Call it whatever you want.” His voice drops. “You were thinking about our baby. And it made you smile. Fuck. Why’s that so hot?”
Right on time, the doorbell rings.
“That’s Nik,” I whisper, already pulling away.
“Nik can wait.”
Axel kisses me, firm and possessive. By the time he pulls back, I’m breathless and ruined.
“Maybe one day,” he murmurs against my lips, “I’ll put a baby in your belly and we’ll find out.”
I let out a strangled squeak and bolt for the stairs, his laughter chasing me down.
By the time we reach the living room, Axel and I have mostly composed ourselves.
Mostly. But Nik takes one look at me from the couch, raises a single brow, and smirks like he knows exactly what we’ve been up to.
Thankfully, his parents are still in the kitchen with Ben and Maryanne and haven’t noticed anything yet.
I make a beeline for the couch and plop down beside Nik. Axel flanks me on the other side. Across from us, Johnny lounges in the armchair near the fireplace, playing on his phone.
Nik leans in, voice low and taunting. “Carolina, why are you flushed and rocking freshly kissed lips? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were making out with one of your stepcousins.”
Stepcousin. Right. Sometimes I forget Nik doesn’t know the full truth.
I whisper back sassily, “Well, Nikolai, I really don’t think that’s any of your business.”
He grins, all teeth and mischief. “Maybe not. But Axel should probably wipe your lip gloss off his mouth.”
I whip my head around, and sure enough, his mouth is tinted red and gleaming. My eyes go wide.
“Go wipe your mouth!” I hiss in a whisper-shout.
“Why? Then I wouldn’t taste like you.” Axel runs his tongue across his lips slowly, and for a second, I forget what I asked him to do.
“Axel! Please.”
“Alright, alright.” He rises, ever smug. “Be right back. Try not to make out with your stepcousin’s best friend while I’m gone.”
He winks.
The audacity.
I turn back to Nik with a sigh. “Do I look okay? Seriously? I don’t want your parents to hate me.”
He leans in brushing his thumb along the edge of my lower lip, cleaning up any rogue lip gloss, with unexpected tenderness.
“They could never hate you, Carolina. No one else will know what you’ve been up to in your free time.
The only reason I know is because I’ve spent many hours studying these pouty lips. ”
He holds my cheek in his hand, staring at me adoringly.
“Yeah?” I murmur.
“Yeah.”
“See! I told you they were dating!” Maryanne squeals from the kitchen.
I jump like I’ve been caught with my hand in the cookie jar and whip my head toward the kitchen. The four parental figures are all watching us now. Staring.
“What?” I ask, somewhat stupidly.
Johnny snorts from across the room, and I glare daggers at him.
“Sorry, sweetie! We didn’t mean to embarrass you!” Maryanne calls brightly.
“Uh…” I have no idea what to say.
Nik, thank God, takes charge. He stands and gently pulls me up with him, guiding me toward the kitchen.
“Carolina, this is my mom, Sasha, and my dad, Nik Senior. Mom, Dad, this is Carolina. My girlfriend.”
Oh. Oh. If looks could kill…
I blink rapidly as I shake hands with Nik’s parents, doing my best not to look like a liar and/or loose cannon.
Nik’s parents are not what I expected. His dad looks like someone who could play a billionaire villain in a Bond film.
He has stylish salt-and-pepper hair, broad shoulders, dangerous charisma.
His mom is equally stunning with matching manicured nails, chic outfit, and stiletto heels.
They have the kind of polished confidence that screams power couple.
“It’s so nice to meet you! Please, call me Lina.”
Right on cue, Axel reappears. I try to send him an SOS signal with my eyes.
He ignores it completely. Instead, he walks right up and wraps an arm around my waist. Sasha looks confused, and I can’t say I blame her.
Ben and Maryanne look puzzled, too. Nik Sr.’s eyes dart between the three of us, before hiding a knowing grin behind a sip of his drink.
He shoots Nik a wink, but keeps his mouth shut.
I’m sure he’s waiting to see how this is going to play out.
Fantastic.
“Axel!” I say, way too loudly. “Nikolai was just telling our parents the good news!”
Axel raises a brow. “Oh?”
I elbow him subtlety, trying to get him to back up. “You know... that we’re dating? Nikolai and I are dating.”
Maybe I’m imagining things, but I swear Nik Sr. snorts.
Axel chokes on a laugh but covers it with a fake cough. “Right. Yes. So excited. For you and... Nikolai.”
He gives my waist a playful squeeze and releases me before walking off to hide his amusement.
I want to die.
Thankfully, the oven timer dings like a divine intervention.
“Food’s ready!” Maryanne announces. “Everyone find a seat.”
Sasha insists I sit next to her so we can get to know each other. Nik takes the seat on my other side and discreetly squeezes my hand under the table.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispers, eyes twinkling.
“No, you’re not,” I mutter, calling him out.
He grins. Wide and utterly unrepentant. “Yeah. I’m really not.”
I shake my head, trying not to match his smile, but it’s a losing battle.
The rest of dinner passes uneventfully. Sasha turns out to be warm, intelligent, and surprisingly easy to talk to.
She's clearly curious about me, but she’s kind about it, not interrogative.
And once I relax a little, it’s actually nice.
Every time our fingers brush or Nik nudges my knee with his under the table, my heart stumbles a little.
I love being acknowledged as Nik’s girlfriend.
But I want everyone to know I’m Axel’s, too.
I know our dynamic may raise eyebrows. I get that it’s complicated.
Maybe even controversial. But the thought of having to hide what I feel for one of them, of having to make Axel feel like a dirty little secret, makes my stomach twist. I won’t do that.
Not to him. Not to either of them. But that’s a conversation for the future.
The food is incredible. We gorge ourselves on ham, roasted vegetables, a variety of casseroles, and warm, buttery bread that melts in my mouth. By the time we finish, I’m seriously considering undoing the top button on my skirt.