Chapter 5
The conference room feels more like an interrogation chamber as I wait for the security team to arrive. My leg bounces nervously, my fingers drumming against the polished wood of the table. Tessa sits beside me, her presence a comforting anchor in the sea of uncertainty.
The door swings open, and Simon enters, followed by a group of men who look like they”ve stepped straight out of a military action movie. They”re all broad shoulders and steely gazes, their postures rigid with discipline.
But it”s the man who enters last that steals my breath. Tall and imposing, with piercing blue eyes and a jawline that could cut glass, he radiates power and control. And something else, too... something that makes my heart skip a beat. Familiarity.
It’s Axel.
”Sasha, I”d like you to meet Axel Creed,” Simon says, gesturing to the man. ”He”s the head of Sentinel Security and will be personally overseeing your protection detail.”
”Sasha,” Axel says, his voice a low rumble that resonates through me. I can hear the restraint, the professionalism. But there”s something else, a hint of the past, the ghost of a single night years ago.
”Axel,” I reply, my voice steady, betraying none of the turmoil inside me. I lift my chin, meeting his gaze head-on, refusing to let him see the effect he has on me.
As his hand envelops mine, a jolt of electricity shoots through me. It”s like a spark igniting, a connection forged in an instant. His touch is firm, his skin rough against mine, a reminder of the strength that lies beneath the surface.
I take my seat, trying to ignore the way my heart races at his proximity. The meeting begins, and Axel”s voice fills the room, commanding attention as he outlines the security plan.
”We”ll have a team stationed at all entry points, 24/7 surveillance, and a dedicated detail assigned to Sasha at all times,” he explains, his gaze sweeping the room. ”We”ll also be conducting a thorough risk assessment and updating the security protocols at all venues and events.”
As he speaks, I find myself studying him, trying to reconcile the man before me with the one I knew all those years ago. He”s different now, harder, more guarded. But there”s still a glimmer of the Axel I remember, the one who made me feel seen, understood, and alive.
The meeting progresses, and I try to focus on the details, the logistics, the practicalities of the situation. But my mind keeps drifting, pulled back to the memories of that night, the one that changed everything.
I remember the heat of his touch, the hunger in his eyes, and the way he made me feel like I was the only woman in the world. I remember the promises we made, the dreams we shared, the future we dared to imagine.
But that was then, and this is now. And as much as I might wish things were different, I know that the past is just that... the past.
As the meeting winds down, I feel a sense of relief wash over me. Maybe things will be okay. With Axel and his team on my side, I can face whatever comes my way.
But then, just as we”re about to wrap up, Simon”s phone rings. He steps away to take the call, his brow furrowed with concern.
I exchange a glance with Axel, seeing my own unease reflected in his eyes. Something”s wrong, I can feel it in my gut.
When Simon returns, his face is ashen, his eyes haunted.
”Sasha...” he begins, his voice trembling slightly. ”The stalker, they”ve... they”ve sent a package. To your home address.”
The words hit me like a punch to the stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I feel the color drain from my face as my hands start to shake.
I close my eyes, trying to steady my breathing, but it”s no use. The fear is back, the same icy terror that gripped me the first time this happened, when I still lived in Miami. The memories come flooding back—the endless messages, the threats, the constant feeling of being watched, of being hunted.
I thought I”d escaped that nightmare. But now, it”s back, and it”s worse than ever.
”What... what was in the package?” I manage to ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
Simon hesitates, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and concern. ”It”s... a broken piece of jewelry, Sasha. A necklace. And there was a note...”
He pauses, as if gathering the strength to continue. ”It said, ”I”m always watching, and I”m closer than you think.” And… there was a bullet, too.”
My blood runs cold, a wave of nausea washing over me. This isn”t just some overzealous fan or a harmless admirer. This is someone dangerous, someone who has been watching me, someone who wants me to know that they”re close, too close for comfort.
Axel”s voice cuts through the haze of my panic, steady and strong. ”Sasha, look at me.”
I force my eyes open, meeting his gaze. There”s a fierceness there, a determination that takes my breath away.
”We”re going to handle this,” he says, his voice low and intense. ”I promise you, I won”t let anything happen to you.”
I nod, not trusting myself to speak. I want to believe him, to trust in his strength and his protection. But the fear is still there, lurking in the shadows of my mind.
Simon clears his throat, breaking the tension. ”I think we need to discuss this further, in private.”
Axel nods, his jaw clenched tight. ”Agreed. Sasha, why don”t you head back to your dressing room? We”ll meet you there in a few minutes.”
I stand on shaky legs, my heart pounding in my chest. Tessa moves to follow me, but I shake my head. ”I need a moment—alone.”
She hesitates, but nods, understanding in her eyes. I turn and walk out of the room, feeling the weight of Axel”s gaze on my back.
The hallway is empty, the silence oppressive. I can’t outrun my unease as I move on autopilot towards my dressing room. Once inside, I lean against the wall, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.
I can”t shake the feeling of dread that”s settled in the pit of my stomach. The package, delivered to my home... it”s a violation, an invasion of my privacy and my sense of safety. It”s a reminder that nowhere is truly safe, that the stalker is always watching, always waiting.
And then there”s Axel. Having him back in my life, so close and yet so far, is like reopening an old wound. The attraction between us is still there, simmering beneath the surface. But it”s complicated now, tangled up in a web of history and hurt.
I don”t know how to untangle it, how to separate the past from the present. All I know is that right now, at this moment, I need him. I need his help and reassurance.
A knock on the door startles me out of my thoughts. I take a deep breath, straightening my spine and squaring my shoulders. I can”t let them see me like this—see the cracks in my armor.
I open the door, expecting to see Tessa or Simon. But it”s Axel who stands before me, his blue eyes intense and searching.
”Sasha, are you okay?” he asks, his voice low and gentle.
I nod, not trusting myself to speak. But he sees through the lie, sees the fear and the vulnerability that I”m trying so hard to hide.
”Hey,” he says, stepping closer. ”We”re going to get through this. I”m not going to let anything happen to you.”
He reaches out, his hand brushing against my arm. It”s a simple gesture, but it”s enough to break through the walls I”ve built around myself. I feel the tears welling up in my eyes, the sob catching in my throat.
And then, before I can stop myself, I”m in his arms, my face buried against his chest. He holds me tight, his chin resting on the top of my head.
”I”ve got you,” he murmurs, his voice a low rumble against my ear. ”I”ve got you, Sasha.”
We stay like that for a long moment, wrapped in each other”s embrace. It”s a stolen moment of comfort, of connection, in the midst of the chaos that surrounds us.
But eventually, I pull away, wiping at my eyes and taking a deep breath. ”I”m sorry, I just...”
”Don”t apologize,” he says, his voice firm but gentle. ”You have every right to be scared, to be angry. But you”re not alone in this. We”re going to face this together.”
I nod, feeling a flicker of hope ignite in my chest. With Axel by my side, I can face whatever comes my way.
A knock on the door interrupts the moment, and Tessa pokes her head in. ”Sasha, Simon needs to see you. It”s about the package.”
I feel the fear grip me once again, but I push it down, steeling myself for whatever lies ahead. I glance at Axel, seeing the same determination in his eyes.
Together, we walk out of the room, ready to face the unknown. But as we make our way down the hallway, I can”t ignore the feeling that this is just the beginning, that the worst is yet to come.
And then, Simon”s voice cuts through the silence, his words like a knife to the heart.
”Sasha, that package... it”s not just a threat. It”s a warning. That they know where you live, and that they”re coming for you.”
The world seems to tilt on its axis, the ground shifting beneath my feet. I feel Axel”s hand on my arm, steadying me, anchoring me.
But even his touch can”t chase away the icy fear that grips me, the terror that seeps into my bones. Because in this moment, I know that my worst nightmare has come true.
Axel”s voice breaks through the cloud of dread, his tone urgent yet reassuring. ”Sasha, we need to get you somewhere safe. Somewhere they can”t reach you.”
I nod, my mind reeling with the possibilities. A safe house? A hotel? But every option feels like a temporary solution, a Band-Aid on a gaping wound.
Simon clears his throat, his gaze darting between Axel and me. ”I have a suggestion. Axel, what if you moved into Sasha”s penthouse? You could provide 24/7 protection, and it would send a clear message to the stalker that she”s not alone.”
My breath catches in my throat, the idea simultaneously terrifying and comforting. Having Axel so close, so constantly present... It”s a thought that sends a shiver down my spine. But at the same time, the prospect of facing this nightmare alone is even more daunting.
Axel”s eyes meet mine, a silent question hanging between us. I can see the conflict in his gaze, the warring emotions of duty and desire. But there”s also a glimmer of something else... something that looks a lot like hope.
”It”s your call, Sasha,” he says softly, his hand still resting on my arm. ”I”ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe, but only if you”re comfortable with it.”
I take a deep breath, weighing the options in my mind. The rational part of me knows that having Axel close by is the smartest choice, the one that offers the most protection. But the emotional part of me, the part that still remembers the taste of his kiss and the feel of his skin against mine... that part is terrified of what it might mean to have him so intimately entwined in my life once again.
But in the end, the need for safety wins out over the fear of the unknown. I nod, my voice barely above a whisper. ”Okay. Let”s do it.”
Simon claps his hands together, a glimmer of relief in his eyes. ”Great. I”ll make the arrangements. Axel, you can move in tonight.”
Tonight. The word hangs in the air like a promise and a threat all at once. In just a few short hours, Axel will be sharing my space, my life, in a way that feels both familiar and altogether new.
As we make our way out of the building, Axel”s presence beside me is a solid reminder of the challenges that lie ahead. But it”s also a reminder of the strength that I have within me, the resilience that has carried me through every trial and tribulation.
And as we step out into the waiting car, my hand finds Axel”s, our fingers intertwining in a silent promise. Together, we”ll find a way to overcome the darkness that threatens to consume me.