Chapter 16
The silence of the woods envelops us, the darkness outside mirroring the uncertainty shadowing my heart. Axel”s safe house, with its sleek lines and soft lighting, feels like a cocoon, separate from the world I know. He stands by the window, gaze lost in the forest that stretches beyond.
I can”t help but break the silence. ”Ever think about trading all this for a nine-to-five?” My attempt at humor is feeble, but it does the trick. Axel turns, a half-smile tugging at his lips.
”In what universe would Axel Creed sit behind a desk?” His voice is low, teasing.
I shrug, feeling a smile of my own emerge. ”Maybe one where he doesn”t have to worry about paparazzi or... stalkers.”
He steps closer, and I can feel the weight of his gaze. ”And would Sasha Cruz be content with an ordinary life?”
”Maybe,” I confess. ”Sometimes I dream about being someone who doesn”t have to think twice about walking down the street.”
Axel nods, understanding etching his features. ”Freedom”s a luxury when it”s been snatched away from you.”
The mood shifts as our laughter fades into something more serious, more raw. He looks at me with those intense blue eyes that seem to see right through me.
”You”re not just ”someone,” Sasha. You”re extraordinary.” The words hang between us, heavy with unspoken emotion.
”I don”t always want to be,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. ”Being extraordinary comes with too much baggage.”
He closes the distance between us in two strides. ”Then let me carry some of it for you.”
It”s hard to breathe when he”s this close, his presence so commanding yet so gentle. I can almost taste the promise in his words.
”You already are,” I say as I meet his gaze squarely. The air crackles with tension and something more—desire.
We”ve danced around each other since he came back into my life—two people with too much history and too much at stake. But tonight feels different; there”s an undercurrent pulling us together, impossible to ignore.
Axel brushes a strand of hair from my face, his touch sending shivers down my spine. ”I want more than just carrying your burdens,” he confesses in a gravelly voice that sends warmth flooding through me.
”And what is it that you want?” My heart races in anticipation of his answer.
”You,” he says simply. ”All of you.”
His words unravel me. They”re not just about desire; they”re about connection, about seeing each other beyond our scars and fears.
I lean into him then, because despite everything telling me to guard my independence fiercely, Axel Creed makes me feel seen in ways I never thought possible.
His lips find mine in a kiss that”s both an answer and a question—a merging of past pain and present longing—and I kiss him back like he”s my anchor in these troubled waters.
Breaking away from his lips, I catch my breath and look up at him. ”Axel,” I start, feeling the weight of what”s unfolding between us. ”I”m not good at this—letting someone in. It scares the hell out of me.”
He nods, his expression softening. ”I know. And I”m not going to pretend I”m not scared too.”
”Scared?” I ask, surprised by his admission.
”Yeah.” He runs a hand through his hair, a rare sign of nervousness from the man who always seems in control. ”Scared of messing this up. Of hurting you.”
His words strike a chord deep within me. It”s not just about physical safety; it”s about the emotional stakes that come with letting someone close.
I reach up to touch his face, tracing the stubble along his jawline with my fingers. ”You won”t hurt me,” I say quietly. ”Not like you think.”
He leans into my touch, closing his eyes briefly before meeting my gaze again. ”I want this, Sasha—us—but not if it means putting you at risk.”
My heart swells at his protective nature—so strong and honorable—but also at the fear lurking beneath his confident exterior.
”I want us too,” I confess. ”And for what it”s worth, you make me feel safe—not just from some stalker but safe to be myself.”
He pulls me closer until there”s no space left between us. ”That goes both ways,” he says seriously. ”You make me feel like maybe... maybe there”s more to life than just being on guard all the time.”
In this dimly lit room, with the fire casting shadows on the walls and Axel holding me like I”m something precious, everything shifts into place.
The early light sneaks in, casting a soft glow over Axel”s stubbled jaw as he breaks away from our kiss, his breath mingling with mine. He”s got that look in his eyes—the one that says he”s just as undone as I am, but still every inch the protective military man.
”Shit, Sasha,” he murmurs, his forehead resting against mine. ”What are we doing?”
I laugh softly, the sound bubbling up from a place of contentment I hadn”t known was there. ”I think it”s called making out like teenagers, Creed. Haven”t you read the manual?”
His chuckle vibrates through me. ”Must”ve missed that chapter. Been too busy with the ones on how to keep you safe.”
”Uh-huh,” I tease, tracing the tattoo peeking out from under his sleeve—a reminder of his strength and the battles he”s faced. ”But right now, I”m feeling pretty damn invincible.”
Axel captures my hand, pressing a kiss to my palm before looking up at me with those piercing blue eyes. ”You always were a badass, Sasha. Even when you don”t see it yourself.”
The intensity between us shifts into something even more palpable as Axel guides me toward the bedroom—his hands firm yet tender on my skin.
With each step we take, I”m acutely aware of the balance I”m trying to maintain—my love for this man and my need to stay true to myself.
But as Axel lays me down and our bodies entwine with a passion that feels like coming home, all thoughts fade except one: here in his arms is where I find peace amidst chaos.
Our movements are a dance of give and take—Axel”s protective nature clashing with his desire to dominate while cherishing me all at once.
And me? I”m surrendering to the whirlwind of sensations he evokes—the brush of his lips on my collarbone, his hands mapping out a path only he knows on my body, the way our gazes lock and everything else falls away.
This isn”t just about pleasure; it”s about trust and acceptance—of him, of myself, of us.
As we move together in harmony with the morning light caressing us softly, I can”t help but think this is exactly where we”re meant to be—at the precipice of something new and terrifyingly beautiful.
The first light of dawn is a sly intruder, sneaking past the curtains and laying a gentle touch on Axel”s sleeping face. I”m wide awake, still tangled in the sheets and in the man whose snores are soft rumbles of contentment. He”s got one arm flung over me, possessive even in sleep, and I can”t help but smile.
”You know, for a guy who”s all about stealth and strategy, you sure do snore like a bear,” I whisper.
Axel stirs, his eyes fluttering open to meet mine. ”Only around you,” he mumbles, his voice gravelly with sleep. ”You disarm me.”
I chuckle, the sound bouncing around the quiet room. ”Literally or figuratively?”
”Both.” He tightens his hold on me. ”But don”t let it get to your head.”
”Too late,” I tease back, pressing a quick kiss to his stubbled jaw.
The room is filled with that easy silence, the kind you can only have with someone when all the walls have come down. I trace the tattoo on his arm, each line a story I want to learn by heart.
”I never took you for an early riser,” he says.
“I was just thinking…” I admit. Even in the relative peace of the morning, my mind is still working through the details of everything that happened in the last few weeks. “How did Damian know that I have any connection to you?” It’s not an accusation, but the question has been lingering in the back of my mind since Axel told me about their connection.
Axel takes a deep breath, his expression hardening slightly. “Well, I may have mentioned to the guys on my team at some point that I’d had a thing with Sasha Cruz. You end up talking about things waiting for you back home—things like your love life. Hell, half of them didn’t even believe me, but I guess Ramirez did, and he must have told Damian about it.”
“Okay.” I nod, trying to take it all in. I’m not sure whether to be embarrassed, flattered, or something else. It’s not like I hadn’t mentioned my little fling to Tessa when I had the chance. Who knew a little gossip could have such disastrous consequences?
“Okay?” Axel repeats, trying to read my reaction.
“I understand,” I say, trying to reassure him while making sense of it myself. “I’m not angry you talked about it. I’m just trying to fathom how one night led to… all of this.” I gesture outward, to the world, to palpable chaos hovering over our lives.
Axel nods with understanding. He moves to pull me into an embrace, and I lean into it, taking a deep breath of the crisp morning air. It”s different here—cleaner, more hopeful.
”It”s a new day,” I muse, melting into the security of his arms. ”Feels like anything could happen.”
He kisses my neck gently. ”Anything good?”
”Better be.” I turn in his arms to face him. ”We”ve got enough bad to last us.”
He nods solemnly. ”We”ll handle it together.”
It”s not just words; it”s a vow coming from a man who”s all about honor and commitment—a man who has seen darkness but still believes in the light.