Chapter 13 Sadie
Sadie
Iclose the door and lean against it, every nerve ending still electric from Axel's touch.
My lips throb, hypersensitive from where his mouth devoured mine.
I trace them with my fingers, half hoping I’ll find evidence—an imprint, a sting, anything to remind me I wasn’t just imagining the way he took me.
His words echo, rough and possessive, curling around my spine and pooling heat between my thighs.
I squeeze my legs together as if that will stop the ache he left behind.
What am I doing?
I push off the door and move to the kitchen, filling a glass with water that I gulp down too fast. The cool liquid does nothing to extinguish the buzzing in my veins.
I've spent so long being careful, so long keeping my walls up, and now I'm practically melting at his touch.
I should be ashamed. I should be panicked, scrambling to put my armor back up. Instead, all I feel is a hungry pulse of want, low and insistent, drowning out the warning bells. I crave the next time he’ll touch me. The shame never comes, only the shock of how badly I want more.
I set the glass down, catching my reflection in the microwave door. Flushed cheeks, bright eyes, hair mussed where his fingers tangled in it. I barely recognize myself.
Each time I blink, I feel him all over again.
The rough scrape of his stubble against my skin.
The commanding grip on my jaw, forcing me to yield.
The hard press of his thigh right between my legs, pinning me so I could do nothing but take what he wanted to give and beg for more with every sound I made.
My body remembers and it doesn’t care about caution at all.
"Focus, Sadie," I mutter, splashing cold water on my face.
I have to get control. Poppy will be back soon, and the rest of my life is waiting—lawyers, deadlines, threats I can’t ignore.
But every time I try to focus, all I can see is the way Axel’s hands owned my body, the way his mouth claimed my secrets and left me desperate for more.
My body is useless, humming with need, making a liar out of every excuse I try to tell myself.
I cut off the thought, drying my face with a kitchen towel. On the counter lies the paper he brought me, the attorney referral. Melissa Chen, Portland. I pick it up, studying the neat handwriting.
Moving to my small desk in the corner, I pull out the folder where I've been keeping all of Marianne's information. I spread it out, comparing the timelines. Three weeks until the hearing. Evidence due two weeks before. It’s too much. I can’t focus with this ache running beneath my skin, with every breath dragging in memories of Axel’s scent, his strength.
I’m supposed to be preparing for battle, but all I want is another taste of him.
My phone feels heavy in my hand as I dial Marianne's number. She picks up on the second ring.
"Sadie," she says, her voice warm with relief. "I'm glad you called back."
"I'm sorry I've been avoiding this for so long," I tell her, sinking into the chair. "I thought if I ignored it, maybe it would go away."
"Unfortunately, the courts don't work that way," she says gently. "But we can still mount a strong defense. The key is that we need to act fast."
"I know." I rub my temple, where a headache is starting to form. "I've been given a referral for an Oregon attorney, Melissa Chen. Do you know her?"
"Chen?" Marianne sounds surprised. "Yes, she's excellent. Top-tier family law specialist. How did you get her name?"
I hesitate, not wanting to admit that Axel Slade is becoming more important to me than I'm ready to acknowledge. "A friend gave it to me."
"Well, your friend has excellent connections. If you can afford her, Chen would be a tremendous asset."
"I'll call her," I promise, jotting down notes as Marianne outlines our next steps.
We're discussing evidence collection when I hear the door to my apartment open. I glance up to see Rowan slipping in, a paper bag in her hand.
"I've got to go," I tell Marianne, wrapping up the call. "I'll email those documents tonight."
As I hang up, Rowan's eyes widen, her gaze fixed on my face. "Why do you look… pink?"
"I don't," I say automatically, turning away to shuffle papers.
"You do." She sets the bag on the counter and crosses her arms, a smile playing at her lips. "You're practically glowing."
I roll my eyes, but the warmth in her teasing loosens something in my chest. "Shut up."
"Brought you lunch," she says, unpacking a sandwich. "Figured you'd forget to eat." She pauses, studying me. "Axel stopped by the café looking for you."
I try to keep my voice casual. "I know."
Her eyebrows shoot up. "You know?"
"He came up here." I focus intently on reorganizing my papers, avoiding her gaze.
"He what?" Rowan's voice pitches higher with genuine shock. "Up here? To your apartment? Bold move."
"It wasn't like that," I mumble, though I can't stop smiling. "He brought me an attorney referral."
"Uh-huh." She leans against the counter, grinning. "And that's why you're blushing?"
I don't answer, but I can feel a smile tugging at my lips despite my best efforts.
"So…" Rowan draws out the word. "Have you changed your mind about him?"
I shrug, still pretending to organize my notes. "He's… not what I expected."
"Meaning?"
"He's dangerous," I say, voice softer than I want. "He’s so patient it scares me. Like he knows exactly how to wait me out. Like he’s already decided I’m his, and he’s just giving me time to catch up."
Rowan's teasing smile softens into something more genuine. "That's good, Sadie. You deserve someone who understands boundaries."
I slide the paper with Melissa Chen's information across the counter to her. "This is who he recommended. His sister knows her, says she's the best custody attorney in Oregon."
Rowan whistles low. "That's a serious connection. These top-tier family lawyers are impossible to get appointments with." She studies the paper. "Have you called her yet?"
"No—but I talked to Marianne." I take a bite of the sandwich Rowan brought, suddenly realizing how hungry I am.
"She says we need to file a response immediately, gather character witnesses, document everything about my life here, the café, Poppy's routine, our support system."
"What's Elliot's angle?" Rowan asks, her voice hardening at his name.
"Claims I kidnapped Poppy. That I'm unstable, unfit." The words taste bitter. "That I'm denying him his parental rights."
"Bullshit." Rowan's hand covers mine. "We have documentation of the restraining order, the hospital incident."
"All of which expired," I remind her. "And his family has connections in Oregon. Judges, politicians."
"Then we fight smarter." Rowan's jaw sets in that determined way I know so well. "What do you need from me?"
"Just back me up," I say, grateful for her unwavering support. "I need to handle this my way."
"Always." She squeezes my hand. "Your call, your lead. I'm just the backup muscle."
I take a deep breath, steadier now. "I need to go to Oregon next week. Start preparing."
"I'll watch Poppy," she offers immediately. "And help with the café."
Something else bubbles up, something I haven't allowed myself to voice. "He asked me out," I blurt.
Rowan blinks. "Axel?"
I nod, heat rising to my cheeks again.
"And?" she prompts, leaning forward.
"I told him I'd think about it." I bite my lip. "Just lunch."
"You should go," Rowan says without hesitation. "I can watch Poppy. You deserve a few hours away from all this."
I start to protest, to dig for all the sensible reasons I should keep my distance. I can’t remember a single one. Not when my lips still burn from his kiss, not when every part of me aches to say yes, to find out how far he’ll go if I let him.
"Maybe," I say softly. Not a yes, not yet. But for the first time in years, I'm not saying no, either. My body made the decision the second he touched me, betraying every rule I set. I can barely think straight, nerves humming and skin still tingling where his hands claimed me. My mind is spinning, trying to keep up, but it’s already too late. I’m his, whether I admit it or not.