The hair on the back of my neck stands on end at Axel’s menacing tone. I’ve never heard him sound so mad or dangerous.
“I don’t want you to meet Harrison. I don’t want you to meet my biggest mistake. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll never regret Felicity for a second, but the way she came to be is something I’ll have to live with for the rest of my life. When she gets older I think she’ll find out her dad was a married man.” I press my hand against my stomach, hating the fact that it’s a possibility Felicity will find out one day.
“If she finds out, she’ll understand. You were dancing to keep your dad alive, and you took comfort in someone you thought was someone else. It wasn’t your fault he lied to you.”
Tears slip down my cheeks. Axel’s too good for me. Here I thought he was the one who would ruin me. Now I’m starting to think it’s the opposite and I’ll ruin him. He’s making excuses for my fuck up, and he’s good enough to make them convincing even to me, the guilty party.
“Felicity's going to see what a strong independent mother she has, and she’s going to be proud of you. You made a mistake. But, instead of running from it, you made the best out of a shitty situation. You’re an amazing woman Emma don’t let some asshole make you think any less of yourself.”
The sob I’ve been holding back heaves out of me.
Axel moves to my front and gets down on his knees. His warm calloused hands cover my thighs as he stares at me. “Do you want to quit the Triplets?”
“Eventually I do, but not right now. Starting the Triplets has gotten me closer to my yoga studio than I’ve ever been. I figure if we can keep up the momentum for two more years, I’ll have enough to quit and start my own business.”
“Then do it for two more years.” I want to argue with him. Explain to him how pissed off Harrison was when I opened my door, but Axel keeps talking, “Don’t worry about some scumbag ex of yours. We can deal with him. You keep doing what you’re doing. We’ll figure out how to keep him away from you.”
“You don’t understand how powerful he is,” I whisper.
“You don’t understand how powerful you are.”
“What do you mean?” I ask as my tears dry up.
“Emma, you have the upper hand. He just doesn’t want you to realize it. Why did he make you leave his club? Why did he stop you from putting Fel in that preschool?”
“Because he didn’t want his wife to know about her,” I say, understanding what he is getting at.
“See you have the ace here. He doesn’t want his wife to know about Felicity, and so far you’ve done everything he’s asked you to do. He thinks he can order you around, but all you have to do is hint that you’ll tell his wife about Felicity and all his power is gone.”
“You’re right. Before I left one of the bartenders was talking about how Harrison’s wife owns the majority of the club. If she were to take it from him, he’d have nothing.”
Axel smiles at me, kissing my knees. “See, you just have to let him know you’re not going to let him push you around anymore. Two more years, and you’ll be out of the game for good. You just have to be strong for a little while longer. And I’m here to help you if you’ll let me.”
The vulnerability on his face is sexy as sin.
“Are you sure about this? I’m kind of a hot mess. I wouldn’t blame you if you cut your losses and ran now.”
Axel smiles as his mouth nips my thigh. “I like a challenge. And I like you.”
“I like you, too,” I admit.
“Promise me, you’ll let me know if he bothers you again. I don’t want you doing this on your own anymore. You let me in, and by the way I’m here to stay.”
My heart clenches from his words. He’s laying it out there, letting me choose him or deny him. Terror fills my stomach. If I let him in and he hurts me I don’t think I’ll be able to recover.
I look down and see the strength shining through him, and decide to jump.
“I promise, if Harrison shows up you’ll be the first to know. I’m in.”
Axel gives me a huge smile, leaning over me to plant his lips against mine.
15
Axel
She tastes of salt and sin my two favorite things. I drink her in pulling her bottom lip in my mouth sucking on it, savoring it. I grasp the chains of the swing getting her as close as I can. Emma opens her legs, enveloping me in her heat. After kissing her until her lips are swollen with my mark, I move down her face kissing her cheeks and nip her chin.