Axel made a sound like a dying animal. “I’m deactivating that fucking elevator. And surrounding my place with a moat.”
Looking like it literally tortured him, he stepped out of the tub and wrapped a fluffy towel around me with the careful, mournful movements of a man whose dreams had just been destroyed. He dried himself off quickly.
“Fucking hell.” Axel stormed into the hallway, muttering, “Protect and serve … more like interrupt and ruin …”
With the towel securely fastened around my body, my plan was to dart into the bedroom and get dressed so I could give the police my statement. But right as Axel said, “The hell are you two doing here?” I froze.
Turned.
And saw that it wasn’t the police who had interrupted us. It was Ryker and Faith.
Whose gaze had been busy taking in Axel’s soaking wet pants (and probably his massive erection) before snapping to me, wearing nothing but a towel, caught sneaking toward his bedroom.
Faith smirked. “Well, looks like you’re feeling better.”
“What are you doing here?” Axel repeated angrily.
“The police are downstairs,” Ryker said matter-of-factly. “Remember how I arranged to have you give your statements here?”
“I thought they were showing up later,” Axel said.
“Itislater.”
“Did you get”—Faith’s eyes glided over Axel’s godlike form—“distracted? Time run away from you?”
Axel shoved his hands down in front of his crotch.
Which only made Faith’s smirk widen as she offered me a wink. “I can see what the appeal is. Congrats, girl.”
“Faith!” I protested.
She shrugged. “If you have to be fake engaged to him, at least you’re getting the real perks too.Bigones. Good for you.”
Axel looked up at the heavens like he willed them to swallow him whole.
“Want us to reschedule?” Faith waggled her eyebrows. “I mean, we could always tell the police you were … indisposed.”
My cheeks incinerated. The idea of them all leaving, knowing we’d be having sex? I think not.
“No,” I said quickly.
“We can’t reschedule,” Ryker chastised, ever the responsible one.
Okay, Axel could have made an effort to look less disappointed.
“What are you two doingtogether?” I wondered aloud.
Because looking closer, was it just me, or was Faith’s hair a little mussed?
“Bumped into him downstairs,” Faith explained. “I was coming here to check on you.” She smirked. “Looks like you’re feeling great though.”
After a few seconds, Axel pinched the bridge of his nose, told them to sit in the living room, that he was going to change, and when he approached me, he leaned down and whispered, “Biggest case of blue balls I’ve ever had, Sunshine.”
I chuckled. “At least now I know Faith approves of your … assets.”
“Jesus Christ,” he muttered, but I caught the hint of a smile as he disappeared into his bedroom.
Faith called after us, “Take your timegetting dressed! We’ll just be out here … not thinking about what we just interrupted!”
