Like he’s been doing for weeks, Axel slips into my bed without asking, but tonight, we both stay fully clothed.
“Don’t let this ruin your day,” he murmurs in the dark. “Let him cool off. We’ll work through it.”
“I hope so. I can’t stand him being mad at me again. I just got him back.”
Axel kisses the top of my head. “I’ll talk to him tomorrow. I promise. He won’t shut you out again. I won’t let him.”
We lie there in comfortable silence for a while, but sleep doesn’t come. Not yet. There’s something else on my mind.
“Hey, Axel?”
“Yeah, Princess?”
“Do you think Nik will be mad?” I hesitate. “You know… because we...?”
“Yes,” he answers immediately. “But not because of what you think. He won’t care that you and I were together. He’s just gonna be mad as hell he wasn’t here to watch.”
I smack his arm.
“What?! I’m serious. Your boyfriend is a serious pervert,” he deadpans.
“One of them sure is…” I grumble, joking.
“But that’s good.” I exhale. “I don’t think I can handle anyone else being angry with me right now.” I pause. “You two really don’t mind sharing, do you?”
“No,” he says honestly. “But that kind of comes with our… situation. We care about each other, but we still love women. As long as we’re together, we’ll probably have an open relationship to an extent. Unless we find someone who means something to both of us.”
He slyly adds, “You know, maybe someone with golden hair and blue eyes. About 5’5”. Smokin’ hot. Bit of a smartass.”
I snort. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re cute.”
“Thanks for making me laugh.”
“Anytime.”
Chapter 39
We’re once again roused from sleep by Johnny, but this time it’s still dark out. He signals for us to stay quiet. I freeze when I spot the revolver in his hand.
“There’s someone in the house,” he whispers, voice like steel. “Axel, grab a gun and stay with Lina. Lock yourselves in, and don’t leave her. No matter what. I need to find out what’s going on.”
He’s gone before we can respond.
Axel moves fast, disappearing through the bathroom into his room to retrieve the Glock from his gun safe. I lock the door behind Johnny and wait, heart pounding. Axel returns within a minute and locks the bathroom door behind him, sealing us in.
We sit in silence, our ears straining to hear anything beyond the pounding of our own hearts. Every creak, every breath feels too loud. Minutes stretch like hours. I’m about to ask if we should check on everyone, when two gunshots ring out. One after another. Followed a few seconds later by a third.
I cry out and grasp onto Axel, shaking like a leaf.
“In the closet, now. You need to hide.” He grabs me by the arm and forces me into the tiny space.
“No! Don’t leave me!” I clutch onto him, desperately. I can’t be alone. Not again. Not with this kind of fear crawling up my spine.
“I’m not leaving the room, Princess,” he promises. “I’ll be right here, guarding the doors. But I need you in here so I know where you are and that you’re safe. Okay?”
The last thing I want is to be a distraction. But, seconds later, footsteps thunder up the stairs.
