“My queen, Alena,” I snarl. “Every. Fucking. Time.”
He nods. “Same lesson I’ve learned with Ruby: Be loyal to your queen above anyone else. That’s our code. But Alena was our first princess, the first child of a king, and we’ve been learning this shit as we go: when do we protect them from the truth, and when do we tell them.”
I swallow. “Do you love Alena?”
“The same way you do Delphine. You know our bonds. I’ll die for our queens, but my love lives for Ruby. I can’t breathe without her.”
Axel doesn’t show his vulnerability. But he’s sharing it with me. Growing up, he guided me, pushed me even, but he never punched me, never hurt me.
He reads my pain.
Snaking his arm around my neck, he yanks me near. “I won’t be sorry for helping Alena, but I’m sorryyouhad to lie to her. It was a mistake. Protecting someone from the truth is another way of hurting them. We should’ve told her sooner. You should’ve been free to love her all along.” He grins. “Beat the shit out of me if it makes you feel better, and still, I’ll always love you, youbiglittle lion.”
I mutter into his shoulder, “Offer accepted, you bigoldlion.”
“Just wait until after my honeymoon.” He pats my back. “I need to get Ruby pregnant, and you’ll need to run from her bullet if you maim me before I do.”
I pull away. “I’m not kidding. I’m fighting every urge to flatten your face.”
He tsks. “Nah, it’s too pretty. But you can have a field day with my ribs.”
Asshole. Joking to make me forgive him. It works. A little.
“Nash is going to kill you.”
“That’ll suck because then Ruby will kill him.”
Axel’s resigned. Regal even, anticipating his punishment.It’s not the sentiment of a man who was overcome with lust for his best friend’s daughter. It’s the mark of a king, loyal to his queens, above all men.
“Itwillsuck,” I grit out. “It’ll tear this family apart, and Alena’s dreading it. So, let her tell him.”
He nods. This ain’t no kumbaya moment. Won’t be for a while. But the instinct to smash his skull open has passed.
I turn before it changes, but he summons me, “Lyov.”
I glance back.
“You’re the strongest king of all of us. You’re trulyhisson.” He swallows. “And I’m fucking proud to be your brother.”
I pivot with emotions choking my throat.
Axel once told me he watched Maxim tie a red ribbon on my crib. It’s a Slavic tradition, believed to protect new babies from evil spirits. And my brother was there because he was protecting me too. I don’t remember my real father, but I’ll never forget everything my brother has done for me.
It makes me return to my seat, lifting my chin, meeting Axel’s glacial eyes again.
I don’t hate you, you fucker.
Reading my glare, he grins back.
“How did it go?” Alena side murmurs.
“It’s a truce until he’s done breeding Ruby.Then,I can shoot his dick.”
She laughs, huffing. “God, that’s what I thought about the guys at work. Shooting dicks if they don’t protect Sasha Sheremetev. It’s a wonder it doesn’t happen more often: Dicks downed by bullets.”
I whip my gaze toward her. “What name did you just say?”
“Sasha.” Her brows pinch.
