Her own words echoed in her ears.
Wouldn’t I have to wait until we completed our year of marriage?
Biting her thumbnail, she sent a message to her lawyer, then fell into bed. It had been a long day, and her mornings started early now, so she could get her stretches in before heading to the studio.
She didn’t speak to Axel until breakfast the next day.
“I need my driver,” he told her. “Heskel is arranging one to get you back and forth to the studio. Discuss it with him if you have any issues.”
She almost demurred, but she could see he had a lot on his mind. At least, that was what she hoped was behind his terse, distracted tone.
She couldn’t escape the thought that Axel didn’t need to be married to her anymore. He had only proposed to get Vorstoben, and now he had it. Did he even want to be married to her anymore?
The next few days passed in a blur. LaShonda said she would review the prenup contract and get back to her. Joy then missed an afternoon dance rehearsal to attend Otto’s service.
She wasn’t sure if it was the somber nature of the afternoon or all that was going on, but she felt very removed from Axel even when she stood beside him. They had barely seen each other since being away. They shared the bed for a few hours every night, but they hadn’t made love.
At the service, most of the people were from Vorstoben. Joy didn’t know any of them, but she smiled when she caught up with Heskel’s husband, Klaus. They’d only met a few times, and she was a little surprised he was here, considering he’d been treated so badly by Otto when he had his accident.
Klaus grinned wryly, saying, “Technically, I’ve been rehired by Vorstoben. Axel is keeping AxSev as an ancillary division. I’ll be the head engineer there. You didn’t know?”
It was another example of how estranged they’d become in a few short days.
“He’s been so busy, we’ve barely spoken,” she murmured, then saw Axel was looking for her. “Excuse me.” She hurried over to him.
“You two haven’t met. Mira, Joy.” Axel introduced her to the tall brunette.
Mira wore a black dress that flattered her slender frame. She spoke through the dotted veil on her tiny black hat. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“And you,” Joy said sincerely, holding out her hand. “I’m very sorry…” Her voice trailed off. Was she sorry for Mira’s loss? Sorry her birth mother had had an affair with a man who was married to Mira’s mother? “I’m sorry this is such a complicated mess,” she said with a pained smile.
“Me, too.” Mira’s lips twisted with pained humor. “I’ll also preemptively apologize for stealing so much of your husband’s time in the next while. There’s a lot to be dealt with, and I don’t really have anyone else to lean on.” Mira flinched as she said that.
Joy had the impression the anguish in her expression had nothing to do with losing Otto. She almost suggested they have a glass of wine sometime, but the service started.
It was yet another long, draining day. When they got home, Axel said, “Hot tub?”
“I have an early morning. I need to sleep.” She could have stayed up with him. The hot tub often led to lovemaking, and she could have used that stress release and a feeling of closeness with him.
Except she wasn’t sure how close they were anymore. She kept thinking,He doesn’t need me. It left an ache in her chest that she avoided by diving into sleep.
They didn’t have a proper discussion until two days later, on Saturday. She was dozing when Axel reached across the mattress for her.
“You’re here,” he said with sleepy discovery, grazing his palm over her hip, then pulling her closer.
Her blood zinged the way it always did when she came into contact with him, but she stiffened, panicking that she would turn emotional—desperate, even—if she made love with him.
“I thought you had the day off,” he said as she rolled away and sat up on the far edge of the bed.
“I do, but I have a costume fitting later.”
“Joy.” He sighed as he rolled onto his back. “We need to talk.”
“I know.” She didn’t want to, though. She would hear things that hurt. Maybe he might even say that he didn’t want to be married to her any longer.
She stood and began to dress in yoga pants and a loose shirt.
“Are you angry about the contract? That I said you shouldn’t pursue it?” He stayed in the bed propped on an elbow, looking dangerously sexy with his shadowed jaw and heavy eyelids.
