“To talk about you.” He met my gaze and held it. “And him.”
Anger stirred inside me, and I clenched my fists. I had a good idea what Axel had talked to Nick about, and he had no fucking right. “Nothing to do with Nick and me is any of your business.”
“A fact that was pointed out to me more than once today.” Axel’s smile was wry.
I sneered at him. “I’m very angry at you right now.” I flexed my fingers, wanting to shove him up against the wall. Family or not, he’d overstepped some serious boundaries.
“I know you are. And I’m sorry. I already apologised to Nick, but Dathal, I know you. And I know that youlikehim.” He tapped the side of his head, and I snarled at him.
“I can’t control it over here, you know that,” he added, looking away guiltily.
“Fuck.” I closed my eyes, forcing myself to calm down because Ididknow that, and getting angry at Axel couldn’t change the fact that he was right. “I do like him. There’s something about him, I just… I want to know more.” I held a hand up when he went to speak. “But I’m not stupid, Axel. I’m well aware that my time this side of the gateway is limited. I’m not about to start something serious with Nick. Even if he was interested, and I don’t know that he is, it wouldn’t be fair on either of us.”
Axel looked at me for a long, drawn-out moment, and for once I couldn’t read him. Not without using my magic, and I refused to do that again. “He would be interested.”
“Axel—”
“It was just a flash, but anyone in the room could see it. That’s not all though.”
“What do you mean?”
Axel bit his lip, uncertain.
“If it’s something private that Nick wouldn’t want me to know, then don’t tell me. It’s not fair.”
“I know, but—”
“But nothing. I appreciate you wanting to tell me, and I know you can’t help when it happens, but people are entitled to their privacy. Unless it puts someone’s life in danger, then you need to keep it to yourself.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, you’re right. I shouldn’t have mentioned it.”
We stood there in Axel’s kitchen, looking at one another until I couldn’t take it any longer. Striding over to him, I pulled him into a rough embrace. Despite living on Calder pack land, Axel felt like home, and he always would. I breathed him in, his magic familiar and comforting, and it brushed up against mine in a way that made me relax against him. “I’m sorry I got angry with you.”
Axel snorted. “I’m just glad you didn’t reach for your daggers.”
“I would never.” I pulled back and smirked at him. “Besides, I don’t need weapons when it comes to you.”
He raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. “You’re lucky you’re pretty, D. It’ll make people overlook your delusional mind.”
“Whatever you say.” I laughed at him and nudged his shoulder with mine. “I am pretty though, right?” I gave him my best come-hither look and he shuddered, shoving me away.
“Ugh, stop that. Save it for the club.” He checked the time on his phone. “Talking of which, we need to get ready. I put the clothes I bought you on your bed.”
“Do I really need them?” I glanced down at what I had on. As a member of the fae guard, I had a uniform that was required when on duty, but over here it was common to adopt a more conservative approach. I’d acquired a few outfits on my visits through the gateway, mainly suits, as I liked the way they looked. On me and on others.
Axel grimaced. “You cannot go to Midnight dressed like that.”
I tugged at my suit trousers. “No?”
“No. It’s re-opening night, we need to make more of an effort. You’d be better off wearing your leather guard uniform.”
I grinned. “I have it with me.”
“No.” He rolled his eyes at me. “I’ve seen how tight that thing is. You’d be fighting them off with a stick.”
“Isn’t that the point?” I wondered if a certain dark-haired witch would like it, then immediately pushed that thought away.
Not happening.
