Series: Lee Savino
Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66414 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66414 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“Guys?” Maisy walks down the stairs, yawning. Her hair is tousled from sleep. I hold out my arm, and to my delight, she comes right to me and tucks herself into my side.
“Hey, Axel,” she greets him. “What are you guys talking about?”
“Just planning to get back to Bad Bear,” I lie.
“Oh.” Her shoulders sag. “All good things must come to an end.”
Maisy
I try to get Axel to stay for breakfast, but he refuses, saying he has to get back to Vegas. “Maisy, will you walk me out?” he asks, and I feel Matthias stiffen. Something’s up between them.
Before I can ask what, Matthias releases me. “Go on,” he urges although I could’ve sworn he was reluctant for me to go only a second before. “I’m making omelettes.”
“Yum, thank you.”
I escort Axel to the door. He won’t let me go outside because I’m barefoot, even though I’m warm enough in the blue lounge set and the sunny and 60 degree Vegas January is so much warmer than New Mexico.
“You good?” Axel asks, studying me intently. I noted him staring at my diamond necklace when I was in Matthias’ arms. As if he knows it’s more than a necklace.
“Yeah,” I say. “Better than good.” I resist the urge to squirm. I feel like he can see the marks that are under my lounge set.
“Good. If that changes, let me know.” He leaves me frowning.
Does he think that he needs to protect me from Matthias? Matthias seems to think so too. It makes me resolve to prove that I can handle him.
“Hey hubby,” I return to the kitchen and give Matthias a kiss. “So, we’re leaving?”
“Tomorrow. As much as I’d like to keep you here…” he doesn’t look happy about heading home, and that makes me feel better.
A spike of anxiety hits me. It’ll be good to get back to Bad Bear but what happens between me and Matthias? Will we still be a couple? I mean, we’re legally married, and he’s giving me sex lessons, but does he have any intention of keeping this up when we get back? Or will it all be over?
“I guess honeymoons don’t last.”
I wait for him to say it won’t be over, but he’s all business.
“We need to deal with Lucky Lou and Allen. We're keeping tabs on Lucky Lou. He’s searching for your father, too.”
“Got it,” I say briskly because I'm an adult, and I can handle this. “What will you do when you find him?”
“It’s up to you, beautiful.”
“I don’t know!” I’m flustered. I don’t want my dad hurt or in trouble, but I also never want to see him again.
For a moment his eyes flare with a blue light. “Whatever you want, I’ll do,” he rumbles.
I grab us both coffee and wait for him to serve up the omelettes. “What was that with Axel?” I ask because I don’t want any secrets between us. “You both seemed tense.”
He puts down his fork, a muscle jerking in his cheek. “I asked him if he was in love with you.”
“Axel? With me?”
“Don’t sound so surprised. You’re a pearl beyond price.”
I look away, my eyes smarting. Wow. Okay. Maybe it won’t be over when we get back.
“We’re just friends,” I tell him, touching my diamond necklace to reassure myself it’s there. “We’re not really close, but…he always seems to show up at the right time. Just every once in a while, he’ll roll up in one of his muscle cars or a bike or whatever he’s working on and honk the horn. And he’ll take me for a drive.” I smile because riding around with Axel was such a nice reprieve from the stress of my life. “We don’t even talk much. We just listen to music, or look at the view. It’s nice. Not more than a few times a year, but… he seems to know when I’m feeling down.” I let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Daisy probably calls him.”
“No, I bet he just knows when you need him. He’s quiet, but he pays attention.”
“He’s always been there for me.”
“It should’ve been me,” Matthias growls. His eyes flash blue, and I’m learning that’s when his bear is coming to the surface. His anger and regret, raw emotion bleeding through. “It should’ve been me. I never should’ve stayed away. I missed so much…”
My heart swells.
“I’m here now.” I take his hand and rub my finger over the gold band he put on as his wedding ring. He sighs. I feel his regret and understand it. If I had known he had feelings for me, maybe we could have dated even sooner.
But no, I probably wasn't ready. I'm not even sure if I'm ready now. So I take a deep breath and tell him what I really want. “We have one last night in Vegas. Why don’t we make the most of it? We could have a night on the town.”