Chapter 6:
Alethea's POV
Axel's arms wrapped around me, holding me close. Our bodies were pressed together, our faces inches apart. I could feel his warmth, his scent enveloping me. My heart raced, my pulse pounding in my ears.
“You're not getting rid of me that easily,” he whispered, his voice husky and low.
I struggled to free myself, but he held me firm. His eyes burned with intensity, his gaze piercing mine. I could see the frustration and desire in his eyes, and it only made me angrier.
“Let me go, Axel,” I demanded, my voice firm but my body betraying me. I could feel my arousal, my desire for him. It was infuriating.
But Axel just smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Oh, I don't think so,” he whispered, his lips inches from mine.
“So, I'm sorry to crash this party, but I'd like to know what is going on,” Elaine said, her look stern as she came to sit in her space, staring up at us. Using this opportunity, I immediately pushed Axel away, glaring at him repeatedly as I adjusted my clothing.
“I just wanted to correct my mistakes, I spilled hot coffee on her and if not properly attended to might leave a scar but she's having none of it,” Axel said, furrowing his eyebrows at me.
“Well if she said, she doesn't need your help, she certainly doesn't. Alethea has never thrived on others' attention so just leave her alone… considering how much you consistently kept degrading her since the party, you should actually...” Elaine's statement was cut short by someone rushing through the door, a man dressed in suit, his perfume, overcoming the scent of the coffee as soon as he stepped into the small shop.
“Sir, we've been looking for you…” Axel raised his hand, stopping the man from finishing his words.
Taking a step closer to me, he brought his head closer to me and whispered, his minty breath trashing my face, “I was out of line yesterday and earlier today, give me a chance to make it up to you. Please call me on this number.” He said, tucking a card into my clenched fist by my side and with that he turned and left.
I glared at Axel's retreating back, my anger and frustration still at the peak. “I'm going to throw this card away,” I said, clenching my fist around it.
But Elaine's voice was calm and measured as she sipped her coffee. “I don't think you want to do that, Alethea. He's a ticket to your revenge plan, remember?”
I turned to her, my eyes flashing angrily. “Revenge plan? You think I need him for that? That revenge plan became null and void when he insulted me three times in a row in less than 24 hours.” I huffed, folding my hands over my chest as I sat down angrily.
“You want to take down Kaiden, don't you?” Elaine asked, quirking an eyebrow at my answer. “Axel is the perfect person to help you do that.”
“I don't need anyone's help.” I replied with a scoff, avoiding her gaze that was now trained on my face.
Elaine sighed, taking another sip of her coffee before continuing, “Alethea, you're not thinking clearly. You're angry and hurt, and that's clouding your judgment. But I'm telling you, Axel can be useful. And besides, you can't deny the fact that you keep running into him. That's not coincidence, that's fate.”
I rolled my eyes at her words. “Fate? You don't even believe in fate, Elaine.”
Elaine smiled cheekily at my comeback, she probably knew she had won me over. “Maybe not, but I believe in opportunity. And this is an opportunity you shouldn't pass up.”
Two days later, Elaine convinced me to call Axel. I dialed the number on the card, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Axel,” he answered, his voice deep and smooth.
“It's Alethea,” I said, my voice curt and devoid of any softness. I wanted to create a picture in his head that I didn't care about him, should he decide to be rude but I pretty much found out it wasn't needed.
"Alethea,” he repeated, his tone softening as he made my name roll off his tongue, in a way Kaiden had never done. “I'm glad you called. I was starting to think I'd have to come find you.”
“Now I'm wondering what else that tongue can achieve.” Astrid said, but I shut her out to concentrate on what I was doing.
“Come find me?” I repeated, raising an eyebrow. “What do you want, Axel?”
“I want to make it up to you,” he said. “I was out of line, and I know it. But I promise to make it right. Let me take you to dinner, and we can start fresh.”
I hesitated, unsure of what to do. But Elaine's words echoed in my mind, and so I agreed.
We met at a high-end hotel, the kind of place I never would have set foot in before. Axel was waiting for me in the lobby, looking handsome in a tailored suit.
“Alethea,” he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “You look stunning.” His smile was so genuine, I almost forgot to breathe.
I felt a flutter in my chest, but I pushed it aside. “Let's just get this over with,” I said, deciding to play the indifferent card as I followed him into the restaurant.
The deal I had made with myself was not to get too comfortable with him.
But as we sat down at our table, something unexpected happened. We started talking, really talking, and I found myself laughing and smiling. Axel was pretty charming and witty, and we had more in common than I thought.
As the night wore on, I found myself feeling more and more at ease. And when Axel walked me out of the restaurant, his hand on the small of my back, I didn't feel the need to pull away like I would've.
“Thank you for tonight,” I said, looking up at him.
Axel smiled, his eyes glinting in the night sky, one hand in his pocket. “Anytime, Alethea. Anytime.”
We were suddenly interrupted by a clicking sound of high heels, we both turned to see who it was and there we were, face to face with Victoria. I felt a shiver run down my spine.
“Axel,” she spat, her voice venomous. “It's really true that you've found a new plaything.”
Axel's hand tightened on my back, and I felt a surge of protectiveness from him. “You're being rude Victoria Vale. Show a little respect for yourself as well as others” he said, his voice calm but firm.
Victoria sneered. “Rude? You're the one who's being rude, Axel. You're parading this… this… girl around, and you have the nerve to act like you're some kind of saint?”
I felt a flush rise to my cheeks, but Axel just smiled. “Victoria, this is Alethea. And she's not just any girl. She's someone special.”
Victoria stopped for a while, giving me another look, “Alethea? Elaine's friend from the ball? How dare you?” she rapped, her eyes blazing with fury as she came forward. Turning to face Axel, she said, “You don't even know anything about her, whereas you've known me for years and I've given you everything.”
“I do know she's nothing like you. That counts as something right?” Axel said, pulling me closer watching as Victoria's face became more hideous.
Snorting, she replied, “You're just infatuated with her, Axel. You don't know what you're getting yourself into. But you'll come back to me, you always do.”
Axel didn't say another word, but instead he turned to me and said, “Why don't we get out of here? I'll drop you at home.” He offered but before I could say a word…
I felt a force suddenly push me sideways and based on how impromptu it was, I didn't have the time to hold my ground and I already thought I was going to fall when I felt strong hands pull me mere inches from the ground. I fell against a rock hard warm chest while I tried to steady my breathing.
“Get her out of here!” Axel's low and magnetic voice came, his breath splashing against my neck. I heard them trying to pull a shouting Victoria away while I just laid on his chest, listening to his heart beat.
He suddenly pulled my head slowly away from his chest, “Are you hurt?” he asked but I slowly shook my head, nibbling on my lower lips. He smiled, his fingers pinching my jaw to stop me from chewing my lips.
I could see myself so clearly in his eyes and I became lost in them, even as he stared back at me and suddenly as if an invisible thread was pulling us together, he inched closer to me while I subconsciously dropped my lips slightly, holding my breath in expectation for what I knew was to come.
But just before our lips crashed, I heard someone call out my name.
“Alethea!”
Kaiden!!!