Her days became filled with sly glances exchanged between her and Axel, a quick squeeze of the fingers when no one was around, and if they got lucky, a chaste kiss. She loved when their lips met, as his whiskers tickled her chin. Last night, she’d found out just how much that beautiful beard titillated her inner thighs as his tongue had stroked her core, bringing her to such heights of pleasure, she’d never wanted him to stop.
The best part of it all … whenever their gazes met, his aura exploded with love, passion, stability, and masculinity. It had become a virtual rainbow of positivity, and it warmed her more than any words could that all that amazing color was directed at her.
She knew they’d have to tell Hudson and everyone else that they’d become a couple, but she didn’t want to spoil her happiness. Hudson wouldn’t be pleased, and neither would Benedict. However, it was now her turn to live her life as she saw fit. Benedict couldn’t rule over her anymore, and she wouldn’t allow Hudson to, either. But, for just a little while longer, she wanted to live in happiness, cocooned in her little secret.
One thing she hadn’t discussed with Axel had been birth control. They’d had unprotected sex almost every single time, and she knew they had been irresponsible. He’d had sex with a lot of humans, but he couldn’t get any human diseases to pass on to her. She’d read up on the female cycle and realized her fertility period was a ways off, but it still concerned her.
Although, the way happiness gushed through her, she had daydreams of having a family with him. She imagined a wonderfully energetic little boy running around the house, and her heart ached with want. She and Axel hadn’t even discussed marriage, or a mating ceremony, as the SR44ians referred to it. They hadn’t even talked about tomorrow, or the next hour.
She startled as thick arms circled her belly and pulled her close to a massive wall of chest. She inhaled his natural scent—a bit of sweat mixed with a tinge of sandalwood soap—and smiled. Sighing and closing her eyes for a brief moment, she forgot about the groceries she had been putting away.
“Are you having a good day?” he whispered as he nibbled on her ear.
She nodded. Abby and Beverly had gone out to retrieve the rest of the groceries, and she worried they’d step back inside at any moment.
When she turned to him, her heart melted as she took in his blazing aura. “Did you get more tattoo work done?”
He nodded, his gaze darting to the door of the silo. “Yeah.”
“When can I see it?”
His lush lips turned up into a small grin, then he leaned in and kissed her nose. “When it’s done.”
He walked down the hall toward the second elevator and out of sight just as the door opened and Abby and Beverly walked in.
As she continued her task and the women’s discussion became background noise, she wondered about the tattoo. He’d been so careful to hide it from her, either with a bandage or a T-shirt, and she couldn’t help but think it had something to do with her. A man having a tattoo on his back devoted to her sent a tremor through her. Could there be more of a commitment one could give?
“What do you think, Eden?”
The sound of her name jolted her back into their conversation, but she hadn’t heard a word. She looked over at Beverly and Abby as heat crawled into her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t listening.”
Beverly set the milk down on the counter and crossed her arms over her chest. “You’ve been a bit distracted lately. Is everything okay?”
Her cheeks began to burn. Maybe she should just come clean to Beverly, but she’d rather have a private conversation. She liked her half-sister, Abby, just fine, but she didn’t feel ready to share her deepest secrets with her. “I’m fine.”
“Well, what we were saying is we were thinking about having a girls’ night out in the city. We could get a couple hotel rooms, maybe go see a play, have dinner … what do you think?”
I think I don’t want to be away from Axel.
“W-when?”
Beverly now furrowed her brow, her aura turning the color of confusion. Eden realized she’d been begging and pleading to spend more time in the city a short time ago, and now, they offered it to her. She should act more excited, as Beverly was giving her the chance to experience just what she wanted.
“Well, Abby said it would take some time to plan. We’d have to see who wants to go, then get the hotel and tickets to the play … maybe in a week or two?”
Eden smiled. “That sounds fun. Yes, count me in.”
Grabbing the lettuce and spinach, she turned to the refrigerator and put them away. It really didn’t sound like a good time at all. Now, a trip to the city with Axel to the tattoo parlor definitely piqued her interest. Perhaps she’d even get some ink herself. God knew Liberty, Jovan’s mate, had quite a bit. She admired Liberty because even though she had been born into servitude, she had broken free of her shackles and lived life the way she wanted. No one else dictated her path to her.
Maybe it was time for her and Axel to come clean with everyone. They could move about the silo freely, they could be affectionate out in the open, and she wouldn’t feel as though she lived a lie.
She just didn’t want the drama that would unfold.
Chapter 24
The next day, Axel sat in the War Room with the rest of the Warriors, staring at the map of downtown Phoenix up on the big, white screen hanging from the ceiling.
“There hasn’t been any activity that I would attribute to a Colonist or their offspring, but what is interesting is the rash of petty theft and stupid crime,” Noah said from his chair. “It’s really strange. Shop owners are being harassed, robbed, and their buildings covered with graffiti.”
“So what do you think it means?” Blake asked.
Noah shook his head. “I don’t know. I just think that such a rise in dumb crime like this can’t be ignored. Maybe it’s a precursor to something.”
Axel tuned out as the discussion took place. Foster’s shop had been hit again, and this time, they hadn’t backed down when he’d pulled out his shotgun, Betsy. The gang had made out with about two thousand dollars, and Foster had come out of it with some bumps and bruises. Axel assumed his ego had been hurt more than anything.
His gaze moved to Hudson, who sat across the table. His lips moved, but Axel didn’t hear the words. He’d fallen so hard for the male’s daughter, and he knew Hudson viewed him as something close to a pile of dog shit on a kids’ playground—a complete nuisance no one wanted to get too close to, something no one wanted around, and that should be permanently removed. He’d have to change that, but he didn’t quite know how. He couldn’t help who he’d become. Yes, he’d been trying a bit harder to relate better to people, but in the end, he really didn’t care what anyone thought, except for Eden. And with her, he didn’t have to say a damn word for her to completely understand his feelings.
As if Hudson felt his stare, the male turned to him. Their gazes locked, and Axel wondered what he thought. Hudson narrowed his eyes, as if he considered the same question.
Right now, he wanted to blurt out to everyone in this room that Eden was his mate, that he’d rather die than be without her. He imagined the riot that would ensue as Hudson crawled over the table at him, his face a mask of white, hot rage.
But, Eden had made it clear that she didn’t want anyone to know quite yet, and he would respect that. Hell, he’d crawl over nails and glass shards bare-ass naked if she asked.
Noah’s voice broke through his thoughts.
“Axel, you spend a lot of time downtown. Have you noticed anything? Heard anything?”
He hated that he had to be the one to break the stare down, but he shifted his gaze to Noah. Before, he hadn’t considered that gang anything to bring up, but now, he wasn’t sure. They’d definitely escalated, and if they’d upped their game and harassed others besides Foster, maybe it could be something they’d have to watch.
“The guy who does my tats has had some problems with a gang. The last time they
visited him, they roughed him up pretty good and took some cash.”
Blake leaned forward. “A gang? Mexican? Black? White supremacy?”
Axel shook his head. “My friend describes them as equal opportunity, big on diversity.”
“Then what’s the common denominator? Every gang has some commonality, something they rally around, whether it’s territory, or a cause, like the white supremacy fuckers.”
Hudson chuckled. “Looks like someone has slipped back into FBI mode pretty quickly.”
Axel had always found Blake somewhat interesting, although he really hadn’t talked to the male very frequently, but he did observe everything. A former FBI agent who now sat in the top ten on their Most Wanted List, and who had a Colonist for a daddy. Blake also had his nose in everyone’s business and talked too much. He supposed everyone had their issues.
When the laughter died down, he answered the question. “I don’t know.”
Blake leaned back in his chair and laced his hands on top of his head. Axel noticed he hadn’t laughed at the joke, but instead, had turned dead serious.
“Man, you need to talk to this guy more and get some details. Something isn’t right.”
He nodded. “Will do.”
“Are you having more tat work done?” Kade asked.
“Yeah.”
“Before long, you’re going to look like a fucking coloring book.”
He grinned. If only the smart bastard knew what he’d had done to his back. A coloring book seemed to be an apt description, even though it hadn’t been completed yet.
“When do you head back into town, Axel?” Noah asked.
“Tomorrow.”
“Wow. Where’s this new tat? What is it? It must be pretty involved.”
He decided the less he said, the better off he’d be. “It is.”
“Are we going to see it?” Blake asked.
His gaze slid once again to Hudson who stared at him icily. He had no illusions that everything would be roses and fucking unicorns when Hudson found out about Eden and him, but at least, their relationship would be out in the open. Maybe then, he’d show it to anyone who asked, but right now, it would be a bad idea. Besides, Eden should be the first one to see it.
“Maybe in the future.”
Blake rolled his eyes. “What’s the big deal about showing it to us? Unless you’re having your dick tattooed, then I don’t want to see it.”
He remained silent and gazed at the table.
“Holy shit. You are having your dick tattooed, aren’t you!”
Laughter broke out around the table, and he stood, assuming the meeting had come to an end. However, he wouldn’t let Blake have the last word.
“There isn’t enough ink in this city to cover my dick, Blake.”
With that, he walked out and left the guffaws and jiving behind him.
That night, he sat at the dinner table with Neptune on his lap. Eden sat directly across from him, while Hudson and Beverly were at the other end of the table.
He hadn’t had a chance to be alone with Eden all day, and his body ached to touch her, even if just for a few moments. Tonight, he’d talk to her about revealing themselves to everyone in the house. It had to be done. Eventually, his tattoo would be completed, and someone would see it. He’d take his shirt off after a run and not think twice about it. Then, the shit would fly.
He lifted his gaze to her as her laughter met his ears. She’d also changed since they’d been together. The sullen woman who acted like a petulant child had become full of life. He had never seen her smile so much, or heard her laugh so frequently. The sound had become his favorite, topping any song by Frank Sinatra.
He sighed as he stared. The pain tore through his chest, and he rubbed his sternum with his fingertips, loving every agonizing pang.
Finishing his meal, he slipped a piece of chicken to Neptune, who purred loudly in his lap. He wondered if the cat had taken to him because it sensed he needed comfort? He’d been an empty vessel for so long, he hadn’t even realized he needed any type of relief from his inner demons. They’d been there so long, he had become used to them.
He glanced up again at Eden’s giggles. She pushed her curtain of hair over her shoulder as she sipped her wine, and grinned. She also seemed a little tipsy. He couldn’t wait to get close to her later.
Standing, he set Neptune on the floor. The feline let him know he wasn’t happy in the least bit by howling at him and stalking out of the room. Axel grabbed his plate and made his way to the kitchen.
As he stood at the sink and rinsed his utensils, he stiffened as cold metal met the back of his neck.
“I see the way you stare at my doha, Axel,” the icy, deadly voice whispered in his ear. “You want to lay your dirty, disgusting hands on her, but I’ve already made myself clear, that’s not going to happen.”
He shut his eyes for a brief second, fighting the urge to spin around and bury the blade between Hudson’s eyes. He felt no fear, just raw rage.
“This is your last warning. You stay away from my little girl. You pretend she doesn’t exist. Do you understand me?”
Yeah, this shit had to stop. Hudson had to know the truth.
“Answer me, you psychopath.”
He nodded.
“I will gut you in your sleep and drag your body parts outside for a coyote buffet, Axel. I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.”
The blade left his neck.
After a moment, more dirty plates arrived, and he busied himself with washing them. Eden came up next to him and touched his hand under the soapy water. He looked over at her, loving the feeling of her fingers around his. However, his life had just been threatened again, and Hudson was watching.
He pulled away, dried his hands, and left the kitchen without another word.
Chapter 25
Axel sat in the great room sipping Fireball. The television played a movie he had no interest in, but he stared at it anyway. It was well after midnight, and he hadn’t been to bed yet. The silo remained very quiet, and he assumed everyone had turned in for the night.
He also hadn’t seen Eden, which he considered a good thing considering her father had just threatened to butcher him.
The cinnamon liquid helped to tamper down his anger at the situation. Hudson wouldn’t be pulling that shit on him again.
He stood and muted the television, listening for voices, hearing none. Maybe he should turn in, as well, but the thought of a bed without Eden in it didn’t sit well with him. He’d rather stay up all night and pace.
Walking over to the bar, he poured another, then turned when he heard soft footsteps.
Eden came into the room, her cheeks rosy, her eyes blazing soft yellow. She wore her hair up in a messy bun and had a silly smile on her face.
Placing her hands in her back pockets, she weaved her way over to him. “Hi.”
“Hey.”
“I haven’t seen you tonight.”
He smelled wine on her breath. “Where have you been?”
“I was drinking wine with Faith and Liberty.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“It was.”
They stared at each other a few moments, then she spoke, her voice a low whisper. “Are we going to sleep together tonight?”
He shrugged. “I hope so.”
Walking away from him to the other side of the couch, she grinned as she traced her fingers over the back cushions. “What will happen if I say yes?”
The little tease.
He set down his glass and strode over to her, keeping the couch between them. “What do you want to happen?”
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, her gaze trained on him. She put both hands on the couch and leaned toward him, giving him a view of her breasts encased in his favorite blue bra beneath her shirt. “I’m not sure. You’ll have to show me.”
Oh, he’d show her, all right.
In one swift movement, he’d bounded over to her side of the c
ouch and had her in his arms as she squealed. She pulled away from him and ran to where he’d just stood. She apparently wanted to play games. He hadn’t done much of that in his life, but chasing after Eden to tell her exactly what he would do when they were alone … he could do that.
He hurtled over the couch again, and this time, he caught her and held on. She laughed as he pushed her up against the wall and pulled her hands above her head.
“First, I may kiss you here,” he said, placing his lips on her neck as she struggled against him.
“Or here,” he whispered, kissing her cheek.
She giggled again, a sound he could never get enough of.
Placing his hand on her ribcage, he tickled her.
“I’m also going to kiss you here!” he whispered as she wiggled and tried to get away.
She melted into a squirming fit of laughter.
“Please, stop. Stop it!” she said between gasps.
He didn’t let up.
She laughed so hard, tears ran down her face. After a moment, her giggles had completely vanished, her mouth open in silent guffaws.
She dragged in a deep breath. “Oh, please! Please stop! Please!”
His focus on Eden made the world around him disappear. He loved her laugh, the feeling of her wriggling body beneath his big palms, the way her cheeks had turned apple red.
When the lancing pain in his back registered, it took him a moment to sort it all out. He let go of Eden and turned to see Hudson standing mere inches away, a bloody knife in his hand.
“I told you to stay away from her, Axel. Instead, I find you in here trying to rape her. I doubt even the coyotes will want you.”
Axel blocked the next slash with his arm, taking on another injury. His training had switched on, and he barely heard Eden screaming, but the noise did register. She still stood directly behind him, and if he didn’t handle this right and he dodged the blade at the wrong time, Hudson may end up accidently stabbing her. That, he would not allow. He’d take a thousand wounds before that knife hit her.
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