Solitude had been my normal for months, but Axel breached that. I was happy with Jasper gone, if only he would stay gone, and I craved Axel’s company. Our friendship was unconventional, but it worked for us both. I feel more like a person and less like a material possession when I’m with him. My money means nothing to him and everything to Jasper.
As I finish my dinner, Nina quietly walks into the room with a warm smile. Her eyes are filled with concern as she watches me from across the counter.
“Amado…” Nina says softly as she reaches for my empty plate. “We need to talk.”
My brow furrows as I stare at the top of her head as she rinses off the dish. “Okay… about what?”
Nina sighs as she turns off the water and sets the plate down in the sink. “That man is a dangerous man, Amado.”
You don’t say.
“I appreciate your concern, Nina. I really do, but I’ve been living with him for long enough to know how to handle myself.”
“Not Jasper.” Nina shakes her head lightly. “The fighter. Axel.”
Inhaling sharply, I freeze in my seat and meet her worried eyes.
“I see the way that you look at him and the way he looks at you. He’s changing you,” she says in a hushed voice.
Shaking my head defensively, I wipe the shock away from my face. “Nina… we’re only friends and it’s only temporary.”
Nina smiles sadly. “You two will never be friends.” Taking a deep breath, the smile leaves her face as she slowly exhales. “That man only has eyes for you, but he’ll only hurt you in the end. The magnetic pull between the two of you is deadly.”
“There is nothing between us, I promise you.”
Lies. Every word that comes from my mouth is a lie. I’m in denial, but if I admit it, then it will be true.
“What about Jasper, Amado?” Her voice is laced with concern. “He will notice.”
I laugh out loud and roll my eyes. “The only thing that Jasper notices is the number of digits in my bank accounts.”
The room falls silent and Nina watches me with troubled eyes. She’s been a part of my life for as long as I can remember and if there’s anyone left in the world that truly knows me, it’s her.
Grabbing the plate, Nina puts it into the dishwasher and looks back at me as she moves closer to the door. “Please be careful.”
Her voice is quiet, but when she leaves the room, her words echo throughout the silence.
As much as I don’t want her to be right, she is.
Jasper is territorial and she knows what he is capable of. If he sees Axel as a threat, he’ll be eliminated.
And if Axel is a threat, then I am too.
Chapter Fifteen
Axel
BLOOD DRIPS down the side of my face from the gash across my cheek. I don’t see the face of the scrappy man fighting me. I only see Jasper’s sinister expression when I look at him. Driving my fists into every inch of his head, I follow him to the ground and straddle him without stopping. I only stop when my hands are covered in blood and I’m being pulled off my opponent.
It should be Jasper on the ground by my feet. He should be the one unconscious and bleeding.
When I saw him in the crowd, I saw red. I knew that Jasper would be here but seeing him with one of his side chicks struck a nerve. He doesn’t deserve Jaslyn and she doesn’t deserve to be treated the way that he treats her.
The memory of seeing her here with him makes my blood boil. Their relationship isn’t real, it’s merely for show and for Jasper to exercise his control. I don’t want Jaslyn here, especially with him, but watching him fuck around behind her back feels even worse.
Glancing around at the crowd, Jasper is lost amongst the sea of other expensive suits and I can no longer find him or the brunette he had on his arm. Shaking off the men holding me, I quickly slide out of the ring and stride down the aisle to the back of the Vault.
I had a job to do. I came here, I did it, and now I’m done here. The locker room is empty when I walk inside and it’s still empty when I walk back out with my duffle bag. I didn’t bother to change or wipe the blood from my face. I need to get as far away from here as I can… before I do something that I shouldn’t.
Jasper isn’t outside when I leave, and his car isn’t at the house when we pull in the driveway.
“You good, bro?” Rush asks as he stops near the pool house. He watches me with concern laced within his brown-green eyes.
Nodding, I push open the door in a hurry and climb out of the car. Without another word, I leave him, and my mind is caught in a whirlwind of rage and torment.
Of course Jasper isn’t home. God forbid he come home to his fucking fiancée.
“Yo, Axe!” Rush calls out to me. “You need anything, I gotchu.”
All it takes is a curt nod and he’s gone. Rush leaves in an instant, probably to go fuck some random chick, but he didn’t leave to abandon me. He left because he knows me. He knows me better than anyone else.
I need to be alone, to deal with this myself. But when I see a flash in the yard and her inky black hair floating in the air behind her, that all changes. As she rounds the outside of the pool, Jaslyn steps out of the shadows and stops short when she sees me.
Inhaling sharply, her eyes widen as they scan my face and she slowly inches closer. My feet are cemented to the ground as I watch her move until her toes meet mine.
“Axel,” she breathes as her delicate hand reaches up to touch the side of my face. Her fingers slide across my cheek, smearing the blood as it coats her fingertips. Closing my eyes, I wince at her touch.
The open wound on my face doesn’t cause me pain, but the feeling of her skin touching mine does.
“You’re hurt,” she murmurs as her hand gently caresses my cheek. Her soft brown eyes are troubled as they search mine.
“What are you doing out here in the dark?”
“Axel.” Her soft voice is demanding as she ignores my question. “You need stitches.”
The last time I went to the hospital, I didn’t leave for weeks. Stitches or not, there’s no way that I’m stepping foot in that place again.
Standing my ground, I shake my head. “I’ll be fine,” I say dismissively. Jaslyn narrows her eyes subtly and if I wasn’t watching her, it would be unnoticeable.
“There’s a first aid kit in the bathroom.” She pulls away from my face and her hand finds mine. “At least let me clean your cut for you so it doesn’t get infected.”
I watch her lips as they move and feel the vibration of her soft voice as it drifts into my ears. Instinctively, I lace my fingers with hers as her warm touch washes away the pain from my bruised knuckles.
Jaslyn gasps lightly and her eyes widen in surprise.
Fuck.
Dropping her hand like it’s on fire, I quickly step away from her, clenching my fists. Touching her can’t happen and I did the one thing that I swore I wouldn’t do.
I fucking touched her.
Clearing her throat, Jaslyn shifts her weight nervously as she crosses her arms defensively. She looks like she’s ready to run, but I don’t miss the wave of rejection that flashes through her soft brown eyes. Rejection is a normal part of her day to day life, but Jasper is the one that keeps those feelings alive. I gave her a moment of hope and the damage was already done when I ripped it away from her.
“Sorry about that,” I mumble, dropping my gaze to my feet. I can’t give her a real explanation or apology.
I’m not sorry for touching her, I’m sorry that I can’t.
“Don’t be,” Jaslyn whispers with the pain laced within her words. “Because I’m not.”
The sound of her voice grabs my attention and my eyes quickly find her as she spins on her heel and jogs away. Watching her as the distance grows between us, I can’t help but feel guilty.
Way to fucking go, asshole.
She’s hurt and I’m the source of her pain.
I should just let it go—let her go—and keep my distance.
Whatever this is that’s burning between us needs to be extinguished before the fire can’t be contained.
But I can’t do that… I can’t let her go.
A fire like that can never be contained, you can never outrun it, so the only thing that you can do is succumb to your fate and get lost in the flames.
Instinctively, my feet move on their own and carry me across the yard to the house. Any logical reasoning is lost, and I let my emotions drive me back to her. I hurt her and she doesn’t deserve that… I need to make things right with her, even if it might kill me in the end.
Chapter Sixteen
Jaslyn
IN ALL MY LIFE, I have never felt as foolish as I do in this moment. Even after all the times that Jasper beat me or when reality set in as to what my life has become, I have never felt like such a goddamn fool. I live with Jasper’s rejection and I prefer it that way. Staying off his radar is vital to my survival and the more he rejects me, the farther he stays away.
Axel’s rejection hit me harder and cut me deeper than it ever should have. It shouldn’t matter to me, but it does. He shouldn’t matter to me, but he does. The power that he has over my feelings is a stronger force than anything I’ve ever felt before. I may not know him very well, but my soul knows him on a deeper level—one that I may never understand.
I may not know him from this life, but my soul has known him for many lifetimes.
♦♦♦
Leaving the lights off, I slip into the dark and silent house alone. Nina and Desmond both left earlier this evening after Jasper drove himself to Axel’s fight, so there was no one here but me.
Welcoming the darkness, I pad down the hallway to the kitchen in my bare feet. As I reach the end of the hall, the door behind me flies open.
“Jaslyn!” Axel’s voice floats through the air as he calls out after me. For a moment, I’m frozen in place as I listen to him stride toward me. “Hey,” he says in a hushed voice, grabbing my arm.
Jumping, I quickly jerk my arm free from his grasp and spin to face him. His eyes widen slightly as he takes in my reaction, but his gaze grows darker as he narrows them.
“I’m not him,” he growls. “I would never touch you—not like that.”
My heart pounds in my chest as it speeds up and my breath catches in my throat. The way he says it, with the conviction deep in his words, it seeps in and warms my soul. In the same breath, his words scare me more than any blow from Jasper ever has.
His deep blue eyes search mine. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
My eyes scan his bloodied face before meeting his gaze. “I know,” I admit, but my admission is to more than just him scaring me. I know that he would never touch me the way that Jasper has.
“Why did you follow me in here, Axel?”
There’s a subtle shift in the air between us as he nervously runs his hand over his short hair. “My face…” his voice trails off. “I couldn’t find the first aid kit.”
He lies blatantly and shamelessly as he chews on his bottom lip. Between the amount of time it took for me to get in the house and for him to be right behind me, there was no way he had time to look for the kit.
A smile plays on my lips and his face softens. “Come on.” I motion into the kitchen. “I’ll go grab the first aid kit.”
Axel smiles sheepishly, rolling with the lie that we both know he told and follows me into the kitchen. “You’re good at tending to someone else’s wounds.” His blue eyes probe mine. “So, who tends to yours, Jaslyn? Or is that where you get your experience, from having to always tend to your own?”
What the hell?
“That’s none of your business,” I mumble as I carefully wipe away the dried blood from his face.
“I’m not blind, Jaslyn. You may cover up the marks on your skin so they are invisible to the rest of the world, but I can still see them.”
I’m at a loss for words and his still linger in the air between us. He knows and now I know how transparent I am under his watchful eyes.
Avoiding his gaze, I finish cleaning and covering the gash on his cheek. Stray hairs break free from my ponytail and fall into my face as I smooth the edges of the steristrip over his soft skin. Axel inhales sharply and his eyes are a stormy sea as they meet mine. My fingertips linger on the side of his face as he reaches up, gently brushing the hair from my face.
“Axel.” I breathe his name and lean into his touch as his hand cradles the side of my face. Dragging his fingertips along my jawline, he brushes his thumb against my bottom lip.
“If you don’t want me to kiss you, you better say something now, because once I start, I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop.”
“So, don’t,” I counter.
Axel stands up and towers over me as his stormy eyes pierce mine. “Don’t what?” He steps closer into my space, backing me up against the countertop.
“Don’t stop.”
The words barely leave my mouth before his lips find mine. My heart pounds in my chest as Axel steals the air from my lungs. He nips at my bottom lip and instinctively, they part, inviting him in. Without hesitation, he slips his tongue inside, deepening the kiss as our lips melt together.
Running his hands down my sides, he wraps them around my thighs and lifts me onto the counter. His lips never leave mine as he steps between my legs and grabs my waist, pulling me flush against him. My body grows warm from the sudden contact and I moan into his mouth as he digs his fingertips into my skin.
Following his lead, I bite down on his bottom lip and he growls as I run my tongue over the bite mark. All my inhibitions are forgotten as he kisses me like a savage, and I get lost in his touch.
A loud bang sounds from the front of the house and echoes throughout the room. Our lips break apart and Axel’s hands grip my waist harder as we both freeze in place.
“Jaslyn!” Jasper’s voice booms as he slams the door shut.
My eyes widen and they search Axel’s as his face grows darker. Pulling back from him, I drop down from the counter, lightly touching my bruised lips as he moves away from me.
“Fuck,” he growls, running a frustrated hand over his head as he paces in a small circle.
The light from the foyer flashes on as Jasper’s dress shoes click on the marble floor. “Oh, Jaslyn!” He calls out again as a rush of adrenaline hits me. “I know you’re in here somewhere.”
Grabbing Axel by the shoulders, I spin him around and drive my palms into his back. In a rush, I shove him out of the kitchen and down the back hall. “You can’t be here.”
Axel balks. “Fuck that.” He growls, spinning to face me. “He’s fucking trashed. I’m not leaving you alone with him.”
“Axel,” I plead quietly. “It won’t be good for either of us if he sees you here.”
“I don’t give a shit.” Axel cracks his knuckles. “I can handle him.”
Grabbing his hands, I cradle his fists in mine and slowly stroke his battered knuckles. “Please, just trust me. He won’t hurt me if he’s drunk.”
The lie flows from my lips effortlessly and Axel narrows his eyes, seeing right through the bullshit. “Sober or drunk, he’s always a threat and you’re never safe with him.” He pauses and reaches up, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. “Come with me.”
“Axel, you know I can’t do that,” I say softly as my eyes fill with tears. “Please don’t make this any worse than it already is.”
“Goddammit,” he mutters, shaking his head. “I don’t fucking like this at all.”
The kitchen light flickers on and shines through the doorway into the hallway. Pushing Axel deeper into the shadows, he stops when we reach the back door. His hands find the sides of my face and he pulls me closer to him. “If he lays a fucking finger on you, I’ll kill him with my bare hands.”
He captures my mouth with his in a harsh kiss, but his lips are gentle. Moving to their own melody, Axel leaves his own mark on me, but it’s not the same as Jasper.
“Come out, come out wherever
you are!” Jasper’s loud voice echoes through the hall.
Planting my hands on Axel’s chest, I break away from him and push him to the door. “You need to go, now.”
His blue eyes are tormented as they search mine. “Fuck,” he mutters, shaking his head and pulls open the door. With one last pained glance, he steps out into the dark, softly closing the door behind him.
The hallway light flashes on as Jasper steps out of the kitchen. “There you are.” He smirks as he walks toward me with a sinister look in his glossy eyes. “Come make your husband-to-be happy.” Roughly grabbing my wrist, he drags me behind him through the house and upstairs to the bedroom.
Wrapping his hand around my ponytail, Jasper shoves me down onto my knees, tearing them open on the wooden floors. “You have one purpose,” he growls as he jerks my head back to look at him. “You’re here to please me.” Hastily, he undoes his pants, pulls his cock out and presses the tip against my lips. “Now, be a good little whore and make me come.”
Closing my eyes, I part my lips as he roughly shoves my head down, slamming his cock into the back of my throat. A stray tear slowly creeps down the side of my face as he holds my head still and continues his assault on my mouth.
Axel’s face lingers in my mind as Jasper taints the memory of our kiss. I lied to him when I said that Jasper wouldn’t hurt me tonight. I knew that he would and now that he’s started, there’s no telling when he’ll stop.
The tears flow freely down my cheeks and an overwhelming guilt consumes me. Jasper grunts as he shoots his cum down my throat and roughly pulls me back onto my feet. Shoving me face first onto the bed, he brutally rips my pants off and pushes my legs apart.
Turning my head to the side, I stare blankly at the wall as Jasper drives his cock into me without warning. My tears soak the sheets as I let him take what isn’t his, knowing that Axel will never look at me the same way again.
I’m sorry.
Mirage: Veiled Love Duet: Book One Page 8