Page 10 of The Price of a Promise

Fuck.The doubts and insecurities from before began churning, hissing bubbles as they fermented into something new altogether.A familiar paralysis that spread through my veins like ice and iron at the same time.Weighing me down, trapping me.My father loved to orchestrate everything.The car.The destination.The time.My entire fucking life.

I fired off a quick text to Axel letting him know I’d landed, and then slipped my phone into my oversized Dior purse.It was just after seven p.m., darkness creeping at the edges of the earth despite the bright haze of activity emanating from the airport.This night would be mine.No matter what my father thought.

I strode quickly through the crowded terminal, my black rolling luggage a perfect companion to the Hermes bag hanging from the crook of my elbow.My parents formed me in their image, and that image included expensive accessories, picture-perfect hair at all times, and a take-no-shit attitude in negotiations.Nothing else mattered.Not to them, at least.They wanted the finest things in life, with the finest looking people, at the most favorable rates possible.That was it.

Which meant that Axel loved giving me shit about the accessories.I could alreadyfeelhim ribbing me about the Hermes bag, which was less mychoice and more of a requirement for the upcoming meeting this weekend.I knew this—it was just part of the life that I lived.I couldn’t show up to a meeting with Eli’s parents carrying the teal handstitched cross-body bag I’d bought on the Venice boardwalk last spring, even if it was my favorite accessory.I needed to bring the items that fit the persona they expected from me.Starting with this $25,000 French handbag.

I knew that my late brother, Chris, would have preferred the teal cross-body bag too.I’d heard his voice in my head when I bought it, which had made me cry into Axel’s shoulder for fifteen minutes in broad daylight.

No.This huge, disgustingly glamorous bag was considered an occupational obligation.With a few other choice four-figure-price-tag items that I had tucked away in my rolling luggage, like the Chanel laptop case and the 24K gold USB drive.These were items I knew I needed.Forthem.Not for me.None of these things were items I would have picked if I weren’t trying to create the imagetheywanted for me.

The closer I got to baggage claim, the closer I got to Axel.I imagined he’d be waiting just outside the automatic doors of baggage claim, maybe backed up against the long string of cars that dotted the inner belt of JFK like dirty pearls.I was five steps into baggage claim when my forearms went prickly.Excitement swirled in my chest, so intense I was already breathless.All I could focus on was the sliding doors leading out into the world.My heels clicked against the tile of the floor, wheels of my luggage clacking in time.Axel Axel Axel.

A strong arm caught me around the ribs.I didn’t even have time to gasp, or even blink, but my body knew what had happened before my brain did.

“There you are.”

Axel’s gruff bass traveled through my body like an electrical current.Every inch of me understood his touch, the solid warmth of him as he gathered me against him.I wasn’t sure if I said anything or if my shock—or maybe my relief—had rendered me mute.My face was against the flat plane of his chest, buried into the sweatshirt he wore beneath his trademark—if battered—black leather jacket.

His arms squeezed around me, locking me against him.Tears pricked at the corner of my eyes as I melted into him, clutching him wherever I could grab—the side of his jacket, the waist of his jeans.

“Jesus, Axel,” I blubbered into his chest, heart racing like I’d run a marathon.The hug couldn’t go on long enough.I could hug him until three a.m.and still want more.

He pressed kisses to the top of my head as I drank him in with my senses—the ropy muscle of his arms around me, the outdoors-and-cedar scent of him, as if he carried the woods of Kentucky with him wherever he went.

When his grip around me loosened, I pushed onto my tiptoes, my lips seeking his like two parts of a magnet coming together.Our mouths smashed together, too urgent and greedy for a delicate peck.His hand snaked up the back of my neck, fingers knotting in my hair at the base of my skull.I whimpered through the kiss while he tugged at my hair slowly, gently.Exactly as I liked it.Moisture surged between my legs.Axel knew all my secret spots and loved to tease them.Even in the middle of JFK baggage claim.

“I’m gonna eat you alive, sweet cheeks,” he promised, his lips still pressed to mine.His mouth curled at the corners, and he lifted me off the ground, twirling me in a circle.

“Promise?”

“Promised and notarized.”

I nuzzled him, giggling as he set me back down.But his arms didn’t leave me.I tilted my head to really look at him, drink in all the changes and minute differences since I’d seen him last.His dirty blond hair was longer at the top, disheveled in a way that I wanted to protect.The stubble on his jawline scraped at my fingers as I stroked him, trying to memorize every detail about this moment.

“Get a fucking room,” someone muttered as they walked past.Axel and I stared at each other with big smiles for a moment before bursting into laughter.

“I would if I could afford it,” Axel shouted in the general direction of the person who’d scolded us.“This city is so expensive, you have no idea!”

I collapsed against him, laughter shaking my body.

“Good thing we only need a closet,” Axel went on, pressing a kiss to my forehead.“Because you know that’s what I got for ya.”

“It’s my favorite closet in Manhattan,” I told him, eyes drifting shut as he placed another kiss to my lips.The kind that was crushed velvet and heat.The kind that made panties smolder.

“You ready to go cuddle up by my shoe rack?”His eyes twinkled as he teased me, his palm smoothing over my hair.I loved being admired by him—nobody else in the world had ever looked so genuinely and deeply elated to see me.

I opened my mouth to tell him that my dad had snooped my flight plan and sent the driver, but being around Axel again emboldened me.Let the consequences pile up as they may.I needed to spend the night at my boyfriend’s house, and if that included telling Vince to fuck off, so be it.

“Of course I am.”I slung my arms around his neck, and we kissed again.And then again.When we broke apart, I spotted my father’s driver Vince over Axel’s shoulder.My stomach pitched to my feet.

“Let’s go to the other side of baggage claim,” I said softly.“Vince just showed up, probably to find me and steal me away.”

Annoyance flashed across Axel’s face, but he must have squashed it because he scooped my hand into his and brought the back of my hand to his lips.

“Time to start the kidnapping,” he said.

I followed Axel’s lead, and we scurried away, easily getting lost among the throngs of people crossing through baggage claim.All I wanted was for us to escape for a long weekend—head to a cabin, snuggle up in some blankets, stare at a fire for days.But given my current circumstances, the weekend getaway was impossible.This would have to do—a stolen night here, a renegade brunch in two days if we were lucky.And then…more waiting.

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