Page 25 of Dangerous Allure

“Axel, can I kiss you?” I ask, and he nods as I pull his chin to me slowly as he does the same with me, until we are just a whisper away, grazing our lips against one another.

“Angel baby.” He suddenly whispers as his lips gently press against mine. My heart feels like it stops as I shiver at his words.His words. His lips caress mine and I open for him, sliding my tongue into his mouth, devouring him as we deepen the kiss. I slowly run my hands down his chest, pulling at his tee shirt, wanting to feel the weight of him on top of me. He slides between my legs, never breaking the kiss as I lay back against the pillow. I run my fingers up his back, digging my nails into his skin, wanting, no, needing more, but he pulls away, resting his head against mine.

“I want to see the real you, Presley.” He breathes, but I shake my head.

“I can’t.” I whisper. He places another soft kiss against my swollen lips.

“You can. I know. And I’ll never tell.” He breathes again as my heart stops at his words.How could he know? Fuck.

“Axel please. I can’t. You can’t see that part of me.” I confess, and he smiles.

“I just gave you a part of me that no one ever gets. My voice. Please. Do this for me,” he begs and I nod. He climbs off the bed and leaves the room. Holy shit. Axel spoke. He fucking spoke, and his voice is like an angel, but deep and husky. Fuck. No one has seen the real me. Just my reflection in the mirror. He comes back a few seconds later with a bottle filled with liquid and round cotton pads.

Sliding between my legs, I take a deep breath as he pours the liquid onto the pad, bringing it to my face. Tears stream down my cheeks as he wipes my makeup away.

“I don’t like this.” I say as the tears continue to pour. Letting someone see me bare for the first time has me shaking.

“You’re beautiful Angel baby. I will kill him for this.” He whispers as he continues to shed me layer by layer.

“All these bruises,” he whispers, placing a gentle kiss on each one, “are your reminders that you are not what he makes you to be. You are stronger than this.” He assures me, but I shake my head.

“I’m not. I’m ugly.” I say, but he shakes his head.

“Then I’m ugly too.” He says as a tear falls from his deep brown eyes.

“No, Axel. Nothing about you is ugly. You’re perfect.” I say, but he shakes his head.

“I’m tainted just like you. I haven’t spoken to anyone but Casp since I’ve been fourteen. Since the night I begged and screamed for my mother’s help and no one was there to save me. You won’t have to scream anymore. Not as long as I’m around.” He says, but I shake my head again, letting the tears fall for the both of us. How could anyone hurt him? I know all too well, though. Our parents–parents that live for the drugs– that don’t give a fuck about us.

“You can’t promise me that. Please don’t tell anyone. No one knows Axel. I keep this side of me hidden. Please don’t.” I beg, stopping his hand from taking anymore off.

“I’ll never say a word, but I won’t let it continue, either. If I see him in your room again, I will fucking kill him.” He says in a lethal tone. I nod as he places the pads down looking at me, making me feel the most vulnerable I’ve ever been.

“I see you, Presley, and I feel your soul wrapping itself with mine. I see you baby, all the good and the bad. Promise me you won’t let the demons take you away,” he begs as I push him back, straddling his hips and wrapping my arms around his neck. He squeezes my hips, running his hand up my back and over my shoulder to cup my face.

“This is the Presley I want to see. I understand you have to hide it from the others, but when you are with me, I want you bare. I want the real you.” He breathes and I kiss him as he pulls my body onto his. He lays back onto the pillow, grabbing a blanket and covering us from head to toe.

“Don’t stop kissing me, Axel. If you do, I'll run, and I’m sick of running.” I whisper and he smiles, fuzing his lips to mine once again.

I never knew tonight would end up like this. Me in one of the Cyprus brothers' beds, with no makeup on and no reason to leave.

If only I could stay like this forever.

Chapter 18

Maverick

Tonight the football team is throwing a party and something keeps nagging at me to go. I’m not sure why though. Maybe I just want to see her. I haven’t laid eyes on my Beauty since she showed up at my house a couple of nights ago.

I heard Caspian giving Axel shit about Presley spending the night, which only pissed me off. I need to just claim her already so my brothers back the fuck off. The only other person standing in my fucking way is Jacob Lee.I’d love to bury that motherfucker. What does he have that I don’t?I’m so much better for her. If she’d only give me the chance to show her what it's like to be with me. I’d give her the fucking world just to see her smile and wake up to her laying on my chest with her sexy body wrapped around mine.Fuck.Now my dick’s hard.

I’ve been working all week in the basement of the shop cutting down the plants that are ready to be dried and hung on top of the ones that are ready for distribution. It’s a whole fucking process and only a few people handle it. We trust no one since the mary we grow is primo shit. It’s the best of the best on the east coast. We have a meeting with the cartel’s enforcer Spade in a few days to solidify the deal with Casp and Harley, along with giving them product. At least these guys we can trust because the shit that went down last night was bullshit. I decided to roll with Casp to make the drop to the new crew in town, “The Knights.”

Everything was going smooth, until these pricks decided they no longer liked the price and pulled their guns on us thinking they could run our shit, but my brother is too smart. He had soldiers waiting and watching the exchange. The minute guns were drawn on us, and the cold metal of the barrel was placed against my temple, red beams splayed across their chests and foreheads waiting for our signal to take them out. Let’s just say they backed off real fucking quick and the exchange was made.

Taking off my gloves, I place them down on the metal table and pick up my phone to see if I have any messages. I smile at a text waiting for me from Presley.Finally her ass hits me up.

Beauty: Hey Beast, party at Dukes tonight. You coming?

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