Page 161 of F*ckboys

Raine's answering smile is bright enough to chase away the lingering darkness. "I know Aksel would walk through fire itself for another chance with you." She stands, pulling me into a quick hug.

As the anger and hurt begin to fade, they leave behind a bone-deep exhaustion. But beneath it lingers a spark of hope. If what Raine says is true, perhaps Aksel and I can get back on track. Perhaps love can overcome even the darkest of places.

I meet Raine's gaze again, a smile tugging at my lips. "Thank you. For helping me see the truth."

"That's what sisters are for." She pulls me into another hug, and this time, I cling to her just as tightly.

"Now, how about some tea?" She pauses, a cheeky grin forming. "And in the back of my mind, I wonder if once again soon we might have a wedding to plan!"

Laughing, I let her pull me to my feet, the future suddenly seeming brighter than before. There may be a long road ahead, full of pain and obstacles to overcome—but as long as I have Raine's sisterly support, and Aksel's love to guide me, I know we'll make it through to the other side.

Chapter 90

Aksel

My gaze drifts to the yellowed newspaper clippings plastered across my office wall, remnants of my family's shady dealings. We've always straddled the line of the law, never hesitating to get our hands dirty. As far as the articles are concerned, there's a perverse family tradition of slapping any mention of our family name up on the wall right after it's published. Good, bad, it doesn't matter—any publicity is good publicity really should be the King family motto.

My stomach churns with guilt. How could I judge Fallon for seeking her own brand of justice when I've benefited from the same darkness? Trafficking of drugs, human organs, entire humans. Violence, assaults, abuse. Extortion, espionage, fraud. And murder, when necessary. Sometimes even when notnecessary. They're all standard parts of the King family business, and those we have dealings with, so who am I to judge?

My revelations about my own hypocrisy roil my stomach. Whether it's because Fallon is a woman, or because she struck out on her own, something rubbed me the wrong way when I heard about her dark pursuits. But they're not any different from what takes place every day under my leadership, except done with better intentions.

Jumping to my feet, I gather a few things and race over to Fallon's place, my heart pounding. She opens the door, her eyes more wary than shocked by my arrival. "What do you want?"

"Fallon, I'm so sorry. I had no right to judge you." The words tumble out in a rush. "My family's done terrible things too, including me personally. I was blinded by my anger and jealousy. I never should've turned my back on you. I never should have let you break off the engagement."

Her eyes narrow, but she doesn't slam the door in my face. A good sign. I plunge ahead. "You're the only light in my dark world. Losing you was the biggest mistake of my life. I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I'm begging for another chance. And I know it's not the first chance I'm asking for, but it will be the last chance, I swear."

Silence. Then, "You really hurt me, Aksel." Her voice wavers. "How do I know you won't throw me away again? How do I know you won't let me throw myself away? Us?"

"I was an idiot." My voice is pleading. "Please, Fallon, I love you with all my heart. I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you, if you give me the chance." I reach for her hands, relief flooding me when she doesn't pull away. "There's so much darkness in both our lives, but together, we can beat it. You're my redemption, Fallon. My salvation. You always have been."

A tear slides down her cheek. She whispers, "I never stopped loving you."

My heart soars. I envelop her in my arms, clinging to her like she's my lifeline. We have a long road ahead, full of demons to face, but as long as we face them together, I know we'll make it out the other side.

Fallon

I cling to Aksel, emotions warring inside me. Part of me wants to believe he's changed, that we can have another chance at happiness. But the other part fears he'll break my heart again. And I know that I wouldn't survive.

Aksel pulls back to gaze into my eyes. "Talk to me, Fallon. I can see the doubts in your eyes."

I swallow hard. "How do I know you won't leave me again when things get tough? When your family causes trouble or my past comes back to haunt us?"

"I'm not going anywhere." He cups my face, his thumb brushing over my cheek. "We've both made mistakes. We both have darkness inside us. But, as long as we're brutally honest with each other about everything, we can beat our demons together. I'm ready to face any challenge, as long as you're by my side. We just need to tell each other the truth."

His words melt the ice around my heart. He's right—we've both struggled and stumbled. I can't blame him for my past, just as he can't blame me for his family's sins. If we want to move forward, we have to let go of the bitterness and forgive. And we do have to be honest.

"I'm tired of living in darkness," I whisper. "I want to change. To be better. For you, and for us."

"You're already the light that guides me home." Aksel kisses me then, a sweet, tender kiss full of promise. "Together, we'll find the light again. I know it."

A spark of hope ignites inside me. We have a long road ahead, full of obstacles and shadows. But Aksel's right—if we face themtogether, hand in hand, we can embrace the best parts of our darkness while also finding the light.

We drive north along the coast into the night, stopping whenever the mood strikes us. The farther we get from the city, the more the tension eases from Aksel's shoulders. He smiles and laughs, winding his fingers through mine as we walk along secluded beaches. At night, we make love with the windows open, the crash of the waves outside mingling with our sighs. We wake up to the sunrise, wrapped in each other's arms.

It's a side of Aksel I've never seen before, carefree and playful, and not a work phone or laptop in sight. The shadows seem to lift from his eyes a little more each time we laugh. I find myself opening up too, sharing stories from my past I've never told anyone. The secrets that once seemed too dark and ugly to voice don't seem so terrible when Aksel listens without judgment, wrapping me in his arms and pressing soft kisses to my hair.

We spend our day exploring little coastal towns, browsing kitschy shops and trying every flavor of saltwater taffy. Aksel wins me a stuffed bear at an arcade, popping quarters into rigged carnival games until he finally emerges victorious. I suspect he bribed the pimply teenager in charge of the game, but I don't press him on it. I drag him onto a rickety Ferris wheel as the sun sinks below the horizon, kissing him at the top of the wheel with the sea and sky stretching endlessly before us.

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