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She smiles then, that quirky curve of her lips that tells me she's leagues away from any damsel in distress.
"Nope," Sasha quips with a twinkle in her eye. "I kick their asses."
Sasha's gaze pierces through the bullshit, right to the heart of me. I'm braced for impact, ready for the recoil, but it doesn't come. Instead, she's all warmth and fierce grace under fire.
"Christ, Sunshine," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "I thought once you knew?—"
She cuts me off with a gentle touch to my arm, her fingers tracing over the scars beneath my shirt sleeve like she's reading braille—a language of hurt only she understands.
"Stop," she says firmly. "You're not alone in this, Axel. You've been carrying this shit around like a one-man army. But guess what? You're stuck with me now."
Her attempt at lightness doesn't mask the storm of emotion in her eyes—it's empathy in its purest form.
I let out a dry laugh because what else can I do when this woman sees through every layer of armor I've built? "Stuck with you, huh? That doesn't sound too bad."
She smiles at that, the corner of her mouth quirking up in a way that knocks me sideways every damn time. "Yeah, well, don't get too comfortable," she teases. "I'm high maintenance."
A real laugh breaks free from me then. "You? High maintenance?" I mock-gasp. "Never would've guessed."
She rolls her eyes but leans in closer across the small table that separates us. Her scent wraps around me, something sweet and strong all at once.
"Axel," she says, serious again, her brown eyes locked on mine. "Your past—it's heavy. But it doesn't change anything about how I feel. We've all got ghosts; it's about what we do with them that counts."
Her hand finds mine on the table—warmth spreading from her palm to mine like a promise.
"Damian and his vendetta against you—it’s not your fault," she continues, her voice as steady as her gaze. "You're here now, fighting for good, for me. That's the man I see."
I swallow hard against the lump in my throat because hell if this woman doesn't make me feel like maybe I'm not just the sum of my fuck-ups.
"Thanks, Sunshine," I say quietly. "For seeing the best in me when I can't find it myself."
She squeezes my hand, her touch grounding me in a way nothing else does.
"That's what I'm here for," she replies with a soft smile that feels like coming home. "Now come on, let’s plan our next move."
”Damn it, Derek, if you're messing with me..." I warn into the phone, my grip on it tight enough to leave marks.
Derek's voice crackles through the speaker, "Axel, I wouldn't joke about this. Damian knows how to hit where it hurts. He's figured out Sasha's your Achilles' heel."
A low growl rumbles in my throat. "He thinks he can use her to get to me?" I slam my fist on the table, a surge of protective rage flooding my veins.
Sasha jumps at the sound, her eyes wide but her spirit unshaken. "Axel, what's going on?"
I meet her gaze, and the fury I feel is matched only by the ironclad resolve setting in. "Damian's playing a dangerous game," I say through gritted teeth. "He believes he can use you to settle some twisted score."
Her lips press into a thin line, but she doesn't cower. Instead, she squares her shoulders and steps closer. "Then we end this game on our terms."
I nod, admiration mixing with the storm inside me. "We will." My declaration isn't just a promise; it's a vow etched into every fiber of my being.
She reaches out, placing a steady hand on my arm. "Together," she adds firmly.
Her touch ignites something in me—a spark that fuels my need to protect her and torches the remnants of doubt clinging to my soul.
"I let shadows dictate my life for too damn long," I confess, staring into her unwavering eyes. "But not anymore. Not with you here."
Sasha smiles, but it's no fragile thing—it's fierce and full of fire. "Your demons had their time, Axel. Now it's our turn."
I can't help but crack a smile at her tenacity. "You sure are a stubborn one."
