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It was as if the earth shifted into perfect alignment, slowing to a soothing speed and stabilizing my chaotic soul. This profound event changed everything I thought I wanted as I felt our hearts fall into sync.
Axel’s lips dropped to my temple and he inhaled my scent. “Dammit, Simone. I can’t be doing this with you. Nothing can ever happen between us.”
I squeezed my eyes shut as his words slashed at my flesh and split my heart in two. Rather than argue, because such measures never worked for me, I simply nodded. I did know we could never be together. We were from different worlds. I would never receive my parents’ blessing. Axel Pérez would never be welcomed with open arms into the St. James family.
He kissed my head several times, holding me snugly to his body. I’d swear he was saying good-bye. I died a little.
Axel’s hands fell away, his body leaving mine. “I’ll be back when I can.” He pinched my chin between his thumb and finger, leveling his eyes to mine. “You’re safe here. Everything’s going to be okay.”
I blinked back those stupid tears as I wondered what could be so important that he would leave me. Or perhaps, it was a who. Did he have a girlfriend I didn’t know about? It was possible, considering I never even knew his last name until a couple of hours ago. I knew nothing about him, because in the few conversations I’d had with him over the previous year, Axel had never revealed anything personal about himself. Hell, he could even be married for all I knew.
Well, shit. I sure felt like an idiot.
“Go. I’ll be fine.” I squared my shoulders, pulling myself together, because what other choice did I have? “I’m sorry for throwing myself at you. I’m fine.”
“Simone—”
“No, Axel. You said I would be safe. Were you lying? Placating me?”
“No.”
“Then there’s nothing else to say.” I took my Prada bag into the bathroom and shut the door.
“This is for the best.”
I didn’t respond.
“I need to do a sweep of the bedroom.”
My bottom lip trembled. I set my bag on the counter and braced myself against it. Did he have any idea how much his rejection crushed me?
“Fuck,” he hissed through the bathroom door.
I covered my mouth with my hand as my reflection blurred in the mirror. I hated crying. Will used to call me Sensitive Simi. I didn’t like being a baby. But spending most of my time as a little girl with a nanny instead of my own mother or friends did something to me. It taught me my feelings didn’t matter. What I wanted wasn’t important, kind of how Axel made me feel right now.
“Simone?”
I held my breath, listening for his movement. If I attempted to speak, he’d hear in my voice that I was crying. I might even break into a sob. But no man was worth crying over—especially a man who didn’t want me.
Minutes passed, then a soft thump hit the door. “I’ll be back for you in a day or two. Your room is clean.”
I swallowed down the lump in my throat, staring at my pathetic self in the mirror. How could I let someone like him affect me this way? I truly must be an idiot. Axel Pérez was the last man on the face of the earth I should let into my heart.
He sighed, and this time, I made out his head hitting the door. “Simone?”
What did he want? There was nothing left to say. He needed to go and stop saying my name. I hated hearing it on his lips.
It felt like a lifetime before I heard the bedroom door latch close. I gave way and let my tears fall, knowing he was gone. Knowing he would never be mine and accepting I was alone again.
6 Axel
MY EYES FLASHED open. The hotel room was dark, but I could see a streak of light filtering out from the bottom of the room-darkening curtains. I stayed still, listening for what had woken me.
“Shit,” Conrad quietly hissed, then the sound of tapping followed. “Goddammit.”
I launched out of bed, gripped him by the neck, and threw him on the carpet. “Motherfucker!” I took in the website on the laptop. “I told you to stay off my computer! How the hell did you figure out my password?” I tapped away, clearing out any trace of him. But I didn’t know if it was too late.
Conrad groaned, rubbing his shoulder. “I think my arm is sprained.”
