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Levisighed. “Okay, let me see whatIcan do.Yourroadies should be here and done with equipment set up.I’llcircle back in a few.”Hepulled out his phone and started typing a text.
Itried to stray, needing a moment to understand whatAxelwas trying to pull.Heonly tightened his hold and dragged me along the backstage hallway.
Thenext few minutes were a blur.Axelhad me latched to his side as various people came up with questions about the set list, equipment check, mic check, etc., etc., etc.Hecontinuously referred to me as princess or baby.Ilost count of how many timesIblastedAxelfor it or corrected someone about the status quo of our relationship.Thebackstage crew turned uncomfortable at my declarations and glanced fromAxelto me, unsure of who to believe.Theyfinally settled on it being one of those cruel jokes that stars played on the little people.Pityingthe helpless souls,Igave up on the mission.Thisbit wasn’t funny despite the shit we had pulled in the past.Thiswas my life we were talking about, andAxelwas at the cusp of ruining everything.
Leviworked his magic and found the tall, burly guard namedGeorgeto act as my security, andAxeltook his time specifying instructions to the man.
“Ifshe needs to go to the bathroom, you need to stand outside the door.Ifshe is out of my sight,Iexpect you to update me on where she is or what she is doing.Underno circumstance can she leave without me.”
Axeldroned on with instructions and managed to sneak in a gentle threat to not look my way for long or touch me unless it was life-threatening, such as saving me from trampling to death.Theconversation ended as jovially as possible for someone likeAxel—with a curt nod of approval and the wad of cash he slipped into the man’s palm with a promise of more if he did as instructed.
Witha firm kissIdidn’t see coming,Axelstrolled off to the stage whileIheld my fingers to my bruised and swollen lips.
Ineeded to get the hell out of here.
Iwas insane to thinkIcould turn the tables onAxeland learn a few things forPoppy’ssake.Iwas in over my head by taking on a beastIcouldn’t handle.
Ipulled out my phone to call anUberbefore realizingAxel,Levi, andGeorge’ssteadfast gazes were on me.Ilowered the phone, realizingIhad to bide my time until they were distracted.IfItried to leave,Axelwould no doubt pull me on stage and kiss me without the scarf protecting my anonymity.
So,Iparked my butt obediently when someone brought me a chair and a bottle of sparkling water.Unableto help myself,Iscrolled through social media on my nearly dead phone.Bykissing me in front of hundreds of people,Axelhad started chaos in my life.Ijust knew there had to be aTikTokvideo orInstagrampost floating around with one too many likes.IhatedAxelfor what he had done to my life.
Luckily,Ididn’t find anything promiscuous.Videosand photos ofAxelkissing anunidentified womanwere circulating, buthis massive body had blocked my frame.Iwasn’t recognizable in any of the images thus far.IrealizedAxelhad purposefully blocked out my face in the angle he kissed me and how he had led me inside the building.Iheaved a sigh of relief.Axeldidn’t sell me out.Itwas the only reasonIwouldn’t be killingAxelTrimalchiotonight.
Theshow started with the typical “unch unch unch” thumping ofHousemusic.Relievedthat theAmbaniname would live to see another day,Isat motionless in perfect view ofDJAxelin his element.ExceptIwasn’t watching him.Instead, he watched me intently, gaze never averting as he played and spun music.
Thepounding of bass and the thrum of music filled the warehouse that had been repurposed into an event space.Axel’shead was inclined backstage for the duration, unaware of the screeching fans or the live show he was hosting.Electricitycrackled in the air asIheld his gaze, the rapid rise and fall of my chest matching the eruptions of cheers from the crowd.Themusic filling my ears seeped inside, reaching deep until nothing else existed.Whena hint ofGunsN’Rosesplayed in the backdrop of one of his songs, we smirked simultaneously.Wewere a symphony of our own.
Astorm had ignited inside me since meetingAxelagain.Italso raged within him, communicated throughAxel’sunwavering attention.Ididn’t understand it, only sensed it was about to worsen.
Whenthe last song was announced,Iwas determined to get ahead of the storm before it destroyed everything.Gettingpast the crowd outside, without security to clear the path, was an ordealIwas ready to face.Axelwas preoccupied with checking the equipment settings.Abrief window of opportunity had presented itself, soIleaped from my seat and rushed toward the exit.
Georgestood with a military stance, blocking my sweet escape. “Er…”Istarted hesitantly. “Theshow’s almost over.Ibetter head to the car.”
“Youcan leave onceMr.Trimalchiois finished with the show.”Henodded toward the stage whereAxelwas winding down. “Shouldonly be a couple more minutes.”
“It’sfine.Hewon’t mind.”Itried to sidestepGeorge, who sighed heavily at my petulance and barricaded any further attempts by outstretching his arms to resemble a giant, intimidating cross.Inow understood whyAxelhad specifically requestedGeorge.
“Sorry,Miss.”Despitehis frightening presence,Georgekept his voice friendly. “Mr.Trimalchioclearly said you can’t leave without him.”Thewad of cash had quite an effect onGeorge.Iwasn’t going anywhere.
Thetense muscles of my shoulders relaxed upon findingLevihurriedly approaching me. “Levi,”Isaid exasperatedly. “Canyou please inform this gentleman,”Imotioned towardGeorge, “thatAxelwon’t mind ifIhead to the car now?”
Leviappeared equally uncomfortable by my suggestion. “Youbetter wait forAxel,” he said sheepishly.Hadeveryone lost their minds?
“Idon’t want to wait forAxel,”Isaid through clenched teeth.Iknew my fate would be further sealed ifIwaited forAxel.Moreopportunities to be photographed together.Moreopportunities for him to kiss me ifIdidn’t do as he said. “Oncehe finishes his set, all the fans will rush to the back entrance again.Wouldn’tit be safer ifIran to the car now to avoid the crowd?”
“That’sa good question to ask him.”Witha hand on my lower back,Leviturned me toward my newfound jailor.
“WhatdidIsay about touching her?”Axelsnarled, his gaze locked onLevi’shand resting on my back before the accusatory eyes turned toGeorge, who was instructed to break someone’s hands if they touched me.
Levihastily retreated his hand whileGeorgeprimed a defense to show he had done his job as requested. “Thelady was trying to leave.Wetold her she had to wait for you.”
Unsureif the explanation placated him,Levicharged forward with an added justification. “Shewanted to leave before the crowd thickened outside.”
“WhatdidItell you would happen if you tried to leave again?”Axelgrowled.
“Iattended the stupid rave, so why does it matter ifIleave—”
Axelstepped closer until our chests bumped against one another, and his lips cut off my words as they collided against mine.Islammed my fists against his chest, beyond infuriated by the day’s antics, while he pretended not to notice.Hepulled my scarf down, exposing my hair and face, while his tongue dominated mine, hands moving freely over my body and groping as he pleased.
