Axel: A Bad Boy Romance (19 page)

Chapter Thirty-Two

“Wow, this is beautiful,” Marie said running her hands over the delicate and intricate stitching on the back of Axel’s red and blue robe. Axel Connelly, the letters were straight and even and very well done.

“Thanks,” Axel said with a knowing smile. “Uh...my mom made it for me.”

“Ooh,” Marie crooned, holding the robe tightly. “That’s so sweet. Your mom made your robe for you.”

“Just the stitching, and don’t mess it up. It’s good luck,” he chided. Marie smiled over at him from the passenger's seat as she carefully refolded the robe and put it back in the box. He was taking Marie for a weekend in Philly. Cate was staying with Ingrid, so it was just the two of them. Axel had some promotional stuff to do for the fight on Sunday, but the rest of the weekend was reserved for anything they wanted to do.

She had been flattered and thrilled and when he came with the offer. She had never had a vacation away from her daughter and she felt a little guilty about how much she was enjoying it. But it certainly was nice to not have to chase after a five-year-old or wonder what she might be getting into. Marie allowed herself to settle back into the seat as Axel sped down the highway towards the city.

“For dinner we have reservations at Zahav. It’s supposed to be the best restaurant in Philadelphia. After that I know of some clubs we can go to, if you want. Then we can go back to the hotel and...” he drifted off and looked over at her with a smile. “Then on Sunday I have to do some work for the fight. Hopefully it won’t be too boring for you.”

“I’m excited to go,” Marie said, “and if it get’s boring, I can always leave and do some shopping.”

“Fair enough. Although it’s gonna be a little strange with you and Hayden there at the same time.”

“You two still haven't spoken?”

“We talk, but it’s only business. I feel like something broke between us and I’m not sure how to fix it, or if I even want to.”

Marie didn’t know what the fight was about. Axel just said that they were disagreeing over the training regimen. It made her nervous, though. This was such a big fight and she really wanted Axel to do well. She was desperate for him to win. She had heard that some athletes forgo sex in the days up to a competition and secretly she wondered if she was the reason Hayden and Axel had been fighting.

The hotel was probably the nicest Marie had ever seen. They weren’t just in a room, but an entire suite. There was a large kitchen, a dining room with a long, shining wooden table, a living room with several leather couches facing a big screen TV, and then in the bedroom there was a huge four-poster bed in the center of the room. Marie stood in the middle of the room and stared around her with her mouth hanging open. It was funny: Austin used to brag about getting hookups and deals from hotels. He would show off average looking rooms like they were something special. This would have blown his mind. He had never been in a room half as nice as this.

The thought made her a little giddy and once the bellboy had left Marie wrapped her arms around Axel’s neck and pulled him down for a kiss. Her tongue slid over his as his hands went around her waist and he pulled her flush against him. She smiled as she kissed him and he smiled back as his hand reached down and squeezed her ass.

There was a knock at the door and after a moment Axel released her. Marie pulled her skirt down and Axel smoothed his shirt as he walked to the door. The concierge stood in the doorway and next to him was a huge gift basket. It was so big it needed to be pulled on a cart. It was wheeled into the room and Marie stared in awe at bottles of champagne and cans of caviar and dozens of other expensive items she would get to break into later.

“Are you like famous or something?” she asked a little breathlessly. It was half a joke and half a real question. She knew Axel was well known in the fighting community, but she didn’t think he was famous enough to warrant this kind of treatment.

“Not to brag,” he said as he tipped the concierge and closed the door, “but I really am famous.”

Marie shook her head and walked out onto the balcony. It was a warm day and the city below teemed with life. Back home in Arizona the streets would have been empty at this point in the day; the relentless sun and heat would have driven everyone indoors. But here women in sundresses and men in sharp suits sipped iced coffee as they strolled down the street.

She was one of them now. A happy person. She never would have thought it possible. She was so used to misery that she had stopped expecting anything better. But now here it was. She could look down on those people and not feel envy. Their happiness only improved hers. For the first time in her life she could honestly say she was perfectly happy.

They ate a sumptuous dinner. It was seven or eight courses all picked out by and prepared by the chef. A wine came with each dish and they sat back and relaxed and ate their meal over the long course of several hours. Marie had never tasted food this good. Everything was cooked perfectly, everything spiced so the flavors were compounded to delicious new tastes and sensations on her tongue.

And dinner was just the beginning. He took her to a bar downtown. They took a black car and made out in the back seat as the driver raised the partition. He parked in front of a club in Old City where about three dozen people stood waiting in line. But Axel just took her hand and led her to the bouncer.

“Axel! My man,” the bouncer said as he moved the rope aside. “I got my money on you versus Castellano.”
“Then the next time I come here, my drinks are on you. You’ll have the money to pay for it,” Axel said clapping the man on the shoulder.

From the line Marie could hear people whispering
Axel. Axel Connelly. The MMA fighter. He’s supposed to be really good.
She felt flushed and tipsy. The club was dark with only the occasional lights flashing down from above. They were blues and purples and pinks and occasionally it looked like the entire world was changing colors. Axel led her onto the dance floor, his hands on her waist guiding her through the thick crowd.

She felt shy at first with so many strangers around her, but as they made their way through crowd Marie began to feel lost in a good way. She was surrounded by people, but none of them were looking at her. She blended in with them; she was one of them. In a way it felt like she and Axel were the only people in the very crowded club. They kissed. His hands were on her waist. She felt breathless. His lips were on her neck and his hands were grabbing her ass.

She pulled herself away from him before they went too far. He released her, but they danced closed together. Marie swayed with the music feeling lost in the moment. Nothing else mattered except the song that was playing and Axel still being close. Everything else faded into the background as one song became another and she danced until her legs almost gave out underneath her.

It was past midnight when they left. Back in the car Axel slid his hand up Marie’s thigh and she let him with a giggle. She felt drunk on love. Drunk on how she felt when she was with him. She had no worries at that moment. Not a single thing bothered her. It was perfect.

They tried to maintain their composure on their walk across the lobby to the elevator. Only Marie was barefoot. Her shoes were killing her and once they were in the lobby she slid out of them and sighed in pleasure when her feet hit the cold marble floor.

“Act natural,” Axel said and with heads held high they strode through the lobby and tried desperately not to laugh. Once they were alone in the elevator he pressed her back against the mirrored wall and kissed her deeply.

She kissed him back, her hands grabbing at his shoulders and pulling him closer. “God you’re strong,” she whispered as he kissed her neck. Her hands were on his shoulders and she could feel his muscles through the fabric. Pectorals and other muscles she couldn’t name bugled and rippled beneath her fingers.

Axel came up with a chuckle and kissed her again. They barely managed to keep their clothes on as they made their way to his suite.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Axel worked the bag as he waited for Marie. They had returned from Philadelphia two days ago and he hadn’t seen her since. They had texted, but it wasn’t enough and already he missed her. He didn’t like having to go entire days without seeing her. It seemed like too much time. He didn’t trust it. He wanted to see her every day.

She was late, but only three minutes. It wasn’t too strange. Sure, she had always been on time or earlier every other time they had met, but that didn’t mean something was wrong. Maybe something had happened with Cate. Maybe there had been an issue at the mansion. He checked his phone but there were no missed calls or texts. He returned to the bag, punching and jabbing at it as the minute hand moved and she was five minutes late.

Hayden was gone. It was their new routine. Marie was not mentioned between them. If Marie was at the gym, Hayden was somewhere else. He acted like Marie didn’t exist and it was starting to make Axel mad. Hayden’s immaturity was starting to be a real problem. The thought had at first seemed inconceivable, but now Axel was seriously thinking of getting rid of his lifetime trainer. It wasn’t an easy thought. He had no idea how he would do such a thing.

When she was eight minutes late he couldn’t take it anymore. He took off his gloves and started walking to the stairs determined to go and find her himself. He was at the foot the stairs when the door opened and she appeared. The bright lights lit up her dark brown hair and she gave him a nervous smile as she hopped down the stairs.

“Sorry I’m late. It was just a thing with Cate.” She wasn’t looking him in the eye. She was making a show of taking off her long sleeve t-shirt and taping up her knuckles. She was busying herself to distract him. But he knew better. She was lying. Something was up.

“No worries, but don’t make a habit of it,” Axel said. “Let’s go do some sit-ups. “Marie, lay down on a mat and began to lift herself up as Axel held her feet. He counted as she completed each sit-up and he waited for her to speak.

She was silent and her eyes were looking everywhere but at him. She was starting to strain with the effort. She was at forty sit-ups and struggling to come all the way up. Her face was beet red and already she was sweating. At fifty he told her she could stop.

He pushed her hard. Not relenting, not letting up. He started with weights almost doubling the amount she had to lift. She was struggling by the end of each rep, but she refused to quit and he kept pushing her.

Just tell me,
he thought as he sparred with her. They were in the ring and he wasn’t going easy on her. He refused to let her land a hit. He easily swiped away her kicks and punches, but refused to attack. He would block her hit and wait for her to try another. He was in control the entire time, so she was forced to spend her energy trying to get through his defenses. She was growing tired, her hits were weakening, and finally she threw up her hands and quit.

She flopped down on the mat leaning back against the harsh ropes. Her breath was coming in ragged gasps. Axel sat down beside her and rubbed her back as her breath slowed down. She guzzled water and then handed him the bottle. She swiped the sweat off her breast and off her forehead. “What the hell, man?” she finally asked, turning to look at him. “What was that for?”

“Why were you late today?” he asked, keeping his voice even. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She continued for a moment and Axel looked at her and said, “don’t lie to me.”

She shook her head and looked to the sky, but she didn't move. He waited, hoping she would open up to him and then, her eyes still on the ceiling, she said, “I thought I saw a man taking my picture.” She shook her head at her own foolishness and then glanced at him before continuing. “I wasn’t sure. So I followed him for a few blocks. But then he got in his car and drove away.” She shrugged her shoulders as if to say the whole thing meant nothing to her.

“You followed him?” Axel asked. He was half mad and half impressed.

“Yeah,” she said with a wan smile. “Probably not the best idea.”

“No,” he said. “But it’s still pretty ballsy.”

She laughed only it came out more like a sigh. She put her head in her hand and looked at him waiting for him to say something.

“Was he taking your picture? Were you sure?”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. And he was worried there was sparkle of a tear in her eye. “I don’t know. I just thought I saw something. But I feel like I see something suspicious every day. And now I’m putting this on you before your fight and I feel like a real jerk.”

“Don’t say that.” Axel said. “It’s fine. You don’t have to worry about me.” She stood shakily to her feet and Axel gave her his hand and helped her out from between the ropes. She was shaky as she walked to the shower. “Want me to come in there with you?” he asked pointing to the women’s locker room.

She smiled but shook her head and gave him a kiss before disappearing. Axel waited outside, his mind running in circles as he wondered if anyone actually had taken her picture or not. She came out fifteen minutes later looking fresher and a little more solid on her feet. He was worried he had pushed her too far, but he could see now that in a day or two she would only be stronger.

“I’ll walk you home,” Axel said taking her bag. Outside on Main Street it seemed impossible that a bad thing could ever occur here. The town was like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Nineteen-fifties’ style storefronts and little old ladies taking their daily walk. There was no way a man had been taking Marie’s picture on this street, was there? He still looked. In every car, in every window, in every gesture, he looked for anything suspicious. Was anyone looking for Marie? Was that guy really a delivery man, or was he a spy in disguise? But nothing looked strange to him. The people he knew waved at him and the rest ignored him. There was nothing suspicious or dangerous he could say. Marie was just worried and she was seeing ghosts.

She whined at every step up to her apartment. She had to stop three times and rest and she glared at him. “My legs don’t work anymore and it’s all your fault.”

Finally, she crashed on the couch in her apartment and he made her a protein shake. She was watching one of those horrible
Real Housewives
shows when he came back with her drink. She managed to sit up and she drank it quickly and then fell back and closed her eyes.

“I don’t think I saw anyone,” she said as she snuggled against him. Axel said nothing, he put his arm around her and she continued, “It was probably just an overactive imagination.” He squeezed her shoulders hoping she was right.

What would he do if Austin showed up here? It was Axel’s nightmare: getting a late night phone call that Marie was missing. He was constantly worried he would be expecting her and she would be gone, just disappeared. He feared Austin coming in and scooping her up. If she ever left, he would never be able to stop looking for her.

Is that was Austin thinks?
some dark part of his mind asked. Axel didn't want to think about it. He didn’t want to have anything in common with a man like Austin St. Clare. But some dark part of him understood how hard it would be to lose Marie and how much he would want her back. But, no, he shook the idea off. There was nothing similar between him and Austin. Axel would never hurt Marie and if she wanted to leave him, he would let her. He would never hold her against her will. Austin wanted to control her. Axel loved her.

He had restrained his instincts over Thomas Middlemarch. He let Marie make the choice. Axel had never mentioned Thomas’ little gambling habit that had almost cost him his house. Marie chose Axel on her own. She ended things with Thomas at a coffee shop while Axel was at the gym. Thomas had been a little sad, Marie told him, but they had only gone on one date, so it wasn’t the end of the world.

Now she was Axel’s. But that still wasn’t right. She didn’t belong to him and he didn’t belong to her. They were together because they wanted to be. They wanted the other to be happy and being with each other made them happy. There was no jealousy or anger in their relationship. They were simply ecstatically happy with each other.

She fell asleep on the couch. Axel lifted her slight frame up in his arms and carried her to her bedroom. She fell onto bed and crawled between the sheets with Axel close behind. He snuggled next to her, kissing the back of her neck, but listening for any strange footfalls in the apartment.