It was tension.Tight. Breathless. Grinding.The same four steps forward, four steps back. Axel’s boots struck hardwood in a rhythm that sounded too much like a countdown. His jaw was locked tight enough to crack bone. Slade’s voice still echoed in his head—smooth, slick, and venom-laced.“I figured if I’m going to torture and kill your mother, might as well do it with a little style.”His stomach twisted. His fists ached. Just down the hall, Mia was dressing like this was just another morning. Like she wasn’t preparing to walk straight into hell.Axel wanted to put his fist through the wall. Or the mirror. Or his own reflection.Instead—he paced.The door creaked behind him. He didn’t stop. Didn’t even turn until that familiar voice cut through the storm cloud in his head.“You always pace like this,” Daniel said from the doorway, “or is this a special occasion?”Axel turned slowly, eyes sharp enough to flay. “You got something to say, say it. Stop pussy footing around me all the tim
Steam clung to her skin as Mia stepped out of the shower, the towel a whisper against her curves. Her damp hair fell in soft waves down her back, drops of water trailing between her breasts and down the curve of her thigh. She didn’t bother being quiet—she didn’t need to. They were both out there, waiting. Wanting. She could feel it, like the electricity before a lightning strike. The moment she stepped into the room, Axel looked up first. His jaw clenched, nostrils flaring like he was trying not to pounce. He was perched on the edge of the bed, shirt off, tattoos sharp in the low light. Across from him on the white leather sofa sat Daniel, legs apart, hands steepled under his chin. His gaze dragged over her body with slow reverence. “Holy fuck,” Axel growled under his breath, standing. Mia stood still, watching both of them like a goddess descending into a very dangerous prayer. “Don’t fight,” she whispered, letting the towel slip. It hit the floor with a sigh, and both
The sun hadn’t risen yet, but something warm and solid pressed against Mia’s back, dragging her from the haze of sleep into flickering awareness. She blinked, disoriented for a moment. The ceiling above her was unfamiliar—cream plastered, neat, sterile. Not the hotel. Not her apartment. Then it hit her. The safe house. Her body was cocooned in heat. One arm—Daniel’s—was slung around her waist, his hand resting low on her stomach. His chest molded into her back, steady breaths warm against her hair. The press of his hips was firm. Hard. There was no mistaking the solid ridge nestled right against her ass. Morning wood. And it was definitely not subtle. A spark lit in her core. In front of her, Axel slept on his side, shirtless, his breath steady. His lips were parted slightly, lashes fanned against bruised cheekbones. One arm was tucked beneath her head, the other curled over his waist. The scent of him—sandalwood, danger, and something darker— it wrapped around her like smok
The room was silent except for the faint hum of the city outside—Vegas never truly slept, but here, in the cramped safe house, the noise felt distant, muted like a ghost. The only other sound was the steady rhythm of Mia’s breath, shallow but even, as she lay just behind him. Daniel sat on the edge of the bed, elbows resting heavily on his knees, fingers intertwined so tightly they burned. He wasn’t praying, not really. But the gesture held the weight of one: a desperate hope for a future that felt fragile, uncertain, and maybe impossible. She was here, though. Sleeping. Safe. But not his. Not fully. Mia. He swallowed against the knot in his throat, jaw clenched tight enough to taste blood. The faint glow of the bedside lamp painted her skin gold—her wild hair spilled across the pillow, lips slightly parted, fragile like a porcelain doll. And she wasn’t just his anymore. Axel Morino’s scent lingered on her, woven into her skin, a silent claim Daniel hated more than a
Lauren didn’t even pretend to be subtle.The second the conversation turned deep, she beelined for the biggest bedroom, shouting something about “she wants the deets later” and “good luck surviving that testosterone-fueled awkward fest.” Now she was cozied up in a pile of blankets, smug grin in place as she peeked through the cracked door to eavesdrop. Mia stood in the center of the living room, flanked by two men who couldn’t stop staring at each other like one of them might lunge at any second. The white leather sofa gleamed under the dim lighting, but none of them dared sit first. Axel stood stiff, hands shoved in his pockets, dark eyes fixed on Daniel like a hunter sizing up competition. Daniel didn’t look at him. Not once. His gaze lingered on Mia instead, and something about the softness in his expression made her heart ache. Awkward didn’t even begin to cover it. Finally, she broke the silence. “We’re all here. Might as well sit.” She motioned toward the sofa. Axel sa
The safe house sat tucked at the edge of the city, a sleek penthouse that didn’t look like much from the outside—just another polished high-rise wrapped in tinted glass and expensive silence. But on the inside, it was everything Axel had promised: new. Anonymous. Safe. Mia stepped into the cool, marble-tiled hallway, her heels clicking softly as she looked around. Axel followed close behind, tossing a duffel bag onto the nearest armchair. Lauren was already claiming rooms, dragging her suitcase like a warrior returning from war. Mia’s pulse hadn’t slowed once since they left the hotel. Everything was happening fast—too fast. She dropped her bag by the kitchen counter and took a breath that felt too shallow, like her lungs hadn’t caught up to her reality yet. The room smelled like clean sheets and pine, but her body still carried the scent of fear, of blood and leather and Slade’s cologne. Axel came up beside her, brushing his fingers along her spine. “You okay?” No. Not ev