INICIAR SESIÓNHAZEL I had no idea what Axel Moretti had been planning the next morning. I was surprised to wake up and find Axel already dressed. He was standing in front of the mirror, putting on his tie.Ever since he had been injured, I had always been the first one to wake up. But it was still so early, and he was already up, dressed in his suit, and looking as though he was ready to leave. His hair was neatly styled as he adjusted his tie.Of course, he looked as handsome as ever. During his recovery, I had gotten used to seeing him in T-shirts and sweatpants, and even that had been sexy. But this was the Axel I knew, the one who always looked sharp and in control. I just hadn't expected him to be the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes.“What time is it?” I asked, trying to shake off the sleep.“Oh, you're awake.” Axel glanced at me through the mirror. “I didn't mean to wake you. I'm sorry.”“What? What time is it?”“Three.”“Three? Like in the morning?” I repeated, sitting up straighter
HAZEL Axel paused, and his expression became more serious.“As Damien was about to shoot me, Kat reacted. She shot his arm, but there were too many of them. Damien was in his office with Vasilisa and two of his men. They were holding Vasilisa back because she was begging her father not to shoot me. They weren't expecting Kat to pull out a gun and shoot at Damien. That moment of surprise was when my men charged in. My men were already positioned around the building, and that was signal enough for them to rush into the room.”I held my breath as he continued.“There was an exchange of gunfire. Damien and his men were killed on the spot.”I narrowed my eyes.“All right.... So he died?”“Yes.”I swallowed. I didn't know what to say. Damien Morozov was dead. Vasilisa was alive, and Axel was lying in a hospital bed, injured because of everything that had happened.“And Vasilisa?” I asked. “What happened to her after your men arrived?”“Well, after the gunshots, everyone at the party had he
HAZEL “No, she's not,” Axel replied.“What? Why?”As soon as I asked, another thought crossed my mind. This was the mafia. If she had tried to kill him, they might have killed her themselves.“Is she dead?” I asked.Axel laughed.“No, she's not.”“Okay, I'm confused. What the hell is going on?”“Well, Vasilisa is alive and well, but her father isn't.”“What?”I stared at him, trying to process what he had just said. I remembered her father. I had met him before—Damien Morozov, the head of the Morozov family.“Damien Morozov is dead?” I shook my head, still confused. “I don't understand. Did Vasilisa shoot you and her father? Was it because she didn't want to marry you? No, wait. That doesn't make any sense. She did want to marry you.”“Yes, she did.”“Then why would she shoot you?”“She wanted to marry me badly enough to shoot me.”I stared at him.“I'm even more confused now.”Axel laughed again, but this time there was something different about his expression.“Can I be honest with
HAZEL I didn't have an answer to that.He reached for my hand.“I'm not going back to the way things were overnight, sweetheart. I'll take it slowly. I promise.”“That's what you said about getting out of bed.”He laughed.“And you survived.”“Barely.”He pulled me closer, smiling as he kissed the back of my hand.“I'll be careful.”Still, I wasn't ready for him to return to his usual routine.“You should at least give yourself more time,” I tried again“I've given myself enough time.”I sighed. There was no point pretending I could keep him in that room indefinitely.I looked at him, trying to decide whether I believed him. Axel had never been particularly good at slowing down. He was used to giving orders, making decisions, and having people move according to his instructions. The idea of him sitting still while other men handled matters in his absence was probably more difficult for him than he wanted to admit.But I also knew I couldn't keep him confined to his bedroom forever.“
HAZEL I heard Axel chuckle as I returned to arranging his things and smiled to myself.Here is the thing about taking care of Axel in his bedroom. I didn't exactly move into Axel's bedroom, but I might as well have. And to think that this was once a room I had been forbidden to enter made me laugh.I spent most of my time there. I kept a few of my belongings in his bathroom, along with some clothes and toiletries, so I wouldn't have to keep going back and forth to my own room.I was there twenty-four-seven. When he woke up, when he ate, and whenever he needed his medication. I made sure he drank enough water, reminded him to rest, and watched him whenever he tried to do something he wasn't supposed to.At some point, I think Axel felt like I was his own personal nurse.“You know,” Axel said one morning as I handed him his medication, “I think I should start paying you.”I raised an eyebrow.“For what?”“For all this nursing.”I placed the glass of water in his hand.“Don't worry. I'l
HAZEL I didn't leave Axel's side. Not for a day.The days passed in a way I hadn't expected. I barely left his hospital room. The first night, I slept in the chair beside his bed, waking up every time the monitor beeped or he shifted in his sleep. The nurses kept telling me I could go home and get some proper rest, but I refused. I wasn't going anywhere without Axel. I had already spent enough time wondering where he was and whether he was going to make it. I didn't want to keep going through that.The next day, Axel had them bring a bed into the room so I could sleep comfortably, as if I was going to sleep comfortably when I was worried about him every second of every hour.Axel seemed amused by my determination, although he didn't say much about it. He was still weak, and the doctors wanted to keep him under observation because of the amount of blood he had lost. They checked his wound regularly, monitored his blood pressure, and made sure there were no signs of complications.Tha
HAZELThe next morning, when I woke up, I wondered what kind of day I wanted this to be. Am I going to stay in my room all day? Am I going to get out? But then, thinking of seeing Nico… thinking how he must be feeling right now… he must be blaming me, right? I mean, there’s no way he’s not blaming
HAZELHe nodded once toward Nico.“He is your shadow. Your guard. Your shield. His life was put in danger because of your decisions.”“I’m sorry,” I whispered, barely audible.Nico swallowed tightly.Axel’s gaze sharpened. “Sorry doesn’t change the facts.”He started rolling up the sleeves of his d
HAZELThe next afternoon, Angela brings me a new attire.....a red dress, gold shoes, and even new jewelry. She doesn’t have to tell me who wants me to wear them or where I have to go, because I already know.So, at seven, I start getting ready. Yes, because I’m not going to be ready at eight sharp
HAZEL“Nico,” I begin, my voice trembling. “You’re freaking me out, okay? I don’t care if he decides to kill me. I guess it was a long time coming....”He stares at me, unblinking. “He already sold me in there...to that man called Mac,” I say, the words tumbling out. “I’m supposed to go spend the n







