TABOO (A DEAL WITH THE SHADOW ALPHA) のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 41 - チャプター 50

AxelI should have left. Every instinct I had was screaming at me to put distance between us, to give her space, to not push too hard too fast. She hadn't even decided if she really wanted us to date for real yet, and here I was in her apartment after the most emotionally intense evening either of us had probably ever experienced.But then she looked at me with those eyes—those impossibly warm, vulnerable eyes—and said, "Stay. Please? I don't want to be alone right now. And Rosa gave us all that food anyway. We should eat it together."How the hell was I supposed to say no to that face?So I stayed.We'd realized on the drive back that Rosa had packed enough food to feed a small army. Addison had laughed through her tears when we'd opened the containers, finding at least four different dishes carefully portioned out."She always does this," Addison had said softly. "Tries to take care of me the only way she knows how."Now we were in her apartment, and I was discovering that my brilli

ADDISON I stared at my suitcase, mentally going through the checklist for the hundredth time. Passport, check. Chargers, check. Sketchbook, check. The samples from my collection that weren't already shipped to Italy, check.Everything was ready. I was as prepared as I could be for this photoshoot. So why did I feel like I was forgetting something important?I walked over to my nightstand and pulled out my journal—the leather-bound one Jules had given me last year for my birthday with the inscription "For your thoughts, dreams, and everything in between" on the cover. I hadn't written in it much lately, too caught up in work and usual the chaos. But this morning, I felt the need to write. To ground myself before everything changed,to reassure my self and be grateful. Things weren't perfect but it felt like if I wrote in this book, I would feel better even more free. I sat on the edge of my bed, pen in hand, and opened to a fresh page.Things I'm Thankful For . I wrote at the top.The

ADDISON I woke up to warmth.Not just any warmth—the kind that slowly seeped into your bones and made you want to bury yourself deeper, to get closer, to never move again. Like being wrapped in the world's most perfect blanket.Except the blanket was a man. My man. At least he was technically now, right? My eyes fluttered open, and it took me a second to process my surroundings. The fancy Italian hotel room. The morning light streaming through the windows. The gorgeous countryside I could see out beyond the glass.And Axel. Right there. Pressed against my back, one arm draped across my waist, his chest rising and falling with slow, steady breaths.I froze.At some point during the night, I must have rolled toward him. Or maybe he'd moved toward me. Either way, I was tucked against him like a puzzle piece that had finally found where it fit. My back against his chest, his face buried somewhere near the top of my head, his arm heavy and warm around me.And I remembered—last night, bef

AxelShe hesitated for just a moment, her hands going to the hem of her top. Then she glanced around, looking over her shoulder at the empty beach, the water stretching out around us."Don't worry, firefly," I said, my voice low. "No one is here except us. And if someone even dares to look at you like this—at what's mine—I would just have to gauge their eyes out."I meant every word. The demon inside me was already planning exactly how I'd do it, too.She looked back at me, and something in my tone must have reassured her because she smiled slightly. Then, slowly, she pulled her top over her head.My breath caught.The afternoon sun painted her skin gold, highlighting every curve, every dip. She was wearing a simple white bra underneath, and even that seemed like too much clothing.She reached behind her back, unclasping it, and let it fall to the deck.Fuck.Her breasts were perfect. Full and soft, her nipples already hard from the ocean breeze or maybe from arousal. I wanted to put

AxelThe market was exactly what Addison had hoped for—bustling and colorful and full of life. Vendors called out in rapid Italian, advertising their wares. The smell of fresh bread and roasting coffee filled the air. Fabric stalls displayed bolts of cloth in every color imaginable. It was exceedingly overwhelming. But Addison was in heaven.I watched her move from stall to stall, her eyes bright with excitement, touching fabrics and asking questions in her broken Italian that made the vendors chuckle at her. She was so animated, so purely happy, and something in my chest ached watching her.She belonged in moments like this. Surrounded by beauty and creativity, her passion on full display for the world to see."Axel, look at this!" She held up a piece of lace, delicate and intricate. "Isn't it gorgeous? Can you imagine this on a dress? Or maybe as an overlay on a—"She kept talking, but I was only half listening. Too busy watching the way her whole face lit up when she talked about