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Well. That’s not how Reverend Rakestraw presented it to me. “Interesting.”

“How’s that?”

“He told me that you were breaking up with me.”

He laughs darkly. “You gotta give it to him, for someone who bathes in holy water, he sure as hell plays dirty.”

I shift to look at him better. “I don’t want to be the thing that comes between you and your family.”

“He’sthe thing that’s come between me and my family. It’s just a bullshit excuse to exert his control and I’m done with it.”

“Axel–”

He grabs me by the waist, lifting me like a ragdoll until I’m straddling his lap. “I’m not happy about cutting my sister and mother out of my life, but Cap and I talked about it.” His jaw tenses. “I can’t drown myself while trying to save everyone else–especially if they don’t want it.”

“So that’s that. You’re walking away from Nolan Rakestraw and his Kingdom.”

“Yeah I guess I am.” His hands slide down to cup my ass. “Good thing I’ve got options.”

There’s only one real option this man has and it really is a good one. I raise an eyebrow. “You mean the NHL?”

“If they’ll take me.” His eyes light with an eagerness I’ve never seen before. “You okay with that?”

“It doesn’t matter what I want.” I touch his chest, fingers running over the 110 above his heart. “I just want you to be happy.”

“I never allowed myself to really believe it. My future was too locked in and obviously it’s still a fucking long-shot, but yeah. I think I want it.” He tilts his head, looking up at me. “And it does matter what you want, because part of making me happy is knowing you're there, sitting with the rest of the wives, wearing my name and number.”

I still. “Did you just say wife?”

“One day.” He grins, knowing it’s too fast, even for two impulsive people like us. “If I’m going out on my own, chasingthis dream, then I’m going to have to have someone by my side to make sure I don’t make any epic fuck-ups.”

All I ever wanted was to be a WAG but I’d been told over and over I’m not good enough. That girls like me aren’t wife material.

“Hey.” Axel touches my chin. “Don’t freak out on me. Just know that no matter what happens, I want you with me.”

“Sounds like you need me.”

His hips push up, letting me feel how much he needs me. Wrapping his hand around the back of my neck, he pulls my mouth to his and mutters, “You have no fucking idea.”

Our lips meet, and this kiss is different. I feel it in the tremble of his finger tips, and the way my heart skips every other beat. We’re not two people running from our problems. We’re Axel and Nadia. Two people that know what they want. Each other.

“I love you,” he says, “and I want to fuck you so bad right now, but not on this couch. It’s filthy.”

I laugh, touching my nose to his. “Hey, so what are you doing for Christmas?”

“No clue.” His hand thrusts into his hair. “Guess I could tag along with the guys. Reid’s mom is always happy to see me.”

I nod, then offer, “Want to come to Florida?”

“Florida,” he says, a small curve on his lips. “You gonna be wearing one of those sexy bikinis?”

“It’s winter, Ax, Florida gets cold too.”

“Darlin’, I’ll always keep you warm.” His mouth and hands do the job, stealing another kiss until I’m not just warm, but breathless.

24

Nadia