Chapter 83 Part 83

Chapter 83 Part 83
Axl

“You were never a problem, Aspen,” he said softly, his voice thick with unshakable conviction, and pressed his forehead against hers. The simple touch grounded him, steadied the frantic pulse still racing beneath his skin. “Do you believe me?”
“Yes,” she whispered. Her breath brushed across his lips, warm and certain.
“That’s good, because I’m not letting you go again. For two years, I couldn’t breathe.” His chest tightened as he said it, the memory of those hollow months clawing at him. “I can’t lose you again.”
Aspen smiled as she cupped his jaw. Her fingers traced lightly over the faint stubble there, and he closed his eyes, leaning into her touch with unfiltered need. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed something so simple—her hands on him, steady and familiar.
“We should talk about that.”
He shook his head immediately, almost stubbornly. “I don’t care how we do it. I’m not losing you again.” His hands rested at her waist as if anchoring her in place.
“I have to go home and change my clothes.”
Axl opened his eyes and grinned, mischief flickering there. “We could always order room service. You don’t need clothes for that.” His tone was light, but his thumb brushed slowly along her hip, betraying the intimate intention behind the joke.
Aspen narrowed her eyes and tried to glare at him. “I’m not doing the walk of shame tomorrow in dirty clothes.”
“Fine, get dressed. The sooner we go and get your clothes, the sooner we’ll be back here.” His smile softened, gaze lingering on her like he still couldn’t believe she was in front of him.
“Axl, it’s more than just getting clothes. I have responsibilities here, a lease, a job… I—”
He twirled a piece of her hair around his finger, watching it coil and slide free. “So, you’ve been living here all along?” There was something almost wounded in the question.
“Yes. I have an apartment downtown,” she said.
He frowned and shifted on the bed, the mattress dipping beneath his weight. “Why were you at the hotel?”
Aspen’s eyes widened. “I was supposed to meet with the headmaster of a private school for a permanent position.” Her hand smacked her forehead, and Axl laughed—a rich, unrestrained sound that filled the room.
“Do you love me?” His voice turned serious again without warning. His eyes locked onto hers with piercing intensity, searching for hesitation.
“I never stopped loving you.”
His breath caught. “You were my first, Aspen, my only. I haven’t so much as held another woman’s hand since you left me.” His jaw tightened, emotion flashing across his face. “It was always just you. We’ve been given a second chance. Don’t question it, just take my hand, and jump with me. Everything else is semantics. We can sort it out. It’s you and me. Will you jump with me?”
“Axl, why are you even in Los Angeles? How long are you staying here, and where were you planning on going after this?”
He sighed and shifted into a sitting position, running a hand through his hair. “Mama West is getting remarried.”
“What? Janine is getting married again?” The shock in Aspen’s eyes made him smile faintly.
“I have sixteen weeks before we go back to the studio to record. I was planning on going somewhere remote so I can write, and just be out of the public eye.” His shoulders lifted in a small shrug. “Plans can change, Aspen. We have sixteen weeks to figure it all out.”
“My lease is month to month,” she said carefully.
His eyes lit with quiet triumph. “So… are we going to get your clothes or what?”
“Let’s jump, Axl.” The words settled between them with thrilling finality.
He kissed her again, deeper this time. When she lifted her hips against his, instinctive and inviting, he groaned softly before pushing himself up and away from her with visible restraint. He laughed at the look on her face as he pulled his jeans on. Aspen shook her head with a chuckle as Axl picked her clothes up and watched her getting dressed, his gaze unapologetically admiring.
“You can give the address to CJ. We’ll use the maintenance stairwell, and exit the hotel at the back,” Axl said as they headed out to the hallway, his hand resting low on her back.
“Are people really that bad when they see you?” Aspen asked quietly.
CJ walked in front of them, Calvin bringing up the rear. CJ chuckled and glanced over his shoulder at her, then nodded. Axl didn’t answer, but the weary tension in his posture said enough. Within minutes, they were in the backseat of a large SUV with darkened windows.
Aspen shifted closer to him automatically. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side, breathing her in like reassurance. His phone rang. He sighed and switched it to speaker.
“Dude! You said no scandals, and now you’re groping some poor woman in a hotel lobby?” Jack’s voice boomed.
Axl barked out a laugh. “It’s Aspen.”
“Aspen!” they shouted.
“Hey, guys,” Aspen said, laughing.
“Keep the groping for the bedroom, Axl,” Rihon teased.
“Where are you guys?” Axl asked.
“We’re heading to the airport now. Thought we’d check out Amsterdam,” Jack said.
“Baby mamas, that’s all I’m saying!”
Laughter filled the car, loud and familiar. Leon cleared his throat. “Welcome back, Aspen. We missed you. Hopefully, Axl will stop brooding and smile again.”
“I smile,” Axl protested. The laughter only grew louder. Aspen couldn’t fight her smile.
When the car pulled up at the curb, Axl pulled a cap low over his face and told the men to wait. He grabbed her hand as she led him upstairs.
Axl stood in her living room, taking everything in with quiet scrutiny. He smiled when he spotted the framed photo on the side table—graduation day. He was standing behind her, arms wrapped tight, both of them grinning like the world belonged to them.
“So, does everyone know you love me?” Aspen asked lightly.
Axl turned and saw the large suitcase beside her. “I didn’t lie, Aspen. It’s always just been you.”
“I could always just stay here, Axl. You can go see North and Janine and—”
He shook his head, eyes cooling instantly. “You and me. I told you this already.” His tone carried unyielding resolve.
“It’s not like I’m going to run away if you leave me alone,” she said softly.
“You did once.” The words weren’t cruel—just honest. “You left me because of a misunderstanding. I understand that North’s words hurt you, but you didn’t even give me a chance.” His voice lowered. “You broke me, Aspen. We do it together, or we don’t do it at all.”
“I was broken, too.”
The admission softened him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head, holding her close as if stitching something back together. “We have time. Tomorrow, we’re going to the wedding, then we have time to make plans. I’m not expecting you to give your life up for me, but I want you with me; here, Europe, wherever we go.”
“I missed you, Axl.” Her arms tightened around him.
“So did I,” he murmured into her hair.
They stood like that for a long moment, breathing each other in, rebuilding something fragile but real. Finally, he pulled back slightly, eyeing the suitcase.
“I know this isn’t the only suitcase you packed,” he said with a knowing look.
Aspen grinned. “There are two more in the bedroom.”