Chapter 84 Part 84

Chapter 84 Part 84
Axl

The next morning, they ate breakfast with Calvin and CJ in the living room of their suite, sunlight pouring through the wide windows and casting a warm glow over the polished furniture. Aspen sat close to him on the couch, her knee brushing his every so often, a quiet reminder that she was still there. The simple act of sharing coffee and toast felt almost domestically intimate, something he hadn’t realized he’d craved. They talked about how they met, Calvin and CJ listening with raised brows and amused expressions as Aspen filled in details Axl conveniently “forgot.”
The knock on the door silenced them all, cutting through the laughter. Calvin looked questioningly at Axl. “That’ll be someone from the boutique.”
CJ got to his feet and answered the door. A woman walked in pushing a rack of dresses into the room, the soft swish of fabric breaking the quiet tension. Aspen’s head snapped toward Axl as the woman’s eyes widened slightly when she saw him, recognition sparking there.
“You need a dress for the wedding,” Axl said casually. “Pick one.” His tone carried effortless authority, but his eyes softened when they landed on Aspen.
The woman followed Aspen into the bedroom, garment bag rustling behind them. Calvin shook his head slowly. “This is the first time I’ve seen you act like a celebrity.”
Axl chuckled, leaning back into the cushions with easy arrogance. “What are you talking about? I always act like a celebrity.”
CJ laughed the loudest. “Yeah, wrecking hotel rooms and hitting photographers.”
“You know I used to be a cage fighter when I was in high school. You should ask Aspen. She was at every single match.” His grin widened at the memory—the roar of small crowds, Aspen’s nervous face in the front row, her hands clenched together.
“Why are we here? You can look after your rich ass yourself,” Calvin muttered.
Axl barked out a laugh just as the woman and Aspen returned from the bedroom. He felt the air shift the second he looked at her. “That was quick.”
The woman smirked knowingly. “She has good taste.” She held out a receipt for Axl to sign, and he scribbled his name with swift confidence before she left.
Aspen sat down next to him and poured herself another cup of coffee. “Stop staring at me, and go wash your armpits while I get dressed.”
Calvin and CJ both fought smiles. Axl rose slowly. “If my armpits smell, it’s your fault. I was trying to sleep last night.” His voice dipped into playful suggestion.
Aspen gasped as he jogged back into the bedroom, and both men burst into loud laughter. “Doofus!”
Axl grinned as he stepped into the shower, steam rising around him. He reached for Aspen’s shower gel and breathed in deeply, the scent light and floral—unmistakably hers. It clung to his skin, and something about that felt grounding. With a towel wrapped low around his waist, he stepped into the bedroom and glanced at the suit she’d laid out on the bed.
The bedroom door opened just as he pulled his pants on. He glanced at her over his shoulder, grin slow and deliberate.
“That was fast,” Aspen said.
“Well, you only said to wash my armpits,” he replied, unable to suppress his laugh when she glared at him. “Want to sniff them?”
“Eww, gross.” She wrinkled her nose dramatically.
He finished dressing, adjusting his jacket over broad shoulders, rolling them back as confidence settled into place like armor. When they stepped into the elevator with Calvin and CJ positioned in front of them, Aspen’s hand slipped into his.
“Do you even have a plus one for this wedding?” she asked suddenly.
Axl straightened his jacket and grinned at her reflection in the mirrored walls. “I’m Axl Reynolds. I can do whatever the hell I want.” There was humor in it, but also unapologetic certainty.
Calvin and CJ laughed, but their expressions hardened into stoic professionalism the moment the elevator doors slid open. The large glass doors parted, and the noise hit them instantly—cameras flashing in blinding bursts, people screaming his name with feverish intensity. Axl slid his sunglasses over his eyes, his posture shifting subtly, shoulders squaring.
Photographers followed them on motorcycles, engines revving aggressively, but security blocked them when they reached the private wedding venue. The SUV slowed, then parked smoothly. CJ and Calvin stepped out first, scanning the area. A moment later, Axl’s door opened, and he stepped out before turning and holding his hand out to Aspen.
She placed her hand in his, fingers tightening briefly. “Is it always like that?” she asked as they walked inside, the noise fading behind thick doors.
“Sometimes. I try to fly under the radar as much as possible.” His voice was calm, but she could feel the faint tension in his grip—the cost of constant exposure.
“Axl!” North’s voice cut through the hallway. CJ’s broad frame blocked Aspen for a second before shifting aside. North approached with an easy smile. “It’s been too long.”
Axl chuckled as they hugged, a firm, familiar embrace. “Yeah, it has been.”
“You brought a date,” North said lightly.
Aspen stepped forward, and North’s eyes widened in clear surprise. He wrapped his arms around her warmly. “It’s good to see you, Aspen. I missed you.”
“It’s been a while,” she replied.
Axl’s hand clasped hers possessively as North stepped back. There was no hostility, only protective instinct. “I’m happy you found each other again,” North said sincerely.
A young woman cleared her throat beside North. “I want you to meet Jordan, my girlfriend.”
“Hi,” Aspen said warmly.
Axl simply inclined his head. His expression was neutral, unreadable. “Where’s your mom? She made me promise I’d come say hello before she walked down the aisle,” Axl said.
North directed them upstairs. Calvin and CJ stayed behind. He knocked on the bridal room door and smiled when Janine answered. “If it’s Carlos, you can’t come in,” she warned playfully.
He pushed the door open anyway. Janine turned away from the mirror and gasped. “Axl! Aspen!”
She wrapped her arms around them both, perfume enveloping him. “I told you I wouldn’t miss this day for anything,” he said.
Tears shimmered in her eyes. “I’m so happy to see you both! Now my day is perfect.”
“You look absolutely beautiful, Janine,” Aspen said, her own eyes glistening.
Janine beamed. “We both do.” Then she slapped Axl lightly behind the head. “You could’ve told me you were bringing Aspen!”
“I didn’t know. I only found her yesterday, then I had to tie her to my bed so she couldn’t run away again,” he teased.
Aspen’s cheeks flamed. “You did not tie me up, you douche.”
“Maybe I should,” he murmured with a wink. The door opened again. “It’s almost time,” North said. “Go take your seat before women dehydrate from all the drooling.”
“Shit, North, I’m just a person,” Axl muttered.
“For once, brother, you outshine me.”
“I’ve always outshined you,” Axl shot back.
“Axl, Carlos thinks you’re my stepson,” Janine said nervously.
“Mama West, you’ve always been like a mother to me. Technically, you were my stepmom.”
Janine shuddered. “Perhaps we can find an alternative to the West.”
“Sure thing, Mama J,” Axl replied, offering her one last affectionate smile. “You look hot for a stepmom.”