Chapter 125 Chapter 23 of the spin-off

Chapter 125 Chapter 23 of the spin-off
Axel Cornell

I wake to the soft morning light filtering through the mansion's paper screens, but I make no move to get up. I stay there, completely still, watching Bastião's sleeping face.

An immense happiness flows through my body, a wave of warmth that makes me feel like a foolish teenager. I want to run through the hallways and shout to the world that, finally, I have my man by my side.

Bastião is my first love. He's my first in everything: he was my first real friend, my first time going out, and my first kiss. Every important milestone in my life bears his fingerprints. And now he's mine, finally mine.

I can't keep my hands off him, and honestly, I don't even want to. I run my hand over his face, feeling the texture of his skin as I caress his cheek.

I lean over him and begin pressing several kisses to his lips, slowly waking him. I feel a smile forming on his lips before he even opens his eyes.

"I never thought I'd be woken up like this," he murmurs, his voice hoarse with sleep. "And I have to say, this is the best way possible."

I smile slightly and kiss him again, feeling my heart overflow.

"Well, you're mine now, so don't think I'm going to keep my hands off you. I'm making up for lost time."

He laughs softly, although the movement makes him wince because of his shoulder.

"I'd never ask you to, Axel. Touch me as much as you want, kiss me as much as you want. It's everything I've ever wanted."

I smile, continuing to caress his cheek, but my expression grows a little more serious as I remember his condition.

"Well, right now, we can't do anything more than this. You need to recover first."

He takes a deep breath, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"Unfortunately. I can barely move properly without feeling like everything is pulling."

I run my hand through his hair, brushing a strand away from his forehead.

"Are you in any pain right now?"

He shakes his head, relaxing beneath my touch.

"Not yet, thanks to the painkillers. But... I'm hungry. Really hungry."

"I'll see what Mr. Tanaka has prepared for you. I'll be right back."

I press my lips to his in a lingering kiss. I get up with a light heart and leave the room, feeling that, for the first time in a long time, the weight of the Mafia isn't the most important thing in my life.

I leave the room feeling renewed and soon find Kenji in the polished wooden hallway.

"Good morning, Kenji."

"Good morning, Mr. Axel."

"Bastião is hungry. Is the doctor still around?"

"The doctor will be staying here." He nods. "Mr. Tanaka wants him nearby so he can take better care of Bastião. I'll go get him."

I wait as he walks away with silent steps. I look out at the garden through the open doors, noticing how Japanese culture truly is beautiful in its simplicity and precision.

"You look better."

I glance to the side and see Tanaka approaching, his hands tucked inside the sleeves of his kimono.

"Good morning, Mr. Tanaka." I give him a small smile, something rare for me.

Because I've never shown my smile to anyone except Bastião.

"Well, the issue that should've been resolved simply by sitting down and talking to Bastião has been resolved. That's why I feel better now."

He lets out a short, friendly laugh.

"I'm glad the two of you worked things out. How long do you plan to stay here?"

"I wanted him to stay here until he's fully recovered, but unfortunately, I have to return to Paris soon. I want to be able to take him back with me as soon as he can move around again."

"Dr. Yoshiro told me yesterday that if he responded well today, they'd start sitting him up. We'll do everything gradually so we don't put too much strain on him. He's still very fragile."

I nod in agreement. Soon, I see the doctor approaching with his medical team.

"We're going to take care of Mr. Bastião now. Please wait here."

I see a nurse carrying a tray of food, and jealousy immediately fills my body.

I wanted to feed him.

The thought of someone else putting food into his mouth bothers me deeply, but I try to be rational: he's injured and needs professionals.

I'm not a doctor, and I'd only get in the way. Even so, my blood boils. I don't like anyone touching what's mine, much less feeding him and... and bathing him.

Jealousy burns through me. I want to bathe him. I want to take care of every inch of him. My possessive side wages a fierce battle against my logic. I hear Tanaka laugh beside me.

"Soon, he'll be yours alone to take care of, with no one getting in the way."

He winks at me and walks away, leaving me completely embarrassed that I let my feelings show so clearly.

I take a deep breath, trying to lower my guard. Since I know Bastião's medical procedures and cleaning will take a while, I decide to use the time to take a shower.

I head to the room Tanaka reserved for me and quickly go inside to grab my toiletries: toothbrush, soap, a clean towel, and fresh clothes.

I walked to the bathroom Kenji showed me earlier. I take a quick shower, letting the water wash away the remnants of last night's sleep. I wash myself quickly, feeling my skin awaken beneath the cold water, and then brush my teeth, finally feeling fully awake.

I dry myself and put on simple, casual clothes, something that allows me to move easily.

I leave the bathroom carrying my used clothes and return to my temporary room. I fold them and set them aside on a small table since I don't know exactly where to put them, then leave again.

I return to the hallway outside Bastião's room and wait for the doctor.

Time passes slowly, every minute feeling like an hour, until I finally see the door slide open and the medical team begin to file out. I approach the doctor immediately, feeling my heart pound again.

"How is he?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady despite my anticipation.

"He's doing better, Mr. Axel. We managed to sit him up and move his right arm. We also had him make some gentle movements with his left hand to stimulate circulation. He ate well, he's already been given his medication, and we changed his bandage. He's clean. We left a pitcher of water in there, but at lunchtime, the nurse will bring his meal."

"Doctor," I call before he can leave. "Can I feed him, or does it have to be a healthcare professional?"

He seems surprised by the question but quickly regains his professional composure.

"You can feed him without any problem. I'll ask Kenji to bring the meal so you can take it to him."

I thank him, and he nods before walking past me, followed by the nurses carrying the cleaning supplies. A pang of envy hits me. They saw his entire body while cleaning him, while I've never even gotten that far.

Fuck.