Axel: A Bad Boy Romance (14 page)

Chapter Twenty-Four

“Oh, Axel. I can’t. It’s too nice,” his mother’s voice echoed from the other room and Axel rolled his eyes for what must have been the hundredth time.

“Ma! Just put the dress on!” Axel called back over. It had been a surprise for the party. Some members of the historical society would be attending in old timey clothes. His mother hadn’t said anything about it to him, but he knew she would love to go to the party in costume. But those costumes weren’t cheap and Axel knew how much she hated asking him for money. So he didn’t wait for her to ask. He went ahead and ordered the dress for her, going through her closet to find her measurements.

It was a long and elegant dress. The fabric was green silk and the sleeves and bottom hem were lined in black fur. It came with a set of costume jewelry, large, red rubies and bright gemstones. His mother had cried actual tears when she had seen it. Then they spent about thirty minutes arguing over the price with Mrs. Connelly declaring too expensive for such a frivolous occasion and Axel reminding her he had the money and already paid for it. Finally, she had acquiesced enough to try the damn thing on, but she still wasn’t making any promises.

She was still putting up a fight. Even as she was putting the dress on. Axel was in his best, black three-piece suit. He glanced at himself in the mirror. He was clean-shaven and his shoes were shined. But he didn’t want to look okay; he wanted to look great. Marie was going to be there and, so far, she had only seen him in his training gear.

“It’s just so lovely,” he heard his mother cry though the door.

He knew there were tears of happiness happening back there and he was glad there was a door between them. He shook his head and sat down on the couch grabbing a magazine and flipping impatiently through the pages for a few moments before standing up again. They still had thirty minutes before they had to leave and already Axel was feeling antsy and nervous.

Mrs. Connelly came out of the room, looking stately in her fine dress. The fabric rustled as she walked, the silk shining under the lights. She looked like something out of another time. Like a character on one of those unending Jane Austen movies his former girlfriends had forced him to sit through.

“Are my eyes red?” she asked, dabbing at her eyes with a lace handkerchief. “I just can’t seem to stop crying. I can’t believe I raised such a nice, sweet boy who would do something like this for his mother.” The tears started again and Axel looked away in embarrassment.

“You keep on like this and I’m never doing anything nice again,” he grumbled as she pulled him into a hug.

***

The courthouse building next door let the museum use their parking garage for the night and Axel parked his Mercedes and then opened the door for his mother and took her arm as the walked towards the party.

“I always hated this creepy old house,” he scowled as they walked to the front door.

“It’s not creepy. It’s lovely inside. How many times have you actually been in it?”

“Once, on a fieldtrip in the fourth grade. Didn’t like it then, don’t like it now.”

“You can be so set in your ways,” Mrs. Connelly said with a shake of her head. “Why don’t you try giving things a second chance every now and again. Maybe if you look at the mansion with an open mind you’ll find you actually like it.”

They walked up the marble steps and Ingrid stood at the entrance way in her own fine dress shaking hands and greeting everyone.

“Oh, my, Mrs. Connelly, don’t you look wonderful,” Ingrid said as she looked at the green dress.

Axel tuned out the conversation of the two ladies once he realized they were just complimenting each other and he searched for Marie. They weren’t inside yet, but if he craned his head he could see past the huge front door and into the house proper. There were plenty of people in there, quite a few in period costumes, but no Marie.

“Well, please, come inside,” Ingrid said and Axel walked through the door and into the mansion.

Okay, it’s not too bad,
he thought as he looked around. It was dark and old-fashioned, but now that it was festooned with lights and there were people all around, it didn’t look that creepy. This was quite the party. Everyone was dressed to the nines and there was a piano player on the baby grand in the entryway. Bartenders were making drinks and appetizers were being passed around. It was much nicer than chicken or fish at the Holiday Inn.

His mother was a great success and he could tell she was enjoying herself. Every other minute someone came up to gush over her dress and Mrs. Connelly would say it was all Axel’s doing and they would call him a good son and on and it went and still there was no sign of Marie. Where was she? Didn’t she know he was coming? Did she not want to see him at all?

Leaving his mother with a gaggle of older ladies he walked through the dining room and around the entire downstairs. A fire crackled in the formal living room where guests sat on claw foot chairs and placed their glasses on tablecloth protected side tables. He felt a little disoriented when he found himself surrounded by men in and women in clothes that had gone out of style three centuries ago and he reached for his cellphone in his pocket to remind himself that they were still, thankfully, in the twenty-first century.

He found her in the dining room. A long table had been set up for the meal. There were plates, napkins, and several different forks and knives for each guest. Marie, looking stunning in a purple dress with her hair pinned up, was bent over the table, polishing a rogue fork. For a long moment Axel just watched her. Her face was screwed up in determination as she traced her hand along the table making sure everything was perfect.

She gasped when she saw him, putting her hand on her chest to calm her beating heart.

“Sorry,” Axel said. “But you looked focused and I didn’t want to disturb you. You look stunning, by the way.”

She blushed and looked down in the floor, smoothing the lines of her dress. “No rest for the weary,” she said as she waved her hand over the sumptuously decorated table.

“Surely the table can spare you for a few moments. It’s a shame you don’t have a drink in your hand. This is a party, after all.”

She smiled and nodded and led the way out the back door to the bar on the patio. “Thankfully, the weather has held,” she said as she took a glass of cool white wine from the bartender.

Axel had no desire to talk about the weather with her. Inside, the piano player picked up a new, happier tune. The key was light and the notes tumbled about them before being released into the warm dark air. There was a sparse wood behind the mansion and the leaves on the trees rustled in the night. The town was otherwise quiet; he imagined the place sounded quite the same back when the Hawks still resided inside.

“Is your mom having a good time?” Marie asked.

“She is,” Axel answered. “Are you?”

“Oh, definitely. But it’s a lot of work. I just had to put a crying Cate to bed. She was so sad she had to leave before the party really started. She was very excited for everyone to see her new dress,” Marie said before taking a long sip of her cool drink. Her face was flushed and she put the cool glass onto her forehead, closing her eyes and giving out a sigh of pleasure.  “Sorry,” she said, gesturing to the glass. “I’m just a little hot.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Axel said looking her up and then down before settling his gaze back on her eyes.

She shook her head with a smirk and lowered the glass. “Lori’s a good trainer,” she countered.

“Better than me?” Axel demanded taking a step forward.

“She’s nicer,” Marie said after a moment’s thought.

“You thought I was mean?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s more...with you the trainings were hard and when I did well, they just got harder. It was like you were always moving the finish line a little bit farther away. It was exasperating, but at the same time you made me determined to cross that line. I was so annoyed with you that losing to you would mean defeat and I just refused to accept that. I kept going out of spite.”

“But you kept going,” he said raising his eyebrows. “That’s how I was trained and I’m the best. You’re never done training. There is no finish line. In my business if you stop, you die. So I always keep going forward. I set goals and when I reach them I create new ones. It never ends.”

“That sounds like so much work,” Marie said with a shake of her head.

“It is. But that’s the point of living isn’t it? To be your best self. For me, fighting is what I love and I want to be the best. And there’s always someone coming for your title. You always have to be ready to take down a challenger or face a rival. A day I’m not training or working out is a day I’m wasting. I believe you only get this one life. Each day happens only once and your life passes whether you want it to or not. You have to make each day one worth it.”

“That’s impressive and it makes me feel very guilty about all those nights spent watching
Real Housewives
reruns.”

“Reruns?” he demanded.

“They are so addicting, you have no idea,” Marie said as she tried not to laugh.

Chapter Twenty-Five

There were a thousand butterflies swooping in her stomach and she had no idea where they had come from. She wasn’t just flushed from the heat anymore. It was Axel. He looked so handsome in a suit. The dark color accented his features and he was clean-shaven, the line of his jaw calling out to her. But that wasn't it, not really. She was really thinking about what was hiding under that suit: tattoos and scars from old fights. He wasn’t really a gentleman in a tuxedo; it was just an outfit for the night. But he wore it well.

She wanted to tell him she was glad he was here… “I’m glad you’re here,” she said looking straight into his eyes. She hadn’t given herself time to think about it or change her mind.

“I’m glad I’m here, too,” he reached out with his free hand and stroked her arm.

Goosebumps flowed on her skin milliseconds after his touch. He could so easily pull a reaction from her. Sometimes she honestly felt like putty in his hands. From somewhere a phone was chiming and it took Marie a moment to realize it was her phone. It was eight-thirty and the dinner alarm was going  off. “I have to go,” she said to Axel. “I need to announce that we’ll be eating dinner.”

“Do I get to sit by you, at least?” he asked, encircling her wrist gently in his hand.

“Sorry,” Marie answered with a shake of her head. “You’re the local celebrity. You’re sitting between Ingrid and the mayor.”

“This is a terrible party,” he said letting go of her hand.

“This is a great party. You just have a lousy seat,” Marie said over her shoulder. She picked up her skirt as she walked up the stairs. Her smile was infectious and as she passed people smiled back with some stopping her to gush about how much fun they were all having.

She grabbed Ingrid by the arm and silenced the piano player as Ingrid announced dinner would be served in the dining hall. The hall was lit with low candles. The actual table had been hidden in the basement, but they had replica that could be assembled. The real Hawks chairs were also in storage. They had rented nice high-backed chairs through the caterer. The place looked stately and grand and Marie could hardly believe she was actually there.

He tilted his glass towards her after the toast. Every now and then their eyes would meet over the crowded dinner table and Marie would have to quickly look away. The meal was several courses and was quite delicious. She sat between a poet and a local innkeeper while in the corner, near an open window, a young art student painted the dinner in oil on his canvas.

As coffee came around Ingrid stood and beamed at the crowd. Marie felt stuffed and a little tipsy. It was done. They had done it. She had done it. She could finally get a full night’s sleep without worrying about napkins or vegans. The benefit was over, they had raised quite a bit of money, and now they could finally relax for a little while.

“I just want to thank each and every one of you for coming out tonight. The historical society depends on your contributions and I can sleep well knowing so many of you care about this old house the same way I do. But I won’t ramble on. I just wanted to thank our new caretaker, Marie DeSantos.” Marie felt her face go flush as her stomach dropped to her feet. Everyone was staring at her and she sat up and looked at Ingrid as the older woman continued. “This whole thing was her idea and she did so much work to prepare for it. I am so happy she is here and I can’t wait to hear what she comes up with next.”

Chants of
hear, hear
went up around the table as Marie smiled and nodded and said thank you as Ingrid sat down. She couldn’t say how much that meant to her. To be publicly thanked and given credit for her hard work made her feel like a real person. She wasn’t just somebody’s girlfriend; she was a woman with good ideas and a lifetime in front of her.

The guests made their way out as Marie and Ingrid shook hands and thanked everyone. Finally, Ingrid left, too, giving Marie a peck on the cheek and squeezing her hand before taking off. Once the door was closed Marie heard soft music coming from the back deck. She walked out slowly wondering who the straggler was.

Axel was standing behind the bar mixing a drink. “Gin and tonic?” he asked her.

“Sure,” Marie answered as she lowered herself into a chair and closed her eyes for a moment.

She opened them as Axel sat down in the chair next to her and handed her a drink. “To a job well done,” he said raising his glass.

Marie raised her glass and they clicked lightly together, the ice cubes rattling in the liquid. He was still here. Her heart was pounding a little. She felt a little tipsy and a little lightheaded. Should she send him out into the night? Tell him the party’s over? No, she didn’t want to do that. She wanted to see him and spend time with him. He was still a mystery and she wanted to crack his head open and dig around in there to see what came up.

“Did you really like it?” she asked him, still not quite believing she had pulled this off.

“I honestly did and I never have before, but part of that might be the company,” he said taking a long swing of his drink. “So you really sleep in this creepy place at night?”

“It’s not creepy,” Marie said.

“Growing up everyone said the Hawks’ mansion was haunted.”

“There are no such things as ghosts.” Marie said.

“Really? Are you so sure? My mother swears she sees ghosts. Not all the time, but every now and then.”

“And you believe her? If ghosts really existed, don’t you think we would have real proof by now? Every time there’s a ‘haunting,’ there’s never any evidence to prove it. Once the cameras show up suddenly the ghost is gone. What a coincidence! I’m not afraid of ghosts and I’m not afraid of this house. In fact, I need to do a sweep to make sure everyone’s gone. Would you like to join me? If it’s not too scary for you, of course.”

“Hey,” Axel said standing up, “I never said I was
afraid
of ghosts. I certainly don’t like them, but I’m not
scared
of them.

Once inside Marie did her nightly sweep of the museum. She made sure each room was empty and free of any trash or damage. She turned of all the lights, set the alarm in that room and moved on to the next one.

“You do this by yourself every night?” Axel asked as they took the steps to the basement. Half of the basement was an exhibit of the working kitchen from the seventeen hundred. The other half was a decent-sized storage space. She started with the working kitchen, turning off the lights before turning into the storage room.

“There’s a bed in here,” Axel said, pointing to a corner where a large king-sized bed in a cheap frame sat. A white drop cloth covered the bed and Axel quickly tore it off revealing the mattress. It had sheets and a comforter and Axel sat down on it and said, “I wonder why this is down here?”

“It used to be in the master bedroom exhibit upstairs. Then someone donated an actual antique bed and this came down here. You can’t donate old beds, so it just sits.”

Axel stood and unbuttoned his suit and threw it over the back of a chair. He undid his bowtie and added that to the pile. He undid the first few buttons of his shirt and then turned to Marie. “Come here,” he said.

Marie bit her lower lip but closed the gap that separated them. Axel’s hand encircled her waist and he pulled her closer. She was flush against him as his hand slid down her silk gown. It travelled down her back and over her ass. Her heart was pounding and she leaned her head up and kissed him gently.

Her tentative lips explored his. Her hand rested on his chest and she leaned against him. He tasted like whiskey and smelled of an aftershave she could not name. She pulled back away from him and traced her thumb across his smooth cheek. He moved his head and captured her thumb in his mouth biting gently on it before releasing her, making her stomach do somersaults. She wanted him. Even after what had happened last time she still wanted him.

His lips crashed against hers and he pulled her closer. He pulled her up off the ground for a moment, his hands under her ass, her arms around his neck. But her dress would permit them to go no further. He lowered her down and then spun her around. His arms came around her and he pulled her back against him. Was she making the same mistake twice, or were things really different? He had apologized for leaving her after the last time and she was desperate to believe he meant it.

His warm breath caressed her neck. Marie sighed as she tilted her head to the side. He bit down gently on the nape of her neck, her whole body shuddering in pleasure. Desperate from more contact between them she reached behind her and grabbed his hair tangling it up in her hand as she leaned back against him. She felt so safe in his strong arms. They fit so well together. He left a train of light kisses along her skin, stopping occasionally to lick her neck. Her pulse raced at his touch, he was trailing fire along her body. All of her worries had left her, replaced with an ache that pulsed through her. She longed for him.

He kissed the back of her neck and then he found the buttons that secured her dress.

“Be careful,” she whispered over her shoulder. “I don’t want to rip it.”

One by one, taking his time with the delicate buttons, he undid her dress, stopping to kiss each inch of newly exposed skin. Her spine tingled from his light and delicate touch before moving out towards her fingers and toes. Her breath sped up as her dress began to slowly slip down her shoulders.

With the last few buttons, the only thing holding up the dress were her hands. When he was finished Marie let go and the dress fell into a pillowy puddle at her feet. She was still wearing the corset and a pair of black, thigh-high stockings clipped with a garter belt. Axel let out a low growl and he spun her around and kissed her fiercely. His hands roamed up and down her back, going lower and grabbing her ass, making Marie gasp every time he touched her.

She broke away from the kiss. She desperately wanted him. Her breath was coming in short bursts and she pushed him back with a hand firmly on his chest. He was twice as big as she was but he moved as she directed. Her light touch pushed him until his knees hit the bed and he sat down on it.

Marie stood in front him and she maneuvered between his knees and his hands came to rest on her hips. Her deft fingers removed his vest and then got to work on the buttons of his tuxedo shirt. But Axel was not as patient as she was. She had only undone three buttons when he took matters into his own hands and ripped off his white shirt and then his undershirt.

“So impatient,” Marie said.

He pulled her towards him until she was straddling him on the bed, her knees on either side of him. “Do you have any idea how hot you look right now?”

She hitched her breath as he buried his face her chest and then he swung her over him and pushed her back onto the bed. He pulled down on the corset and she shuddered with pleasure as her breasts slipped out from their confinement. He was on them in a second. He took her nipple between his teeth and she strained underneath him as his tongue flicked before he released her. He took her breast in his mouth and Marie buried her hands in his hair and whispered the word yes. She was writhing beneath him, her body already out of her control.

He looked up at her and gave her a wicked grin. “Don’t move,” he ordered and she looked up at him. He stood up and removed his belt, pants and shoes and then came back to the bed. He hovered over Marie and kissed her deeply. She grabbed his shoulders, digging her nails into his skin as his tongue explored her mouth. He broke the kiss and then began to slowly kiss his way down her body. He settled between her legs and Marie moved to close them. His hand stopped her and when he touched the inside of her thigh she quivered uncontrollably.

“What are you doing?” Marie asked, though she knew what he had in mind. All of her friends had a guy “go down on them” but never Marie. Austin thought it was disgusting, although he never a problem with Marie using her mouth on him. But she couldn’t think about Austin, not now. Axel’s hands caressing her inner thighs were the only things she could think about.

She closed her eyes and felt his lips on her sensitive flesh as he kissed her. He kissed her again, but this time, his tongue slid into her. Marie arched her back as she felt his warm tongue enter her. Her fingers grabbed at the sheets, as she clenched her fists. His hands came up on either side of her legs and he pulled her closer. She could feel his tongue making long strokes inside of her. He was sliding over her clit and making her gasp and grab at his hair, as her pleasure grew.