Axel's POV
Chapter 23
ring ring ring
It worries me that this will be the first in 2 years I talk to him. The last time it was about my mother going missing while she was traveling the world, but turns out she just found another man that swept her off her rich-American feet.
When I say rich, I mean has a bank account full of money that she never earned, courtesy of my father, but does not have a problem using.
ring ring ring
I can't help but wonder if this is the right choice. She has faced so many different things, but this... What if this scares her away or what if he won't help.
ring ring r-
"Hola?" His deep raspy voice makes me grip the phone tighter.
"Hola Padre,"
"Mijo?" His voice curious but still calm, always calm, "¿Que paso? ¿Tú madre está bien? ¿Tú hermano está bien?"
(Son? What's wrong? Is your mother okay? Is your brother okay?)
"Sí," I bite out quietly.
"Tú estas bien?" He asks after a waiting for my to explain.
(Are you okay?)
"Sí."
"Then what is it?" He asks switch to English even with his thick accent, showing me he is impatient, that he needs answers.
"I-" I paused taking a breath. This is for her.
"I need your help," I mummble into the phone followed by a sigh.
Silence is all I hear on the other side and I run a hand through my hair in frustration, "Padre?" I ask irritation thick in my voice.
"I'm still here," He mumbles and I almost can't understand him because of how thick his accent becomes when he speaks quietly.
"Did you hear me?" I ask closing my eyes tight, unable to know what it feels like to have a normal conversation with my own father. This is the most civil I have been with him in years but he always gives it right back. Our fights are loud and usually end in a fist or two colliding.
"Sí, I heard you," He says but he still sounds quiet like he is thinking, I don't like it when he is thinking.
"And?" I ask pressing for more.
"Who is this favor for?" He asks cautiously, and it takes me back. I wasn't ready for him to ask me that.
"Qué?" I ask quickly.
"Don't play dumb Mijo, you never want my help. Last time you called it was because you were going to be evicted and your mother was missing. But this.." He pauses and takes a breath almost like he is worried, and if it was anyone else I would have believed it, "But this time it feels different."
"It is a little different this time," I admit somewhat quietly as her image crosses my closed eyelids.
"I can't put my neck out there for just anything. I am not alive because I am reckless. I have dodged more bullets from being thorough than you can even imagine," He rambles.
"I know," I snap back.
"Then who is it for?" He asks and I swallow hard wanting to keep this as in the dark as possible.
"A friend."
"If it is for that Hazel girl I already told you these things take time. I do not want a bigger mess with the police knowing I am poking my head into her father's case-"
"It's not for her," I hiss out, Hazel still doesn't know I asked him for help and hopefully she never will. That's a secret I never want to tell her.
"Then who?" He presses.
I groan, "can't you just help me. Don't ask questions just help?"
What am I supposed to tell him, honestly? That this is all for a girl, that this is all because I don't think I could bare the thought of her leaving town again. That I want to take her baggage and make it my own. Those are things my father would never want to here. He would call me reckless, but I can't help it, I can't control it.
"Who Axel?" he asks and I can tell just by the tone of his voice that he has just about had it with me.
"Damn it Padre!" I shout and slam my palm on the granite kitchen counter.
It is then, suddenly, I feel thin warm arms wrap around my stomach and fold across holding me. Her chest presses against my back and her cheek lay against my shoulder blade as she calmly breathes me in.
And just like that, all the tension in my body melts and I feel my mood brighten, my head clear, just because she is here. I don't even have to look to see who it is, which surprises me because of how new our intimacy is, but it's like an old habit we are relearning, familiar in every movement.
"Don't use that tone with me Axel," He all but growls at me, "Who is it and what kind of favor?"
"Her name is Blaze, Blaze White," I explain, "and I need you to help me take care of some people that are after her."
"Blaze?" He asks testing the name out.
"Si," I mutter. I use my free hand to grab onto her arms, trying to anchor myself. Remind myself that I am here and she is with me, that this is real and I am not somewhere stuck in my youth where my father controls everything.
"And by 'take care of' you mean, keep away not get rid of?" He clarifies and I resist the urge to bark back at him that it is ridiculous to still think I would want him to put a hit out on someone.
Instead, I answer, "Sí."
"And this girl, Blaze," He pauses and I am surprised he has been so calm, "La amas?"
(You love her?)
I don't hesitate, "Sí." I don't know if she can hear him or if she can translate what he is saying. I doubt it, but even if she did I wouldn't mind. I do love her and I will be telling her soon.
"Okay," he says slowly, "be careful Mijo women are dangerous beautiful creatures that easily break hearts."
"She isn't mom," I say through gritted teeth. I feel Blaze's hands tighten around me.
"I'll be judge of that," He mutters and I grip her harder with my free hand, "I'll be there by tomorrow."
"You really don't need to make a trip," I say holidng back my groan of resistance.
"Obviously I do if you think you're in love, be ready for me tomorrow night. I won't be staying long, Hasta Pronto," He says before ending the call before I can protest much more.
(See you soon)
I bring the phone down to the counter and without a second to waste I spin around immediately pulling her into my arms pressed against my chest. Just needing her like this, with me like this.
She sighs and I soak in her affection, her warmth remembering my fathers words, "I'm sorry he has to come down. He wants to meet you," I try and explain but the lie tasted foreign on my own tongue. He didn't just want to meet her, no he wanted to analyze her.
"To make sure I am not like your mother?" She says quielty and I pull away enough to cup one of her cheeks in my hand and pull her eyes to meet mine.
"You are not like her. Do not listen to anything he says. Ever. He is just... Difficult."
"He sounds heart broken, betrayed," She says watching me for a reaction and I sigh looking over her shoulder.
"I suppose he is," I lean against the counter behind me, dragging her body with me, refusing to leave a gap between us.
"Is he... Is he in the mafia?" She asks the question I have been waiting for.
I force my gaze to meet hers expecting to see fear, but instead I am met with pure curiosity, like she is only asking to see what I think of it and to see what I have to do with it. She is asking for me and I feel relief rush through my veins.
"Something like that," I pause and let my fingers glide across her arms causing goosebumps to rise and I try not to smile at them, at the effect I have on her, "I honestly don't know much and I like to keep it that way."
"Your father, what is he like?" she asks stepping closer into me, into my touch.
I think for a moment before answering, "Cold, malicious, calculating. One time I remember he told my mother to not coddle us when we cried because he couldn't have pussy sons."
"A real charmer," Blaze mutters agsint my chest and I smile lazily while running one hand up and down her back while the other wraps around her waiste.
"He was with mother. He loved her when he had nothing and I think in the begining she loved him. But then he started to make money. He would buy her flowers and jewelry. Buy her houses and cars. Sweet talk her and he believed this was all his plan, that this was how he loved. But what he didn't see was how it was all her idea. She would manipulate him into getting her what she wanted, all while making him think it was his idea," I am again holding her tight as an anchor, to make sure that I am not being hurled back to a very lonely childhood.
"Took him a very long time to see it, but when he relized it he made her sign the divorce. Claiming she could have his money just not him. So she took the kids and left, thinking she could milk him for more money with us," I finish as she tightens her arms around my waist burying her face further into my chest.
"Why isn't she here Axel?" Blaze asks quietly and I try not to smile as she doesn't bother to hide her anger.
"She needed time, after the divorce. She forgot who she was," I explain trying to piece the complicated picture together.
"Doesn't explain why she left you boys alone," She shoots right back.
"Well she was married to him since high school, she wanted to learn herself. We were 15-16 and had jobs were one the track to scholarships. She decided to go out into the world. Travel. Meet new people. Learn another language. She sends us money for rent and we cover the rest," I say and sigh out when she grumbled about how it still was too young.
"She's not the best mom but she does what she can. She actually never really wanted kids. He did. She had sacrificed so much for him I don't think she knew who she was without him. And seeing that he was a monster it scared her being someone who was dependent on him," I say and she stays quiet this time.
My father is a psychopath and knows it. He knows my brother and I want nothing to do with him, so he stays away. Once he told me it was never meant to be a family business anyways. However, I knew he had dreamed of passing down his titles to my brother or I, but I won't let that happen.
"Thank you," she says quietly and lifts her gaze to mine, "I know it wasn't easy to ask him that and even though I never asked you to-"
"I wanted to," I cut in needing her to know this was for my sanity because now I know she won't be taken from me, "I needed to."
"Still, thank you. For putting me first like that," she says smiling and I grin back watching as her pale cheeks raise into a smile and her beautifully dark lips spread.
God she is Snow White.
"You're welcome," I murmur before giving into the desire and placing a desperate kiss on her lips.