OLIVIA

The water kept running, streaming down my body—our bodies, in full force. Axel had joined me in the shower, and I was certain that he hadn’t taken off his clothes.

I swallowed, my breath hitched. His words hung in the air, and I tried to find the right answer to his question.

Did I believe him?

Was he really serious about everything he’d said?

Mine.

The word settled over me, heavy and possessive, yet… not terrifying. Not anymore.

Instead, it felt like a promise, a shield ...