Chapter 23

Eden went through the next few days feeling as though her feet had sprouted wings. Her soul felt light, and happiness surged through her. She knew it had become obvious as she received strange looks from others, especially Benedict. When she laughed, it sounded a bit too loud to her ears, and she couldn’t seem to wipe the smile from her face. Although completely exhausted from her late nights and early mornings with Axel, she seemed to have boundless energy and fluttered about the silo playing with the children, helping in the kitchen, straightening up the messes, and planning the spring garden with some of the other women in the house.

Her days became filled with sly glances exchanged between her and Axel, a quick squeeze of the fingers when no one was around, and if they got lucky, a chaste kiss. She loved when their lips met, as his whiskers tickled her chin. Last night, she’d found out just how much that beautiful beard titillated her inner thighs as his tongue had stroked her core, bringing her to such heights of pleasure, she’d never wanted him to stop.

The best part of it all … whenever their gazes met, his aura exploded with love, passion, stability, and masculinity. It had become a virtual rainbow of positivity, and it warmed her more than any words could that all that amazing color was directed at her.

She knew they’d have to tell Hudson and everyone else that they’d become a couple, but she didn’t want to spoil her happiness. Hudson wouldn’t be pleased, and neither would Benedict. However, it was now her turn to live her life as she saw fit. Benedict couldn’t rule over her anymore, and she wouldn’t allow Hudson to, either. But, for just a little while longer, she wanted to live in happiness, cocooned in her little secret.

One thing she hadn’t discussed with Axel had been birth control. They’d had unprotected sex almost every single time, and she knew they had been irresponsible. He’d had sex with a lot of humans, but he couldn’t get any human diseases to pass on to her. She’d read up on the female cycle and realized her fertility period was a ways off, but it still concerned her.

Although, the way happiness gushed through her, she had daydreams of having a family with him. She imagined a wonderfully energetic little boy running around the house, and her heart ached with want. She and Axel hadn’t even discussed marriage, or a mating ceremony, as the SR44ians referred to it. They hadn’t even talked about tomorrow, or the next hour.

She startled as thick arms circled her belly and pulled her close to a massive wall of chest. She inhaled his natural scent—a bit of sweat mixed with a tinge of sandalwood soap—and smiled. Sighing and closing her eyes for a brief moment, she forgot about the groceries she had been putting away.

“Are you having a good day?” he whispered as he nibbled on her ear.

She nodded. Abby and Beverly had gone out to retrieve the rest of the groceries, and she worried they’d step back inside at any moment.

When she turned to him, her heart melted as she took in his blazing aura. “Did you get more tattoo work done?”

He nodded, his gaze darting to the door of the silo. “Yeah.”

“When can I see it?”

His lush lips turned up into a small grin, then he leaned in and kissed her nose. “When it’s done.”

He walked down the hall toward the second elevator and out of sight just as the door opened and Abby and Beverly walked in.

As she continued her task and the women’s discussion became background noise, she wondered about the tattoo. He’d been so careful to hide it from her, either with a bandage or a T-shirt, and she couldn’t help but think it had something to do with her. A man having a tattoo on his back devoted to her sent a tremor through her. Could there be more of a commitment one could give?

“What do you think, Eden?”

The sound of her name jolted her back into their conversation, but she hadn’t heard a word. She looked over at Beverly and Abby as heat crawled into her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t listening.”

Beverly set the milk down on the counter and crossed her arms over her chest. “You’ve been a bit distracted lately. Is everything okay?”

Her cheeks began to burn. Maybe she should just come clean to Beverly, but she’d rather have a private conversation. She liked her half-sister, Abby, just fine, but she didn’t feel ready to share her deepest secrets with her. “I’m fine.”

“Well, what we were saying is we were thinking about having a girls’ night out in the city. We could get a couple hotel rooms, maybe go see a play, have dinner … what do you think?”

I think I don’t want to be away from Axel.

“W-when?”

Beverly now furrowed her brow, her aura turning the color of confusion. Eden realized she’d been begging and pleading to spend more time in the city a short time ago, and now, they offered it to her. She should act more excited, as Beverly was giving her the chance to experience just what she wanted.

“Well, Abby said it would take some time to plan. We’d have to see who wants to go, then get the hotel and tickets to the play … maybe in a week or two?”

Eden smiled. “That sounds fun. Yes, count me in.”

Grabbing the lettuce and spinach, she turned to the refrigerator and put them away. It really didn’t sound like a good time at all. Now, a trip to the city with Axel to the tattoo parlor definitely piqued her interest. Perhaps she’d even get some ink herself. God knew Liberty, Jovan’s mate, had quite a bit. She admired Liberty because even though she had been born into servitude, she had broken free of her shackles and lived life the way she wanted. No one else dictated her path to her.

Maybe it was time for her and Axel to come clean with everyone. They could move about the silo freely, they could be affectionate out in the open, and she wouldn’t feel as though she lived a lie.

She just didn’t want the drama that would unfold.