Dining hall.

Chapter 3.

After freshening up, Hazel opted for the staircase instead of the elevator, even though it felt like climbing a skyscraper. She would rather deal with aching legs than be trapped in that suffocating metal box again.

As she reached the bottom, still trying to catch her breath, she spotted a line of maids carrying trays of food. Her stomach growled in response. She followed them, assuming they were headed toward the dining hall.

The moment she stepped inside, she froze.

Her breath hitched as she took in the grandeur before her—glass walls, gold-accented furniture, and a chandelier that looked like it belonged in a royal palace. Every inch of Axel’s home screamed luxury.

“You really need to get a escalator. Hazel muttered, exhaling roughly as she walked in to find Axel already eating.

He raised his gaze to meet hers, but his attention immediately dipped lower—to the sliver of skin peeking between her crop top and distressed shorts. His eyes lingered on her curves, his fingers tightening subtly around his glass before he lifted it to take a slow sip.

“Anything for you, baby gi—”

“Momma!” she cut him off before he could finish, realizing too late that she had reacted on impulse.

Axel smirked. “Pretence would be the end of you, momma. You enjoy hearing me call you that, don't you?”

Hazel rolled her eyes and ignored him, instead focusing on the food before her. She dished herself a portion and dug in, savoring the flavors in silence.

For a while, the only sound in the room was the clinking of cutlery.

Then, her phone buzzed.

She glanced at the screen and immediately smiled—it was Armstrong.

Axel’s eyes flickered at her reaction, his grip tightening around his fork. He hadn’t seen that kind of smile from her before, at least not in his presence. His jaw tensed.

“Hello, babe.” Armstrong’s voice came through the speaker, soft and affectionate.

Hazel giggled slightly and sipped her juice, trying to wash down the bite stuck in her throat. But she suddenly felt conscious, knowing Axel was watching.

“Excuse me,” she mumbled, attempting to stand, but Axel’s sharp glare pinned her in place.

“Where are you going?” His voice was low, firm—commanding.

Hazel swallowed hard.

“Hello?” Armstrong’s voice came again, laced with concern.

“Sit,” Axel ordered.

It wasn’t a request. It was an order. One she most certainly would comply with.

Hazel knew better than to test him when he used that tone. Years of childhood with him had earned her a vast knowledge about him. Without another word, she sank back into her seat, gripping her phone tightly.

“Hey,” she said softly into the phone, trying to sound unaffected.

Axel clenched his jaw at the way she spoke to him—so gentle, so unlike the way she spoke to him.

“What’s happening over there? Are you in Washington already? Are you okay?” Armstrong asked.

Hazel exhaled. “You’re asking too many questions at once,” she teased, trying to ease the tension.

“It’s okay, start from anywhere.”

“I’m in Washington and I am okay. But I won’t be able to see you until tomorrow,” she explained, choosing her words carefully. “My dad insists I stay with a close relative.”

Axel’s eyes darkened at that.

Armstrong inhaled deeply, clearly disappointed, but he didn’t argue.

“I’m sorry,” Hazel whispered.

“It’s okay,” he sighed. “We’ll have school hours to ourselves.”

“Yes, exactly,” she smiled, relieved. “I’ll call you later tonight, okay?”

“Okay, baby. I love you.”

Axel’s fork stilled. His fingers curled into a fist.

Hazel hesitated. She knew Armstrong was the jealous type, and if she didn’t respond, it would only create problems. But she also knew Axel, and she could feel the weight of his gaze on her.

“I love you too,” she said softly before ending the call.

A long, heavy silence followed.

“Who was that?” Axel finally asked, his eyes still on his plate as he took another bite—too casual, too unaffected. But Hazel wasn’t fooled.

“It’s none of your business,” she snapped, pushing her plate away slightly.

Axel’s expression remained unreadable, but his voice dropped a dangerous octave.

“I have every right to ask. You’re in my house, which makes it my business to watch over you.”

Hazel huffed, crossing her arms. “Who else would I be saying ‘I love you’ to?”

Axel smirked, but there was no humor in it. “Girls are unpredictable these days. For all I know, you could be experimenting with lesbianism.”

Hazel nearly choked on her juice. “I’m not a lesbian, Axel. I was talking to my boyfriend.”

Axel’s grip on his fork tightened. He clenched his jaw, his knuckles turning white.

Boyfriend.

That word left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“So you have a boyfriend now?” His tone was unreadable, but Hazel could sense the shift in his mood.

“Yes. Is there a problem with that?” She raised a brow, challenging him.

Axel scoffed. “How long have you known him?”

Hazel tilted her head slightly. “Roughly two years.”

Axel let out a humorless chuckle. “I hope he’s hitting the spot really well.”

Hazel glared at him. “Everything isn’t about sex, Axel.”

Axel smirked. “Then what is it about?”

Hazel clenched her fists. “You’re impossible.”

Axel leaned back lazily. “Your boyfriend must be a saint,” he mused. “Because if I had you, I’d never let you go to sleep without reminding you who you belong to.”

Hazel’s breath hitched.

She hated how raw he was. But even more, she hated how his words made her stomach twist in ways she didn’t understand.

“How many times have you both had sex?” Axel asked, his tone deceptively casual.

Hazel’s face burned. “That’s none of your business!”

Axel tilted his head. “So… none?”

Hazel’s lips parted slightly, but no words came out.

Axel stared at her for a long moment before he exhaled, a slow, satisfied smirk creeping onto his face.

“You’re a virgin.”

His words weren’t a question. They were a statement. A discovery.

Hazel’s fingers curled around her fork. “So what if I am?”

Axel didn’t respond. He just watched her, his mind racing with unspoken thoughts.

For the first time since she arrived, he was grateful her father had placed her under his care.

Because no other man was going to touch her.

Not before he did.

Later that night, Hazel decided to head upstairs to rest.

But as soon as she saw the long stretch of stairs, she groaned. She was already exhausted, and the idea of climbing all that again made her legs feel weak.

Still, she pushed through. Step by step. Until—

A pair of strong arms suddenly scooped her up.

She gasped, inhaling the faint scent of his cologne as Axel carried her effortlessly in his arms.

“Axel.” Her voice came out in a strained gasp. She wanted to protest, but her body betrayed her, melting into the warmth of his embrace.

“You’re so feeble, momma,” he murmured, his voice husky against her ear. “If you can’t even handle these stairs, how are you going to handle my cock, huh?

Hazle's heart slammed against her ribs.

And her mind raced.

His cock? How… how huge could it be?”

Axel’s arms tightened around her, his fingers brushing the bare skin of her thigh.

Hazel swallowed hard, jolting from her thoughts.

She hated him.

She hated how easily he got under her skin.

But worst of all…

She hated how much she liked it.

How much she desired more.