The Mafia Lord's Secret Lover - Chapter 25

25: Deal?

25: Deal?

The room’s temperature suddenly dropped below zero.  ‘Do you love me?’ The words echoed in Axel’s head like a foreign language.  He suddenly had the absurd urge to laugh as he heard the word “love.” Of all the ridiculous things this woman could ask, she chose that?

His brows furrowed, as though the word itself was an insult.

“Love?”  “Yes.

Love.” Evelyn’s voice became gentler, a faint, nervous smile lingering on her lips.  “What makes you think that way?” “You keep insisting that our marriage be made public.

And you keep saying it’s real…” She trailed off, suddenly aware of how ridiculous she sounded now.

After a few more seconds, Axel leaned back casually, but his gaze was sharp on her.

“Yeah.

So?” he asked.  Her heart raced, but she forced herself to meet his eyes.

“So… I’m asking if you love me.” For a long moment, silence stretched between them.  Axel’s jaw tightened.

He feels Evelyn had just asked him to hand over a vital organ.

He had never been in love with anyone before.

And now, hearing her ask this, it sounds ridiculous.

“Evelyn,” he said finally, his tone sharp, “…I’m sorry.

But love doesn’t exist in my dictionary.

So, you ask the wrong person.” Evelyn was speechless.

She tried not to smile, but it escaped anyway, a small, almost helpless smile.

“Well, of course it doesn’t.

You probably burned that page years ago.

Right, Mr.

Knight?” She teased.

Axel shot his glare, and she quickly raised her hands in surrender.  She continued, “Axel…

don’t look at me like that.

I’m not mocking you.

I’m just,” she hesitated, biting her lip.

“…trying to figure out what this means for me.

For Oliver.

For us.” Her honesty softened his sharp gaze.  “Evelyn, I don’t believe in love.

And my answer is…

I don’t love you.

Sorry if I disappointed you…”  Axel let the words hang in the air, his voice calm, almost casual.

But his eyes?

His eyes didn’t match that tone.

They held her, sharp and steady, like he was waiting for her reaction.

Evelyn’s smile faltered.

She hadn’t expected him to say that, blunt and harsh.

For a moment, she felt embarrassed, as if he’d hit her with words.

But then, slowly, a smile tugging at Axel’s lips, he added, “If you really want me to love you, I’ll try.

I’ll learn.

Just be patient with me… because I’ve never truly felt that way before.” She suddenly lost her words, saw how serious his expression was now, and how casually he said those words.  ‘Wait!

What?

He didn’t believe in love, but he was willing to “learn”?

And he asked me to wait?

Was he joking?

Trying to act cool?’ Before Evelyn could even decide how to respond, his voice cut in again, smooth and commanding.  “For me, I only believe in keeping what’s mine.

You.

Oliver.

That’s not negotiable.

So, to answer your question again, our marriage wasn’t based on love.

And I believe you already knew I didn’t love you.

Unless…” Axel hesitated, slightly frowning, with his sharp gaze unchanged.

Her heartbeat races.  “Unless what?” she asked carefully, trying not to sound too nervous or too curious.

Alex didn’t respond right away.

He just looked at her face, his eyes moving over her blushing cheeks, noticing how her lashes flickered quickly in nervous fluttering.

“Unless…” he finally said, lips curling into a slow, dangerous smirk, “… you’re the one who loves me, Evelyn?” “Cough!

Cough!”  Evelyn nearly choked on her own spit.

She slapped a hand against her chest, glaring at him like he’d just committed a crime.

‘Excuse me?!

Did he just…?

How did he…?

Gosh!

Heaven, please strike him with your heavenly lightning…I’m not in love with him.’ Axel chuckled, low and amused, clearly enjoying her shocked expression.  “You are?

Wow, this is shocking for me to know that Evelyn…” His smile stretched wider, like he’d just won something.

Heat rushed to her cheeks, and she could feel it.

Ugh.

Just his look alone was enough to tell her what he was thinking: ‘See?

I caught you.

You love me, Evelyn!’ She wanted to scream at him, deny it, throw something, anything, to wipe that proud expression off his face.  But when she opened her mouth, nothing came out.

Her lips refused to move, betraying her completely.

‘What the…?

Who loves you?

Not me!’ she shook her head in frustration.

“Alright, Evelyn, no need to deny it if you’re shy.

I get it…” He nodded as if he was showing her mercy.

“I’m sorry, Axel…

But I’m not!” she finally found her voice.

“Good,” he said smoothly, his tone far too satisfied for her liking.

“Here’s the deal…

If you want me to love you, then you have to teach me how…

Deal?” Her jaw dropped again.  ‘What…?

Why am I suddenly the one insisting now?!’ Evelyn sighs heavily, feeling like she’d stepped into a trap she’d set for herself.

One small tease and now, bam!

She was the one cornered.

Trying to play it off, Evelyn forced a nervous laugh.  “Axel, you know, most people would just say ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ But with you, everything has to sound like a business contract.” He tilted his head, amused.

“Well, maybe.

But at least with me, you’ll never doubt where you stand.” Her chest tightened, not from fear, but from the weight of his certainty.

He wasn’t romantic, not even close.

But, there was something in his voice, something so sure and possessive, that it made her stomach flutter against her will.

“Fine,” Evelyn turned her gaze away from him.

Her lips betrayed her, curling into a reluctant smile.

She could only laugh bitterly in her mind, thinking, ‘Not love…

but something close enough.’  Evelyn stole a glance at him.

Of course, he was still smiling, proud, infuriatingly gorgeous.

Her heart thudded hard against her chest.  ‘Damn it!

This man is going to be the death of me…’ And yet…  She couldn’t run away!

Not now, not later.

CREATORS’ THOUGHTS PurpleLight Thank you so much for the Golden Ticket & Power Stones.

Please continue.

We need to raise the rank to give this book more opportunities.

Xoxo ^___^