Okay, I was getting sick of their bullshit. I took Blaire’s hand and pulled her toward me. “She doesn’t need to do that. She has a home here with me.” Beau raised a skeptical eyebrow but didn’t say anything, just clenched his jaw so hard it looked like the tendons there were about to snap.

Blaire pulled her hand from mine, which hurt, and went to hug and kiss Bode and Cam, which hurt even more. Bode whispered something in her ear, keeping his smirky-ass eyes locked on mine while he did it. Carrie said goodbye to both of us before Cam picked her up, and they all headed out the door.

Finally alone, I took a step toward Blaire, but she breezed past me and up the stairs. I locked the front door and turned off the downstairs lights before following her up. I heard water running and went into the bathroom to find her naked in the shower. My body instantly responded, so I stripped off my clothes and stepped in with her, wrapping my arms around her from behind.

She stiffened, and I turned her in my arms and tried to kiss her, but she turned her face away from me. I pressed her back against the wall and held her jaw in my hand. “Kiss me, goddammit,” I growled before pressing my lips aggressively against hers. I tried to push my tongue into her mouth, but she had her lips pressed tightly together. That’s when I realized her shoulders were racking with barely restrained sobs.

“Blaire?” I asked, loosening my grip on her jaw. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“I… don’t… want… you… touching me,” she said, weeping openly now. Holy fuck. I stepped back and held my hands up, and she sank to the floor, pressing her face against her knees.

I knelt in front of her but not close enough that we were touching. “Why don’t you want me to touch you, sweetheart,” I asked gently.

“Because it hurts too much. I can’t… I can’t do this if you’re going to leave me.”

“Why would you think I’m going to leave you, Blaire?” My hand twitched with the urge to reach out and smooth back the damp strands of hair hanging around her face.

“Stop lying, Axel. You leased Milan a five-bedroom apartment. I know what that means.” Jesus, her whole body was shaking, and all I wanted to do was gather her in my arms and hold her, but she’d asked me not to touch her. It was fucking killing me. “You’re going to move in with h-h-her.”

“I’m not moving in with her, baby. Why are you talking like this?” She was honestly freaking me the fuck out.