Axel pov
I thought I had a handle on the night — Ava in my sight, a protective wall between her and the chaos. But then I saw her heading for the bar again, her hand already reaching for another drink.
My chest tightened instantly. No. Not on my watch.
I started moving toward her, weaving through the crowd, when she stumbled — just a tiny misstep, barely noticeable if anyone else had seen it. But I saw. And before she could even flinch, my hands shot out, catching her firmly around the stomach.
Her body pressed against mine for a fraction of a second — skin warm, soft, exposed beneath that red dress that left so little to the imagination. My pulse jumped, but I didn't let go. Not yet. Not while the rest of the room threatened to overwhelm her.
"Careful," I muttered, voice low, dangerous. My fingers grazed just enough skin to feel the faint warmth underneath, and I couldn't stop the thought that surged in my mind: how reckless she looks, how dangerously exposed, how… distracting.
Her eyebrows shot up in that teasing little way she always did, lips curling into a mischievous smirk. "I'm fine," she whispered. "Relax."
"Relax?" I echoed, jaw tightening. "Your dress is doing everything except relaxing me. You could be halfway across the floor, and half these idiots would be staring before you even reach the bar."
She laughed softly, leaning just slightly into me, like she knew exactly how much she was affecting me. "Maybe I like the attention," she murmured.
I gritted my teeth, letting a low growl escape. "I don't," I said, pressing a fraction closer. "And I definitely don't like the idea of you staggering around in this… this ridiculously exposed dress, three drinks in, with the entire floor watching."
Her fingers brushed lightly against my chest, teasing in a way that made my head spin. "And yet… here you are, not leaving."
"Not leaving?" I echoed, voice rough. "I'm not leaving because I can't leave you like this. Not to idiots who can't keep their hands to themselves. Not to anyone. You're mine tonight — don't make me regret holding you right now."
Her laugh was soft, warm, teasing — almost daring me. And I couldn't help it. My hands lingered just a moment longer on her waist, feeling the fabric, feeling the curve beneath. That red dress, so bold, so tempting… so wrong in a way that made me want her closer.
She tilted her head up at me, eyes sparkling. "Then maybe you should do something about it," she whispered.
My pulse hammered. My jaw clenched. Protective, furious, possessive, and so aware of how she was pressing into me, I realized just how much tonight had already done to me. I'd gone from irritation to obsession in a heartbeat.
Ava pov
And I hadn't even touched the beer yet.
I barely had time to blink before Axel's grip on my arm guided me away from the crowd. The thumping music and flashing lights of the dance floor blurred into a haze behind us.
"Hey!" I protested lightly, laughing, trying to pull back just a fraction. "I was getting another drink!"
"You don't need another drink," he muttered, voice low and sharp, eyes scanning the crowd like he was ready to take on anyone who dared come near me.
I could feel the tension radiating off him — protective, dangerous, and impossible to ignore. Somehow, it made my pulse quicken, though I tried not to let him see it.
We got out of the bar with him still holding my arm. He looked furious like that day when he got into fight for me. He was staring at me with narrowed eyes flaming with anger like l've done some sort of crime, but instead of using words he kissed me.
The kiss was breatheless, hungry, desperate while his hands on my waist and mine around his neck, a punctuation mark on years of unspoken tension. He tasted like and mint, and the raw, dizzying sensation of the kiss made me forget the cold, the dress, and the neon lights. I forgot everything except him.
When he finally pulled away, we were both breathing heavily, our foreheads touching.
The beer started to kick in and I was starting to feel very drunk. My eyes lids were dropping from sleepiness.
I held her there, forehead against mine, and the rest of the party blurred into nothing. Music, lights, people — all irrelevant. The only thing that mattered was Ava and the faint sway of her body against mine.
Axel pov
She wobbled slightly, the alcohol finally hitting her, and I tightened my grip just enough at her waist to steady her. My pulse jumped — not from fear, exactly, but from how close she was, how exposed she felt in that dress, and how much I wanted to make sure no one else got even a fraction of her attention.
"Careful," I murmured, voice low, dangerous, scanning the balcony and the party behind us. "You're not as steady as you think."
She laughed softly, leaning into me a little more. "Oh, come on. I can handle myself," she teased, brushing her hands lightly over my chest for balance. "I just might need… a little help."
My jaw clenched. Little help? That sounded like a challenge, and my protective instincts flared instantly. I wasn't about to let her stumble into some idiot, or worse, do something reckless because she thought she was invincible.
"Little help?" I repeated, voice low. "I'll give you a lot of help — but you're not going anywhere near the crowd like this."
Her teasing grin pressed against me, and I felt heat rush through me, part irritation, part possessiveness. "You're ridiculous," she murmured, just loud enough for me to hear, and I growled softly in response, not at her words but at the way she made my chest tighten with a single glance.
She leaned back slightly, teasing me with her gaze. "Seriously, Axel… you're overprotective."
"Overprotective?" I muttered, narrowing my eyes. "Maybe. But you… you're not exactly helping me stay calm."
Her forehead pressed against mine again, teasing, playful, but unsteady, and I felt my hands tighten slightly on her waist — not to restrain, just to hold her steady.
"You're… so exposed," I muttered under my breath, more to myself than her, my eyes scanning the delicate curve of her dress, the way it clung to her just enough to make me painfully aware of how close she was.
She tilted her head, smirk tugging at her lips. "And you're staring," she whispered. "Relax, Axel."
I swallowed hard, jaw tight. "I can't relax. Not when you're like this. Not when I'm the only one making sure you don't get hurt."
She laughed softly, leaning into me again, and I felt my chest tighten even more. Protective. Irritated. Infuriated. And yet, unable to let go.
The alcohol, the lights, the teasing grin on her lips — it all made my pulse race. I knew this night wasn't going to be simple. And the closer she pressed against me, the more I realized just how much I didn't want it to be.
Her balance wavered again, just slightly, and my jaw tightened. The alcohol had definitely hit her. I couldn't risk her stumbling near the edge of the balcony — not tonight, not in this crowd.
Her red dress was gorgeous, but in that moment, every careless sway made me painfully aware of how exposed she was. I muttered a curse under my breath and yanked my jacket off in one swift motion, draping it over her shoulders. The soft fabric fell around her, covering her enough to shield her from the cold breeze — and from prying eyes.
"There," I muttered, hands tightening on her waist. "Better."
She blinked at me, cheeks flushed, eyes sparkling with amusement. "You're ridiculous," she said softly, her breath brushing against my ear. "Why do you care so much?"
"Because I don't want you falling over," I said, voice low, more growl than words. "And because I'm the only idiot allowed to stare at you tonight."
She laughed lightly, but I could see the fatigue in her movements. Another stumble, and I realized there was no way she'd make it safely back through the crowd on her own. Without thinking, I lifted her up bridal style, holding her firmly against me.
"Axel!" she gasped, still laughing. "I can walk!"
"You can," I said, narrowing my eyes as I scanned the floor below the balcony, "but you won't. Not like this. Not with these idiots around."
Her arms instinctively wrapped around my neck for balance, forehead pressing to mine, and I felt a jolt — part frustration, part protectiveness, part something I couldn't name. "You're… insane," she murmured, her voice soft, teasing.
"Maybe," I admitted, voice low, "but I like being the one keeping you safe."
The crowd parted as I carried her through, the weight of her against me making everything else — music, lights, noise — fade into the background. I kept my jaw tight, hands steady, chest locked, and mind hyper-aware of any potential danger.
But the truth was… I wasn't just protecting her from the world. I was trying to protect myself, too — from the way she made my chest ache, from the way my pulse spiked every time she leaned against me, from the way every inch of her seemed to pull me closer.
I slid the car door open and guided her gently into the passenger seat, making sure she was safely inside before shutting the door behind her. Her red dress shimmered under the dim streetlight, still slightly rumpled from the party, and I muttered under my breath, how are you even real right now?
Sliding into the driver's seat, I started the engine, hands gripping the wheel tighter than necessary. My jaw clenched as I glanced at her. She was leaning back, flushed, a playful, tipsy smile tugging at her lips.
"Axel…" she slurred slightly, tilting her head toward me. "Am I… am I really that explosive and… sexy that people can't resist me?"
I froze for a fraction of a second, my pulse spiking. Her eyebrows were raised in mock seriousness, but the drunken lilt in her voice made it impossible to ignore the teasing edge.
"You're…" I started, voice low and rough, trying to keep my composure. "…dangerous."
She giggled, leaning back against the seat, arms crossed lazily, and I felt heat rise to my ears. "Dangerous? That's it? Just dangerous?"
I turned to glance at her, sharp, protective, irritated, and yet unable to hide the way my chest tightened. "Yeah," I muttered, voice gruff. "Because people like that don't deserve a second glance, and I don't… want anyone else thinking they do."
She tilted her head, smirk still in place, obviously amused by my irritation. "So… I'm irresistible and dangerous, huh?" she whispered, leaning slightly toward me, eyes sparkling.
I ignored the tiny pull in my chest — the want, the tension, the awareness of how close she was. Instead, I started the car, gripping the wheel tighter. "You're reckless," I growled, voice low. "And I'm not letting you get any more ideas tonight. Not with anyone."
Her laugh was soft, tipsy, teasing, and it cut straight through my restraint. She leaned back, eyes half-lidded, still watching me. "You're… really overprotective, you know that?"
"I know," I admitted, voice rough. "And I don't care. Because you… are impossible. And I'm not letting anyone take advantage of that. Not tonight. Not ever."
She let out a small sigh, leaning lazily in her seat, clearly still tipsy, and I couldn't help but steal a quick glance at her. The teasing smile, the flushed cheeks, the bold drunken confidence… all of it made my chest tighten in a way I couldn't ignore.
And I knew, without a doubt, that tonight wasn't over.
You know," she slurred slightly, tilting her head toward me, "I could've handled those guys myself, you know. Maybe even… taught them a lesson."
I glanced at her sharply, jaw tightening. "Yeah, maybe," I muttered, voice low and rough, "if you weren't three drinks in and wobbling like that."
She laughed softly, and it made my chest tighten in a way I hated — and loved. "So, you don't think I'm… capable?" she teased, eyes sparkling.
"I know you're capable," I said, voice low, dangerous, "but I also know you're reckless. And I'm not taking chances with you tonight."
She leaned a little closer, her voice soft, teasing. "You mean… because you're worried about me?"
"Not worried," I growled lightly, still gripping the wheel. "Protective. Possessive. Pick your word."
She giggled, and I felt heat rise to my ears. "Possessive?" she repeated, mock horror in her voice. "You sound like a… like a movie character."
I shot her a glare, though the corner of my mouth threatened to twitch. "Maybe. But it's true. You're… dangerous, and I can't let anyone mess with you."
She leaned back lazily, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "Wow," she murmured, half amused, half impressed. "I didn't know I had such an effect on you. Explosive and irresistible, huh?"
I gritted my teeth, trying not to admit the truth. "You don't just have an effect," I muttered. "You make it impossible to think straight. And you make me want to snap at everyone who even looks at you."
Her lips curled into a teasing smile, and she tilted her head. "Oh, so that's why you're so… intense. I get it now."
I exhaled slowly, trying to keep my voice steady. "Intense? Yeah… you bring it out of me. And I don't like that anyone else gets to see it."
She leaned slightly closer, forehead almost brushing mine, tipsy grin still in place. "So… you're mine tonight?"
I didn't answer immediately, letting the silence and the tension do the work. Then, voice low and rough, I said, "…yeah. Tonight, you're mine. And I'll make sure you get home safe, no matter what."