19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Axel

Love.

Love had always been a strange idea for me. I guess I never knew there could be this intense and world-altering love that I now feel for Ivy.

Sure, I love my brothers. I loved my parents. But what I feel for Ivy goes beyond that family bond. With her, love is forever. Love is spiritual.

Rolling over in bed, I watch as the morning sunlight glows all around Ivy making her look like an angel. The covers just barely cover her stomach and her breasts are on full display for me. With her wild hair sprawled out on her pillow and her face so relaxed and at ease, I have this yearning to just stare at her all day. She is so beautiful and she is all mine. Sighing, I just watch her as she sleeps.

Before meeting Ivy, I would have thought watching anyone else sleep was strange. Something only those sick stalker-types would do.

Now, I completely understand their sick desires.

Gently stirring, I watch as Ivy's eyes open and a smile creeps across her features as she catches me red-handed watching her sleep.

"Good morning. Were you watching me sleep?" she asks, like she had read my mind.

Laughing, I sit up and tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The movement of my face quickly reminds me of the events from the previous night.

Pain shoots through me and as I look down at my own hand caressing Ivy's face, I see the cuts and bruises that are a nasty reminder of what I had done. What I could have done.

Noticing my pained expression, Ivy carefully reaches out and takes my hand in hers. Inspecting my wounds, she leans down and places her soft lips to my knuckles. I watch in complete awe as she kisses my cuts and bruises, as though her lips alone can heal me.

At this moment, I would swear they could.

"Ivy, I really fucked up," I say, as I shake my head.

"Ok. You messed up. Now, we fix it," she says, with so much confidence and belief in me, I almost feel tears threatening to escape my cold eyes .

"Why do you have so much faith in me?" I question, not sure if I even believe in myself the way she does.

"Because I love you," she says with a slight chuckle. As though she couldn't understand my line of thinking.

"You truly are incredible," I tell her, ignoring the pain and taking her in my arms.

"We are incredible," she sighs, as she places her head against my chest.

Those words get lost in my mind, replaying over and over like a mantra.

We are incredible.