Peyton shook her head again, slower this time, her frustration simmering into something quieter… more personal. “You’re unbelievable,” she said softly. “Do you hear yourself?”
Axel didn’t answer.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Peyton stepped closer again, her voice dropping—less sharp now, more honest, more dangerous because of it. “I’m not saying this because I hate her,” she said. “I’m saying this because someone has to be real with you.” Her eyes locked onto his, searching. “She’s going to hurt you again.”
Axel laughed. Not loud. Not cruel. But enough to stop her cold. “You’ve got that backwards,” he said, shaking his head slightly. “I’m the one who hurt her.”
Peyton’s expression tightened. “And whatever you think is happening here,” he continued, his tone steady but edg
