Between Yesterday and Tomorrow

CHAPTER 2: RECKLESS DEVOTION

⚠ R18+ CONTENT WARNING ⚠

This chapter contains mature themes, including explicit s****l content, emotional conflict, and adult situations. Reader discretion is advised. This content is intended for audiences 18 years and older.

SIERRA'S POV

When I arrive at Axel's house, I'm not surprised to find it's exactly as I remember-tidy, yet Lived-in, with an air of familiarity that unsettles me. I don't come here often. Actually, I haven't been here in years, not since before.

I step inside, clutching my bag tightly. Axel gives me a small nod as he closes the door behind me, his usual unreadable expression firmly in place.

"The others?" I ask, pretending I don't already know the answer.

"They're not coming," Axel says simply, tossing his keys on the nearby table. "They said they'll contribute later, whatever that means." His voice drips with sarcasm, and for a moment, it feels like old times.

"So it's just us?"

He meets my gaze, his eyes dark and piercing, sending a chill down my spine. "Yeah. Just us."

The words hang in the air longer than they should, and I quickly avert my gaze, dropping my bag on the couch. "Well, we better get started, then."

We try to focus on the project, skimming through scripts, brainstorming ideas. But it doesn't last long. There's a tension- undeniable, thick as fog-that settles between us like a third presence in the room. Every glance, every small movement, feels amplified. I hate it. I hate how easily he still gets under my skin.

After a while, Axel lets out a sigh, leaning back against the couch. "We're not getting anywhere. Want a drink?"

I hesitate, knowing it's probably not a good idea. But I nod anyway. "Sure."

He disappears into the kitchen and returns with two bottles of beer. "Relax, Sierra," he says, handing me one. "You look like you're carrying the weight of the world."

"I might be," I mutter under my breath, taking a sip. The beer is cold and bitter, but it dulls the sharp edges of my thoughts.

We sit there in silence for a while, both of us nursing our drinks. Axel's presence is infuriatingly calming, and I hate how natural this feels.

HOURS PASS.

Our other groupmates never show up, and at some point, Axel suggests ordering food. We share greasy pizza and drink a little more. It's dangerous, how easy it is to fall back into this rhythm with him. By the time the clock ticks past midnight, the house feels quieter, more intimate, and the beer has softened my inhibitions.

I don't know how it happens, but suddenly, I'm talking. Really talking.

"I feel like I'm drowning, Axel," I whisper, the words spilling out before I can stop them.

He turns to me, his brow furrowed in concern. "What do you mean?"

I take a shaky breath, my eyes stinging with tears I refuse to let fall. "I don't know who I am anymore. I try so hard to be perfect-for Lorenzo, for everyone-but it's like... it's never enough. I'm never enough." My voice cracks, and I press my fingers against my temple, trying to steady myself. "And you you've been on my mind, Axel. I hate that you still have this hold on me."

He stiffens next to me, his gaze locked on mine. "Sierra."

I shake my head, the tears finally spilling over.

"Why did you push me away back then? I loved you. I loved you so much, and you just... walked away like none of it mattered."

Axel doesn't answer immediately. Instead, he stares at me, his jaw tight, his hands clenched into fists on his lap. "You think it didn't matter?" he finally says, his voice low and strained. "It mattered more than anything. I thought I was doing the right thing, Sierra. I thought I was protecting you."

"Protecting me from what?" I demand, my voice rising. "From you? From us? I didn't need protecting, Axel-I needed you."

The room feels like it's closing in on us. I don't even realize how close we've gotten until I feel his breath on my face, warm and uneven. I stare into his eyes, and for the first time tonight, I see it-the same longing, the same pain that I feel.

I don't know who moves first, but suddenly our lips crash together, desperate and raw. The kiss is nothing like I remember-it's harder, deeper, fueled by years of pent-up emotions. My hands find their way to his hair, pulling him closer, and he groans against my mouth, his arms wrapping around me tightly.

"Sierra," he breathes between kisses, as though trying to regain control. "We can't... we shouldn't..."

But I silence him with another kiss, pouring everything I can't say into it-my anger, my sadness, my love.

He hesitates, his grip on me loosening as though he's about to pull away. "We both have someone..."

"I know," I whisper, my lips brushing against his. "But right now, I don't care. Do you?"

Axel looks at me like he's fighting a war within himself. Then something in him snaps.

He kisses me again, harder this time, his hands roaming down my back, pulling me onto his lap. My heart pounds in my chest as his fingers trail along the hem of my shirt, slowly pushing it up.

I don't stop him.

"Are you sure?" he whispers against my lips, his voice hoarse and unsteady.

"Yes," I breathe, my voice barely audible.

That's all it takes. Axel pulls my shirt over my head, his eyes darkening as they sweep over me. His touch is tentative at first, but it doesn't take long for restraint to slip away. His lips find my neck, leaving a trail of kisses that send shivers down my spine. I close my eyes, letting myself get lost in the feeling of him- his warmth, his strength, his familiarity.

His hands slide down to my waist, pulling me even closer as our bodies mold together. My breathing quickens when his lips find their way to my collarbone, and I tangle my fingers in his hair, needing him closer, needing more.

"Axel," I whisper, his name falling from my lips like a prayer.

He pauses, his forehead pressing against mine as he breathes heavily. "This isn't right..."

But even as he says it, his hands don't stop. He kisses me again, and the rest of the world fades away-Lorenzo, his girlfriend, everything that we should be thinking about. Right now, it's just us.

Axel lifts me effortlessly, carrying me toward the couch before gently lowering me onto it.

His lips are on mine again, his hands tracing every curve of my body, sending heat rushing through me. I arch into him, my mind clouded with nothing but him-Axel, the boy who still owns my heart.

As his hands slide lower, and my remaining clothes fall away, I know there's no turning back. This moment is ours, stolen and fleeting, but I don't care. Because for the first time in years, I feel alive.

And I know he feels it too.

The silence that follows his words stretches between us, heavy with unspoken confessions. My heart pounds so loudly I can hear it echoing in my ears, my chest rising and falling as I try to catch my breath.

Axel's gaze stays on me, unwavering and intense. His thumb brushes my cheek, tender yet deliberate, as if he's afraid I might disappear under his touch.

"Sierra," he murmurs, his voice low, rough, but there's something else something vulnerable. His eyes search mine, and for a second, it feels Like he's stripping away every wall I've ever put up. "Tell me you don't feel this. Tell me you don't want this."

I open my mouth to respond, but nothing comes out. I can't lie. Not to him. Not to myself.

I don't answer. Instead, my hands move up, tangling in his shirt, pulling him down to me. Our lips crash together, and the dam breaks. Every suppressed emotion, every hidden thought, every what if explodes into this moment. His kiss is urgent, hungry, and it's Like he's trying to reclaim every part of me he's ever touched.

My body melts against his as he deepens the kiss, his hands gripping my waist, pulling me flush against him. I gasp when he tilts my head back, his mouth leaving my lips to trail along my jawline, his kisses warm and Lingering as they move to the sensitive spot just below my ear.

"You drive me crazy, Sierra," he whispers against my skin, his breath hot and ragged.

I can't think, can't breathe. My fingers weave into his hair, tugging softly as a low groan escapes him, vibrating against my throat. The sound sends a shiver down my spine, and I feel myself surrendering to him, piece by piece.

Axel shifts, guiding me down onto the couch, his body hovering above mine. I look up at him, my breathing uneven as I take in the way he looks at me like I'm the only thing that matters in this world. His hands move to my sides, gliding slowly, reverently, like he's memorizing every curve, every inch of me.

"You're perfect," he says, his voice barely more than a breath.

A flush creeps up my neck, and I turn my face away, feeling exposed. But Axel gently tilts my chin back, forcing me to look at him.

"Don't hide from me," he says softly. "Not you."

The ache in my chest grows unbearable, and I pull him down to me again, needing to feel him closer. His lips find mine, slower this time, softer, as if he's savoring me. His hands trace a path down my arms, to my waist, until he's tugging at the hem of my shirt. I nod, giving him permission, and the fabric is gone in one swift motion.

Axel pauses, his eyes roaming my body with such intensity it makes my skin burn. He leans down, pressing soft, lingering kisses along my collarbone, down to the center of my chest, and I arch into him, unable to stop the soft moan that escapes me.

"Axel," I whisper, his name a plea on my lips.

His hands trail lower, over my hips, his touch igniting sparks everywhere he goes. When he finally removes the last of our clothing, we're both breathless, the tension between us crackling like lightning. He hovers over me, his forehead pressed against mine, our noses brushing as we stare into each other's eyes.

"This isn't just a mistake," he says quietly, his voice breaking. "It's us, Sierra. It's always been us."

Tears sting at the corners of my eyes, and I don't know why. Maybe it's because I know this moment can't last. Maybe it's because a part of me has always belonged to him, and it hurts to admit it. I reach up, cupping his face in my hands.

"Don't stop," I whisper.

Axel closes his eyes, his expression pained, but he doesn't hesitate. He lowers himself to me, his body fitting perfectly against mine, and the moment he pushes into me, the world falls away. My breath catches in my throat as we move together, slow and deliberate at first, as though we're rediscovering each other all over again.

His hands grip my waist, holding me firmly beneath him, and his lips find mine again, swallowing the soft sounds that escape me. My fingers dig into his back, my nails dragging down his skin as the tension builds between us, the intensity growing with every movement.

"God, Sierra" he groans against my lips, his voice strained, rough with emotion.

I cling to him, tears pricking at my eyes as the sensations overwhelm me. This isn't just physical-it's everything we've ever felt for each other, everything we've never said, wrapped into this moment. He whispers my name like it's a prayer, his forehead pressed to mine as we reach the breaking point together.

A shudder runs through me, and I cry out softly, my body trembling in his arms as the wave crashes over me. Axel follows seconds Later, his grip on me tightening as he lets out a low groan, his body tense before he finally collapses against me, his breathing ragged.

For a moment, the only sound in the room is our uneven breaths. Axel rolls onto his side, pulling me against his chest, his arms wrapping tightly around me as if he's afraid to let go. I press my face into his skin, breathing him in, my heart pounding as reality starts to creep back in.

He brushes a hand through my hair, pressing a soft kiss to the top of my head. "You okay?" he murmurs.

I don't respond. I can't. My throat feels tight, and my chest aches with a familiar pain-the realization that this, whatever it is, can't last.

I sit up slowly, reaching for my clothes. Axel watches me, his expression guarded but softer than I've seen in years.

"Sierra," he says quietly, his voice tentative.

I stop, my back turned to him. "We shouldn't have done this," I whisper.

Axel is silent for a long moment. "Do you really believe that?"

I pull my shirt over my head, blinking back tears as I turn to face him. He's still sitting there, half-dressed, his hair a mess, his gaze locked on me with that same intensity.

"I don't know," I admit, my voice breaking. "But it doesn't matter, does it?"

Axel stands, closing the space between us. He reaches out, brushing his thumb over my cheek, and I hate how much I lean into his touch. "It matters to me," he says softly.

My chest tightens. I step back, shaking my head. "It's too late, Axel. It's always been too Late."

He doesn't stop me as I turn and walk out the door, the cold night air biting at my skin. But as I walk away, my heart feels heavier than ever.

Because the truth is, no matter how much I try to fight it, Axel Dominic Vale will always be a part of me. And I hate myself for wanting him still.