Chapter 208
~LAYLA~
FOUR MONTHS LATER
The camera flashes were so bright they blinded me, even with the SUV’s tinted windows.
“They’re still camped out,” I noted, watching the paparazzi swarm the entrance of O’Brien Group of Companies Headquarters. “You’d think after four months, they’d get bored p>
“We gave them a good story,” Axel said from beside me. “The ’Phoenix CEO’ and the ’Resurrected Tycoon.’ It’s good for stock prices, and bad for privacy p>
I turned to him, and I must say, he looked good. Like really good.
The three surgeries to repair his fractured spine had been successful, though the doctors said it was a miracle he was walking at all.
The skin graft on his back where the shrapnel had hit was still healing, but the scarring was minimal.
The wheelchair he was gone now, replaced by a stylish ebony cane with a silver wolf’s head handle that he used more for style than necessity these days.
Axel’s stylish suit had been tailored to fit his now slightly leaner frame, and the scar on his temple had faded to a thin white line that only made him look more dangerous.
“Ready to hand over the keys to the castle?” I asked, squeezing his hand.
“Please,” Axel scoffed. “I’m ready to throw the keys at them and run. Greece has been calling our names for months p>
The car stopped in the private underground garage, avoiding the circus upstairs. We took the executive elevator to the penthouse floor, the rhythmic tap-tap-tap of Axel’s cane against the marble filled the silence as we walked.
The office was buzzing. Everything was back to normal. No more scorch marks, no broken glass, nothing to remind anyone of the bomb.
Helena was waiting for us at the main desk. Her transformation over the last four months had been nothing short of miraculous.
The shy, terrified girl was gone; in her place was a woman with a sharp bob cut, a fitted navy blazer, and an air of authority that terrified the interns and commanded respect from the executives.
“Morning, boss lady. So, here’s your update in a minute. The jet is fueled and waiting at Teterboro,” she reported without missing a beat, handing me a tablet. “Your luggage was transferred an hour ago. I’ve cleared your schedule for two weeks and set up auto-replies on both your emails. If anyone calls, I’m telling them you’re on a silent retreat in the Himalayas p>
“You’re evil,” a voice said from behind her.
Tye emerged from the conference room, grinning. He was wearing a bespoke suit that fit him perfectly, looking every inch the Chief Security Officer who now ran day-to-day operations. “I love it p>
“Be professional, Tye,” Helena chided, though she couldn’t hide the smile that tugged at her lips. She swatted his hand away when he tried to steal a pen from her desk.
“That’s what you said this morning too,” Tye murmured low enough that only Helena heard, but I caught the way her cheeks flushed pink.
“Tye,” Helena warned.
I smiled to myself. It was obvious to everyone in the office that they were together, even if they tried to keep it ’professional’ during work hours. The way Tye stood a little too close,and the way Helena’s eyes always found him in a room was quite sweet. They were good for each other.
Axel walked over to the main desk and picked up a heavy set of keycards, the master security clearances that controlled everything from the server room to the vault.
“You have the con,” Axel said in a serious tone, holding them out to Tye. “Codes to the server room, the safe, and the executive override for the accounts. Don’t burn it down p>
Tye took the cards, his expression sobering immediately. “I’ll guard it with my life, Axe. You know that p>
“I know,” Axel nodded, then he turned to Helena. “And you, keep him in check. You’re the only one who can p>
“Consider him handled,” Helena promised, straightening her blazer. “I’ve got a full schedule of meetings to keep him occupied. By day three, he’ll be begging you to come back p>
“Day three?” Tye protested. “Have some faith in me p>
“I have plenty of faith in you,” Helena said sweetly. “That’s why I scheduled back-to-back meetings with accounting and legal p>
Axel laughed, and the deep sound made my heart swell. Four months ago, I wasn’t sure I’d ever hear that sound again p>
“Seriously though,” Helena said, looking at both of us. “Go. Enjoy yourselves. Tye handles security. I handle everything else. If anything and I mean anything catastrophic happens, we’ll call. Otherwise, you don’t exist for the next two weeks p>
“Go,” Tye commanded, pointing to the elevator. “Drink wine. Eat cheese. Have sex on a beach. We got this p>
“Tye!” Helena gasped, but she was laughing.
“What? They’re married. It’s allowed,” Tye said innocently.
“You’re impossible,” I said, shaking my head.
“Let’s go,” Axel said, adjusting his grip on his cane and looping his free arm through mine. “Before I remember I have quarterly reports to review p>
“Too late. Already deleted them from your calendar,” Helena called out.
As we walked toward the elevator, I glanced back one last time. Tye was leaning over Helena’s desk, whispering something that made her laugh and slap his arm playfully.
She was smiling in that way that lit up her whole face, and he was looking at her like she was the only person in the room.
The company was in good hands.
The elevator doors slid shut, enclosing us in silence.
“Finally,” Axel murmured, kissing my temple. “Just us p>
“Just us,” I agreed, leaning into him. “And the Aegean Sea p>
“You okay?” Axel asked, his hand finding mine.
“I am,” I said, feeling the truth of it settle in my bones. “I finally feel like we can breathe p>
For months, it had been chaos.
The FBI investigation into Henry and Charles, the board restructuring, press conferences, and the endless meetings with lawyers and accountants.
Charles was still on the run. Henry had been extradited back to the States and was awaiting trial for embezzlement, money laundering, and conspiracy. Marco had gotten his money back and, true to his word, had left us alone. The O’Brien Group was clean, legitimate, and thriving.
And Axel was alive.
“Then let’s go breathe,” Axel said, kissing the top of my head. “For two whole weeks, we’re just Axel and Layla. Not CEO and Acting CEO. Not Phoenix and Tycoon. Just us p>
“I like the sound of that,” I whispered.