SEVEN DAYS TO SAY FOREVER

I didn't bother using the buzzer. I hammered my fists against Axel’s penthouse door until the metal rattled.

When it swung open three seconds later, Axel was standing there drenched in sweat, wearing nothing but black athletic shorts and hand wraps. He had clearly been hitting his private gym. The sight of his cut torso and sharp jawline didn't phase me; I had seen him look a mess since we were toddlers.

"Nice look. Very... angry underground fighter," I breathed, shoving past him into the marble foyer.

Axel wiped his brow with a towel, tracking my frantic pacing. "Hazel, it’s past midnight. Did your design studio flood again?"

I kicked off my sneakers, my hands shaking. "Worse. My entire reputation is about to be erased from existence."

Axel shut the door, the heavy locks clicking into place. He didn't ask questions. He walked straight over to the smart-home panel, tapped a button to drop the blackout blinds across the entire penthouse, and turned to face me. He always went into lockdown mode whenever I started hyperventilating.

"Give it to me straight," Axel said, his tone dropping into that cold, corporate authority he used in boardrooms. "Do I need to liquidate an asset, call my legal team, or help you hide a car? What happened?"

"My stepsister is throwing a wedding," I managed to say, my throat tightening.

Axel frowned, tossing his towel onto a chair. "Clara getting married is a tragedy for the groom, but why are you having a panic attack in my hallway about it?"

"She’s marrying Dominic Reed."

Axel stopped dead in his tracks. His gray eyes turned to ice, his entire frame going rigid. "Wait. Dominic? The pathetic excuse of a man who left you at the altar twelve months ago?"

I nodded miserably.

"Unbelievable," Axel growled, his knuckles cracking beneath the wraps. "Is that even allowed? Is there no basic family boundary she won't cross just to spite you?"

"She sent the invite via an elite courier service in a matte black box," I cried, waving my hands. "She did it to destroy me, Axel."

Axel stepped forward, grabbing my wrists gently to stop my flailing arms and pulling me into a firm, solid embrace. "I’m sorry, Hazel. Go sit on the couch. I’ll open a bottle of wine, and you can call out of work tomorrow. We'll ignore the entire world."

I pulled back sharply, the room spinning slightly from the movement. Axel’s hands instantly moved to my waist to keep me upright.

"Hazel—easy. Your vertigo is kicking up."

I ignored the dizziness and grabbed the front of his sweat-dampened shirt, staring up at him like a crazy person. "Don't hate me. I did something reckless. Something incredibly stupid."

Axel narrowed his eyes, a hint of amusement breaking through his tension. "What did you do?"

"Promise you won't throw me off this balcony first."

"Hazel."

"Promise me, Axel! Or I'm locking myself in your guest bathroom."

He let out a heavy sigh, releasing my waist. "Fine. I promise. Now speak before I lose my mind."

I swallowed hard and let it rip. "I told Clara that you and I are getting married."

Axel stared at me, completely paralyzed. "You did what?"

"She was gloating about Aspen, and calling me a charity case, and I lost it! I told her we’ve been secretly dating for months and just kept it away from the media to protect your billionaire status."

He rubbed the back of his neck, a harsh chuckle breaking from his lips. "So you broke into my place at midnight to recruit me as a fake fiancé because you used my name to win a shouting match with your stepsister?"

"Yes."

He walked over to his kitchen island, leaning his heavy frame against the marble. "Hazel, I’m scheduled to fly to Tokyo next week. A five-day tech summit. Private dinners, luxury suites, and networking with international CEOs. I’ve been planning this for six months."

I stepped closer, putting on my best puppy-dog eyes. "Tokyo will always be there. But my dignity won't. Think of this as a high-stakes corporate negotiation. Just... with snow."

He shot me a dry look. "Hazel."

"Axel, please! You're the only guy I know who can actually pull this off without my family sniffing out a lie."

"That's because I'm the only billionaire in your contact list," Axel muttered, though his posture relaxed. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and took a long swig. "Let me get this straight. We are flying into the lion's den in Aspen, staying at your ex's family estate, and pretending to be madly in love for a solid week?"

I nodded quickly. "Exactly."

"I have a counter-proposal," Axel said, setting the bottle down. "I’ll wire enough cash to buy out your design firm's lease tonight. You can tell them you're too busy running an empire to attend. Let me go to Tokyo."

I crossed my arms. "Money can't buy the look on Clara's face when you walk into that chalet holding my hand. Please, Axel. I can't face Dominic alone. I need my best friend."

Axel remained quiet for a long moment, his intense gaze mapping out my stressed face. The coldness in his eyes melted into something warm and fiercely protective. "You've been a pain in my ass since the third grade, Sterling."

"Is that a yes?" I whispered, my heart stopping.

Axel shook his head, a small smile finally breaking through. "Pack your bags. Let's go make your ex regret every decision he’s ever made."

A squeal left my lips as I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck. "Thank you! You are officially the greatest human alive."

"Yeah, keep reminding me of that when I'm freezing in Colorado," he murmured, his arms wrapping around my back to hold me close. He let me down slowly, his eyes dropping to my face. "There's just one problem."

"What?"

"If we’re engaged, we have to act like it," Axel said, his voice dropping into a low, husky register. "We can't just stand around looking like childhood buddies, Hazel. People watch how couples touch."

The sudden shift in the air made my breath hitch. I backed up a step, my back hitting the edge of the kitchen counter. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, we need to know how to look convincing," Axel murmured, closing the distance between us. The playful banter was entirely gone. He leaned down, his face inches from mine, his gray eyes locking onto my mouth. "Are you going to flinch if I hold your waist at dinner? What about when we have to kiss in front of your mother?"

My heart hammered violently against my ribs, an entirely new kind of panic taking over. Axel’s gaze was heavy, dangerous, and intoxicating. He leaned in closer, his lips almost brushing mine—

Panicking, I grabbed a heavy leather boxing glove resting on the counter next to me to push him back, but my clumsy fingers slipped. The thick glove fell right off the edge, landing with a loud, heavy thud directly onto his bare foot.

Axel hopped backward instantly, his face twisting in pain as he clutched his foot. "Ow! What the hell, Hazel?!"

I burst into a fit of nervous laughter, holding my hands up. "Consider it a test of your reflexes! A true finance mogul should never be caught off guard."

Axel groaned, leaning against the wall and shaking his head. "You are a menace to society."

"But I'm your menace," I teased, finally feeling the weight lift from my chest.

Our laughter was cut short when Axel’s phone lit up on the counter, vibrating against the stone. He picked it up, his expression instantly hardening as he stared at the screen.

"What is it?" I asked, the dread returning.

Axel turned the screen toward me. It was a direct message notification on his private account.

"Hazel," Axel said, his voice turning dead quiet. "Why is Dominic Reed sending me a message request at one in the morning?"