This chapter is dedicated to @marvelpottah for voting and leaving lovely comments! Thank you xx

••••

"Axel, who is Maxwell?" I ask, my hands shaking as a result of the anxiety washing over me in never ending tidal waves.

"Shit." Axel mutters, shaking his head and dropping it down so that I can't see the expression on his face.

Rob's words echo through my brain and I find I'm unable to sort any of my own thoughts out. How Axel froze beside me as soon as he murmured the word Maxwell has left me with a million questions.

I stand up straighter and turn my body so that it's now facing Axel. He's visibly unable to meet me in the eye but I try to keep my tone from being condescending when I ask, "I'm kind of worried over here."

"I know. I...shit I didn't want it to happen this way." He groans, dragging a hand down his face.

Finally looking me in the eyes, he blows out a breath. He's obviously trying to calm the nerves I hope he's feeling because I'm currently experiencing a lot of them in the absence of his usual confident personality.

"Can we go back to my place or something? I just don't want to do this here." He explains, guilt written across his features.

"Um, okay." I say, hesitation clear in my voice because I'm almost screaming with frustration.

Why another secret? Why now? Can't we just be happy?

We quickly leave the party with numerous shouts of protests. Claiming that I left my purse at Axel's, we manage to get out. But that's not after I got many complaints thrown at me including one from Brooke saying that I'm a 'granny' for not wanting to party.

But what she doesn't know is that I do want to party. I want to celebrate with my team members and I want to spend the night knowing that all of my effort that has gone into my dance career for the past fourteen years has been worth it.

However, I don't mind that Axel is dragging me away from the party because I genuinely want to know that he's okay. He deserves to be and after our break, I only want us to be happy from now on. That goal may be unrealistic, but I'm determined to at least try to achieve it.

So with the mention of Maxwell, I want to know if I can help solve some of his troubles.

We arrive quickly at his apartment, the party only a few blocks away from it. He leads me into the elevator and silence consumes us once again.

He stand on the opposite side of the elevator from me, his face pulled into a frown as he looks at the ground. His shoulders are hunched as his foot taps on the floor - he's the picture of distress.

Finally reaching Axel's floor, we step out of the elevator and into Axel's apartment. As if suddenly realising this conversation happening, Axel's procrastinating skills quickly become apparent.

"Do you want something to drink?"

"Are you cold?"

"We can sit outside if you're too hot, that party was so wa-"

I cut him off, knowing that this could go on for a while.

"I'm fine, please come and sit." I practically beg.

Taking a reluctant seat on the couch, Axel's leg bounces as he looks me in the eyes for the first time since the mention of Maxwell.

I'm unsure of everything that happening right now. Unsure of where this explanation is going to lead us. But, like a lawyer, I have to be believe he's innocent unless he's proven guilty. I have to because our recently put back together relationship lies in the balance.

Grabbing his hands in the hope of reassuring him, I smile gently before saying my next words.

"Talk to me."

"Okay, right. It began four years ago." Axel begins.

"What began?" I ask, hoping to understand every aspect of what he's about to tell me.

"My acquaintance with Maxwell Ross. He's a big name in the football world. Calls the shots in major leagues and has basically every single NFL manager on speed dial. I met him four years ago."

"How?" I ask.

"It was one of my induction days to UCLA and we were out on the pitch and doing drills - just trying to get to know the team and stuff, you know? He stood in the shadows observing the whole time but the coaches didn't seem bothered by him and so, neither were we."

Axel pauses and takes a deep breath, I squeeze his hands in reassurance, urging him to continue.

"I bumped into him at one of our team night-outs and he started talking about his skill and knowledge of the football world. I thought it was amazing - here was the guy who could get me through college football into NFL leagues. Who wouldn't be excited? We started working together, he would give me tips and then I would use them and win a match. It seemed to be flawless and not harmful in any way. But, I was wrong."

Axel pauses to get his thoughts together and my heart physically hurts at the sight of him struggling to find the words to describe the situation that's clearly hung over him for the past four years.

"A temporary coach last year said that Maxwell was into some weird stuff when I mentioned him, but because I didn't seem to be under any harm - he didn't mention it to anyone else. Turns out, he didn't mean any harm for my college career. But my future career, apparently that's in the palm of his hand." Axel lets out a bitter laugh through his emotions, his leg bouncing up an down furiously as his anger starts to appear. "Maxwell wants me to join The Philadelphia Eagles, but I don't."

Axel stands up suddenly and starts pacing around the room, running a hand through his hair in a tell tale sign of distress - he practically forces the next words out.

"I told him I didn't want to limit my choices because who would? This has been my dream as a child and I want to choose whatever team I want. This, of course, pisses off Maxwell since my ideas don't go hand in hand with his own."

"What did he do?" I ask, knowing this story is not going I have a happy ending.

"What did he not do is more the question. He's forcing me into this team by using guilt. Saying that I never would have made it this far without him. That if I don't join The Eagles then I might a well give up my career now. It's fucking terrifying, Sky, because he's a big name in football. If I mess this up with him, that could be my name tarnished for the NFL and then I might as well just give up football."

At his last sweeping comment, I jump up from the couch. Unable to see him tear himself down any longer, I put my thoughts into words.

"The fact that you're seriously saying that you might as well give up football is insane, Axel. Look at you, you're one of the best quarter-backs UCLA has ever seen! And you're going to give that up because you think someone might bad-mouth you? Your skill and passion is what got you to this point in your career and it's the thing that will carry you through. A NFL coach would be stupid to pass up the chance of having you, everyone knows that."

"You don't understand. He's got the control because I put my trust in him for the past four years - he knows all the secrets and tips and tricks that I've ever used. I'm basically caged in here." Axel stresses, still pacing around the room.

"Report him then." I immediately suggest, my thoughts still swirling around my brain in the hopes that I'll be able to help Axel get out of this situation.

"There's no point. Who are officials going to believe? A college quarter back or a man who is well known for money and power. They'll choose him and all I'll be left with is the remains of my career which would then be in tatters." He says, anger pouring through his tone.

But I know it's not directed at me or my insistent questions. It's directed at the fact that he can't do anything about the problem at hand.

"There's no use, Sky. There really isn't." Axel says dejectedly.

Walking up to him, I close the distance which I previously respected. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I look up to see him looking down at me fondly, but a border of apprehension surrounds his eyes whilst waiting for my next words.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to stress over something you couldn't help." Axel says, his once agitated and frustrated tone now replaced by a soft, gentle one which I like to believe is reserved for me.

I rest my head against his chest and then murmur, "But we can help it. Please let me help."

"I don't know, there's no-" Axel begins but I cut him off again.

"Let me help." I practically beg.

As if awe-struck from my simple words, Axel's look of stress melts away from his face and gets replaced by one of ease. Ducking down, due to our height difference, he connects our lips in the familiar dance with feelings that will never fade.

Determined to show my determination to help him, I kiss him back harder, hoping it will convey my determination.

Hoping it will be enough to prove to him that I will do whatever it takes to get him away from Maxwell.

••••

"Morning." Axel says, his rough morning voice sending shivers down my spine.

Cocooned in white sheets, Axel lays spread out on his bed. With both of his arms beneath his pillow and lying on his stomach, he looks positively sleepy. His hair is ruffled up and his eyes squint at the California sunlight streaming in.

His appearance melts my heart, as he rarely shows his vulnerable side and knowing that he shows it to me, solidifies my thoughts that we're in this for the long haul.

"Morning, here." I motion and then hand him the plate with a small stack of pancakes on them.

His surprise is visible and he immediately turns over and sits up straighter to reach for them, looking like a child reaching for a present on Christmas day.

After explaining everything about Maxwell, Axel and I had a night in. Trying to recover the up-beat mood of my night of celebration, Axel ordered my favorite Chinese. Waking up early this morning, I made him some pancakes to try and show my appreciation.

The pancakes aren't quite magazine worthy, but they're edible all the same so that's a win in my book.

"These are actually okay." Axel nods, looking forward as he chews. A small smirk pulls at the corner of his lips, but his voice remains serious.

Shoving his shoulder with my own, I let out a laugh. "You know they're great, stop being stupid."

"They are actually, thank you." Axel admits, leaning over to give me a kiss on the cheek before going back to his pancakes.

Sitting beside him in bed with golden sunlight shining through the windows, I know for the first time in a while I'm at peace.

Like the rain at the end of a storm, this morning seems to have relief flooding in. The devastation of his news has passed and now all we have to do is recover.

But with mornings like this, I know we already have.

••••

We finally know who Maxwell is!!

What do we think? How's Axel going to get out of it? How about Skylar's reaction to it, do we believe she's going to manage o help him?

The ending of this chapter has been planned for a while, so it was nice to get it written down! I hope you enjoyed it!

We've got one more chapter left and an epilogue and then this book is finished :(

See you next Friday!

Much love,

Jade x