Taken Captive

Chapter 73

you did well on the comments in the last chapter. do better this time.

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Nia's POV...

"But why? Why didn't he just give her a place to stay instead of going through all of this trouble?" Axel asked as he lay in my arms while I brush my fingers through his hair.

"Sometimes people don't just do things out of the kindness of their hearts, honey," I explained, "the beast had a lot of power. He grew up to be a little bit nasty because he didn't know how it was like when things don't get handed to you on a silver platter. It got to his head and his heart and transformed him into a horrible man. That's why he had to be turned into a beast to realize how blessed he was."

"I don't like the prince, he's mean," he crossed his arms and made an angry pout on his lips, "I'll never be like him, I'll always help people." I smiled as he looked up at me and cupped his face before leaning down and pressing my lips against his cheek.

"Promise?" I held out my pinky, "pinky promise me that you'll always be kind and give back to those who need it."

He took a moment, trying to figure out how to only keep his pinky up while sticking his tongue out in concentration then finally hooked it with mine. I stuck my thumb out and he copied, then kissed the tip of mine as he kissed his before nodding at me, "I pinky promise."

"Good," I poked his belly, making him squirm and hide his face in my chest as a laugh escaped his mouth. I placed my cheek on top and wrapped my arms around his tiny frame. Callum went into the bathroom to take a shower and change because of how uncomfortable the suit was.

Sinn and Jasmine were on their way. They lived only a couple of hours away so it wouldn't be too long before they'd get here.

"Ni Ni?" Axel said, pulling away just a bit to look at me.

I tilted my head at him, smiling at his adorably innocent face and the sound of the nickname he had made up for me, "yes?"

"Can I tell you a super-duper important secret?" His tone went serious and I widened my eyes and got closer in mock excitement.

"Yeah, tell me," I whispered.

"Well, do you know that man who was with daddy?" He whispered back. I nodded, knowing immediately that he was talking about William. He sighed, "don't tell anybody, but..."

He paused and looked down, making an ashamed face which had my body tensing and heart racing. "What, baby, tell me?" I sat up and placed him on my lap, already thinking the worst.

"I," he sighed, "I went into his room and farted in his suitcase."

"Oh, thank God," I let out a relieved breath, freezing when he gave me a puzzled look, "I mean, um, it's okay. When you gotta go, you gotta go, right?"

He shrugged, "I guess so, but you can't tell anybody because-"

"Tell anybody what?" I jumped when Seth's voice appeared from the doorway.

Axel smiled at him and crossed his arms with attitude, "that's none of your business, is it, daddy?"

Seth looked amused as he shifted his stance, "Oh, yeah? Do I need to persuade you to tell me?" Axel's eyes lit up as they exchanged a knowing glance before Seth started walking over, making his son let out an excited shriek. He took him from my arms and playfully dropped him on the bed before tickling him all over, making tears of laughter fall from Axel's eyes.

I watched in amazement as they messed around, feeling my heart soften for the young boy in front of me. He reminded me so much of Callum. His laugh, his smile, his facial structure. The only difference was that he got his father's eyes, a beautiful green with so many emotions behind them. His hair was an obvious brown, unlike Callum and Seth's. Theirs were so dark it looked black which led me to believe Axel got his hair from his mom.