Chapter One
It was a stormy day and Veronica was at the bakery, the sweet aroma of cupcakes and freshly baked bread filling the air. Veronica liked the bakery, it was her safe place away from all the stress of the world.
The bell above the bakery door suddenly rang pulling her attention away from the pastries that she was arranging. She looked up to see a tall man step aside. He gave off the sense of confidence , his tailored suit a stark contrast to the cozy environment of the bakery. His dark brown hair was neatly styled, and his bright piercing blue eyes scanned over the room with precision.
“ Good morning” she greets trying not to let her voice shake under his intense gaze, “ What can I get for you Mr…?”
“ Axel” he says
He didn’t respond immediately. His lips curved into a faint smirk as he approached the counter. “ I don't know,” he said, his deep voice laced with a thick British accent . “ What do you recommend?”
Veronica gestured to the display case. “ Depends on what you’re in the mood for. Sweet? Savory? “
His eyes flickered to the pastries before locking back onto hers
“ Sweet.”
Her cheeks warmed. She turned quickly , pulling a slice of her signature raspberry pudding cake from the case and setting it on a plate. “ This one is my favorites.”
Axel took the plate but didn’t move to the seating area. Instead, he leaned slightly on the counter, his attention still fixed on her. “ You made this ?”
She nodded, suddenly self-conscious. “I make everything here.”
He took a deliberate bite, his expression unreadable as he tasted it. “It’s perfect,” he finally said.
Veronica couldn’t help but smile. “Glad you think so.”
Before she could ask if he needed anything else, the door burst open behind him, and two men in dark jackets strode in, their eyes sharp and movements brisk. Axel straightened instantly, his hand brushing the inside of his jacket.
“ Boss” one of the men said, glancing at Axel’s before giving Veronica a once-over. “ We need to go”
Axel’s demeanor shifted. The warmth in his eyes dimmed, replaced by something cold and calculating. He nodded and set the empty plate on the
counter. “ Thank you” he said, his tone softer than she expected. “ I’ll be back”
And then he was gone, leaving Veronica standing in her bakery with her heart racing, questions swirling in her mind.
The bell jingled again as the door swung shut behind the mysterious man and his entourage, leaving the bakery unnervingly silent. Veronica stood frozen, her hands still gripping the counters edge.
“What just happened?” she whispered to herself.
She glanced at the empty plate he’d left behind, her gaze lingering on the faint smudge of pudding cake crumbs. He’d called it perfect. A simple compliment, but the way he said it, with that deep, deliberate voice—it felt heavier, more meaningful.
She shook her head, forcing her thoughts back to reality. This wasn’t some romantic movie, and he wasn’t some charming stranger. No, he was … something else. Those men who came in - their sharp movements, the urgency in their voices- they weren’t ordinary customers. And the way he’d reached toward his jacket, as if ready for danger…
A shiver ran down her spine. She tried to laugh it off. “ You're overthinking this” she muttered , busying herself with wiping down the counter.
But the uneasy feeling wouldn’t leave her. Who was he? Why had he come to her bakery of all places? And why did she feel like her quiet, predictable life had just been stirred up like a puff of smoke?
She glanced out the window, half expecting to see his car still parked out front. It wasn’t. All that remained was the faint memory of his smirk and the unsettling feeling that their paths were destined to cross again.
Three hours later it was nearing closing time, and Veronica was wiping down the tables when the bell above the door chimed. She looked up, half-expecting her last-minute regular, Mrs. Alvarez, to shuffle in for her daily loaf of bread. Instead, Axel stood in the doorway, his broad frame silhouetted against the evening light.
Her heart did that annoying flutter again. She forced a smile. “ Back for another slice of Raspberry pudding cake?”
“ Among other things” Axel said, his tone lighter than before . He walked to the counter, his movements as smooth as they were deliberate.
Veronica raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “Cheesecake and vague answers. You’re quite the mystery, you know that?”
Axel chuckled, the sound low and warm. “ I’ve been called worse.”
Before she could respond, the sound of tires screeching outside made them both turn toward the window. A black SUV had pulled up across the street, its headlights glaring through the bakery’s glass front.
Axel’s demeanor changed instantly. His jaw tightened, and his hand hovered near his jacket again.
“Do me a favor,” he said quietly, his eyes locking onto hers. “Go to the back and stay there until I tell you it’s safe.”
“ What ?” Veronica’s heart pounded, confusion and fear twisting together. “What's going on?”
“Just go,” he said, his voice firm but not unkind.
The urgency in his tone snapped her out of her hesitation. She nodded and hurried toward the kitchen, her mind racing. She pressed her back against the wall, straining to hear what was happening in the front.
The doorbell jingled again, followed by muffled voices. She couldn’t make out the words, but the tone was tense, threatening. Her breath hitched as something heavy crashed to the floor.
Minutes felt like hours before Axel’s voice called out, “You can come out now.”
When she stepped back into the shop, her heart skipped at the sight. One of the tables was overturned, and Axel was standing by the door, straightening his jacket as if nothing had happened.
“What—what was that?” she asked, her voice shaky.
“Business,” he said simply, his tone leaving no room for questions. He stepped closer, his gaze softening. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
“See what? I didn’t see anything!” she blurted, throwing up her hands. “Except you acting like some... action hero!”
Axel’s lips twitched into a faint smile. “I’ll make it up to you.”
“Make it up to me? How about explaining what’s going on instead?”
He paused, as if considering how much to reveal. “Not tonight,” he said finally. “But soon.”
Before she could protest, he slipped out the door, leaving her alone in the wreckage of her once-quiet bakery.
Loading comments...