Page 141 of Theirs to Corrupt

My heart thunders to a stop.

“Hello, little sister.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Tessa

Axel shoves the pizza box forcefully at Natalie, pushing her off balance.

Time slows, each second stretching into an eternity as my brain struggles to understand what’s happening.

Our dinner crashes to the floor as his lips curl into a sneer. “I’m here to collect what’s mine.”

“Tess,”Natalie whispers, gripping my arm hard enough to leave bruises.

But the pain is distant, secondary to the rising panic that threatens to choke me. I don’t have to protect just myself; I have to protect my friend who doesn’t deserve to be trapped in my mess.

With trembling fingers, I reach into my purse, praying I can reach my phone without Axel noticing. Just one button. That’s all I need to press.

I look into Axel’s eyes. The brother I used to know has vanished completely, leaving nothing but a desperate stranger corrupted by greed. “You need to leave.”

He lunges, closing his arm around my wrist, yanking me toward him with brute force. I cry out, more in shock than pain, and Natalie screams.

“Let her go!” Natalie yells, trying to pry Axel’s fingers from my skin.

But he’s too strong. With a vicious shove, he sends Natalie stumbling back. Her head hits the wall with a sickening thud.

“Nat!” Frantically I twist around to see if she’s okay.

The momentary distraction is all I need to grab my phone, and I manage to jam my finger against the number two.

“You’re going to sign over that trust fund, and then maybe—just maybe—I’ll have a chance of getting out of this mess alive.” He yanks a gun from his waistband.

My blood turns to ice.

“Do as you’re fucking told for once, and no one has to get hurt.”

Frantic, I dig my heels into the carpet.

I can’t—won’t—go without a fight.

“Drop your weapon.”

Arielle.

Her voice is cold and steady.

Axel’s grip tightens as he spins us both around, using me as a human shield. His sour stench burns my nostrils.

“Back off,” he warns, his voice shaking. “Or I swear to God, I’ll?—”

“You’ll what?” Pax’s calm, measured tone knifes through the tension.

My eyes lock onto him as he steps into view, his presence filling the small entryway. Relief floods through me, even as fear for his safety twists my stomach into knots.

“Pax.” I whimper, hating how weak I sound.

His eyes meet mine. Silently he reassures me that everything will be okay.

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