Page 142 of Theirs to Corrupt

Then his attention shifts back to Axel, his expression hardening.

“You’ll want to let her go.” Pax is calm, his voice deceptively gentle. There’s coiled, lethal power in his stance. “This isn’t going to end well for you if you don’t.”

Axel’s laugh is hollow, tinged with hysteria. “End well? Don’t you fucking get it? If I don’t get that money, I’m dead anyway.”

“And you think taking Tessa is going to solve that?” Pax takes a single step closer, his hands raised in a placating gesture. “You won’t get far. Link will tear the world apart to get her back. Is that what you want? To spend the rest of your life—however short it might be—looking over your shoulder?”

“You have no fucking idea what it’s already like.”

“I understand better than you think,” Pax counters. “But this? This isn’t the answer. Let Tessa go, and we can talk. We’ll figure this out.”

Axel tightens his grip, and he shoves the gun against my temple. I hold my breath, scared out of my mind that the slightest movement might set him off.

“You don’t want to hurt her,” Pax says. “She’s the only hope of getting the money.”

My brother’s grip wavers.

“That’s what you want, isn’t it? The money?” Pax is calm and measured. “Link has plenty. Maybe he can forgive your debt to him. Take care of Sartori for you. That’s what family is for. Right?”

Axel pulls the gun away, but I’m still in front of him, and his arm is tightening on my throat.

In that moment, Pax’s gaze finds mine.

His eyes are dark and intense, like they had been in our Vegas suite. Deliberately he flicks his glance to the floor.

Terrified, I blink.

He wants me on my knees.

Calling on all my courage, I give him the tiniest hint of a nod, telling him I understand his order.

“Now.”

In one fluid motion, I bring my foot down hard on Axel’s instep. He howls in pain, and I go limp. The full force of my weight makes him lose his grip.

What happens next is a blur.

Arielle and Pax move with lightning speed, disarming Axel.

In seconds, they have him face down on the floor, and Arielle is zip-tying his hands behind his back while Pax keeps him pinned.

“You both okay?” Pax calls out.

In an instant, Natalie is next to me, helping me to my feet and guiding me toward the kitchen.

When we’re there, we fall into each other’s arms, gulping in massive amounts of oxygen.

“Oh my God, Tess.”

“I’m so sorry this happened to you,” I tell her.

She steps back but holds my shoulders. “Jesus, Tess. The hell? You were the one with a gun to your head.”

Maybe the adrenaline has completely worn off because I start to shake.

“I think we need wine.”

The bottle is on the counter, and I glance at it, but then I can’t help but look into the living room.

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