Page 13 of Fervent

“Remember when we talked in your cellar?” He lowered his voice, as if he didn’t want to be overheard. “I said I’d always have your back.”

“Like you have my back now? Don’t do me any fucking favors.”

He retreated with a sigh, and I went after him, my rage propelling me across the slick floor too fast. Slamming into him, we plummeted to the ground, and his skull hit the tile with a jolting thud. Veins pulsed at his temples as he fought me. He gained more ground each second, his muscles bulging under the exertion. With a roar, he shoved me off and rolled on top of me, straddling my thighs.

“Calm the fuck down before they come back in here,” he said, face inches from mine. “You need to trust me.”

“You’re crazy. You’re behind this whole thing. They fucking hurt Alex. They destroyed the island. You think I’m gonna trust you now?”

Jax closed his eyes, and his shoulders slumped. “I loved that land almost as much as you did.”

“Why are you doing this? Fucking tell me that much, at least.”

Voices filtered in from the hall. Jax rose to his knees and allowed me to push to my elbows. With a frown, he glanced toward the door, and we listened to the scuffle of movement on the other side. “You won’t get out of here alive without me. I’m the only one on your side.”

“If you’re on our side, then get us the fuck out of here.”

“Can’t do that.”

I studied him—the furrow of his brow, the defeat in his expression, and replayed the words he’d exchanged with Cleft. He’d referred to his old man…who apparently was the guy in charge around here. “You’ve got no real power, do you?”

“I haven’t had any fucking power since the day I was born.” He stood and pulled me to my feet.

The room spun, causing bile to rise in my throat. I swayed for several moments, sure I was going to spew what was left in my stomach onto the ground. Jax propped me up, one arm winding under my armpit, and we shuffled toward the spray of the shower.

I planted a hand against the tile to steady myself. He let go, retreating a few steps, and I closed my eyes as the water washed away the vomit and sweat from my skin. He stood nearby with silent patience, so I took my time, hoping it would be enough to regain some strength. I couldn’t protect Alex like this—fuck, I couldn’t even protect myself. This was bad.

“Where’s Alex?” I tilted my head and sent him a glare through the water dripping down my face. “Is she okay?” The question ended on a shaky note. I was fucking terrified of hearing the answer. I couldn’t stand to think of her asnot okay.

Jax clenched his jaw, and his gaze lowered to his soaked sneakers. “How bad was it?”

“Bad. He used a cane on her.”

“Finish up.” He tapped his foot for a few seconds, his brows scrunched together, as if he were mulling over something. “I’ll take you to her.”

I switched off the water before taking a few cautious steps. The room swayed slightly, but at least I could walk on my own.

“You got this?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

With a nod, he gestured at the exit.

“You’re gonna make me walk out of here like this?” I raised my arms, indicating my naked state.

“Don’t have any clothes for you. If Cleft had his way, he’d be fucking you right now, so I’d say beggars can’t be choosers.”

Getting to Alex was the only thing that mattered, so I stepped through the door, water trickling from my body, and let him lead me down the tunnel-like hall that never seemed to end. “Where the hell are we?”

He glanced up and down the tunnel before speaking in a low tone. “Underground.”

“Underground where?”

He pointed behind us. “That end leads to the old man’s office and connects to the basement. Some of the Shanghai tunnels ran to the house, but this portion was built during prohibition.” He shook his head with a scowl. “Now it’s used to traffic girls.”

I raised my eyes toward the ceiling, where the pipes hung low. Some leaked in a few spots, creating small puddles of mud on the ground. “What about the other end? Where’s it go?”

“Somewhere in Forest Park.”

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