Page 68 of No Mercy
Axels, plan. Whatever it is. Becomes real.
“What is it?” Carter's voice pulls me back into the room. I turn slightly to see him standing in the doorway, his face lined with concern.
I let my feet take the lead as I step closer. Taking a deep breath I pick it up, but when I do something else catches my eye.
No. No, no, no.
A cold dread washes over me as I spot what’s hidden underneath. His tracker and phone.
“Shit,” Carter mutters as he joins me by the bed. “That son of a bitch…”
Axel left us no way to find him. No way to track him. No way to help him.
I clutch the letter in my hand as anger rages through me. Axel didn’t just leave us behind, he shut us out.
“What now?” Carter asks, his voice barely a whisper.
I unfold the letter, knowing that whatever Axel has written, it’s the only clue we have left to find him.
Ant —
I know you’re reading this, and I know you’re pissed. You probably want to punch me right now, but I need you to read this carefully.
This isn’t your fight. It’s not Carters, Flynn, Gunnars either. It’s mine.
Marco came after Eva because of me, he went after Flynn and Mandy because of me. I can’t let anyone else get hurt because of our family. I need to do what I need to as Leader, and that’s to protect all of you.
You’ve always been the smartest out of all of us. I know you’ll try to track me, and by now you’ll know I left my phone and tracker. Marco’s expecting me, and if you show up, it will only make things worse. He told me what happened all those years ago, I wish you told me but I understand why you didn’t.
Take care of Eva. She needs all of you more than she needs me right now. Fuck, she doesn’t even want to see me Ant.
Look after Mandy too. I don’t know what is happening between you two but I accept it. Keep them safe. Promise me that.
I don’t know how this is going to end, but if I don't come back… You’re in charge. I trust you to do what’s right.
For Eva, for the family.
I’ll do everything I can to make it back to all of you, but if I dont… Tell Eva I love her. Tell her I’m sorry.
Take care of each other.
— Axel
“Well… What does it say?” Carter asks, I hear the urgency in his voice as he leans in closer, trying to catch a glimpse of the letter over my shoulder.
I pass it to him, my fingers lingering on the paper for a moment before letting it go. It sounds like a final goodbye but I won’t allow that to happen. As Carter takes the letter, I turn away to hide the tears that threaten to break free.
Sinking onto the edge of my bed, I bury my face into my hands. All possibilities race through my mind but not a single one of them are good.
How the fuck are we supposed to find him?
Carter paces around the room slowly, reading the letter over and over again. “We need to tell Eva,” he says quietly.
My chest tightens and I shake my head.No, not yet.
“Ant, she deserves to know,” he argues, his voice firmer now. “Axels doing this for all of us, Ant. You can’t shield her from everything. If anyone can help us piece this together, it's her. It’s her job and really… we are still paying her company to track Rachel.”
Fuck, he’s right, but maybe we can delay it until after we’ve- I don’t know.
