Page 26 of No Mercy
I slam my fists against the steering wheel, frustration boiling over.“Axel, you fucking idiot!” I shout, hitting the wheel again. I had her. She was right there. But I ran.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow, I’ll claim her. And that’s a promise I make to myself as I drive back to the apartment, already planning my next move.
I walk into the apartment and find Flynn scoffing the leftover Chinese takeout, crumbs falling from the corner of his mouth. He doesn’t even glance up when I enter. “What’s got you in a mood, you’re doing your foot stomping thing” he asks, mid-chew.
“Nothing,” I mutter, kicking off my boots. “Now move, you’re in my spot.” Flynn grumbles but shifts over, letting me sink into the familiar corner of the couch. I rest my head against the cushions, trying to push down the storm brewing inside me.
“I need you to do something for me,” I say, my voice flat. Flynn raises an eyebrow, still munching. “And what may that be?”
“I need you to take someone out tomorrow night.”
He sets the carton down, curiosity piqued. “Who?”
“Mandy. Eva’s friend.”
His head snaps toward me. “That hot chick she hangs around with?”
Perfect. I knew he wouldn’t resist. Pressure lifts off my chest at how easy this might be.
“Yeah, her. I need you to get her away from Eva for a few hours.”
Flynn lets out a booming laugh, clapping his hands like a seal that just got his meal.
“I gotcha, brother. But why? What’s up with Eva, has she got a little something something that needs the special Axel touch?” He asks jokingly.
I glance away quickly trying to hide my smile, but it’s too late. Flynn’s sharp. He catches it right away, his voice dipping in disbelief. ??“No… Axel, come on. We don’t even know anything about her, Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for that girl?”
I don’t dare meet his eyes. Flynn knows me too well. Knows when I’m hiding something. He knows I can’t lie to him. I quickly fill him in on my plan for tomorrow night, making sure to leave out certain details.
He stands, pacing in front of me, frustration radiating off him. “Axel man, does she know we’re here? Are you going to tell herwhywe're here?”
I shake my head. “No. She doesn’t know yet.” I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of what’s coming. “But she will tomorrow. We need to find out who is after Carter.”
Flynn stops in his tracks, staring at me like I’ve lost my mind. Maybe I have. But there’s no stopping it now. Eva’s in my head, and no matter what I tell myself, I can’t shake her. She’s here to stay, but I also need to protect my family.
CHAPTER 15
EVA
In a few minutes,we’re in the car, heading to our first destination of the day. Mandy tosses her makeup bag onto the floor, revealing a yellow folder that matches the ones we get at the office. “Okay… target is Rachel Jones. Pretty boring name, though. I was hoping for something more exciting,” she says, sounding disappointed.
“Thirty-one, unemployed, married, and has a cat named Jimmy. She’s at a spa retreat at the Graduate by Hilton Providence. Her husband suspects she’s here with someone else. At least the cat has a more interesting name than she does.”
I scoff as Mandy compares Rachel’s name to her cat’s. “I’m guessing Jimmy is the real star of this show.”
Mandy rolls her eyes. “Ugh, don’t get me started. I need a more exciting case. Something with a little drama, you know? Like, ‘Rachel Jones is secretly a spy for the government’ or ‘Rachel Jones is dating a mob boss.’”
I glance over at her, a teasing smile tugging at my lips. “Youreallywant a mob boss, don’t you?”
Mandy grins. “Who doesn’t want to be in the middle of some Italian mafia drama?”
“Me,” I say, keeping my eyes on the road. “I like my drama served with a side of peace and quiet, thanks.”
Mandy huffs, “Wow, Eva. Way to burst my mafia fantasy bubble.”
“Sorry,” I say with a grin. “Next time I’ll try to get you a mob boss case. For now, enjoy the cat drama.”
