Page 59 of No Mercy
My vision blurs with ears as I try and crawl away but hands wrap around my feet as I’m dragged against the cold concrete. I want to scream for help as I feel the skin being ripped off but no noise appears as a boot presses down on my back. Forcing me closer to the ground. “Going somewhere?” The man with the knife asks, grinding his heel against my spine.
The ice cold touch of a blade runs up and down my arm as he starts to apply pressure.
“No, don’t!” I cry but my plea falls flat.
The blade digs deep into my arm, a quick slice that sends a fresh wave of blood pooling beneath me. The metallic scent fills my nose as nausea swims in my stomach.
The man kneels down next to me, his mouth brushing against my ear, “You see sweetheart, you’ve got the wrong idea about Axel. He’s not your knight in shining armour. He’s your devil in disguise.”
I try and turn my head to get a look at him through the tears. “What… what are you talking about?”
A laugh erupts from him as he stands. “Oh shereallydoesn’t know anything does she?” All the other figures around me join him in his inside joke. “This is gonna hurt worse than anything we could do.”
He leans back down, his voice low. “Axel.. he took your precious best friend Mandy. He’s the reason she’s gone, Eva.”
My stomach twists as bile rises up my throat, his words hitting me harder than any blow they’ve made. “You’re lying, he would have told me.” I whisper, but the tremble in my voice betrays my doubts.
“Am I?” He laughs, “Ask him yourself, if you survive this of course.”
“Enough talking Marco” Another man growls. “Finish this.”
I brace myself waiting for impact as a sharp kick sends me sprawling on to my side. My body screams in protest as I curl into myself, one last attempt to save myself.
The leader ‘Marco’ crouches beside me, gripping my bloodied arm and forcing me to turn towards him.
“You really thought you were special to him? He’s the same ruthless bastard as the rest of us. Mandy was just leverage, just like you are now Eva, or should I call youButtercup?”
He pulls my top up, slicing the blade against my stomach. The pain is unbearable as it steals every last drop of energy I have left.
“Get the shot!” Marco barks out.
A hand grips the back of my head, lifting it just enough to face the phone's camera but he drops me to the floor.
“Say cheese,” Someone around me says.
I’m barely conscious, my body shaking as the flash captures my broken body.
“Send it” He orders before releasing one last kick towards my head. “And make sure Axel knows this is only the beginning.”
Within seconds, I find myself all alone and broken as the tears finally break through before losing consciousness.
CHAPTER 28
AXEL
Hands grip my shoulders,dragging me up from the floor. My chest feels tight as I struggle to breath after seeing the photo. The image burns inside of my mind of her laying there, her broken body covered in blood.
“Axel, look at me!” Flynn shouts. I know he’s right there next to me, but he sounds a million miles away.
I can’t look at him, I can’t look at anyone.
There’s only one person I want to look at, and she’s out there somewhere… Hurt, bleeding, waiting for me.
I feel myself starting to hyperventilate when a sharp slap across my cheek jolts me, taking me by surprise as my cheek tingles. I snap my head to look at who did it, ready to launch myself at them but the second I make eye contact with them I freeze, stunned by the eyes staring back at me.
Mandy.
What the fuck is she doing in here?
