Page 65 of No Mercy
She leans in slowly, making sure to not get too close, “Because they’re scared. They wanted to hurt you, Eva. To make you doubt him. To pull you both apart.” Her voice cracks, but her eyes remain steady, begging for me to believe her. “Axel never hurt me. And he would never let anything happen to you if he could stop it.”
I want to believe her, I really do. But why didn’t he tell me? It doesn’t make sense. None of it does. I don’t want to believe the Axel is a monster, but I can’t help wonder if there is some truth to Marcos' words.
I glance towards the door, anxiously waiting for him to break it down, “Where is he?” I ask, not taking my eyes away from it.
Mandy hesitates for a moment before answering. “He’s here. He hasn’t left the hospital since we got you here. But… he’s a mess, Eva. I think he’s scared to see you like this.”
Her words hit me harder than I expect, and for a moment, all I can do is stare at the door, the beeping of the machines filling the silence.
“I’m not ready to see him,” I admit quietly, my voice breaking as I feel my heart shatter.
Mandy sighs from beside me, “Then you won’t. Now get some sleep Eva. You need to rest, I promise I’ll be right here when you wake up.”
CHAPTER 30
AXEL
“You needto eat at some point,” Carter says, shoving a box of doughnuts into my hand.
I glance at them briefly before setting them on the empty seat next to me. “I will, but not until I see her first.”
Carter doesn’t try to argue with me, knowing that nothing will make me change my mind as he sits on the other side of the doughnuts, taking one for himself. “Well, if you won’t eat them, then I sure will.”
I stare at him as he fits a whole one into his mouth, “You’re an animal, you know that right?”
He looks at me and tries to smile despite the doughnut trying to escape. He hasn’t left my side since we arrived at the hospital, and for that, I’m grateful. Each one of my brothers have been doing their part to hold things together while I sit here falling apart.
Ant’s been holed up in the cafeteria, working like the miracle worker he is, doing everything he can to try and locate who did this to her. The latest update was that he has narrowed it down to two possible families. We just need Eva, to help us determine who it was, if we are going to act fast.
Flynn and Gunnar have been switching between the hospital and the warehouse back in Boston, gathering all the supplies for when the time comes to strike.
Mandy tried to give us an update about an hour ago. She was the first one to see Eva and out of all of us, she is the one Eva needs the most. It felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer to my chest when she told me that Eva didn’t want to see me.
I tried to demand answers, anything that could help, how did she look, is she eating, drinking. Did she tell her a name? Anything that might give me a clue in which direction to go but she told me, that the only thing Eva needs is for me to wait until she’s ready for me to know.
And that’s exactly what I’ve done, I’ve waited in this room caught between hope and fear. My mind races with different scenarios, each one worse than the last.
Carter’s phone rings, pulling me out of my thoughts as I watch him walk to the other side of the room. His expression changes as he listens intently to whoever’s on the other end.
I drag a hand down my face, feeling the tension build in my chest. All I seem to be doing lately is waiting, waiting for an update on Eva, waiting for Ant to find something, waiting for a target and I feel like I’m going to snap.
I stand, needing to do something as I pace the waiting room.
My eyes drift to the box of doughnuts and I scoff under my breath. Eating isn’t going to fix this.
Noticing Carter grow quiet, I head in his direction, his head slightly tilted as he listens carefully. All of a sudden, his head snaps in my direction as his body stiffens. He nods, confirming that there is progress.
“Got it, I’ll update him now.” He tells the person on the other end of the phone before ending the call.
I stand straighter, my heart pounding, “What?”
Carter turns towards me, his expression tight, “We know who it is, Flynn just confirmed the image Ant sent him from the CCTV around the area.”
I wait, needing to hear the name of whoever did this to my Buttercup.
Carter shifts his feet, “It’s Marco.”
Marco. The confirmation of that name has my blood boiling at the thought of him putting his hands on my girl.
