“The man you knew is gone,” he says, so firmly, so icily, that I shudder.

“I don’t believe that.”

He gets to his feet, staring down at me. “Believing something is just a way of trying to convince yourself that something you so desperately want is real. You can’t make something real just by believing in it, Cricket. This,” he says, pointing to his chest, “is damaged, and there ain’t no glue in the world that can put it back the way it was.”

Then he turns, and he leaves the room, leaving me to stare at the empty door with burning eyes and an aching heart.

~*~*~*~

AXEL

I slam my fist over and over into the punching bag in the garage. They burn and ache, but I can’t stop the rage. I drive my fists into the hard leather until they’re busted and bleeding, then I slump down onto the ground, gripping my head and smothering the angry roar that’s creeping up my throat.

I need to regain my control. I need to put her back in her place.

She’s trying to fuck with my head, and no one, no one fucks with my head. I drive my fist into the bag again, and my knuckles split, sending bright-red blood down over my wrist. I snarl and hit it once more, sending a delicious burn up my arm. I won’t back down now. I’ll give her a reason to hate me, and I have the perfect way to do that.

My feet move, and I find myself heading out into the main room.

When I see Cobra, I do the only thing I can. The only thing to put a distance between us. The only thing that will stop her looking at me like she can fix me.

“Cobra,” I rasp. “It’s time to scare her into giving me the location of that USB. Prepare her. We’re going to the local bridge.”

CHAPTER 7

MEADOW

Capture my heart, lock me in the dark.

I open my eyes when I hear the sounds of boots squeaking across the polished wooden floor. I see one of Axel’s men, Cobra, I believe, edging towards me. His eyes give me nothing. He’s staring at me as if I’m no more than a pathetic toy his boss is playing with. It’s a shame too; he’s an extremely sexy man. He’s got this longish blonde hair that falls over his forehead, and his eyes are a piercing blue. He’s got lip rings, and an eyebrow ring. All this combined gives him a dangerous look.

I see a set of handcuffs in his hands, and my entire body stiffens. What is he doing with those?

He leans down, unchaining me. He’s an idiot. There’s no other way to put it. The moment my feet are unchained, I lunge forward, punching him in the groin. With a bellow, he stumbles backward and roars in pain. I don’t wait around. I leap to my feet, and I run out the door. I get to a long hall, and I skid quickly to the left. Hearing the sounds of voices, I tuck myself into a room, breathing hard and fast.

“Yeah, I’m hearing you,” a female voice says. “He’s in a mood all right.”

“Fuck him,” another female says as they fade into the distance.

I peer around the door, and I hear Cobra bellow out Axel’s name, and something about escaping. Shit. I run back out into the hall, skid around a corner, and come crashing into Axel. His hands instantly curl around my upper arms, so tightly I’m sure I’ll bruise. He turns and slams me against a nearby wall. His eyes are wild with rage, and he’s panting. I guess he heard Cobra’s yelling.

“You just don’t fucking give up, do you?” he roars.

“No,” I snarl, bringing my knee up and hitting him in the groin. He bellows in pain and stumbles backwards. I duck around him to keep running but he lunges at me, using the power of his body to drop me and crush me against the floor.

I don’t stop fighting. I grip the carpet with my fingers, digging my nails in, and I pull myself forward, all the while kicking and twisting furiously. Axel’s body is heavy, and solid, and there’s no escaping it. He reaches up, gripping my wrists and bringing them back forcefully behind my back. I wail in pain, and snarl curses at him as I continue to twist.

“Hand me the fuckin’ cuffs,” he growls.

A moment later, the cool cuffs are snapped onto my wrists. Axel moves his body off mine and reaches down, taking hold of me and hurling me up so hard a sharp, shooting pain radiates through my back. I scream and kick out again, hitting him in the shins. He spins me, slamming me against the wall, and leaning in close.

“You’re goin’ to fuckin’ regret that.”

“Bring it on,” I spit.

His eyes grow wide with something, I don’t know if it’s hate or desire, but I’m almost sure I just made the wrong move challenging him like that.

~*~*~*~

My lips are trembling, and I can’t breathe. I want to open my mouth and scream, but nothing comes out. Even if I wanted to speak, I couldn’t. My words are caught in my throat, no doubt trapped behind the protests. Axel has me pushed against the railing of the biggest bridge he could find that wasn’t in a public place. I can see the water below. I can hear it splashing against the rocks along the side.

“Didn’t wanna have to do this, but you’re not understanding me, Cricket. I need that USB, and I need it now. If I have to toss you off this bridge a hundred times to get it, I will.”

I open my mouth to beg, but nothing comes out. I’m frozen with shock and fear. My entire body is stiff, and tingling all over. My heart feels like it’s going to launch out of my chest, and my stomach is coiling tightly. Desperation fills my body, and I want to beg frantically, anything to stop Axel from putting me over this bridge. But I can’t speak. I’m trying. I can’t.