Page 69 of Fractured Future

“What’s that?” Axel grinds out.

Feeling the weight of his agitation fixed on me, I realise he’s referring to the ugly burn mark near the wound. It’s been concealed so far, but now the lumpy scar is on full display.

768.

It’s odd how three little numbers can define your entire existence. Chip away at your identity and damn near rewrite your entire life story. To remain Ember, I had to preserve my mind. I had to block it all out. I had to compartmentalise. Bury the pain. Then fight.

“My name.”

“Looks like numbers,” he replies pointedly.

“Well, it’s my asset number. That’s the only name I was allowed.”

“An asset number?” Warner parrots.

“We all had them. Every last woman he bought or sold.”

A sudden, loud smash causes my head to snap up. Across the room, a framed piece of abstract art has been flung onto the floor. The frame scatters all around Hyland’s vibrating frame.

“Breather,” Warner barks at him. “Now.”

“I’m going to destroy that motherfu?—”

“Now! Out!”

Slamming a hand against the wall, Hyland doesn’t look at any of us while storming from the room. The door crashes shut behind him, creating a loud reverberation.

“I’m sorry.” Warner fixes a forced smile in place. “He’s protective. Even with people he doesn’t know well.”

I want to laugh.Protective.More like a prying, confusing, hot and cold asshole.

“Let’s refocus.” He clears his throat. “We need descriptions of all the clubs you fought in. We’ve already moved Mexican authorities in to close the locations we were scouting out.”

“A lot of it is super blurry. I wasn’t given much information.”

“Whatever you have is better than nothing. We also need a description of Gael’s estate so we can begin looking. I’m not waiting for him to track you down first.”

The implication sends chills down my spine. We all know that Gael is already searching for me. I was told about the online chatter that followed my grand escape.

He’ll be out there right now, turning over every last grain of sand to find me. Gael has connections that extend beyond his homeland. His poisonous roots reach South America and even across the globe.

I’m not safe here.

I’m not fucking safe anywhere.

“Hyland will remain assigned as your personal security,” Warner continues crisply. “You’re to remain under our protection as a cooperating witness.”

“Great. More imprisonment.”

“We’re trying to help, Em.”

“I know.” I wrestle with the rising frustration inside me. “How did you even end up in Mexico? You never explained what led you there.”

Pausing, Warner looks at my brother. “A suspect in your kidnapping was identified early on. He left the country not long after you. We arrested him about eight months ago when he returned to the UK.”

Frigid cold flushes over me. “Charles?”

From his seat, Axel snickers. “That’s such a shitty fake name.”