Page 58 of No Mistakes

Axel chuckles. “Sounds about right. Gunnar kept barking at every car we passed. It was like driving with a furry landmine.”

We keep swapping moments of the past few hours like they mean nothing. But they do. Each sentence is a breadcrumb. A step towards forgiveness. A way of pretending we’re stillus.That maybe, one day, we’d figure out how to be normal again. Go on dates. Watch shitty movies. Lie on a beach somewhere and get to a point where I don’t have to carry a gun in my trunk.

But what’s normal when you’re in love with a mafia leader?

I steal a look at him. He’s walking with his hands shoved in his pockets, but I know his eyes are always moving. Always assessing his surroundings.

Even here, in the middle of the night, outside a half-dead motel in the middle of fucking nowhere, he’s on alert.

We turn the corner, walking into the motel lot, and that’s when I see it.

Ant’s car is parked outside the entrance, the driver’s side door wide open.

Axel notices it at the same time I do and his arm flies out across my body like a fucking seatbelt, locking me in place. “Stay here.”

His voice is low, sharp. No hesitation. I freeze instinctively, heart climbing into my throat as he edges around the car. He checks the seats, the trunk, everything.

After a moment, he waves me over, closing his door. “It’s clear. He probably forgot to close it.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Ant? Forget?”

Axel sighs. “Okay, maybe not. But whatever happened, we need to get inside and see if they’re there.”

I nod, but the unease lingers in my chest at the thought of something happening to Mandy.Again.

We enter the motel, and silence fills the foray. I look around, seeing it deserted. I look towards the clock above the empty reception desk to see it’s now midnight. No wonder I’m so goddamn tired.

It doesn’t take us long to enter the hallway of my room. I spot the note still taped to my door, and panic fills me at the thought of Mandy not being here.

All fears are wiped the moment I hear a bang.

“What was that?” I ask, turning to Axel. He steps forward, closing in on the door, and that’s when we hear it.

A quiet, breathy sound, followed by a low groan.

I stop in my tracks, my eyes zeroing in on my room.

Another moan, higher-pitched this time, flows through the door, with the sound of something banging against the wall.

Axel stills beside me, and a smile spreads on his face. “I guess we found them.”

I nearly choke as I turn away, speed walking towards the end of the hall we just entered. Axel’s right behind me, and I swear I hear him snort when Mandy moans something very unrepeatable. I want to be horrified, but a part of me is just… proud of her.

“My room is the next one on the left.” He says from behind me.

“I’m not sharing with you,” I say, acting stubborn.

“Do you wanna sleep in the car? I’ll even take the chair, Cross my heart.” He says, mimicking a cross.

I roll my eyes so hard it nearly gives me a headache, but truthfully? I’m too tired to argue. Too tired to pretend I’m not aching inside.

He unlocks his door, stepping inside, gesturing like a gentleman.

“After you,roomie.”

I glare at him. “Don’t say it like that.”

He tilts his head, acting innocent. “Say it like what?”