Page 2 of No Mistakes (No Mercy #2)

AXEL

I don’t know whether to run for my life or to keep standing here like an idiot, waiting to be killed. This must be what a deer feels like when they lock eyes with a predator, because I definitely know which one I am right now, and it’s not a fun position to be in.

I take a step forward, making sure to keep my movements slow.

“Eva… Let me explain.” I don’t even have the chance to finish my sentence before a pillow comes flying towards me, connecting with my shoulder.

Pain shoots through my body, and I do everything in my power not to scream or curse at the burning sensation as I grit my teeth.

A not-so-gentle reminder of the events that happened two weeks ago, the words Karma screaming inside of my head.

Eva’s eyes blaze with anger while she glares towards me, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

She looks around, no doubt trying to find something else to throw at me, and honestly?

I don’t blame her. I would have personally taken a page out of the movie Tangled and gotten a frying pan if I were her, but I’m not ready to plant that idea in her head.

“That’s all you have to say?” She spits, her voice sharp enough to cut through steel. I lift my hands, holding my palms up, surrendering. “I swear, if you just let me-”

Another pillow comes flying, but this time I dodge out of the way, leaning to the left. My shoulder protests against the movement, sending another searing pain down my arm, but I ignore it.

Come on, Axel, now is not the time to look weak.

Eva’s expression softens for a split second before she shakes her head, like she’s pushing the concern for me away from her mind.

“You don’t get to stand there and act like nothing happened,” Eva spits, her voice trembling.

“Two. Weeks, Axel. Two fucking weeks of thinking you were gone. Of… of thinking you were dead, and now you just-” She throws her hands up, shaking her head in disbelief. “What, show up like it’s nothing ?”

I have to hold the urge to say ‘surprise ’, knowing that now is not the time to crack out a joke, if I want to make it through the day alive. Which is kinda ironic, seeing as I just pretended to be dead.

“I had to,” I tell her, trying to talk before she shuts me out. “Eva, please. Just listen.”

A bitter laugh fills the room, and I can’t help but look around at everyone else in the room watching this unfold.

Concern spreads across Mandy’s face as she glances between us both.

All four of my brothers are standing behind me in the archway to the living room, no doubt enjoying themselves.

Carter gives me a small thumbs up, encouraging me to carry on like I’m a kid in a school play.

I love him, but he really needs to learn how to ‘read a room’.

I turn my attention back to Eva just as she takes a step closer. “Listen? To you ? Oh, I’m sorry , should I have waited for a letter from the afterlife? I didn’t realise they had ghost pigeons.”

I hear someone snickering behind me, but I don’t have to turn around to find out it’s most likely Carter giggling like a little girl.

Well fuck , she really isn’t holding back. I rub a hand across my jaw. A part of me proud from seeing her stand up for herself and letting everything out, but at the same time, I wish I weren’t the reason it was happening.

She starts pacing around the room, hands on her hips like she’s fighting with her mind. She won’t dare look at me, and it kills me because I need her to see me, to understand.

“I did it to keep you safe,” I say, forcing the words out before she cuts me off again.

She stops pacing, her head snapping up to reveal those beautiful, burning eyes.

“ Safe ?” She asks, taking a slow step forward.

“You think I was safe ?” Her voice drops, quieter but somehow more dangerous.

“I got hurt , Axel.” She presses a hand to her ribs, where I know the bruises still linger.

Flynn kept me up to date on her recovery every second he got, but it wasn’t like he had a choice.

The moment he returned to the house, I was there at the front door, waiting like a little kid does for Santa for an update, no matter how badly injured I was.

“I got hurt because of you .” Her words hit me harder than I expected as I swallow the guilt threatening to choke me. “I know… And if I could take it back-”

“Oh, but Axel, you can’t.” She points a finger towards me, “And you didn’t tell me.

You didn’t let me choose. You just-” Her voice breaks, “ You just let me believe you were fucking dead. ALL of you did.” She takes a step back, looking at my brothers standing behind me, her eyes narrowing as she addresses them.

“Tell me, O’mighty Ashford Brothers. Did you enjoy your little game of 2 truths 1 lie while I cried, day in, day out? Because I fucking didn’t.”

She looks towards Mandy, her shoulders sagging in defeat, her voice dropping to a whisper, “Did you know?”

Mandy looks towards us, her eyes filled with panic. She knew. She knew because we told her, and that’s on me, not her. She begged me to tell Eva. Screamed at us at every possible moment to tell her the truth so she could stop watching her best friend breaking inside.

I step forward, distracting Eva to give Mandy room to breathe.

My body screams in protest at every movement, but right now, the pain in her eyes hurts me more than anything.

I’ll go through fire and hell to reach her, to try and explain why I did it.

“I thought it was the only way.” I plea, “They were coming for me, Eva. They knew about you. If I didn’t disappear, you would’ve been next. ”

We stand in silence for a moment, just staring at each other while she processes what I said.

Her fingers twitch at her side, restless, like she’s trying to find the words to say, and I feel myself getting more nervous for what is about to come.

Never in my life have I felt like this around a woman, but god have mercy, this one has me in a chokehold every second of the day.

She’s beautiful, intoxicating, a god damn goddess sat on a throne of fire.

“You don’t get to say that you know?” She starts, her voice strangely calm, which scares me more. “You don’t get to act like this was some noble sacrifice. Like you dying… No. Pretending to die was the best option.”

“Eva-” I say, but she cuts me off immediately, “No!” She shouts, stepping forward, jabbing her finger into my chest, and even through the pain, I don’t move.

This is the closest she’s been to me in weeks, and I will take any touch I can get if it means I get to feel her.

“I am fed up, of your fake apologies. You let me grieve for you. You let me go through hell. Do you have any idea-” Her voice cracks, and she presses her lips together like she’s trying to shove the emotions back down.

I feel my own walls start to crack, seeing her so broken from what I’ve done.

The need to wrap my arms around her, to hold her tight.

But I know that will only push her away.

I also know anything I say right now will just set her off more.

Her hands shake as she drags them through her hair.

“I thought I’d lost you.” She says, her voice barely a whisper.

The pain in her voice nearly brings me to my knees.

“You found me, pulled me in, and treated me like no man has ever done before in a matter of days. Got me to fall for you, but then you throw that away, for what? A laugh?”

“No, not for a laugh, Eva,” I say, my throat tight.

I look up to the ceiling, gathering my thoughts before locking eyes with her.

“I know what I put you through was hell. Fuck. You think I enjoyed hearing about how you were? How you couldn’t move out of the bed, couldn’t eat, couldn’t even fucking talk?

I know I fucked up, believe me, I do. But if I hadn’t done it, you wouldn’t be standing here right now. ”

From the moment I saw Eva outside of the gym, I knew there was something about her that I needed in my life. Her sassiness, her temper, her laughter. Every inch of her brought me joy. She’s an addiction.

My addiction.

“Do you want to know why I call you Buttercup?” My voice coming out rough.

I step closer, my eyes locked on her. “Because you’re the only good thing I’ve ever had.

You cut through all the shit, all the darkness, and somehow, you still shine on me.

I don’t need some stupid flower under my chin to tell me what’s true.

I already know. I know it every time I look at you. ”

I know my words hit her hard when her lips part like she wants to argue, but something stops her.

Maybe it’s the exhaustion in my voice. Maybe it’s the raw truth in my eyes.

Whatever it was, I can see it. The moment doubt crept into her mind.

Her eyes flicker over my body, and they land on my shoulder, to the way I’m now cradling it with my hand to keep the pain at bay.

It’s like she’s only now remembering I’m hurt too.

She takes a step away from me, and I go to reach out to stop her. To keep her close, but she shakes her head. “You don’t get to make me feel bad for you when you’re the one who did this .”

The distance grows between us, and I feel my heart tighten as panic floods through me. “I don’t want you to feel bad for me,” I say quietly. “I just want you to understand.”

Her eyes start to well up, and for a moment, it feels like I might have a chance to explain as she walks back towards me. “Buttercup.” I start, but my hope is short-lived as she walks straight past me, “I can’t do this, Axel.”

“No. Wai-” But it’s too late. I watch as Eva disappears from the room, Mandy following quickly behind.

A pressure rises in my chest with something far worse than physical pain as she disappears around the corner, straight towards the front door.

I could go after her. I know I should, but the look in her eyes…

Anger, heartbreak, betrayal. All of that tells me it wouldn’t do any good for either of us right now.

A deep whistle comes from behind me, and I turn to see Flynn walking towards the centre of the room. “Well,” Flynn drawls, clapping a hand on my good shoulder, “that went great .”

I don’t react. Instead, I keep staring in the direction that she vanished to, like maybe if I focus hard enough, she’ll come back.

“You really know how to talk to women, huh?” Carter announces as he leans against the door frame, crossing his arms. When I don’t reply, he raises one brow, taunting me. I shoot him a warning glare, reminding him of who is in charge, “Not the time, Carts.”

Flynn lets out a small laugh, “You sure? Cause I think it’s the perfect time to point out how badly you screwed that up.”

I walk over to the table in front of me and my grip tightens on the edge of the glass, turning my knuckles white. “She needed space.”

“Yeah?” Flynn smirks. “Or maybe you just didn’t know what else to say.”

I clench my jaw. He’s not wrong. I hate this whole thing. I know I hurt her. I also know that no matter how much I wanted to explain why, it wasn’t enough.

“She’ll come around,” Gunnar says, his voice flat but certain.

I give him a small smile, silently thanking him for the bit of hope he’s giving me.

The hope is short-lived when Flynn opens his massive mouth next, “Possibly, or maybe she’ll spend the next month plotting your real murder. You never know with women these days.”

I groan, dragging a hand down my face. “ Really helpful, Flynn.” Turning to look at him, I see a grin spread across his face.

“That’s what I’m here for.”

The room falls to silence, and I take a moment to replay everything that just happened when a robotic voice plays through the room.

“ You look like shit. ” The silence is soon replaced with laughter as we all look towards Ant, who is holding his phone out to us.

Even I can’t help but crack a smile, “Feel like it too, brother.”

I push myself away from the table, joining my brothers as they surround me, showing me their support.

Flynn nudges my shoulder lightly, being careful not to hurt me.

“Well, on the bright side, at least she only threw pillows. Mandy would’ve gone for a lamp.

” Flynn points out. Despite everything going on, a short laugh escapes. “Not helping, but true.”

Ant lifts his phone, typing something before his speech device crackles to life once more. “ You’re an idiot .”

“Yeah, I know,” I reply, dropping my head before Flynn slaps me on the back, causing me to lose balance slightly. “But you’re our idiot.”