Page 35 of No Mistakes (No Mercy #2)

AXEL

My fingers drum against the wheel once before I slip my mask on.

I spot Ant’s headlights glow as he pulls in behind me.

Through the rearview mirror, I catch a glimpse of them, geared up, faces hidden, ready to move on my mark.

They made a detour earlier for supplies, making damn sure we had everything needed to pull this off seamlessly.

The door of the bakery swings open, and Benny steps out, locking it after him before burying his hands in his pockets, shielding them from the cold.

I don’t give him the chance to think as I throw the car into gear, gunning it across the street, cutting him off at the curb.

His head shoots up, eyes wide as my headlights blind him, making us hidden behind the windshield.

He shields his eyes as Ant slides in behind him, trapping him from the other side, and he takes a step back, his head frantically looking around for a way out.

My brothers jump into action. Gunnar’s out instantly, boots hitting the pavement as Carter swings open the back door, moving fast, locking one hand around Benny’s neck, the other forcing his head down.

Benny’s arms start punching the air, trying to get a connection, but Gunnar’s there immediately, providing Carter with back up as he pins his arms to the side, shoving him into the back seat like he weighs nothing.

Benny’s voice floods the car, shouting, swearing, spitting questions as he demands to know who we are and what we want.

Gunnar doesn’t hesitate as he pulls out the duct tape, slapping it over his mouth, muffling the noise just as Carter pulls a black bag over his head, twisting it tight at the neck.

I look through my window, spotting Ant looking in my direction, the purple mask reflecting off his dash, and we nod, confirming it’s a go.

I spot Mandy and Eva in the back of his car, and I’m glad Mandy convinced her to ride with Ant tonight because if Benny had so much as brushed against her in my car, this would’ve turned into a street execution in a heartbeat.

We arrive at the docks and kill the headlights, letting the darkness swallow us whole.

Before the car even stops, Gunnar is pushing the back door open, climbing out, pulling our prey with him.

Benny explodes like he’s been waiting for his chance, twisting and shoving hard enough that Gunnar has to slam his chest first against the side of the vehicle.

His muffled shouts are animalistic, deep, guttural grunts against the tape.

He thrashes his body, his head whipping side to side, trying to remove the hood.

Carter rushes from the other side, grabbing Benny’s arm and wrenching it behind his back. The chain of curses spills through the tap even louder. No doubt calling us every name under the sun.

I walk behind as my brothers drag him towards the ramp, his boots scraping against the dirt as he forces his body weight down. Every few steps, his body bucks like a bull, trying to break free. His shoulders slam into whoever’s closest, but Carter and Gunnar don’t flinch as they tighten their hold.

The wooden boards creak under our weight as we force him down the slope, his feet stumbling, the black water hissing below as the wind carries the waves.

He jerks his head towards the sound, panic setting in.

The smell of oil and lake rot hangs thick in the freezing air, the perfect backdrop for what’s about to happen.

Benny’s still twisting like a hooked fish when they drag him onto the dock. The black bag over his head swings wildly as he tries to shake it off.

We force him to the edge, and Gunnar leans forward, ripping the hood off his head, giving him the chance to examine his surroundings. He throws his body forward, trying to get away from the water once he realises where we are. My brothers grab his shoulders, holding him in place.

I start pacing in front of him, my boots thudding against the boards.

“Benny…Benny…Benny.” I let his name drag out, my voice low enough to make him strain towards the sound. “Why do you think you’re here?”

He shakes his head, jerking against their grip, a muffled snarl vibrating through the tape.

Behind me, Ant drops a duffel to the dock, unzipping it slowly. The rattle of metal fills the air as he pulls out the chains, each length clinking like a countdown. Benny’s head whips towards the sounds, his eyes widening.

I stop in front of him, crouching low, tilting my head slightly as his face glows red from my mask. “I’ll ask again. Why do you think you’re here?”

I indicate to Gunnar, telling him to remove the tape. He does it swiftly, yanking it free from Benny’s lips, resulting in a burst of swearing. “You motherfuckers! I swear to fucking god I’ll kill the lot of ya!”

I laugh, my head tilting back to the sky, as the stars shine bright above us. I stand up, brushing the imaginary dust from my gloves. “What’s the number one rule when it comes to another man’s girl?”

Benny’s body freezes as he stares at me, not understanding as he tries to calculate what the hell my question means.

“You see, Benny…” I tilt my head towards the top of the ramp, Eva stepping through the darkness, and I smile, feeling a sense of pride as she stands strong, her orange mask glowing amongst ours. “That’s my girl.”

His head whips up towards Eva, before his gaze snaps back to me. “I don’t even know who the fuck she is!” Benny barks, his voice breaking mid-sentence.

All eyes look up towards her as she watches us from below, like the god damn queen she is. She pulls the mask of slow, like peeling the skin from a secret. She smiles, sharp, unbothered, and his face drains of colour.

Benny shakes his head, his voice raspy from all the shouting. “I don’t even know who you are! How the hell am I supposed to know who she is?”

A slow, low laugh slips out of me, one that makes my brothers look towards each other, as if they know what is about to happen.

“You know, Benny…” I lean in closer, pointing a finger in his direction, my voice curling around the edges of his panic. “You’re right. Let me show you.”

My fingers hook into my mask, and I yank it off in one smooth motion. The cold air hits my face, but the real chill is in his reaction.

“Ax-Axel?” His voice cracks on my name. “You’re… you’re supposed to be dead.”

I smile, “Funny thing about ghosts…” I step in closer, “They don’t rest easy until the job’s finished. And you ? You’re unfinished business.”

Gunnar jerks him down to his knees. The chains clink against the damp wood as Ant and Carter loop them around his arms and ankles. The sound carries across the still water, louder than it should be, a steady reminder that the night is about to end badly for him.

Benny twists and thrashes, his breath coming fast, panicked. “I swear, I didn’t even know who she was!”

I crouch, gripping his jaw so hard my knuckles ache. “Wrong answer. Let’s try something easier. Marco is dead. Who’s running his crew now?”

He freezes, eyes darting from one mask to the next as Flynn walks down the slope towards us, his blue mask shining against the dark. “I… I don’t know. Nobody’s saying-”

Carter yanks the chain tighter, forcing Benny’s shoulders forward with a choked grunt.

I lean in, my voice like ice. “Lies make me impatient.”

I stand, pacing the length of the dock, “Where’s the next shipment coming from? Who are the cops working with?”

He stammers, spilling names and streets, tossing out half-truths and rumours, hoping something will stick. The desperation in his voice is ugly, like a rat cornered in the dark.

From the shadows, Flynn’s voice cuts in, smooth and certain. “Some of that’s legit.”

I glance back at Benny, offering the barest smile. “See? You can be useful.” But my tone shifts, dropping lower, more dangerous. “Now… about earlier.”

His breathing turns ragged. “I swear … I didn’t mean to touch her, Axel, it was a mistake.”

I crouch in front of him again, resting an elbow on my knee as my head rests against my fist. I tut at him. “Oh, that was no mistake, Benny, and you’re about to learn a very hard lesson about touching what doesn’t belong to you.”

Gunnar pins his left hand flat to the dock as Flynn steps forward, carrying a bolt cutter towards him. The steel jaws snap open with a cold, metallic click.

Benny starts shaking his head violently. “No-no, come on, I told you what you wanted. I-”

I smirk, “Talking was never going to save you.” I look towards Flynn, giving him a nod of approval, and he crouches down, one knee resting against the dock as he places the mouth of the cutters around Benny’s wrist. The cutters slam shut.

The sound of bones and tendons breaking amongst the screams that break through the night air like a siren as blood splatters over us.

I stand, brushing my gloves together, letting the sound die in the air. “You don’t touch what’s mine. You don’t even think about her.”

Gunnar and Carter haul him upright, shoving him towards the edge. The weights clatter over first, pulling the chains taut. Benny stumbles once before they kick him backwards.

“Goodnight, Benny,” I say, giving him a final wave.

The splash is swallowed by the black water. His muffled shouts vanishing under the surface, leaving nothing but ripples that fade fast in the glow of the Chicago skyline.

I turn, scanning the top of the slope. Eva’s there, her hair spilling loose over her shoulders as it dances with the wind. Mandy stands beside her, but I barely register her, because Eva’s eyes are locked on me.

She’s not looking away, not even after what she’s just seen. The city lights catch in her gaze, making them glint like she’s just claimed something for herself. Me.

Her lips part the smallest bit, like she’s holding back words, or maybe a breath. I feel it in my chest, the invisible tether pulling taut between us. It’s not fear in her eyes. It’s something far more dangerous.

My pulse slows, steady now, as if my body already knows hers is the only gaze I’ll ever answer to. And in that moment, I know that Benny won’t be the last man I send to the ground for her.