Page 7 of No Mistakes (No Mercy #2)

MANDY

I watch the tension brewing between Axel and Eva as they argue in front of me.

I should be pissed at him and Ant for showing up here like this…

Charging in like a couple of fucking lunatics in an action movie, but a part of me, the shameless, giddy little girl?

She is fucking thrilled. Because standing next to me is him.

The most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen, standing there with his arms folded, his eyes shadowed, impossible to read as they flick between the two as if he’s deciding whether to step in or let them kill each other. I’d personally vote for option two if it means he stays next to me a little longer.

His black shirt clings to his frame, showing off the sharp lines of his veins and muscles as they try and escape.

Tattoos stretch down the length of his arms, wrapping around the skin like a masterpiece that he is.

A small piece of his Jet-black hair falls onto his forehead, and I use the opportunity to touch him, moving it out of the way.

He turns his head slightly, locking his deep brown eyes with mine while giving me a look only me and him understand.

His brothers see him as someone fragile, someone who has been burned in the past. But really, under those sharp cheekbones and that intense, unreadable stare… He’s the sweetest man I’ve ever met.

I step back, taking back my place next to him in time to see Eva press the gun into Axel.

He doesn’t move, but from the way his eyes squint slightly, I can tell it is pressed against something that’s still healing.

I glance sideways and admire the man standing beside me. He looks calm. Unshakable. Like nothing fazes him. He looks like he could disarm a man in five seconds flat and still not mess up his hair.

“You always this relaxed when your brother’s about to get shot by a woman holding a gun and a grudge?”

He doesn’t even blink. Just pulls his phone out and quickly types a message before turning it in my direction.

“She’s got good aim. He’ll be fine.” I say, reading it out loud. I snort in response, “You’re cold.”

He puts his phone back in his pocket, shrugging, but I don’t miss the barest twitch of a smirk tugging at his lips.

Honestly, at this point, I don’t know what’s hotter. His complete lack of fear, or the way he’s watching Eva like she just became his new favourite person, because you know what? Same.

Eva walks back to her target, firing another shot, but this one feels different. It felt like a warning. A warning to Axel and anyone who may get in her way.

The room buzzes with whispers and stolen glances, but Eva doesn’t even flinch. She reloads. Resets. Refocuses and right now, I’m so proud of her, but also a little terrified seeing as I’m also part to blame for this.

I never wanted to lie to her, never wanted to put that look in her eyes when she believed he was gone.

But when they sat me down in that house, spelling out their world, their enemies, and exactly what they’d do to Eva if the truth ever slipped.

What choice did I have? Every instinct in me burned to protect her.

So I lied. And I’d fucking do it again. Even knowing it carved me hollow, even knowing it killed something inside me I’ll never get back.

Because losing a piece of myself was still better than ever risking losing my best friend.

I feel a presence shift beside me, and I look at Ant still standing there firm, arms folded, completely unreadable to anyone who doesn’t know him.

I tap his elbow gently, “Come on, Romeo. Let’s give them space before someone ends up with more than just emotional damage.”

He doesn’t argue with me, not like he could anyway, and pushes himself off the wall we were leaning against. I move first, and I don’t need to look behind me to know he’s following every step I make while I head towards the exit sign at the end of the room.

The air outside is cooler than I expected, and I tug my jacket tighter as we walk towards the car. Ant walks beside me, silent as ever, but I swear I can feel his smirk every time I glance up at him.

He’s so god damn tall. I mean, I’m not small, but he has to be at least 6ft4 with the way I have to crane my neck just to look at his face, but fuck me, it is worth it every single time.

“You know, for someone who doesn’t speak, you’re weirdly good at making your opinions known,” I say. He doesn’t look at me right away, but I catch the subtle raise of his brow as his gaze flicks towards me, amused.

“What?” I grin. “Don’t give me that look. I saw you watching Axel and Eva like you were silently judging every word.”

Ant pulls his phone from his pocket, typing something before showing me the screen.

“It was a train-wreck. Entertaining though.”

I laugh out loud, “Wow. Brutal.”

He wastes no time before typing another message out. “You would’ve stepped in if it went too far.”

His message stops me from walking, and I turn to look at him properly. There’s something about the way he said it. Like he knows I would’ve protected Eva without hesitation. “Are you paying that much attention to me, Ant?” I ask, my tone playful but dipped in curiosity.

He meets my eyes, pausing a moment while tilting his head. The corner of his mouth curves before he types something else. “ Always. ”

His response catches me off guard, knocking the breath from my lungs. Just one word, and somehow it hits harder than I expected. Damn it… Why did that one word feel like a spark straight to my chest? Like he knew exactly where to aim.

I turn away before he can see just how much his response rattled me, and start walking again towards my car.

My voice is light, but my heart’s doing somersaults right now.

“You coming, silent one? Or are you just going to keep staring at me while I walk away?” I ask over my shoulder.

I don’t hear a reply, of course, but the sound of his boots colliding with the gravel fills the air.

It doesn’t take him long to catch up, as I feel the heat of his presence grow when he steps beside me.

We don’t speak as we make our way around the side of the building, where it’s quieter and the air feels less suffocating.

I stop beside a low wall, leaning against it, and finally dare to look at him. He stands there with his arms folded, his eyes tracking every movement I make, all while having that unreadable expression back on his face. But there’s something softer now, just behind his eyes.

“Are you always this intense?” I ask, arching a brow. “Or is it just around me?”

He types something into his phone again, and I curse silently, wishing I could just hear his voice once.

“ You bring it out of me. ” The text reads.

My breath catches in my throat, and he leans his back against the wall beside me. Close enough that our arms almost touch. My pulse skips, and I do everything to try and stop the stupid smile threatening to tug at my lips.

“Well…” I murmur, letting my fingers trail along the edge of the stone wall. “Remind me to stick around then. Wouldn’t want you missing out on your daily dose of chaos.”

He glances down at me.. Yes down. And I swear, swear … there’s a flicker of something in his eyes that makes me forget what air tastes like.

“Noted.”

For fuck sake… this man. This man has me in an absolute chokehold, and I have no idea how to get out of it. He locks his eyes on mine with an intensity that makes it even harder to breathe. That razor-sharp gaze that strips past every mask I try to wear.

“You always stare like that?” I ask, lifting my chin. “Or is it just me you’re trying to mentally undress?”

He scoffs, and I swear it’s like my panties dropped from that sound alone. He lifts his phone, showing me the screen. “Wouldn’t call it undressing. Not when I already envision what’s under the attitude.”

Damn him. I press my hands harder into the wall behind me, grounding myself because my body is already too aware of his nearness. My heart hammers against my ribs like it’s trying to escape.

He takes a step closer until he’s standing in front of me, his shadow almost overlapping mine, his presence thick in the air between us.

He lifts his phone one more time, and I take a moment before reading it, preparing myself for what he has to say.

“Tell me to stop, and I will.”

I don’t say anything. I can’t say anything because frankly, I don’t want him to stop. And the smirk that curls on his lips says he knows it.