Page 17

F uck.

Shit.

No.

He saw me.

Axe saw me.

My heart pounds, and my blood runs cold. The look on his face, the anger in his eyes—he’s furious.

Fuck.

My muscles burn, and my breath comes in ragged gasps. Nausea knots my stomach as I walk to my dressing room.

Collapsing onto the couch, I struggle to calm myself. I’ve seen Axe angry before, but never like this. Never has he looked at me with so much hate, so much rage. A tear escapes, and I quickly brush it away.

I refuse to let this break me. I’ll find a way to handle this—maybe reason with him or seek Griffen’s help.

I head to the bathroom, and under the hot shower, I let the water soothe my tense muscles, but my thoughts keep drifting back to Axe’s gaze. I shower longer than needed, stalling as long as I can before facing him.

Finally, I step out, dry off, and put on joggers and a hoodie. I dry my hair and force myself to move slowly and methodically as the reality of the situation sinks in.

Jess helps me fasten the collar back on. I grab my bag and head for the exit. The cool night air hits me as I exit the building. I wrap my arms around myself, scanning the lot for Axe’s car. His black Camaro is parked at the back of the lot.

My stomach churns as I approach it, each step echoing in the silent night. I can feel his eyes on me, a heavy weight that tightens my throat.

He leans against the car, arms crossed, a picture of barely restrained rage. His eyes lock onto me with an intensity that makes me nauseous. I brace myself for the confrontation. He doesn’t speak as I approach, but he doesn’t have to.

I climb into the car, fastening my seatbelt. His door slams, and the car jerks forward, tires screeching as we speed out of the lot.

Tears well in my eyes as I imagine the punishment awaiting me. My heart pounds, panic rising. I steal glances at him; his anger is palpable, his grip on the steering wheel white-knuckled, forearms tensed and veins bulging.

My breath comes in quick, shallow bursts, and my chest feels constricted. I try to steady myself, twisting my fingers.

I need to break this fucking silence before I choke on it.

“Axe, I can’t?—”

“Don’t fucking talk,” he snarls, cutting me off.

My stomach clenches, and I focus on the passing scenery, fighting back tears. It infuriates me how easily he instills fear in me. How much power he has over my emotions.

Spencer’s warnings echo in my mind, urging me not to test him, that I don’t know what he’s capable of.

Each passing second feels like torture, amplifying my growing terror. Anger begins to replace fear, my hands balling into fists, nails digging into my palms. This anger becomes a welcomed distraction, giving me the courage to finally speak.

“Look, I’m sorry,” I begin, taking a deep breath. “I?—”

“I said, don’t fucking talk.”

I swallow, biting my lip to hold back tears. The drive feels like an eternity. As we pull into the driveway, he slams on the brakes, the car jolting to a stop. He exits swiftly, slamming the door behind him.

Yanking open my door, he seizes my arm and wrenches me out, his grip bruising, fingers digging into my skin. Dragging me towards the house, I dig my heels into the ground, trying to resist.

“Axel, I’m sorry, please,” I plead desperately. “I can’t?—”

Without a word, he throws me over his shoulder. My screams and cries fill the air as I pound his back with my fists, kicking wildly. He doesn’t flinch, his grip firm and relentless. My cries echo through the empty house.

“No! Let me go! Axe, please!” My voice is shrill and frantic. “I’m sorry!”

He ignores my pleas, pressing his hand against my lower back as he strides through the house. As we enter the living room, a fresh wave of dread washes over me. I fight harder, thrashing and kicking.

He throws me to the floor, my knees slamming into the hardwood. Pain shoots up my legs, forcing another scream from my throat. I jerk upright, eyes locking on him as he tosses something into the fireplace.

Fear floods me, and I scramble to my feet, but his grip yanks me back, a sharp scream ripping from my lips.

He towers over me, a look of pure darkness in his eyes.

Griffen barges into the room, his face etched with panic.

“Axe, what the fuck!?”

He shoves me to the ground, and pain shoots through me as I collide with the hardwood again.

“Hold her down! NOW!” he roars, closing in.

Griffen drops to his knees beside me, his hands quickly locking around my wrists, pinning my arms behind my back as I scream and thrash, desperate to break free.

“No! No! Don’t!” I cry, struggling against his hold.

Griffen’s grip tightens, his chest pressed against me, his heartbeat hammering against my skin. Tears blur my vision, streaming down my face as I sob uncontrollably.

Axe retrieves a red-hot metal object from the fire. The glowing end sizzles, smoke curling into the air, and panic floods me.

“NO! Please don’t! Please!”

Axe kneels, his hand fisting my hair, yanking my head up to meet his cold, merciless stare.

“Stop struggling. It will hurt more,” he warns.

“NO! LET ME GO! Please, Griffen!”

I thrash against his overpowering hold.

“Hold her still,” Axe snaps at Griffen.

“Griffen, please! Help me! Don’t do this!”

Griffen’s eyes darken as he stares at me, his grip firm on my body, holding me in place. “I’m sorry, Rory,” he whispers, his voice barely audible.

Sobs shake my body, choking out breaths between the raw cries. Axe yanks down my joggers, exposing my ass. I fight, scream, and beg, feeling Griffen’s grip tighten, crushing me further.

The metal touches my skin, and a scream unlike any I’ve ever known rips through me, a wail of sheer agony. It feels as though a knife is piercing me, searing and burning through my flesh. The pain is overwhelming beyond anything I’ve ever experienced.

I’m paralyzed, frozen by the blinding pain coursing through every nerve. The scent of my own flesh burning fills the air, mixing with the sharpness of pure agony.

“I warned you, Rory.” Axe’s voice cuts through the haze of pain. He kneels beside me, the branding iron radiating heat as he leans closer. “You belong to me. Next time you disobey me, I will lock you in a fucking cage and you won’t come out. Do you understand?” He tosses the key to the vow-bound collar at my feet. “Keep it,” he snaps, glaring at me.

Griffen’s grip loosens, and I pull away, scrambling to the corner of the room, curling into a ball.

“Fuck you,” I whimper weakly, barely able to form the words. The pain is crippling, my breath shallow and erratic.

“You should be thanking me,” Axe retorts. “That was your only warning.” He stands, tossing the branding iron into the fireplace, the sizzling sound swallowed by the crackling flames. I can barely register it before he turns and walks out, leaving me alone with Griffen.

My breath catches in my throat. My body is frozen, every muscle screaming to move, to run, but I can't. Griffen steps closer, and I jerk back instinctively.

"Get away from me," I rasp, my voice raw with panic.

Each step he takes brings a fresh wave of dread. Fear and pain swirl in my gut, mingling with a rage that makes me want to tear myself apart. "I said, get away from me!"

Tears streak down my face, but I don’t even feel them. My pulse thunders in my ears, drowning everything out. He pauses briefly, then leaves.

I can't think straight, can't make sense of anything. I curl up on the floor, gasping for air. The room spins around me, the burn searing into every inch of my skin. I try to scream, but my throat is raw, and nothing but broken sobs come out, each breath a battle.

Eventually, I push myself to my feet. My legs buckle, and I stumble, leaning against the wall. Each step is agonizing, but I keep going. I grip the railing with white knuckles, dragging myself up the stairs one step at a time.

Finally, I stumble to my bedroom, crashing onto the bed. I bury my face in the pillow, muffling the screams and tears I know are coming, but right now, it hurts too much to let them out.

I just want the pain to stop.

All I can hope for is that I never wake up again.