Chapter 39
AVERY’S POV:
“Follow me,” Axel ordered, the first words he’d spoken since entering the room.
Without another glance, he turned his back to me, striding toward the door with the unyielding confidence of someone who expected obedience.
I stood frozen, my mind a whirlpool of indecision. My gaze flitted between the lifeless bodies sprawled on the ground, the coat draped over aching skin, and Axel’s broad shoulders retreating ahead of me.
Should I stay here, in this concrete hellhole where at least I knew what to expect? If death was inevitable, would it be easier to face it here, where I could see it coming? Or should I follow him, trading one unknown for another, gambling on the faintest possibility of survival?
I inhaled shakily, perceiving the metallic tang of blood and my own sweat. My knees screamed in protest as I forced myself to stand. My legs wobbled beneath me like a newborn fawn’s, unsteady and weak after days of immobility. Every muscle in my body felt as though it had been set on fire, the effort to move slicing through me with pain that I nearly fell.
But I couldn’t stay.
Step by agonizing step, I dragged myself forward, the chains on the ground clinking softly as I edged past the bodies. I was disgusted at the sight of their glassy, vacant eyes and the pools of crimson that had already begun to congeal around them.
I was just a few inches behind Axel when his voice stopped me cold.
“You don’t get to walk behind me while I walk,” he said, his tone faint but unmistakably dangerous.
I was frightened as he turned to face me, his gaze boring into mine with a terrifying intensity.
“Get on your knees,” he ordered, his voice like steel wrapped in silk. “Crawl behind me.”
The words unexpected, stripping away the thin veneer of humanity he’d shown minutes earlier. It was as if a switch had flipped, and the wicked, unrepentant killer beneath the surface had reemerged.
The flicker of confusion I’d felt earlier vanished, replaced by an ice–cold clarity. This was Axel–the merciless man who could snuff out a life without a second thought.
I stood rooted to the spot, his eyes pinned me in place. He stretched out his hand, his fingers rough cupping my face.
“Do it, Avery,” he murmured, his voice low and almost soothing, like he was coaxing a frightened animal. “Be a good girl, and I might even have a treat for you.”
The corner of his mouth tilted upward in the faintest hint of a smile, but it wasn’t kind. It was mocking, a reminder of just how powerless I was in his hands.
Disgust overtook my gut, rising like bile. His touch felt like a brand, searing and unwelcome, but I didn’t dare flinch. The wrinkle forming at the corner of his eye, the slight tightening of his jaw, warned me that defiance wouldn’t go unpunished.
My thoughts ran over each other. Could I fight him now? Should I? Or was this one of those moments where survi surrendering–choosing to live and fight another day, when the odds weren’t so heavily stacked against me?
I swallowed hard, my throat dry.
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“What’s it going to be, Avery?” Axel’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. “I’ve shown you kindness you don’t deserve. Will you defy me, or will you obey? I’m giving you the chance to make a choice.”
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Chapter 39
His words were laced with a cruel sense of amusement, as if he already knew how this would end.
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I glanced at the door, then at the bodies on the floor. There was no escaping him, no outlasting him–not here, not now. My pride screamed at me to refuse, to stand tall and defy him even if it meant my end. But the flicker of something darker in his eyes told me that this wasn’t the time for rebellion.
I sank to my knees, every movement a betrayal of my own dignity. The cold concrete tore into my skin as I lowered myself, my hands shaking against the floor.
Axel’s smile widened, satisfied but not surprised. He stepped aside, giving me just enough space to crawl past the lifeless forms of the men he’d killed.
“Good girl,” he cooled, his voice an approval that held condescension.
Humiliation burned through me as I moved. Every scrape of my knees against the ground, every inch I dragged myself forward, felt like a fracture splintering through my soul.
When I dared to glance up, Axel was already walking ahead, his pace slow enough to ensure I could keep up.
Tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them back, forcing myself to stay focused. I couldn’t afford to cry, not now. Not in front of him while I was humiliating myself
Getting out of the cell into the hallway, it stretched endlessly before us, oppressively silent except for the faint shuffle of my movements. My mind clung to one thought, desperate and fragile: survive.
Just survive..
Axel strode through the silent hallway, his presence seeming to draw the very sound out of the air. The cells, like empty tombs, lined the corridor, their occupants cowed into stillness by the aura of dread that surrounded him. He was the harbinger of darkness, the embodiment of mortality, and his footsteps echoed through the hallway like a death knell.
As we passed the rows of other cells, not a single sound broke the oppressive silence–no whispers, no cries, nothing. It was as if even the walls knew better than to challenge his presence.
My knees scraped against the rough floor with every agonizing movement. The fire in them was relentless, but I clenched my teeth, swallowing the pain like a bitter pill. Any protest, even a whimper, felt like it would tip the scales of his patience, and I wasn’t ready to gamble with my life.
Thankfully, the hallway ended sooner than I expected. Axel turned left, stopping before a heavy door. Without a word, he pushed it open slightly, standing to the side and motioning for me to enter with an almost dismissive flick of his wrist.
His presence loomed behind me as I crawled inside, my body quivering due to exhaustion and dread.
This room was different–worlds apart from the nightmarish cell I’d been confined to. The walls were painted a warm, muted beige, their smooth surface better than the cold concrete I had grown accustomed to. A simple bed with a neatly made white duvet sat against the far wall. Beside it, a small wooden nightstand held a bedside lamp with a soft amber glow, casting the room in a gentle light. At the foot of the bed was a modest arrangement of fresh flowers–roses and lilies, their scent faint but soothing, mingling with the clean, aroma of the space.
To one side, there was a small, a single sofa, upholstered in dark gray fabric, sat near a round coffee table, which held a stack of untouched books and an empty glass. There was an adjoining door.
The room was simple, devoid of extravagance, yet it felt almost alien in its comfort. After days of suffocating in fi despair, the contrast was jarring.
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“Go into that room and freshen up,” Axel said with a hint of distaste, pointing to the adjoining door. “You smell horrible. By the time you’re done, something suitable will be on the bed for you to wear.”
He walked over to the single sofa and lowered himself into it with effortless grace, crossing one leg over the other as if this were his throne. The light from the lamp fell on his face accentuating the air of detachment that seemed to surround him.
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Chapter 39
For a moment, I hesitated, my mind spinning. Was this some kind of cruel joke? A test? It didn’t make sense for Axel to suddenly offer me comfort after everything I’d endured.
But then I remembered who Axel was. He didn’t tease, he didn’t joke, and he certainly didn’t give instructions he didn’t expect to be followed.
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I scrambled toward the bathroom door, my knees protesting every movement. My head swam with questions–why was he doing this? What was the point of this sudden shift?
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