Chapter 27
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AXEL’S POV:
“I had plans to be merciful,” I said, stepping closer. “You did what those useless cops couldn’t. But for letting your tongue loose, you’ve sealed your fate. You won’t see the light of the next day.”
The woman froze, her curses dying on her lips as the gravity of my words sunk in.
Ryan appeared beside me just then, his face calm but his voice low. “She’s been tossed in the trunk. Everything’s in place.”
Thodded, satisfied. I spared the woman one last glance before turning my back on her.
“Clean this up,” I said over my shoulder to Ryan. “I want no traces.”
The woman’s parting words were like a thorn under my skin, burrowing deeper with every syllable.
“When you finally come to me, I’ll show no mercy!”
I stopped mid–stride, my hand tightening into a fist. Slowly, I turned back to face her, my voice cold as ice. “Tie her up and set her on fire. Leave the gas open, so the whole place explodes.”
Ryan didn’t need further clarification. He gestured to two of my men, who immediately grabbed her, each gripping an arm like she was nothing more than dead weight. They forced her into a rickety chair, her struggles useless against their strength, They ripped strips of fabric from old curtains to tie her wrists and ankles to the chair. The knots were brutal, cutting into her skin as she wriggled, her breathing growing more erratic.
Her ranting didn’t stop, though. Even as Ryan unscrewed the cap of a gasoline canister, her voice dripped with venom and something resembling conviction.
“You have no repentance, Axel Blackwood,” she spat. “Blinded by anger and power to the point of losing your soul. You killed an innocent person, bringing this curse upon yourself. A deity. And now, you’re about to do the unthinkable. I came to redeem you. To set you free.”
I raised an eyebrow, more irritated than intrigued. In all my years of orchestrating death, no one had ever gone this route–spouting what sounded like prophecies in a last–ditch attempt to save themselves.
“You’ll look for me,” she added, her voice strangely calm.
9
I leaned closer, making sure I kept my distance. “Why would I do that when I’m helping society rid itself of another homeless, familyless parasite?”
She chuckled–a deep laugh that crawled under my skin. “You don’t know who I am,” she said, almost amused.
Her arrogance was insufferable. She sat there, bound and drenched in gasoline, yet she had the audacity to act like she held the upper hand. It was unnatural. Most people would be begging, crying, desperately pleading for their lives. But not her. She almost looked… resigned.
“Inez”
“Seal her mouth,” I barked, cutting her off. Whatever nonsense she thought she was going to say, I didn’t want to hear it.
One of the men shoved a dirty rag into her mouth, muffling her words into incoherent noises. Ryan gave me a curt nod, signaling that everything was ready.
I exhaled sharply, stepping outside
e without another glance at t
woman. My work here was done.
I made my way to the SUV, where the trunk was already open. There she was–Avery. Her face was pale, her hair disheveled, but her eyes still burned with defiance. The moment she saw me, she erupted, thrashing against the
- ge.
“Let me out!” she screamed, her voice raw and desperate. “This is kidnapping! Pleasel Someone will find mel My family–my friends–they’ll look for me!” Her voice cracked, raw with desperation.
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49%
Chapter 27
I chuckled darkly, leaning down to meet her gaze through the bars. “No one will miss you, Avery. You have no one on your side. As far as the world knows, you’re the mad wife of Axel Blackwood who stole from him.”
I had already done my due diligence, uncovering the truth behind her words. It was clear she was manipulating me, trying to make me believe someone cared about her when, in reality, no one did.
Her protests faltered as the reality of her situation set in. She twisted and turned, the metal cage leaving marks on her skin. Her breathing grew ragged, and soon the fight drained out of her, replaced by quiet sobs.
It wasn’t long before her pitiful weeping began to grate on my nerves. With a sneer, I raised my foot and kicked the cage hard, sending it toppling over. The sound of the metal crashing against the trunk was almost satisfying, as was her cry of pain.
Even as she slumped in the cage, her chin lifted slightly–a silent act of rebellion that only stoked my irritation further.
I didn’t bother checking if she was hurt. I turned on my heel and climbed into the car. Ryan and the others followed shortly after, the faint scent of gasoline clinging to their clothes.
As we drove away, a deafening explosion erupted behind us. The ground seemed to shake, and through the rearview mirror, I saw the house consumed by flames. The fire climbed high into the night sky, crackling like fireworks.
A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. One more soul sent to God.
But the satisfaction was short–lived. A sharp, searing pain shot through my chest, more intense than anything I’d felt before. I gasped, clutching at my heart as the pain radiated through my body.
“Axel?” Ryan called out, but it felt distant like I was hearing it underwater.
I fumbled for the bottle of pills in my suit pocket, spilling a couple into my palm, My hand shook as I grabbed a water bottle from the mini–fridge and downed the pills in one gulp.
Leaning back in the seat, I loosened my tie, trying to catch my breath. The pain was unbearable, like my body was rebelling against me.
The fire in the distance grew smaller as we sped away, but inside me, another fire burned–one I couldn’t seem to put out.
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AD
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