Damaged Queen (Darkness Within Duet 2)

She couldn’t stay locked in the bathroom, and as she turned to leave, Axel was there.

He stepped into the bathroom and closed the door. Before she could do anything, his hands were wrapped around her throat, and he slammed her against the wall, near the mirror.

“So, you’ve been here, all this time that I’ve been coming here. How about that, we’ve been missing each other. I wonder if that was fate interfering, letting you live just a bit longer.”

He’d cut off her air, and she grabbed at his arm, panicking.

“You need me for something now?” he asked. “Oh, you need air?”

He released her neck, and she breathed deeply.

Once.

Twice.

He held her again, cutting off her air.

Tears filled her eyes as she saw nothing in his gaze. The Axel she once knew was gone. All that was there was the cold, blank stare of a killer.

A man who was going to kill her.

Suddenly, he let her go, and she gasped again, stepping away from him, trying to get as far from him as humanly possible, in the small space.

Taking a deep breath, she tried not to panic, but Axel didn’t leave her alone. He didn’t turn his back on her.

“Where’s Draven?” she asked.

Axel smiled. “He’s going to be expecting you.”

“No. I’m not going back.”

“Let’s get something straight, Harper. You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not.”

She shook her head. “Why are you using Jett’s name?”

“So much you don’t know about. Poor thing. Draven’s going to have a lot of fun with you.”

Tears filled her eyes.

“You’re going to go out there and tell Stephanie how ill you feel. Then you’re going to walk a couple of blocks. I’ll pick you up, and guess what, we’re going home.”

“Don’t, Axel, please, I’m begging you.”

“I always wondered what it would be like to have a woman beg for me.” Axel sighed. “It always sounds so … desperate. You’ll do it or I will go out there and kill Stephanie, and it will be all your fault.”

“You don’t want to kill her,” she said, hoping to find the Axel of the past.

“She’s been a good fuck up to now, but I don’t care. The bitch can die for all I care. Your choice. Dead Stephanie or alive and breathing Stephanie.”

She nodded. There was no choice for her. Words failed her. She’d never seen Axel look so mean, so angry. It was all directed at her. Panic filled her, and she tried not to cry.

“Go.”

Without argument, she grabbed her bag and jacket. She made excuses to Stephanie, who was filled with concern.

The only thing was, Harper didn’t stop at the corner a couple of blocks away, waiting for him. Axel intended to hurt her, and not only that, he gave the merest hint that it was exactly what Draven wanted to do as well. She wasn’t about to hand herself over to anyone.

Cutting through the streets, she used all the shortcuts she knew to get to her apartment faster. All she needed to do was grab a few things, leave the engagement ring, and get the hell out of there before Axel hurt her or anyone else she cared about.

Even as tears fell down her face, she didn’t stop. With her key in her hand, she charged into the building, taking the stairs. The elevator was the slowest one on the planet, and right now, speed was all she could hope for.

Rushing up the steps, she got to her door.

Her hand was shaking so bad it took her three tries to get the key in the hole.

“Come on, please, come on.” She sobbed against the fear that clutched within her chest.

This was not how she imagined meeting Axel or anyone else.

She charged into her apartment, slamming the door as she went to the bedroom. Opening up drawers, she grabbed her passport, some money, and her bag. Throwing in some clothing, she was heading out just as Axel entered the apartment.

Her heart raced as he closed the door slowly, quietly, carefully, his gaze on her.

He’d aged, and the scar across one side of his face let her know that it hadn’t been done all that well.

“What did I tell you to do?” he asked.

“Please, Axel, let me leave.”

“You mean how you left us once? You just ran away. Didn’t even give us a chance to help you, or for you to explain yourself. What it was exactly that forced you away? You betrayed us. You used us for your own gain, and then went into the arms of our enemies.”

She had no idea what Alan had told them, but she heard the pain and bitterness within his voice. Her heart broke. Gone was the playful Axel she once knew.

“Please, I don’t want to cause any trouble.”

“There’s no trouble at all. You’re going to give me your bags, and we’re going downstairs. You’re getting in the car, and we’re leaving.”