Page 57 of Freed By the Witchbone Knife

We headed out of town.

There hadn’t been much interaction between us today. Just a few bunny photos of the little snacks while they did their enrichment and exploring.

Axel fussed with the radio. Because of course he was old school like that. I rested my head against the headrest, watching the trees thicken as the forest swallowed us up. It was such a beautiful drive.

Five minutes later, my phone vibrated. Possibly Elle, to see how my day had gone. I pulled it from my pocket. My heart jerked when I saw the unfamiliar number. Part of me wanted to ignore it, because then it wouldn’t ruin my day.

“What is it?” Axel interrupted my thoughts. Which was how I realized I’d been staring at the screen a full minute, the device clenched in my fingers.

“A text. From Ambrose, I think.”

He immediately threw on his hazard lights and pulled off the road, letting the truck idle.

“That’s not—you don’t need to pull over.”

“Read it.”

I sighed, unlocking my phone. There was a photo and a text. The photo made my blood run cold. It was a view from the inside of my bedroom at the bungalow. Taken from the perspective of someone on my bed. The text followed.

Unknown Number

Imagine my surprise to find you gone. Shall I stay and wait for your return?

“He’s… He’s in my room!”

Oh, my God. Was he still there now? Or had he taken this earlier?

My phone vibrated again as a second text came in.

Unknown Number

You can’t hide forever. Does that mongrel know he’s protecting damaged goods? That every time you use magic, you become less than nothing? I’m the one offering to fix you, and this is how you repay me?

The words hit me square in the chest, playing off my vulnerabilities. Because I did feel damaged. Broken. Less than. With every bit of magic I used, with every piece of myself that I lost.

The statement was quintessential Ambrose. I knew he meant to manipulate and hurt me. That didn’t make it easier to disregard what he said. Because I’d been feeling this way for years.

My vision blurred. I was so caught up, I didn’t notice Axel leaning in, hovering over my shoulder.

A low growl filled the cab. The sound set the hairs of my arms on end. My phone was pulled from my hand. Axel clicked on the number and promptly blocked it before deleting the text. His jaw ticked. I could feel the fury radiating from him.

“Has he sent you others like that?”

“N-no.” I blinked, clearing my vision. Getting myself back together. “No images. No other texts since seeing him Thursday. But before that, he started threatening me via text. Sent me roses. Things like that.”

Axel held my gaze a beat longer. The light inside the cab was low, but I could see the emotion in his expression. The way his expression was dark with the promise of retribution.

“Good. You’ll tell me if he contacts you again.” He handed my phone back then pulled out onto the road.

I was a modern woman. Perfectly capable of taking responsibility for my own life.

And yet…

Having this behemoth of a male sitting next to me, taking up all the oxygen in the small space, brought more comfort than I was willing to admit. Because the reality was, I felt safe with him. He’d never treated me the way Ambrose had—all pretty words and sugared promises, only to turn on me.

Axel had never sugar-coated anything. He certainly hadn’t started out under false pretenses. The opposite, really. Which made me trust him. Everything I got with Axel was real.

I was lost in my thoughts, so I didn’t register when the engine shut off, or the fact that we were sitting in front of the cabin. I certainly didn’t notice the twinkling lights, or the glass lanterns with electric candles, and the piles of pumpkins and hay bales.