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“No,” she says with a deep sorrow that only someone whose ever had a loved one go missing could understand.
“Come on, I’ll take you to see Axel.” Her eyes brighten instantly, and she jumps to her feet. I walk to the door leading to the cellar but turn before opening it. “Eva, he’s…”
“Just take me to him. Please,” she pleads.
I lead her down the stairs, opening the door and stepping aside so she can enter first. I watch from the door as she lays her eyes on him all battered and bruised.
The relief evident on his face when he looks up and sees her standing there causes my heart to skip several beats. She rushes to his side, dropping down to her knees as she reaches the bed. She hesitates, not wanting to hurt him, before running gentle fingers over the cuts to his face.
I turn away, not wanting to intrude on their private moment, and find Jess looking at me.
“I get it, Rox, I really do, but are you sure about this?”
“Yes, JJ, I’m sure. I know I’m asking a lot and possibly putting you at risk, but I don’t know what else to do.”
She looks over my shoulder to where Axel and Eva are huddled together and talking quietly. “Does she know? Do they?” she asks, pointing a finger to the ceiling.
“Why I want to help her, no. About Star, yes. It’s part of the reason why I agreed to this shit in the first fucking place. But Eva knows nothing other than I’m a corrupt cop.”
Jess opens her mouth to respond, but she’s cut short when we hear footsteps coming down the stairs a split second before my name is called out.
“Rox?”
“We’ll talk later,” I whisper just as Zak comes in to view. “Hey, what’s up?” I ask as he reaches us, plastering a smile on my face.
His eyes scan the scene behind me before coming back to me. “Rick wants to talk to Eva and Axel.”
“That’s good, right?” I ask Jess.
“It’s a step in the right direction. And you and I are going to talk before I leave, Rox,” she says, then heads for the stairs.
Zak steps into me, forcing me back a step. “What is it you two need to talk about, exactly?” His voice is gravelly and sends a shiver of arousal the length of my body, which is still a little buzzed from earlier.
“Girl talk, nothing for you to worry about,” I reply, attempting to sound casual, but it comes out somewhat breathy. The small bar in his brow catches in the light as he arches it with a look that calls me out as a liar. I hold his gaze despite the building need to look away from his intense eyes.
“I would suggest that you can tell me all about it later, but I have a very strong feeling your mouth is going to be busy doing other things.”
Oh fuck!I need to get some distance between us.
Thankfully, we are interrupted as Eva and Axel approach, and Zak takes a step away from me and looks to Axel. He’s still looking worse for wear but healthier than he has since I first saw him.
Axel gives me a nod, his arm wrapped around Eva. “Thank you, Roxanne.” Genuine gratitude is just visible beneath his bruised faced.
“It’s Roxy. Only my mother and one other person calls me Roxanne. And don’t thank me yet. My friend would like a chat with you before you can leave.” I step aside, allowing them to go first.
I follow behind and can feel Zak on my heels, and when he runs a hand up and over my arse, I spin and give him a reprimanding scowl as I jump up a couple of steps to escape.
My mind is about ready to burst. I’ve barely had time to pee, let alone process what happened last night, and almost again this morning. The question of ‘what the fuck am I doing?’ is like a battering ram inside my head right now.
I veer off as we near the lounge door, telling Zak I need the toilet when he stops me to ask where I’m going. Again, he looks unconvinced with my answer, and I can’t blame him. I don’t need the toilet at all. What I need is a fucking minute to gather my thoughts. Being in a room with both Maddox and Zak is how I imagine lab rats feel under observation. Every move I make, everything I say is all absorbed and scrutinised down to the ninth degree. It makes me want to run away.
But I’m Roxy Whitmore, and I’ve never ran away from anything in my life.
I sure as fuck don’t intend to start now.
ChapterTwenty-Six
Zak
