26. Axel
CHAPTER 26
AXEL
Thirty minutes later after Eva walked away, I finally make my way to my bike. It sits parked in the middle of a dirt road, casting shadows across the ground as the sun sets behind it. Eva’s face plays over and over again as I remember the look she gave me from our conversations.
The disappointment, the hurt and a little bit of shame.
It’s my fault it ended how it did. How can I tell her that she doesn’t have to do it alone but here I am, giving her half truths about everything. I wish I could just come right out and say ‘ Hey Eva, just to let you know. Me and my brother kidnapped Mandy but it’s okay’
But I know if I was to do that, I would lose her forever.
When I reach my bike, I glance around for my backpack, only to find it missing. “What the…” I mutter, staring at the empty spot I left it.
This track is private land. Our family’s property. No one else should be here, but there’s only one person bold enough to pull something like this, and despite wanting to be annoyed, I can’t help but smile. Eva. of course she’d take it for revenge.
Reaching into my pocket, I search for my phone, only to come up empty handed. Instead of a cool glass screen, I’m met with a handful of dead leaves.
“It’s in the fucking bag.” I groan.
Frustration builds in my chest mixed with a sense of panic. I can’t even check to make sure she got home okay. I should have followed her, should have made sure she was safe. But I know she needs space right now, and I’ll give her that.
From a distance, of course.
A very close distance.
I swing my leg over the bike, gripping the handlebars as the engine roars beneath me. The headlights cut through the growing darkness, and that’s when I see it. My backpack.
It’s sitting in the middle of the trees, perfectly centered.
I cut the engine, surrounding myself in silence. I sit there for a moment staring as the shadows try and swallow the bag.
Sliding off the bike, I take a few steps forward, the crunch of dirt under my shoes is the only sound as it echo’s around me. My eyes flick between the trees lining the track but nothing but darkness outlines it as the branches rustle against the wind.
I bend down to grab the bag, glancing over my shoulder as I sling it onto my back. The track is empty but a feeling lingers, the sensation of eyes on me. Sharp and silent.
She wouldn’t stay here, would she? Watching me like I watch her? No… She would be home by now I’m sure of it.
“Eva?” I call out, my voice low but firm. I wait a few seconds, making sure to watch for any movement but nothing happens.
I turn in a slow circle, scanning the shadows but there’s nothing there. Nothing I can see. The knot in my stomach tightens as I head back to the bike, the faint crunch of gravel sets my nerves on edge.
I don’t waste any time by climbing back on to my bike and switching it on. I twist the throttle as the feeling of being watched grows and I race towards the main road needing to know she’s okay.
It doesn’t take me long to pull into the entrance of her driveway but when I do, I see all the lights off and her car is nowhere to be seen.
I slam my hands against the tank of my bike at the thought of missing her. Did she leave? Did someone get to her? Questions race through my head as I turn the bike around. There is no time to waste, I need to speak to Ant. I need to find her.
Storming through the front door, I barely register Flynn rushing to my side, his face full with concern.
“Woah, what’s wrong brother?” He asks, his voice filled with worry.
I don’t answer him as I push past and head straight to Ant’s room. Every inch of me strained from frustration and worry. I can’t help but have a gut feeling that something terrible is going to happen if I don’t find her fast. I shove Ant’s door open ready to start a plan but instead I freeze.
Ant is sprawled out on the floor fast asleep, while Mandy sits on his bed, casually flipping through one of his books. Her head snaps up at the sound of the door opening.
“And how may I assist you?” She asks, her voice covered in a fake politeness.
I open my mouth to response but nothing comes out. I’m not about to admit I’ve lost track of Eva, especially to her. That would be like signing my own death warrant.
Ignoring her question, I walk over to Ant and give him a firm kick to the leg. His head jerks up, his eyes darting around the room as if he’s looking for something. But something happened the moment his eyes landed on Mandy. It was like his whole body relaxed. The same feeling I get when I see Eva.
I’ve got no fucking idea what is happening between the two of them but that can wait until I find my girl.
Mandy gives him a small smile which drops the second she looks towards me. Her eyes filled with warmth one second and replaced by coldness the next.
Yeah… There is no way I am telling her about Eva now.
She points to me standing behind him causing him to turn and look at me. I jerk my head towards the door. “Let's go.” I mutter, stepping out without waiting to see if he’s following.
When I return to the living room, Flynn and Gunnar are hunched over the coffee table, examining the photograph that was sent to us earlier on,, both of their faces showing grim expressions.
They glance up as I pass. Neither of them say a word but their silence is full of questions I’m not ready to answer as I walk into my bedroom.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I pull my phone out of the bag and put it on charge. I tap my fingers against the mattress for every second it takes Ant to follow me. I get to 94 taps before the door finally closes behind him.
He shuffles into the bedroom, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously. He most likely thinks I’m about to grill him for falling asleep with Mandy in the room, leaving both him and her vulnerable.
“Sit” I order, my tone sharper compared to a few moments ago.
He drops into the chair across from me, his faze flickering between me and the door. Anger fills my blood at the fact of him being so distracted about a girl when mine is missing.
“I need to find Eva.” I say, watching his reaction carefully. “One minute we we’re together, then she left to go home. Once I returned to my bike my phone died and when I went by her place, her car wasn’t there.” I glance towards my phone, my patience slowly thinning as I wait for it to turn on.
“When we were together, she kept talking about needing to do something, I know what that thing is, and so do you and that thing is currently sitting in your bedroom.”
His eyes shift when I refer to Mandy as a thing, but right now I couldn’t give a fuck if it makes him angry.
Feeling a vibration next to me, I release a sigh of relief when I see it’s my phone turning on.
Without any hesitation I click the icon for the tracker planted on the car except it doesn’t tell me what it normally does. Instead of telling me her current location, it tells me her location can not be found.
“No, no, no, no, no, this can NOT be happening.” I shout standing from my bed.
Ant stiffens, his eyes narrowing as I throw the phone on the bed to pace around. He picks it up, trying to see what is happening. I notice the moment he does as his face pales when my phone dings.
Ant opens it without hesitation but the way his face hardens tells me everything I need to know, its bad.
“What is it?” I demand, reaching forward for the phone.
He takes a step back, holding it out of my reach. My chest tightens from his movement, dread climbing its way through my body. Nausea swims its way round my stomach at the thought of not knowing.
“Ant,” I growl, my voice shaking as I try to stay in control. “If you know what’s good for you, you will give me that damn phone. Now.”
For a moment he hesitates, no doubt fighting himself inside. I take another step forward except this time his trembling hand reaches out towards me. I snatch it from him and turn around to look at it in private. The second I turn the screen towards me I feel my whole world shatter around me.
The image in front of me burns into my mind and before I even realise, the phone is slipping from my grip.
It clatters to the floor as my legs give out underneath me and I crash in to the floor as a scream tears its way out of my throat.
Eva.
There in the photo next to me, her body lays limp and covered in blood.