Page 79 of Imprisoned

Tommy’s scream is muffled against Axel’s arm, his body jerking with the sudden pain.

“It’s done,” I say, immediately checking the joint. “We still need to immobilize it.”

Scanning the cabin, I spot some blankets. “Axel, tear one of those into strips. We need to make a sling.”

Axel complies without argument, ripping the fabric while I help Tommy breathe through the residual pain.

“The good news is you won’t need a hospital,” I tell Tommy as I create a makeshift sling. “But you’ll need to keep it immobilized for a few weeks. The ligaments need time to heal.”

“There,” I say, tying off the last knot. “It’s back in place but will be sore for a while. Try not to move it too much.”

Tommy flexes his fingers experimentally. “It feels better already. Thanks.”

I squeeze his good shoulder. “Try not to move it too much.”

I can’t believe how wrong everything’s gone. This wasn’t the plan—it was supposed to be just Axel and me disappearing into the night. Instead, we’re stuck in this decrepit cabin with Tommy nursing a dislocated arm. Rico’s dead and a complete asshole for ratting us out.

I run my fingers through my tangled hair. Axel’s decision to bring his crew along has put everything at risk. We could’ve been halfway to the border, just the two of us. Instead, we’re playing nursemaid to a wounded hacker while police helicopters circle the area.

The main room feels suffocating. I spot a doorway leading to what looks like a bedroom and slip away from the others. A rusty bed frame holds a bare mattress, springs poking through in places. At this point, I don’t care - my body aches too much to be picky.

I lie down, the mattress creaking under my weight. Water stains spread like dark continents across the ceiling above me.

Heavy footsteps approach. Axel fills the doorway, his expression unreadable.

“You should’ve told me about bringing them,” I say before he can speak.

“I needed them.”

“No, you didn’t. You needed me and my plans. Now we’re exposed, vulnerable?—”

“They were loyal to me inside. I owed them.”

I sit up, anger flaring. “Loyal?” I laugh bitterly, pushing myself up from the mattress. “Rico sold us out to Marcus. He’s the reason we almost died back there.”

Axel’s face darkens at the mention of Rico’s name. His fingers flex at his sides—a tell I’ve learned means he’s fighting for control.

“You think I don’t know that? Rico made his choice, and he paid for it.”

“And now we’re paying for your choice to bring them.” I get off the bed, refusing to back down. “The cops aren’t our only problem anymore. Marcus’s got people on the outside with resources. They’ll be hunting us.”

A branch snaps outside. Axel’s head whips toward the sound, his entire body tensing. Shadows move in the darkness through the grimy window.

“Get down,” Axel hisses, shoving me behind the bed.

The door splinters inward. Three of Marcus’s men burst through, their boots thundering on the wooden floor. My lungs work overtime.

Axel moves like a coiled serpent striking. His fist connects with the first man’s throat before they can even raise their weapons. The crack of cartilage makes me flinch. The man drops, clutching his crushed windpipe.

The second attacker swings a knife. Axel catches his wrist, twisting until bones snap. The knife clatters to the floor. Axel’s elbow smashes into the man’s face, sending teeth flying.

The third man gets his arms around Axel from behind. Blood sprays as Axel slams his head back, crushing the man’s nose. He breaks free and whirls, grabbing the man’s head between his hands. The sickening crack of a broken neck echoes through the cabin.

Two more men burst in through the back. Tommy scrambles away, cradling his broken arm. One of them raises a gun.

Axel moves faster than I thought possible. He snatches up the fallen knife and hurls it. The blade embeds in the gunman’s eye. Before his partner can react, Axel is on him. His hands lock around the man’s jaw, muscles straining as he literally tears it from the man’s face.

The violence is horrific and primitive. Yet I can’t look away. This is Axel’s purest form of lethal grace, raw power, and absolute brutality. The monster everyone warned me about.

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