Page 28 of Icebreaker

"Sorry, can't make it tonight. Something came up. Rain check?"

I stared at the screen and laughed bitterly. Rain check? Was this merely a minor inconvenience to Axel? Like forgetting your umbrella when rain was in the forecast?

I typed a flat response.

"Sure. Another time."

I hit send and shoved the phone in my pocket, blinking back tears. I knew he was struggling, and Dante threw him off balance, but it wasn't getting better.

While I drove home, questions and doubts raced through my mind. How much more could I handle of the emotional rollercoaster? Would Axel slip away, pulled back into Dante's orbit? The idea sickened me, and I chased the thought from my head.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed to signal another incoming text. I glanced at the screen and expected to see Axel's name. Instead, I saw a block of text from an unknown number.

Frowning, I pulled over and grabbed my phone. Goosebumps formed on my forearms as I read the message.

"Quinn, we need to talk. It's about Axel and Dante. Meet me at Keller Fountain downtown tomorrow at noon. Come alone. Trust me, you'll want to hear what I have to say."

I stared at the cryptic message, trying to decipher its source. I thought about the people I knew in Portland, but they all would have shared their identities. The temptation to ignore it and dismiss it as a prank rose up inside, but what if it was important?

With a deep breath, I put the car back in gear and pulled out onto the street. My mind spun with dozens of unanswered questions.

Chapter nine

Axel

While the sun dipped low on the horizon, sending fiery fingers of orange and purple across the sky, I sat on a bench overlooking the city in Mt. Tabor Park. It was a peaceful sanctuary of tall pines and stunning vistas, and I'd spent many hours there deep in thought over the past several days.

Dante's reappearance weighed so heavily that it made it hard to breathe. I had to find a way to confront my past and protect my future with Quinn, but my fear of reopening old wounds left me paralyzed.

I closed my eyes and tried to breathe deeply. The scents of pine needles and damp earth filled my nose, connecting me to the present while I thought back to the early days with Dante. Hischarm and confident attitude thrilled me. I was naive enough to believe the fairy tales he told.

Now, I knew better. I'd seen the darkness that lurked beneath his endearing grin.

Still, knowing his true nature didn't make it any easier to confront him. I thought about telling Quinn everything but envisioned seeing pity and disgust in his expression. It tied my stomach in knots. I couldn't handle the idea of him seeing me as weak or broken.

As I considered options, a tiny voice in the back of my mind told me Quinn deserved the truth, regardless of his reaction. He'd stood by me for so long already. Maybe I should trust him with the lurid details of my dark past.

I opened my eyes and looked out over the city sprawling before me. The sun approached the horizon, bathing everything in orange and gold. It was time to go.

Sighing heavily, I rose from the bench. I knew what I had to do, even if it scared me. I had to tell Quinn the truth and let him inside, trusting that our bond was real.

My steps felt a little lighter as I retraced my route to the car. I'd made my decision. Now, I needed the courage to follow through.

When I turned onto the streets leading to my apartment building, the crowded atmosphere of the city replaced the calming peace of the park. The transition was abrupt, reminding me that the ebb of my anxiety was only a temporary escape.

The last traces of sunset were fading in the sky as I pulled into my parking lot. The streetlights cast long shadows across the asphalt. Surprisingly, a familiar car entered the lot just ahead of me. It was Quinn, and the sight of him sent a jolt of adrenaline through my system. He was a step ahead of me.

Quinn didn't waste any time and immediately climbed out of his car. He had a set jaw, and despite the dim glow from theparking lot lights, I saw hurt in his eyes. He didn't wait for me to say hello.

"We need to talk." Each word sounded like he'd chiseled them out of solid rock. He stepped up close, and my stomach clenched.

"Okay, but not here. I feel a little…exposed."

"You could invite me inside. Or are you trying to hide something in there?"

I grunted and knew that I deserved the suspicion. "No, there's nothing inside, but what about the 24-hour diner down the street? I don't want our conversation to get awkward at home."

The diner contrasted sharply with the pine-scented atmosphere of Mt. Tabor. An aging neon sign buzzed and flickered as we approached. It cast an eerie glow over the cracked sidewalk. The interior wasn't much more appealing.

---