“Promise me, Meadow...”

My father’s words spring back into my mind, and I know I have to do this. So, without opening my eyes, I jump.

It happens in what feels like slow motion. My entire body plummets to the water below. I hit it flat on my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I sink quickly, even though I can swim now. The panic has my body stiffening in fear.

I begin to struggle. My backpack is too heavy. I shake my head from side to side, keeping my mouth clamped shut, kicking my legs as hard as I can. I feel a set of hard arms go around me, and I seize. I’m slowly being pulled to the surface, and when I surface I’ll be taken somewhere I don’t want to go. At the realization of that, I start kicking harder, until I hit the person holding me.

When I surface, I gasp a breath of air in, and I kick hard towards the other side of the river. I hear Axel’s crackled voice sound out behind me. “Stop moving!”

I kick harder, using everything inside me to get to the other side. I reach the bank and launch myself up, gripping the sides with my hands. I’m about to pull my body up, when those arms go around me again, and yank me back down. With a scream, I go crashing back into the water. Axel has me, and he spins my body around so I’m facing him. Up close I can see his eyes, and right now his beauty only makes me hate him more.

“Quit this fuckin’ bullshit, and just give in.”

“No,” I growl, shoving at his chest.

“I won’t play this game with you any longer, Cricket. If I have to, I will hurt you.”

I lean in close, almost nose-to-nose, and sneer, “Does it look like I care?”

He growls, and pins me tighter against his body. When I’m this close to him, and my body is pressing against his, I can feel every part of him. His powerful form is twice the size of mine, and a good solid foot taller. His arms tighten around me, and I know I have to think quickly. I stare up at him, meeting those shattering eyes.

“I’m a bad man, Meadow. You’re pushing a wild animal, and eventually that animal will lose it.”

“You don’t scare me,” I rasp.

His eyes lower, and meet mine. The intensity in them scares me, and I can see something dark behind them. Whatever happened to Axel, it was bad. “Well I should.”

I turn my eyes away from his, and I have to think quickly. I do the only thing that comes to mind. I drop my mouth onto his shoulder, and I bite so hard I feel his skin pop. A metallic tang fills my mouth, and I resist the urge to gag.

Axel roars and stumbles backwards, his hands slipping from my body. I take the opportunity to spin around and launch myself up onto the bank. I graze my knees as I scurry forward. I get to my feet, and I run...fast.

“I’ll find you, Meadow,” Axel roars. “Mark my fuckin’ words.”

I have no doubt he will.

But like always, I’ll find a way to escape him.

CHAPTER 3

AXEL

Let your demons beat you, so I can defeat you.

“Motherfucker,” I bellow, driving my fist into a nearby tree over and over until my knuckles bleed. She got away again.

I spin to Cobra, my Vice President, and I can feel water running down my back. She made me fuckin’ jump in after her. I’m getting desperate; time is running out. I need that information, and I need it fucking now. I managed to slip a tracker into her pack, but the water might have stopped it from working. I need to find out.

“Get me the program for that tracker. I need to find her.”

“Got it in the van, boss.”

With a growl, I storm back towards the roadhouse and over to where our bikes are parked. My entire body is swelling with rage, and I’m beginning to lose my control. I wanted to lay my hands on her, to hurt her. I wanted to put my fingers around her throat, and strangle her until she gives me what I desire. I want her to suffer the same way she’s made me suffer this year.

I’m all kinds of fucked up.

I stalk towards the van, and slide the door open. Cobra is tapping in some information on a tiny laptop. He narrows his eyes, and bites the rings in his lower lip. Then a smile appears on his face, and he turns to me, giving me a look full of victory.

“It’s working. She’s heading on the highway, south.”

“We’ll wait until she stops. If she hears us coming, she’ll run. Get the boys ready. I want them all. I don’t want her escaping again. Give me drugs, whatever I have to use to stop her. I’m done playing nice.”

“On it. You want injected drugs?”

“Yeah,” I grunt.

He nods. “I’ll let you know when she stops.”

I stare out the window of the van.

This ends tonight.

~*~*~*~

“Yes ma’am, that will be eighty for the night,” the too-friendly receptionist says as I check into a motel four hours later.

I’m still damp, and shivering. I didn’t get a chance to dry; it’s not warm enough out. I ran until I couldn’t possibly run anymore.

I didn’t get as far as I would have liked, and I didn’t really want to stop, but I had no choice. I’m exhausted.

I dig through my purse and I give the lady the amount she needs. The only reason I’ve been able to keep myself going is because of cash jobs. There’s a lot in this area.

“Thank you.” She smiles, and hands me a key. “You’re in room 303, out this door, to the left, and up the long corridor.”

“Thank you.” I force a smile.