6

His ominous laugh echoed in the dark empty place. If not for the light bulb hanging above their heads the place would drown in pitch-black darkness.

It was him! 

Why? 

“A…Axel, what’s going on?” Her voice was so small and full of absolute terror.

She looked to her side where Maxwell, Rick, and Rory stood as stiff as a statue and then she gazed at the front door of the rotten and old-looking warehouse. She glanced at the limp and battered body of Josh and her heart constricted in pain.

How could she save her brother? They were four bulky giant men against her. She was in a compromised condition.

They could kill both of them without even putting much effort into it.

In her panic-stricken state, she pushed the question of why they were there to the back of her head. For now, she just wanted to save her brother.

Her eyes collided with those grey hues and she flinched, involuntarily stepping back.

This was the same gentleman who saved her that night and he even smiled at her just two days ago while asking for her number. What happened in those two days? Why did he hurt her brother like this?

"L...let us both go," She tried to sound strong but her voice came out shaky.

She curled her trembling fingers into a fist so she wouldn't be a shaky mess in front of him but the way he looked at her with that predator's gaze caused her knees to buckle up.

He walked towards Josh who was barely breathing and then he placed his boot on Joshua's chest and pressed.

Her heart jerked to her mouth as she slammed her tiny fists on his chest and tried to push him away but he wouldn't budge. She dropped down and held his leg trying to move his foot away but he only snickered.

"You think you're here to take back your brother? That's not happening," He snapped, jerking his leg and causing her to fall on her butt.

He stepped back and she instantly scooted closer to Josh and glared up at him.

"W...why are you doing this?" She asked in a quivering tone and he tilted his head.

"Because I can!" He sneered like a maniac.

"You'll be behind the bars for hurting my brother!" She screamed at him and it only pissed him off.

He lunged forward as he threaded his fingers in her long honey locks and fisted them before yanking her up to her feet.

He jerked her closer as her palms landed on his chest and she tried to push him away but he was so tall. He bucked her head back making her gasp. Her neck was arched up and her face was towards the ceiling as he loomed over her like a promise of death.

She blinked rapidly to get rid of the tears as his cold grey eyes peered into her fear-filled brown pools. 

His eyes glided down to her plump pink lips and he noticed their sensual quiver. It angers him even more that she affects him.

"You think you're in any position to threaten me?" He hissed at her face as she closed her eyes tightly.

She couldn't look into his dark eyes. They were terrifying her soul. She was so afraid that she just wanted to vanish into thin air.

"Your brother must pay for his sins and so do you," He snarled, his hold tightening on her hair painfully. Her hands shot up as she tried to free her hair but he didn't let her.

"My brother didn't do anything. You're mistaken. Please let us go, Axel. This must be a misunderstanding," She said in a small trembling voice.

She tried to be soft with him so he could think straight but the very next second he grabbed her jaw in a rough hold and applied pressure which caused her eyes to shoot open wide as their gaze clashed.

"Don't you dare take my name from your mouth!" He spat venomously and she stilled in her place.

"L...let h...her g..go. .go... s...she's I...inno...cent..." She heard the croaked voice of Josh as Axel's gaze flitted in his direction.

It gave him immense pleasure to see Josh crying for his sister and looking like a pathetic shit.

"She's at my mercy, bastard. I could do anything to her," Axel abruptly turned her around in his arms so now she was facing her brother.

One of Axel's hands was grabbing her jaw and forcing her to look at her brother while with his other hand he grabbed her throat in a dominant hold.

"What if I kill both of you right now and get done with it?" Axel asked cruelly as he inhaled only to gnash his molars. 

Her scent was so f*cking amazing.

"Kill me and let my brother go," She said hurriedly as Josh shook his head with every ounce of energy left in him. 

She didn't even know why they were there. What was happening? Why Josh was in this condition but the only thing that mattered to her was Joshua's safety 

"K...kill me," Josh breathed and Axel snickered in menace 

Both of them wanted to save each other. F*cking pathetic.

Axel's eyes lit up when a dark idea fluttered inside his head. 

He roughly turned her around so she was facing him. She was small as he applied pressure on her throat and forced her to look up at him.

"Marry me and I'll spare your brother's life," he said coldly as she stared at him with helpless tears streaming down her cheeks. 

For a second she was too appalled to speak as her heart fell into the pit of her stomach.

She glanced at the bloody bruised body of her brother who was barely breathing.

Maxwell took out his gun and walked to Josh and held his gun on his head making her eyes go wide.

"P...please, don't hurt my brother. W...why are you doing this to us?" She cried trying to free her throat that was in his atrocious hold.

"It's simple. You must pay the price of your brother's doing," He sniggered.

His dark eyes raked her body from head to toe as if he was sizing her up and a terrifying chill ran down her spine when the corner of his lips tilted up in an ominous smirk.