Chapter 24

24

Aurora

I blink, pain shooting through my head, my eyes blurry, and confusion hitting me.

What…?

"Well, my darling, it's about time you woke up…."

I freeze, hearing his voice, my breathing quickens.

My last memory was hearing a gunshot, seeing Phil falling and that's it, everything else is blank.

Oh God, he found me….

How…. Autumn comes to mind and panic overtakes me. I try to tamp it down, knowing Theo would protect her, but my heart rate gets faster as I panic more.

I don't hear her, though….

Slowly, I open my eyes, and instantly, I recognize the couch that Theo and I shared for months. I know where we are.

We're at my old apartment.

"You know, finding you gone, vomit on the bathroom floor…it was hard, especially when I'd been training you not to do that." He sighs. I squeeze my eyes shut as he continues, "Realizing my old lady helped you leave was devastating, but knowing you allowed another man to not only adopt my daughter but also allowed him to make you his old lady, marry you, and stick his vermin inside you has made me so angry, my darling. I'm barely holding on by a thread!"

I bite my bottom lip, trying to keep my training from that year in the forefront of my mind. I refuse to mouth back like I've grown used to doing with Theo, knowing I need to think of the twins.

"Baby," Juicy's whiny voice hits my ears, and I look toward her near the front door. She smirks at me, and my eyes tear up.

What the hell?

I look at Axe and see the rage in his eyes, but they completely cloud over when she rasps, "When are you going to fuck me? Before or after you kill her for ruining my life?"

Oh God, the woman is delusional, so very delusional; he's used her to get me.

He's going to kill her.

Axe scoffs and stalks toward her, stating, "Why in the fuck would I kill someone I have loved since she was twelve years old, you stupid bitch?" Juicy's eyes widen, and she takes a step back in fear. I can't even feel sorry for her right now, especially when the image of her smirking as she punched me before I blacked out strikes me suddenly. She helped him get me, all because she wanted a man who only used her as a hole.

Oh, Jesus, these women are stupid.

Why can't the brothers just throw parties and hook up like normal fucking people?

Axe continues, getting my attention, "I used you to get my girl back, to find my fucking daughter, and now I don't need you anymore, because my woman will ensure our daughter is back with me, and then we're leaving."

With a smirk, he grabs his knife from his belt, and he moves quickly as he slices across her throat before she can utter a word. I swallow my gasp, horror shooting through me when I realize he's gone crazy.

My heart rate picks up—he's going to kill my babies.

He chuckles as Juicy chokes on her blood, falling to her knees. He looks back at me but my eyes stay connected with hers, tears falling, guilt overriding my thoughts as she chokes, "I'm s-sorry…."

I watch her, my heart hammering, until she stops breathing.

She didn't deserve my attention, but I'm also not like her. I have a conscience.

"Now, where were we?" Axe rumbles, and I look at him. I expect his eyes to be on my face, but they're not, they are on my bump, and instinctively, I place my hands over it, hoping to protect my babies. He sneers, "If you think I'm going to allow you to give birth to the vermin, you have another fucking think coming!" He storms my way. I try to move, panic hitting me, but I'm not quick enough.

He grabs my hair tightly, and I sob, "Please, let me go, j-just let me go…."

He growls, "You're fucking mine, Aurora. I was your first; I should have been your fucking only, but because of that bitch, who I will find, you've whored yourself out!"

He yanks hard, and I cry out in pain as he drags me away from the coffee table I tried to grab hold of for protection before his foot slams my stomach. I scream, "No, please no!"

He yanks my head up, gets in my face, his red cheeks turning purple as he shouts, "How fucking dare you try and fight for those vermin? You're fucking mine!"

Spit flies in my face before his fist connects with my eye and I cry out in pain, my body no longer used to being abused, my mind not able to shut it out.

He kicks my stomach three more times, making me scream and cry out as I try to get away from him, my head hazy before his hands go to my leggings, trying to pull them down as he growls, "I wanted those bastards out of you before I had you again, but my cock has missed its home." Bile rises as I hear his zipper as he gets my leggings halfway down my legs. He mumbles, "Clubwhores just weren't doing it for me…."

Panic and fear hits.

If he gets away with raping me again, I know I won't come back from it, not now that I have Theo; I just won't. I'll push him away, I'll…God, I'll end my life. I know it.

My fight kicks in, and I lift my knee high, a move Theo taught me when we first got together.

"Alright, Firecracker, come at me." He smirks as he bends a little, crooking his finger, and I roll my eyes.

"Seriously, Theo, I thought we were going to get ice cream, not coming to an abandoned field so I could kick your butt," I reply, and he laughs.

"I want to see what my girl's got," he states, getting ready to pounce.

I smile a little, commenting, "Your girl?"

He grins wide and confirms, "My fucking girl," and my eyes shine. "Come get it, Rory."

With a wide grin, I rush toward him, ready to jump on him, but he catches me and lays me on the ground, a twinkle in his eyes. He rasps, "Alright, Firecracker, in this position, I want you to bring your knee up hard to hit a man…."

I raise a brow as he lifts my knee and, automatically, my libido rises, something I never felt until him. Instead of giving in, I nod but don't miss the smirk at my reaction to him. He grabs my hand and whispers, "And then, I want you to jab your thumbs into their eyes…."

I nod again, taking in every word, knowing his words would have been useful for me back then. I'm grateful to have a man I'm falling madly in love with who wants to teach me this.

Axe grunts after my knee connects with his disgusting member that I swear I can smell from here, but soon screams when I jab my thumbs into his eyes, and then he rolls off me.

Breathing hard, I stumble, getting my leggings back up, before rolling and trying to crawl toward the door—a hand grabs my foot. He goes to pull me back, and within seconds, I quickly turn onto my back so my stomach doesn't hit the floor, and I kick out, my foot making contact with his jaw.

"I won't let you take me, not again! I'm not yours, I'm Theo's!" I growl, kicking him again, and he shouts in fury, jumping over me.

Panic hits when I think he's about to hit my stomach again, but instead, his fists rain down on my face and chest.

I try to fight back, but my energy dissipates, nothing but pain shooting through my body before I go limp, my eyes blurring.

When I stop fighting, he goes for my leggings again, trying to pull them down. My stomach tightens, and, at this moment, I realize I've most likely lost the babies, that I failed them, the wetness between my legs making the realization hit me, but Axe's darkly chuckled, "You're bleeding…say goodbye to the vermin," confirms it.

I give up, allowing darkness to take over, just before a loud bang hits my ears. I silently pray never to wake up, knowing Autumn will be safe with her daddy….