38. Jax

Jax

P hil drags me into the building. He's stronger than he looks, I'll give him that, and even my violent thrashing hasn't been able to free me. He's sweating profusely, and his clothes are almost as disheveled as Titan's were.

But it's the choppy breathing, the way he keeps scrubbing at his face, and that mousy brown hair of his that really tells me how bad this is going to be. I've seen addicts on the edge like this, twitching as they come down, unable to sleep, no money to get more. Emotions all over the place. Dangerous.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Joe Hinklestein crouch low in the garbage. He peers at me with a face that's white as snow.

"Help me," I mouth.

He looks up and points to the streetlight through the window. I almost sob with disappointment. He doesn't understand. Damn it.

"So, I know Titan isn't the Black Dahlia Killer," I spit out wrathfully as Phil throws me into a massive shed that's full of the stripped shells of cars. I look at the shells of the vehicles, all the metal and rubber on the floor, and wonder if anyone will find me when I'm dead.

"I don't care who it is." Phil rubs his hands and wipes his forehead. He's sweating and erratically pacing back and forth. I don't want a twitchy kidnapper.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Why? Are you serious right now? I was going to marry Andy, inherit the company, and now no one's even talking to me. You ruined my life," he screams; the echo is strident in the large space.

I wince. I hadn't heard about that. "You ratted me out," I defend myself, maybe not the smartest decision.

"You're trash, the black stain on the family. And they still chose you. It's…it's ridiculous."

I tug my arm, and he responds by throwing me across the room. I land in a mess on the floor, my jeans soaking up oil and grease, while my arm starts to bleed from little cuts made by the metal shavings.

"I was going to leave," Phil says desperately. "I was done. I was going to count myself lucky and fucking leave this town. Why did you send that message?"

I freeze. Ice curling in my stomach, spreading outwards. "What message?"

"You sent a message to me to meet you at Red Shard tonight. You had something to discuss, and if I refused, you would ruin me. Why did blackmail me?"

I blink up at him. "I'm not gonna send a message to you of all people, Phil. I didn't send that message. I don't have a phone," I lie about the hidden one. Regardless, I didn't do it.

My life's refrain. I didn't do it.

He stares at me. "No, that's impossible…but who?" He trembles and lets out a deep moan. "It doesn't matter. I have to do it. They know, and my life will be over if it gets out."

My stomach flips, and I edge backwards, but there's nowhere to go. I'm pressed against a huge beast of cold steel. There's the scent of grease and metal in the air. I don't want to die here. "Phil, let's just talk about this. Andy loves you."

"Andy hates me. She's been sleeping with a woman at her work since a week after we met."

I wince. "I'm sorry this is happening to you."

"Yeah, so the fuck am I. I was trying to leave, Jackie or Jax, whatever your name is. I just wanted to leave. But they know everything. They know what I've done, and I can't let that get out."

He spreads his hands imploringly.

My blood goes icy. What the fuck has he done? I don't think it matters because I've seen that look in his eyes, that resolution. It was in Louis' eyes the moment he decided to kill me.

I whimper and look around for a weapon.

"Wait! Where is Louis?" I shout, grasping at straws. Maybe this will stop him.

Phil gives me a blank look. "Who the fuck is Louis, and why the fuck would I care?"

Oh, this is bad. This is really bad.