mid air, freezing the blood in Bea Ga

ing in the swamp mud, her white slip stained brown and green

higher. If Axel saw his "property" looking like a piece

Now!" Bea scr

s legs were completely numb from terror. She swayed, her kn

. She grabbed Haley's bound hands and slashed the b

den rush of blood back into her hands felt like thousands of burning needles pie

"Listen to me, you little bitch. If you show him one ounce of f

numb. She gave a

down the jungle path toward the front of the estate. Haley stumbled over t

driveway just as the three matte-black George Pat

napped to attention. The sile

her knees on the rough, burning asphalt of the driveway. The im

of the center

t wearing his suit jacket. He wore a black tactical shirt, the fabric pulled tight across

d, instantly locking onto the pathetic

between his brows. His eyes dropped to the mud caked on

was absolute. The air pressure around him see

ed. She needed a scapegoat. She needed

r, and shoved her hard. Haley fell forward, her h

led, her voice shrill. "Clea

ry combat boots were covered in a thick layer o

from the belt of a nearby guard and threw it at Hal

hissed. "Or I'll thro

pen her fingers. The pins and needles from the severed rop

is tactical belt. Axel stood perfectly still. His dark eyes flicked from the mud on his boots to Bea's raised hand. "Let her clean it," Axel's voice cut thr

ey would do, demanding order r

d was deafening. Every

y rag. She was kneeling on the burning asphalt, staring at the muddy boo