Harlow and Axel (Anniston Secrets Book 1)

by J. N. Pack

  Cass and Harley end up passing out on the floor beside my bed and I don’t have the heart to make either of them go. I’ve waited long enough now I need to make the call I’ve been avoiding.

  I pick up the phone and find his name in my phone and call, “Drake, it’s Harlow.” my voice breaks a little but I pull myself together while I tell him everything that happened. I keep my eye on her the whole time.

  Chapter 26

  “You’re safe Low. Nobody is ever going to hurt you ever again.” He whispered and my body completely relaxed. I wanted to say something. Something to let him know I was ok, but I was so tired. “Ax…..” Then the darkness takes over again.

  Sometime later, my stomach starts turning. I can feel the sweat on my forehead and all over my body.

  “Hey. Hey. It’s ok.” He whispers in my ear.

  No, no it’s not. I need to get up. My eyes flutter open and I’m panicking trying to find my bearings. I dry heave and he lifts me from the bed easily and dashes from the room. He sits me on the cool tile by the toilet and holds me up with one while wetting a rag with cool water and ringing it with one hand. My stomach starts wretching and rumbling and I start puking. He holds my hair back and puts the damp rag on the side of my face. Gently wiping the sweat from my forehead. When my stomach feels like it’s not going to come up through my mouth, I leaned my head on the side of the toilet lid. I glance up at him and he’s looking back at me. He kneels down beside me and wipes my face with the cool rag. “You good now?

  I’m still pretty weak but I lift my head from the toilet seat and crawl into his arms. He wraps them around me without a thought. He takes the rag and wipes my face and then pushes the hair from my face. I start trembling and he pulls me tighter into his chest. When a couple tears escape my eyes he gently wipes away. After about twenty minutes he asks, “Wanna go lay back down?”

  No trusting my voice not to crack I nod and trying to climb to my feet. He whispers, “I got you, hold on.” He climbs to his feet and lifts me easily from the floor. I lay my head on his shoulder and curl into his body. He lays me on the bed and I pull the remote from the bed and turn the tv on turning the volume all the way down when he turns the light off. I turn on supernatural on netflix. When he lays back with his head propped on the pillows, I scoot as close to him as I can and lay me head on his and curl into his side. My whole body is trembling and I feel like shit. My head is pounding, my stomach keeps churning, and every little sound makes me nearly jump out of my skin. When I hear Harley change positions on the floor I almost came up out the bed. He tightens his arm around me and whispers, “Shhh… It’s ok. It’s just Harley and Cass on the floor sleeping. Nobody is going to hurt you. Not now. Not ever again.” I end up falling asleep in his arms.

  In my dream Marcus came for me. I fought, but it wasn’t enough. Chill bumps pop out on my skin. I cry out and gasp for air when I finally wake up. Axel is there holding me. His grip on me tightens and he says, “It’s just a dream.”

  I can see the light shining through the window.I glance towards the floor, but both Cass and Harley are nowhere in site.

  “They went downstairs for breakfast. You think your stomach could handle some food?” he asks.

  I glance around the room and then back at him not feeling as confident now as before. I ease back from him and the sadness takes over. Noticing me pulling away he grips my chin and gets eye level with me. “I’m sorry. I know it doesn’t make it better, but you’re not putting that wall back up. You’re going to let me back in. I screwed up trying to protect you and it cost you more.”

  I hoarsely whispered, “It’s not that easy.”

  “We all have monsters in our closets. We are a group of misfits who have had more misfortune than anyone our age should. We’ve had to fight battles that we should have never had to fight. I’m not letting you go. Not again. You’re mine.” he says whole heartedly. I swat at the irritating tear lingering around the corners of my eyes. He lifts his hand and uses his thumb to wipe the tears away.

  “I know this is hard, but I need to know. Did he touch you? Did he hurt you?” he asks looking me over.

  I shake my head quickly. “He didn’t…. He tried...He didn’t. O God.” I start panicking. My breaths become short and I’m on the verge of hyperventilating. “HE ...HE...He drugged me. I… I don’t do drugs. I don’t want to be an addict.”

  He whispers, “It’s fine just breathe. We’re pretty sure it was just a lot of sedatives. Take deep breaths in and out. Even if it was something addictive, we got you. We will fight all the way through withdrawals with you. Promise.”

  “Why are you being nice to me?” I whisper.

  He smiles and says, “Because I haven’t had feelings for anyone in a very long time and I’ve decided instead of fighting those feelings, I’m going to embrace them.” He squeezes my hand and says, “Let’s go get some food before Cass and Moose eat it all.” and I can’t help but smile.

  I get a little dizzy standing, but Axel is right there holding me up. When we get in the hallway and to the top of the stairs I can hear them downstairs talking. I stall when I hear Drake. Axel stills beside me holding me up. “You okay?” he asks.

  I nod after a second and we walk the rest of the way down the stairs. When we get to the bottom they all turn to face us. I still, but Axel urges me forward and helps me sit in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. I can feel everyone's eyes burning holes in me, but I can’t bring myself to look up at them. Axel sets a plate with bacon and eggs and a chocolate chip muffin. I look up at him and he smiles and says, “I’ll get you some juice.” I look down at the food and my stomach grumbles. Everyone slowly goes back to talking to each other. Axel fixes a plate and sits beside me. I start with the eggs and once they’re gone I move to the muffin not wanting to eat bacon just yet. No one says anything until I’m done eating all of my food.

  “You want some more? There’s plenty.” Axel’s mom asks.

  I shake my head no and stare down at my empty plate.

  Harley sits on the opposite side of me and grips my fingers. I look over at her and she smiles. I try a smile back, but my lip trembles and she throws her arms around me as tears begin rolling down my cheeks.

  Chapter 27

  After breakfast I have Harley on one side and Axel on the other. Drake and Axel’s Mom sitting across from me. Cass is standing behind Harley with his hand on her shoulder. Moose and Jessi sit on the barstools at the counter.

  Drake says, “I know you don’t want to talk about all of this, but in order to protect you and your sisters I need to know everything. Even the hard stuff.”

  I glance over at Harley and then at Axel. Axel grips my hand under the table and gives it a gentle squeeze. “What did Marcus say to you Friday night?” Axel asks.

  I stare at the table and with a hoarse voice I say, “It was me or them. If I didn’t show up, he had men waiting for Harley. If he couldn’t get to Harley he was going after Hanna. When it comes to them or me I choose them. I will every time.”

  Harley sucks in a breath and says, “Low you can’t do that! Without you, we don’t have anyone.”

  Drake says, “It’s my job to protect you. I can’t do that if you don’t give me the details. I can and I am going to protect both you and your sisters. I have filed papers to transfer custody of all of you to me. I had it done when he beat you. I’m just waiting for the paperwork to go through.”

  “What happened when you got there?” Axel asks.

  I look at him nervously. “He made me go into his office. He offered me the pills, when I wouldn’t take them he had his men hold me down and shoved them to the back of my throat and covered my nose. She blew in my face so I had to swallow. He told me I needed to be completely relaxed for what was about to happen to me. I...I … I thought he was going to rape me, but there was a needle on his desk. I think he was going to shoot me up with something. He told me I should fight while I still could. So I did. I kicked him in the nuts as hard as I could and ra
n. Everything was in and out. Harlan showed up. I didn’t want to get hit again.”

  I look to Axel because I was afraid of how he was looking at me. He smiles and squeezes my fingers again.

  Drake says, “You had a brother you never met. Marcus got him hooked on heroin. He looks just like you. Or you him, he’s two years old. Him and Axel were the best of friends. Drew loved everyone. He didn’t have enemies. I did, Marcus has been trying to ruin my life for a very long time. He took my first wife. He glances at Axel’s mom. Then I fell in love with your mom and he made her disappear while she was pregnant with you. Then he sent his guys to a party that my son was at with Axel and when Axel passed out, they held my son down and shot him up with dose after dose of heroin. When Axel came to he found Drew. I can’t keep this a secret from the people in this house anymore. Drew didn’t die that day.”

  Axel stands from his seat looking like his world was just rocked. “Drew’s alive?” I can see the hurt and devastation on his face. He jerks from the table and walks out with Cass and Moose behind him.

  The End of Book One!