book 1 ✔︎
book 2 ✔︎
book 3 ✔︎
PART OF ME - you become so emotionally close to someone that you feel like they are literally a part of you, like a half of your heart. You don't want to live without them - you can't.
Aviana Ember wouldn't know this fe...
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I'm shaking so hard, and holding back tears, that I don't realize Jamie has come into the apartment until he stands right in front of me. I'm on the couch, choking on my words as I tell Will what happened before Juno brought me home. She held me back when I tried to run after Axel. Unfortunately, Jamie wasn't there. He was off duty.
"Do you know anything?" I ask him without even saying hello.
He shakes his head. "We'll take you down to the station now. The other guys gave their statements. They didn't know you were his girlfriend, otherwise they probably would have kept you back too. Come here," he pulls me up into a hug. "Axel's a good guy. We're going to figure this out. But tell me what happened. I might be able to help more."
I glance at Jem, snuggled up with Luci at the fireplace, watching us instead of the movie Will put on my laptop. I look back at Jamie and shake my head. "Not here," I whisper, "I don't want to freak her out about anything."
Juno gives me a little smile before sitting down beside Jem, asking, "hey there. Whatcha watchin?"
Jem looks at Juno and murmurs, "Frozen. Where's Axe?"
"He'll be back in no time," they assure Jem, ruffling her hair. "Mind if I watch with you? The adults need to have a little conversation. Should we take over the bed? Come," Juno stands up, holding their hands out to the little girl, "lets build a fort!"
Jem smiles from ear to ear. "Okay!"
They both wander off into the bedroom, and I break down against Jamie, crying.
"I don't know if he killed him," I whimper. "His face was beaten in; I couldn't even see his features. It was just blood and bone. Please don't let them put him in jail forever. It wasn't his fault."
"Sh, sh, sh," Jamie strokes my hair. "I doubt he's dead. Axel knows his strength, and he knows about the consequences."
"No, you don't understand," I whisper, "he lost control."
"Why'd he do it, Avi?" Will asks, leaning against the counter in front of Jamie and I. "The last time Axel's beat someone like that was his step-dad, to protect his mom and sister."
I pull away from Jamie, fidgeting at the sleeves of my shirt without looking at my brother. I've run out of tears. I stare at my feet in horror, in the terror of what may be reality. All because I told Axel what happened; I should have waited until we were home, until he could calm down before confronting Gary. I shake my head. "I told him what Gary did to me and he jumped up and ran inside the gym," I sigh.
Will pushes himself from the counter, and I notice him frown and meet Jamie's gaze with equal concern. "What did that motherfucker do to you?" he asks.
