In Your Custody

•SIXTEEN•

Axel blinked up at the front doors to the station, shielding his eyes from the sun. The steps were slick with a thin sheen of ice after the freezing temperatures the night before. It was still early, not even seven in the morning, which was an odd time for him to be called in, but then again, short staff meant strange hours. He hadn't slept well last night and had ended up giving up on any hope of being well-rested around four. He had already had around three cups of coffee and had filled his flask to the top, knowing today was going to be a long day.

Vera would have to drive herself to class today, but she promised she would join him at the station for lunch since they hadn't seen each other for a few days due to their opposing schedules. That and Axel wanted to give her some space after going over the draft contract. He had been working on a full version, that she could edit before he wrote up the final copy.

He knew she would need to think about all that they had discussed, but she wasn't the only one. He wanted this and he knew deep down inside he did, but the concept of love and relationships was so foreign to him, he wasn't sure if it was... worth it. What did he have to benefit from being with her?

He drove her around. He paid for her phone. He had yet to take her out for dinner, but that was yet another inevitable expense that was sure to cost a pretty penny when the time came.

Chances were she wasn't going to sleep with him or do anything remotely on a sexual level anytime soon. He hadn't even kissed her yet for God's sake.

Was that so bad though?

It was exciting to know he would be the one to eventually mark her and claim her. The anticipation and tension were exhilarating but painful. He needed something other than his own hand soon or he would go insane. He had never had a woman cause such turmoil inside of him. Making his fingers twitch to grab onto her and force her onto her knees, but his heart ached at the thought of harming her.

She was his. He wanted her, that much was true, but could he handle the consequences, both good and bad, of a relationship? 

He scanned his badge and quickly entered the back room, making his way over to his cluttered desk. He set down his bag ignoring all the work he still had to finish and dropped down into his seat, already exhausted and the day had just begun.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man being led to Anna's office by the receptionist, who seemed rather skittish. As if she would rather be anywhere else at that moment. Axel couldn't blame her. He wanted to be somewhere else as well, just probably not for the same reasons.

"Anna Lawrence?"

The chief's head snapped up at the sound of the light wrapping of knuckles against her already open door. She hurriedly stood to greet her visitor, ushering him inside.

"Detective Burnns, thank you for coming so soon, please sit." She led him to the chair in front of her desk gesturing for him to take a seat, "I was just looking over the files."

Detective Mason Burnns was a strong man, just over 5'8, with long brown hair that curled behind his ears when he gelled it back. His light blue, practically grey eyes could catch anything and he was said to be one of the greatest detectives on this side of the midwest.

"My department is already looking into this new set of homicides. We have it under control."

"I am aware." She replied, her lips pressed together in a firm line, "But I believe we could be of better assistance to each other if we were on the same page."

Mason leaned forward in his seat, resting his arms on his knees, "Continue."

"I was reading the autopsy report of Kaitlyn Jeffersons. Says she's from Seward. Why was she dumped here in Lincoln?" She asked.