With a scream I start barreling my body forward trying to get through, headless of the scrapes and bruises that form instantly. Even Ethan is too shocked to stop me.
“Axle, stop.”
My favorite voice in the world commands me and I immediately listen. Falling to me knees, I look to her, trying to ignore the smirk plastered on Dicks face. It isn’t hard, I can’t take my eyes off of her. When her eyes catch mine I feel something inside me crack. Gone is the look she reserved for me, the one that made me feel worthy. The expression on her face now speaks of something else entirely, something that stokes the flames inside me rather than tamper them.
“Ana,” I finally manage to choke out and I see her chin lift just a touch higher before Dick leans over, whispering something to her. She gives a brief nod before taking one more step forward.
“Inmates of The Tomb,” she begins in a commanding voice. “When these doors close behind me, I will turn the water and electricity back on as promised.” Despite the fact I don’t see or hear most of them, I don’t doubt every man in here is listening to her every word.
“Nothing has changed,” she says, her eyes drifting around the open space. Everything in me is pleading for her attention, for that special gaze to fall on me, but it doesn’t.
It’s like I’m nothing.
“You little shit, you’re fucking nothing scum…”
My heart is in my throat and I can’t breathe as I huddle up in a space both too big and too small for a young boy alone.
“Mama….”
“…. still your leader and you will do as I say,” she finishes, and I realize I must have blacked out for a moment because I missed something. What did she say? I feel panic rising inside me as she begins to turn, leaving me with one last glance.
And in that glance, all I see is pity.
Thirty One
Ana
I’m grateful for the practice I’ve had over the years at acting. Schooling my face so no one can tell what is behind it. If not for that, there is no way I would be holding it together right now.
My heart is in my throat and I can’t seem to swallow as Dick leads me back through the giant doors. A shiver runs down my spine at the sound of them closing completely but I don’t look back.
Axle…
He looks horrible. Manic and psychotic, with deep, dark circles under his eyes, and even from a distance I could see the blood splattering his clothes and coating his knuckles. All that I could have dealt with, but the look he gave me right before I turned truly tore something inside me. The look of betrayal and pain.
I wish I could have hinted to him, told him it was okay, this was just an act, that this was all to get him out, but Dick was watching too closely.
“You did well,” Dick says lightly as he walks me away from the prison. “Keep doing well like that and we’ll be just fine.” My nostrils flare and I bite back all the things I want to say, only finally losing my composure when he places a hand on my lower back to ease me forward. With a growl I turn around to glare at him and he only chuckles before ignoring my childish protest and pushing me the last few steps into the cell.
“Good girl,” he says before slamming the door shut behind me. I don’t move, staying perfectly still as the lock clicks behind me.
Tears burn behind my eyes and guilt wells up inside me. I vaguely see Sammi scramble up from her spot as soon as the door is closed.
“Ana? What happened?” she asks, her hand hovering above my shoulder as though she’s too afraid to touch me. I all but ignore her, unable to get Ax’s expression out of my mind.
“And what about Axle?” Dick asks, pacing in front of me. I’m damn good at lying and grateful for it now. When I told Dick I’d do what he asked, help him regain control over The Tomb, he was obviously suspicious. For good reason, too. Good thing I’m a fantastic actress.
“He was nothing,” I reply simply, “a means of protection and taking over.” Dicks grin only grows.
“Good,” he replies. “He needs to know that now.”
My heart is pounding but otherwise, I don’t give anything away. “Why?”
“Because if he believes that, knows it to be true, he’ll fall apart. And then, The Tomb will be ready for us to take over…”
“Ana?” Sammi’s voice brings me back again and I have to blink a few times to keep the tears from falling.
“I did what I had to do,” I say quietly.