Don't Mask, Don't Tell

Chapter 43

My head spins as the sweaty crowd presses in; a flurry of camera flashes and shouting surrounds us. Blindly, I reach for Axel's rough hand, feeling a sense of relief rush through me. His shoulders tense and he abruptly pulls away.

Did I do something wrong?

Bjorn shoves through the swarm of people, the rest of the security team a few feet behind as they create a path in the middle of the chaos. He rips his leather jacket off and forces it over my head while we race to the SUVs pulled around back. A breathless Mickey is the last one in, ducking Eliza under the roof before hurtling inside, panting.

As the car door slams shut, the driver speeds off in the direction of my apartment. An unsettling silence falls over the backseat. Axel fiddles with his pocket watch, staring out the window with a solemn expression on his face.

"You okay?" I whisper, but he doesn't respond. Doesn't even look at me.

Really? Silence again. Such a healthy way to resolve problems.

"No, he's not fucking okay!" Mickey raises his voice, practically shouting at me. "You fucked up!"

"Mickey..." Axel warns.

My jaw drops, stunned by his uncharacteristically harsh tone. "How did I fuck up? Axel's the one that felt the need to defend my honor or some shit. I didn't ask him to punch my ex. I didn't even want to go to this stupid party!"

"That's not the fucking issue here." Mickey shakes his head dismissively. "You held Axel's hand in front of all those cameras! You're best friends with a celebrity! How long do you think it'll take those vultures to identify you?!"

"I'm sorry!" I interject. "I panicked. I wasn't thinking"

"You're right. You weren't thinking and now thanks to you, this isn't just about the press revealing our identities anymore! They're going to have a field day with yours and Eliza's connection to us. We're all in danger now!"

"I really wasn't trying to make things worse. I just wanted to get us out of there."

"Well, you did. Your careless actions just created a fucking mess. Great job, Liv!"

Wow. What a fucking asshole!

Whipping my head towards Axel, I expect him to step in again, but he doesn't object. Doesn't even ask if I'm okay after being chased out of the club. Still as a goddam statue, glaring out the window while his best friend berates me.

This isn't how tonight was supposed to go.

"You're okay with him talking to me like that?"

"What do you want me to say, Olivia?" He glances in my direction for a brief moment, unwilling to make eye contact. "He's right. You're a target now."

My vision blurs, but I blink away the tears.

Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.

"Enough!" Eliza yells. Glimmering traffic lights give a glimpse of her furrowed brows and crimson-colored face. She's pissed. "The real question is, where the fuck was security?" Her eyes narrow in on Axel. "Where the fuck was Bjorn?"

"I sent them ahead to secure the balcony while we ordered drinks."

"So, what you're saying is you sent security away, and you punched Jack." Axel nods, and Eliza turns to Mickey. "This is entirely your friend's fault. Not Liv's. We wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for him."

"But if she didn't—"

"Stop talking! If you ever speak to my best friend like that again, a drug cartel will be the least of your problems."