Page 120 of Devour

AXL

Everything fucking hurts. I can’t tell where one injury ends and the next starts. My ears are still ringing from the blast. I try to move, and my body tells me to go fuck myself.

I’m on my back. I don’t remember being put on my back. The last thing I remember is running down the hallway toward Saylor’s room and calling out for Priest. Then the second explosion hit, and everything was gone.

Saylor.

I force myself to open my eyes and sit up. There’s so much pain in my ribs I almost black out again. Someone’s hands are on my chest pushing me down. I try to shove their hands away.

“Don’t move, Axl. You’re in bad shape and have at least three broken ribs.” Priest is next to me. His face is covered in dust. There’s blood on his shirt, likely from whatever wound the bandage on his neck is covering. One of his arms is in a sling.

I realize I’m in a ridiculous hospital gown. I look around the hospital room. It’s just Priest in here with me, but I see other Talons moving through the halls outside the door.

“Where is she?” I wince, trying to shift my legs over one side of the bed. “Is she alright? Did someone get her out?”

Priest doesn’t answer. His jaw tightens, and he glances at the doorway as Crew and Kase appear.

“Where the fuck is Saylor?” I’m about to rip someone’s head off if they don’t answer me.

Crew steps in first, Kase following behind him. Crew glances at Priest like they know something I don’t, and then he focuses on me. The expression on his face makes my heart pound, and I fist my bloody hands.

“They found a body in the rubble.” Crew’s voice is even, but his jaw is tight. “Where Saylor’s room was. They’re saying it’s her, Axl. Everyone else has been accounted for.”

The room goes quiet. The ringing in my ears gets louder.

“No.”

“The east wing collapsed. The blast—”

“No.” I rip the IV out of my arm and swing my legs off the bed. My vision whites out for a second from the pain in my ribs, but I don’t give a fuck. “That’s not her. I need to see the body.”

“Axl, you can’t—” Kase starts.

“Get the fuck out of my way.” I’m on my feet, and I don’t know how. The floor tilts, and Priest catches my arm with his good hand before I go down. I shove him off. “That’s not her. I’m telling you right now, that’s not my girl.” I grip my hair with both hands. “It can’t fucking be her.”

“Axl.” Priest’s voice is calm, but there’s an edge to it. “Sit down before you pass out.”

“Fuck sitting down.” My legs are shaking, and the room won’t stop moving. I grab the bedrail to stay upright. I know it isn’t her. “Where are my clothes? My phone was in my pocket. Where’s my fucking phone?”

“The doctor said you need—”

“I need my goddamn phone, Priest.” I look at Crew. “Where are my fucking things?”

Kase pulls a bag from under the chair by the door. He hands it to me without a word. My jeans are cut up and covered in dust and blood. I dig through the pockets until I find my phone. The screen is shattered across the top right corner, but it lights up when I press it.

“She didn’t have her phone on her, Axl.” Priest is watching me, obviously getting more concerned for my mental state. “We can’t track her.”

I don’t answer him. I open the app and enter the code. The one I set up the day I pierced my girl’s nipples. I’ve been a part of enough missions to know I wasn’t going to take any chances with losing her. That’s why I made sure I was the only one who had the key to remove them.

My chest loosens, but I keep my face even. There she is. The tracker in her nipple piercings proves that she has been taken somewhere. She’s still alive. She has to be. I zoom in on her location and see she’s at the building where we helped the Sinclairs move the girls.

Fuck. If Justin was connected to the trafficking ring, he’d have known about his father’s building.

I stare at the screen, and I don’t let my face change. I look at Priest first, then Crew, then Kase. I check the doorway. Two Talons pass in the hall. I wait until they’re gone.

“Close the door.”

Kase closes it, and they all eye me cautiously. They think I’ve lost it.