Chapter 4

When Jax learned that Mike would never walk normally again, he finally rushed to the hospital.

He pushed open the door and saw Mike’s injured leg elevated in a sling above the bed. Guilt flickered in his eyes.

He hurried over and pulled me into a tight hug.

“Daisy, I’m sorry. I really didn’t know it was this bad.”

His voice was husky with emotion, his chin resting on top of my head. “From now on, Mike is family to me too. I’ll take care of both of you for the rest of my life, okay?”

He was trying to use his cheap tenderness and remorse to keep me locked in his cage, working myself to the bone for him.

I didn’t pull away. I let him hold me and stared blankly at the white wall.

The next day, Camilla came to the hospital for a visit, holding her son Toby Price’s hand.

She stood at the top of the stairs holding a basket of marked-down fruit, her eyes red.

“Daisy, Jax told me Mike got hurt. I feel so terrible about it.”

She edged closer to me as she talked.

Suddenly, her foot slipped, and she started to fall down the stairs.

Without a second thought, Jax shoved me out of the way.

He caught Camilla before she fell and held her tightly in his arms.

My back slammed into the wall, and pain ripped through my wounds.

Jax turned to me, his earlier guilt replaced by a tired, accusing look.

“Daisy, I know you’re upset, but you can’t push Camilla.

“She’s not strong enough to take a fall like that. You never used to be so cruel.”

He was blaming me.

In his eyes, Camilla would always be the delicate victim, and I’d always be the unreasonable one who hurt her.

I stared coldly at those two scumbags. I didn’t even want to argue.

Before I could say anything, there was a commotion at the end of the hallway.

The loan sharks’ thugs were back.

They looked murderous, with knives hidden up their sleeves.

They had enemies hunting them and needed cash fast to skip town. They grabbed Camilla and me and hauled us off to an abandoned warehouse by the river.

The wind off the river cut to the bone, and the warehouse reeked of gasoline.

Jax had come to save us, but Rocco held him at knifepoint and backed him into a corner.

Jax tossed his bag at him.

“The money’s in there. That’s what I can pay right now. I’m still scraping up the rest!”

Rocco caught the bag, opened it, and looked inside.

“That’s it? Jax, I don’t have the patience for your crap today!”

Rocco sneered and pointed at Camilla and me, tied to the pillars.

“With this little bit of cash, you only get to take one of them.

“I’ll sell the other one to a brothel to settle the debt!”

Jax’s eyes were red, and he was shaking all over.

He looked at me, then at Camilla, who was sobbing her heart out.

In the end, on shaking legs, he walked over to me.

He cupped my face and gave me a deep, tender kiss.

“Daisy, you’ve always been so strong. You can handle anything on your own.”

He spoke gently, as if he were talking about an everyday chore.

“Camilla scares easily. She won’t survive without me.

“I’ll get her out first. I promise I’ll come right back for you. Wait for me.”

What a noble-sounding excuse.

Because I was strong, I deserved to be left behind.

Without hesitating, he untied Camilla, scooped her up, and ran out of the warehouse.

As they fled, one of the thugs accidentally knocked over a nearby barrel of gasoline.

Sparks flew, and flames quickly engulfed the warehouse.

Thick smoke choked me and stung my eyes, making it almost impossible to see.

Through the haze, I caught one last glimpse of Jax disappearing through the door. I had no tears left to shed.

Amid the chaos, I managed to break free and threw myself against the rotting window behind me with all my strength.

Glass shattered as I threw myself into the churning river.

The river was bitterly cold. Icy water closed over my mouth and nose.

I closed my eyes. At last, I was free.