Catch Me if You Can (18+) (FINISHED)

53 - It Hurts

Aspen
Present

Five minutes later, we drove up to my old apartment's doorstep, Ace tapping the steering wheel impatiently while I stared at the dashboard.

I told him what happened, but I didn't tell him who it was. I in fact said it was "a guy I didn't know."

I couldn't trust him, and I couldn't have Snow's life in danger if Ace came inside with me, startling Jax.

"I'll check the perimeter," he said then. "Stay in here, okay? I'll be back in less than twenty minutes. Don't get out of this car or I'll do something you won't like."

Before I could answer, he got out of the car and darted around the building.

I didn't tell him the time limit, either.

I watched as he circled around the building to the darkness, and I opened my car door and darted inside without even closing it.

Finding no time to take the elevator, I headed straight for the staircase, darting up two steps at a time until I made it to my floor and threw open the door.

I didn't hesitate, I slammed open my apartment door and heard the wood crash against the wall, but I didn't care.

But heart throbbed when I saw Snow in a tiny little kennel, whimpering while staring at me as if he didn't want me here.

He seemed otherwise unhurt, though.

I darted over to the kennel then, shuffling the lock on it to get him out, but my hands were shaking.

Everything hurt... I couldn't think straight.

And that was my downfall.

The front door slammed shut, making me cry out, but something caught the back of my shirt and I found myself flying.

Until my back met the wall, and I choked as all air vanished from inside me.

As I sank to the floor, a tall, lean figure stormed up to me and caught the front of my shirt while pulling me up, taking advantage of my weakened state and throwing his fist deep into my gut.

I gagged, lurching forward as I collapsed onto my knees, gasping.

Jax took a step back while examining me.

As I regained my breath, stomach aching, he grabbed a fistful of my hair and shoved my head back, earning a choked cry.

Seconds later, his face was in mine, sneering at me. "He was the bait, and I lured you in like a fucking fish. How pathetic is that? You didn't even check the room for me, idiot. Someone's not quite bright, are you?"

He threw me down, my body cracking with the cold, stone floor until I was belly-down on the tile.

I heard Snow distantly whining from across the room, but I could barely acknowledge it with the pain swarming inside me.

I could feel the bruise forming where he punched me... My scalp stung from his previous grip, and I found myself gasping, trying to regain my composure as the wound on my arm burned.

I... couldn't... breathe...

Jax chuckled from in front of me, clearly amused at my pained state.

"Oh... so pathetic," he repeated, as I gasped, vision clouding with tears. "You're Ace's weakness, you know. I was supposed to be his brother. We were a team of guys that would do anything because we were unstoppable."

I winced when he set his foot on the back of my neck, threatening to break my spine with a single stomp.

I closed my eyes, the pain inside burning me like acid.