Page 59 of Axe Marks the Spot

Lindsey

No, why?

Me

You will not have your morning coffee until your calendar is sent to your brother. Is that understood?

There’s silence, and I know I’ve chosen the right consequence for her. Eventually, an answer comes through.

Lindsey

I’ll do it now.

Me

I’m here to make your life easier. To take care of you when you can’t take care of yourself. This is me doing that.

Lindsey

Thank you, Sir.

A few minutes later, a screenshot of the email to Nathan with a time stamp is sent through, and not long after, she sends me a picture of her drinking a cup of coffee. There’s a demure smile on her face and a light in her eyes that wasn’t there yesterday. She does look tired, but she looks happy.

Satisfaction pools in my chest at her obedience, and if she were here in front of me, I would have rewarded her with a kiss that made her knees weak.

Me

That’s my good girl.

I typed and sent the message as if it were a knee-jerk reaction. My heart stops beating, and I know I’ve fucked up again. “Good girl” is one thing—“that’s my good girl” is another.

Lindsey responds a moment later with a smiley face emoji, the one that’s blushing. I turn my head to the ceiling and let out a groan of frustration. My dick is threatening to tent my fucking pants, and the urge to run it out overtakes me as quickly as my urge to say inappropriate things to Lindsey.

I stand, making my way through my cabin and entering my room. I remove my pajama pants and throw on a pair of running shorts, a T-shirt, and socks. A couple of minutes later, I’ve sucked down electrolytes and put my running shoes on. I swing open my door and inhale the mountain air, my body feeling better as I fill my lungs with the scent of summer.

My feet pound on the ground, and I get lost in the rhythm of it.

My heart beats loud, and my breath comes hard. My lungs burn, and I keep running. I pass tree after tree as my eyes track the ground for rocks and fallen branches. The ground is rich, and there’s green grass, various plants, and earthy soil on the forest floor. Before I can stop it, the beautiful brown color of Lindsey’s eyes invades my mind, and I almost trip.

I come to the fork in the path ahead of me, and instead of taking the one I know will lead me home, I take the one that will lead me to the only person I know I can talk to: Fox.

20

Dane

“YOU’RE LUCKY I DIDN’T have a shotgun on me. I thought you were a rabid animal given the way you came huffing out of the woods.”

Fox walks through the door of his cabin, handing me a mug with ice water in it. The cup reads “World’s Biggest Grump” on the side. I ignore his friendly barb and take the drink, staring at the silly inscription.

“You drink out of this?” I ask.

“It was a present from Nathan on my last birthday, so yes.”

“You’ve gone soft,” I tease him.

Fox raises a thick blond eyebrow at me as we both take a seat next to each other on the top step leading to his front door. “You think I didn’t punish him for it first?”

I chuckle and sip the ice water, the gentle breeze and the water easing my overheated body. I ran harder and longer than I thought I did. My muscles are going to kill me later. “I imagine you did and that he couldn’t sit for a week.”