The noise in the club died down. Everyone stared at the man walking out of the shadows.

Axel Carrillo wore a black suit that cost more than Adelynn's life. His face was a mask of cold stone. He walked with the absolute authority of a man who owned everything he looked at.

Adelynn sat on the wet floor. She looked up at his expensive leather shoes. She looked up at his face.

She stopped breathing.

His eyes were dark, empty, and arrogant. It was the exact same look Festus Callahan gave her when he locked her in the basement.

Adelynn's heart hammered against her ribs. Her lungs refused to take in air. Cold sweat soaked the back of her velvet dress. She rubbed her thumb over her knuckles frantically.

Axel stopped in front of her. He looked down. A muscle in his jaw twitched, but his eyes remained dead.

He didn't offer his hand.

"Dead?" His voice was deep and cut through the silence like a knife.

The mockery in his tone snapped Adelynn out of her panic. The fear turned into burning anger.

She clenched her teeth. "Sorry to disappoint you. I'm still breathing."

Axel's lips twitched. He finally bent at the waist and held out his large, clean hand.

Adelynn stared at his palm. It looked like a trap. She pulled her body backward, pressing her hands against the wet floor.

She yanked her foot hard. The heel of her shoe snapped off in the floor tile. She ignored it. She pushed herself up, standing unevenly on one heel and one bare foot.

Axel's hand stayed in the air. His eyes darkened. The temperature around them dropped.

He slowly pulled his hand back and shoved it into his pocket. He tapped his index finger against his thigh through the fabric.

Jax pushed his way through the crowd. He was sweating.

Jax pointed a shaking finger at the bouncers holding Ray. "Get him out of my sight. And you two are fired." Then he turned to Axel, bowing slightly. "Mr. Carrillo, my deepest apologies for this disruption. Please, allow me to handle this properly."

Adelynn didn't care what Jax said. She just wanted to get away from Axel. His presence was crushing her chest.

She kept her head down. She turned and started limping toward the front door.

Axel stepped to the side. His massive body blocked her path. He was a solid wall of muscle and expensive wool.

Adelynn almost crashed into his chest. She stumbled back. She glared up at him.

Axel leaned down. His face was inches from hers.

"You crash my club, and you think you can just walk away?" His voice was a low whisper meant only for her.

Adelynn's eyes widened. "This is Jax's club."

"Adelynn!"

Beatrice pushed through the crowd. She grabbed Adelynn's bare arm. Beatrice looked at Axel and smiled a fake, terrified smile.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Carrillo. My friend had too much to drink."

Adelynn tried to pull her arm away. "I am going home."

Beatrice dug her nails into Adelynn's skin. She leaned in close. "Do not piss him off. He will ruin us."

Axel watched them struggle. He looked at Jax.

"Take everyone who was disturbed by this mess up to my private room. Now."

Adelynn froze. He wasn't offering them a drink. He was trapping her.

Beatrice dragged Adelynn up the stairs and into the massive VIP room at the end of the hall.

The heavy door clicked shut. The loud bass from downstairs disappeared completely. The silence made Adelynn's ears ring.

The room smelled like cedarwood and expensive cigars. Axel's scent.

Axel walked to the single leather chair in the center of the room. He sat down. He crossed his long legs. He watched everyone else.

Jax, Beatrice, Kindra, and Gilbert sat on the long couches. They moved carefully, afraid to make a sound.

Adelynn walked to the darkest corner of the room. She sat on the edge of a small sofa, as far away from Axel as possible.

Waiters walked in. They placed silver trays on the marble tables. Black truffle caviar. Slices of raw Wagyu beef. Bottles of wine that cost thousands of dollars.

Adelynn stared at the beef. Her empty stomach contracted violently.

A loud, hollow growl echoed from her stomach.

In the dead silence of the room, the sound was deafening. Everyone stopped moving. They all turned to look at Adelynn.

Beatrice's face turned bright red. She glared at Adelynn.

Adelynn felt the heat rise in her cheeks, but she refused to look away. She was terrified of Axel. She was surrounded by people she hated. But she was starving.

She grabbed a silver fork. She stabbed a large piece of Wagyu beef and shoved it into her mouth. She chewed aggressively.

Jax curled his lip in disgust. Beatrice looked away. They started whispering to each other. Kindra sat frozen on the couch, her eyes darting between Adelynn and Axel, her face pale with fear for her friend. She clutched her tiny purse, clearly wanting to say something but too terrified to speak.

Axel sat in his chair. He held a glass of red wine. His dark eyes were fixed on Adelynn. He watched her cheeks puff out as she chewed. He tapped his index finger against the crystal glass. A tiny, almost invisible smile touched the corner of his mouth.

Beatrice cleared her throat. She looked at Jax, then spoke loudly.

"Adelynn, I was thinking. You should move in with me."

Kindra looked confused. "I thought you hated Brooklyn."

Beatrice smiled and touched Jax's arm. "Jax's apartment is so big. I get lonely. I need a friend there."

Adelynn swallowed the meat. She looked at Beatrice.

She knew exactly what Beatrice was doing. Beatrice wanted to live in Jax's mansion, but she needed an excuse. She wanted Adelynn to be her free maid and her shield.

Adelynn wiped her mouth with a napkin. Her voice was ice cold.

"I have zero interest in being your free cleaner or your excuse to sleep in a rich man's bed."

Beatrice's smile vanished. Her face turned white, then red.

Jax slammed his hand on the table. "You ungrateful bitch. You belong in the slums."

Gilbert frowned. He opened his mouth to speak.

Axel slammed his wine glass down on the marble table. The sharp crack of crystal hitting stone echoed like a gunshot.

Everyone froze.

Axel didn't look at Jax. He kept his eyes on Adelynn.

"Too loud." His voice was flat, but it carried a heavy threat.

Jax snapped his mouth shut. He looked terrified. He thought Axel was annoyed by Adelynn.

Adelynn looked at her half-empty plate. The air in the room was suffocating. She needed to leave right now.

Adelynn placed her fork down. She stood up. She kept her face completely blank.

"I need to use the restroom."

No one said a word. Beatrice wouldn't look at her. Jax was staring at the floor.

Only Axel watched her. His dark eyes followed her as she walked to the heavy door.

Axel watched the door close behind her. He gave a slight nod to Silas. "Don't let her leave the building," he murmured, his voice barely audible over the silence of the room.

Adelynn stepped out into the hallway. The door closed behind her. She let out a shaky breath. Her chest hurt from holding it in.

She bent down and pulled off her remaining high heel. She held one-side shoe in her left hand.

She pressed her bare feet into the thick carpet. She turned away from the restrooms and walked toward where she thought the stairs were.

The second floor was a maze. The walls were black. The doors were black. The only light came from dim blue bulbs near the floor.

She turned a corner. It was a dead end. She turned back. Her heart started to beat faster.

A door ten feet ahead of her burst open. It slammed against the wall.

Adelynn jumped back. She pressed her body into a dark alcove in the wall. She held her breath.

A girl stumbled out of the room. She wore the club's uniform. Carla.

Carla's shirt was ripped open down the middle. Her bra was exposed. Her hair was a mess. Tears streamed down her face. She covered her mouth with both hands, trying to stop her own sobbing.

A fat man with a red face leaned out of the doorway. He held a stack of cash.

"If you go to the cops, I'll make sure you never work in this city again, you stupid whore."

He threw the money. The bills hit Carla in the face and scattered across the floor.

The man slammed the door shut.

Carla slid down the wall and sat on the floor, crying into her knees.

Adelynn pressed her hand over her own mouth. Her stomach heaved. The Wagyu beef threatened to come back up.

The smell of the hallway, the sight of the crying girl, the arrogant voice of the man-it all ripped open the scars in her brain. This was the Callahan estate. The closed doors. The destroyed lives. The money used to cover up the rot.

She wanted to run to the girl. She wanted to help her.

But her survival instinct screamed at her. She had twelve dollars. She was hiding from billionaires. If she made a sound, she would be destroyed.

Adelynn closed her eyes. A tear slipped down her cheek. She turned her head away.

She crept along the wall, moving away from the crying girl.

She felt a cold draft of air. She followed it. She turned another corner and saw a glowing green EXIT sign above a metal door.

Relief washed over her. She walked faster. She reached out her hand to push the heavy metal bar.

A thick arm shot out from the dark corner next to the door.

A rough hand clamped over her mouth and nose. The smell of cheap tobacco filled her lungs.

Adelynn's eyes widened in pure terror. A massive force yanked her backward into the pitch-black corner.