Axel Kehoe watched with amusement as Julie inched her way down the back porch roof. She’d been sneaking out of the house that way since she’d been twelve or thirteen. She didn’t seem to realize that once she was over the age of majority, her parents couldn’t stop her from leaving the house when she wanted to. Even in the dim light from the streetlamp, Axel could see that Julie was a good 50 pounds lighter than when she left town. He’d heard rumors of what she’d been through and it worried him. He should have never dragged her into that job and he had regretted it ever sense.

Axel was a big man in his late twenties. Second in command to Eduardo Calzone, he knew that he must look bigger, harder, and badder than any of the other gang members if he didn’t want to be challenged on a weekly basis. So he had trained, and continued to train. His hard work paid off; Axel was known as the baddest of the bad in three states. Now he used his training to follow Julie as silently and lethally as a big cat. Not many would be able to see him in the shadows, and those who did would know to stay away.

When Julie headed for the marina, Axel had known where she was going. He cut ahead of her, trotting down the town roads instead of following her along the river. When Julie found the porch window open it was because Axel had opened it for her. When she curled into the deck chair on the roof of the boathouse, he was watching her from the shadows.

He was still watching when the sun rose high enough to rest on her face and she opened her eyes. She did not look surprised to see him but she gathered the blanket tighter around her and her mouth thinned into a grim line. When Axel came to sit on the foot of her lounge chair, she tucked her feet under, pulling her legs further away from him.

“Axel,” she said. He could hear the pain in her voice.

“Julie,” he said. “You’re back.” The pain in her voice stabbed at his heart. She had been his girl, his one love and he had failed her. He had not been able to protect her from himself.

“It’s hard to find a job when you don’t have any skills,” she said, and he could hear pain and anger in her voice now too. “People in the city, they aren’t what they seem.”

“Julie!” he started but he didn’t know what to say, there was nothing to say. He longed to take her in his arms, to hold her and stroke her hair and tell her how very sorry he was.

“Axel,” she said, “what are you doing here?”

“I’m trying to keep you safe,” he said. “Someone from the city followed you.”

“I should’ve known they wouldn’t let me go that easily,” she said. She dropped her head and Axel had to stop himself from reaching out to her. “I don’t know what to do,” she despaired. “I can’t stay here forever. If you found me they could find me too.”

“I have an advantage,” he said. “I know where you live.”

“They’ll be wondering where I am now. Thinking they’ve lost me forever.”

“Come with me. I’ll take you somewhere safe and then I’ll go tell your parents what happened.” He stood up and reached out his hand. She hesitated. He was about to lament; he thought he’d never earn her trust again. She suddenly reached out and took his hand. He pulled her gently to her feet and led her down to the dock.

When they reached the road, Axel pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed a gang wannabe. Then he slid off his hoody and draped it over her shoulders, with the hood drooping low over her face.

“I can’t see where I’m going,” she said. “I’ll fall.”

“I’ll make sure you don’t fall,” he said. “I don’t want anyone to see your face. If they don’t know it’s you, then it’s less likely they’ll rat us out.”

“Why only less likely?” she asked, her eyebrows drawn together as she looked out from under the heavy hood.

“They aren’t stupid,” Axel said. “They’ll see me and make the association. But at least they won’t know for sure.”

It was less than 15 minutes later that black sedan slowed to a stop in front of them. Axel helped Julie into the back and slid into the front passenger seat, directing the driver back to the alley where his truck was parked behind a dumpster.

They switched vehicles, Axel scanning the alley for watchers. He asked Julie to stay low in the seat, waved his grunt away and waited until the sedan was out of sight before pulling away. He drove north along the outskirts of town and pulled onto the highway. Twenty minutes out of town, he pulled back off the highway and drove to the Come On Inn. It was run down and frequented by married men and their younger girlfriends, but it was also discrete. For an extra ten bucks no one would ever know you’d been there. Not even the cops.

He left Julie in the truck and went in the office to register – and pay the extra fee. They parked at the far end of the building and walked up the stairs to a room with a view of the parking lot. It was hot and smelled like damp towels, but Axel believed it was the safest place Julie could be.

Julie pulled off his hoody, and dropped it on the ugly brown and mauve print bed spread. It was worn and matched the bed itself, which had a sizable dip in the middle.

“Why here?” Julie asked. “You couldn’t take me to your apartment?” She sounded a little offended and it put Axel on the defensive.

“I live in the crib,” he explained. “Everyone would know you were there. Some idiot would talk.”

“Oh. Of course.” She picked up the remote and sat on the edge of the bed focusing on the TV.

“I gotta go now, Jules” he said, “but I’ll be back later. Lock the door behind me.”

She nodded and did as he said without saying another word. Axel stomped down the stairs arguing with himself. He’d shown Julie his apartment before she’d left town. She knew what it was like. He had private space, but it was in the middle of a building owned by his boss. The gang leader. The others who lived there knew too much about her. That she’d been forced into prostitution. They would never leave her alone. This was why he was going to have to get free of Eduardo. It wasn’t going to be easy.

He drove the twenty minutes back to town and parked under the building owned by Eduardo. He locked his truck and rode the elevator up to the eleventh floor. There was only one floor above the one he lived on and that floor was entirely made up of Eduardo’s apartment and offices. He even had a roof garden for entertaining clients. It was a class outfit.

Axel showered and dressed in a dark suit, slicking back his hair and slipping his feet into handmade shoes. He looked in the mirror and nodded. He looked good. He was sure that if he’d met Julie while wearing jeans she would have never looked twice at him. But he’d been working, wearing this suit and she’d fallen. Could he make her fall again?

He took the elevator up to the twelfth floor, stepped past the guards in the foyer and knocked at the large double doors. They were black and carved with flowers and swirls. Eduardo said they came from a building in Italy, but to Axel they looked oriental. A small man wearing an apron opened the door and ushered Axel into the living area, where Eduardo sat with a small blond woman. He took one look at Axel in his business suit and sent the woman away, patting her ass as she walked off.

“Sit down Axel,” Eduardo said waving his hand at a couch on the other side of the glass and chrome coffee table. “Have a drink.”

Axel sat but refused the drink. He would need his wits about him if he was going to get out of this all in one piece. He sat upright, his instincts on high alert. He was about to speak when Eduardo preempted him.

“How many years have you been my second, Axel? Is it fifteen years yet?” Eduardo asked.

“Twelve years. Before that I was an enforcer.” Axel didn’t like to think about those years. He’d been young when he’d be recruited as an enforcer, only 21 years old. At the time he thought it was an honor. He’d been stupid. Killing people was not an honor.

“In my experience,” Eduardo went on, “it’s at fifteen years when a second starts thinking about being first. Either taking out his boss, or opening a branch in another city. Are you starting early, Axel? Have you begun to think about taking my place?”

“No. I am loyal,” Axel said, and waited. He knew better than to protest his innocence. That would only make him look guilty to the older man.

“Then why are you here, Axel? We have no business. The town is quiet. I am here with my lovely lady, relaxing and in you come. You are dressed for war and you make me worry.” Eduardo frowned at him, showing his disappointment.

“I want to buy myself out, Eduardo. I know you have invested heavily in me. Training me. Teaching me the business. I am willing to offer you one hundred thousand dollars to release my contract.” It was a long shot, he knew, but he had to try.

Eduardo threw back his head and laughed. And laughed some more. He laughed until his eyes ran with tears and he had to blow his nose. And when he stopped laughing his face was dead serious. Axel wasn’t afraid, but he knew Eduardo wanted him to be.

“One hundred thousand dollars for my best man? You insult me, Axel. If a rival gang came here and offered me that deal, I would shoot him dead where he stood. I see that you undervalue yourself. You are modest and that is a positive trait. But let me make it very clear, no amount of money will buy your freedom from me. When I am too old to hold off the wolves you will step into my position, or you will die. Those are the only ways which you will leave my employ, do you understand me, Axel?” Eduardo’s voice was low and menacing.

Axel didn’t trust his voice to remain neutral in the face of his anger so he didn’t speak. He nodded once.

“Then get out. And don’t come back until I call you. I might change my mind and shoot you instead.” Eduardo’s voice was low and cold.

Axel did as he was asked.