Can’t Win Me Back by Ginger Sue novel Chapter 2016

"Lyse doesn't know you're meeting me, right?" Axel lowered his voice with ragged breathing.

"She's asleep." Jasper glanced at him deeply. Frowning, he questioned, "Axel, you look unwell. Are you feeling sick? I'll get my grandpa's physician to check on you."

Axel ushered Jasper into his room and shut the door. Letting out a sigh, he walked to the couch, where he gritted his teeth and took off his torn black shirt under the dim light.

Jasper's pupils dilated in shock. He gasped at the horrific wounds across Axel's muscular body, some with scabs and some still bleeding.

What shocked Jasper was the palm-sized burnt injury on Axel's back. Axel's honeyed skin turned a shade of red. Bloodied fluids oozed out of the burst blister.

"How did it get this bad?" Jasper's heart nearly stopped. He hurried over and helped Axel to take a seat.

"Jameson Schmidt sent assassins after me and Amber. Later, they set a fire around the villa to burn us alive." Axel clenched his jaw when he recalled the painful sensation of the burns.

As a hardy man, he rarely complained or groaned when injured. In fact, he nearly couldn't make it when he arrived at Alyssa's door, yet he kept his injuries to himself to avoid worrying her.

"Jameson Schmidt, you fucking maniac!' Gripped by anger, Jasper helped disinfect the wound.

With his back facing Jasper, Axel took a breath and chuckled. "Now, I'm really thankful that Lyse has always been into you, even when Jameson tried to woo her. Thank God she didn't fall for his lies, or her life would be ruined."

Jasper's fingers started to tremble as he choked on emotions.

"In some way, I have you to thank," said Jasper while secretly grimacing at the pain.

"It's truly an honor to be chosen by Lyse," Jasper confessed, his voice thick with emotion. "I've never felt like I've done much for her. She's always been the one looking out for herself, relying on her intelligence."

"Pfft. Looking out for herself?" Sweating from the pain, Axel grinned. "She's never looked out for herself in the sense of the word. Winston protected her when she was a kid. And us brothers, we've been there for her as adults. No one truly wants to be overly independent when they have people who care and love them."

While speaking, Axel thought of the gorgeous Amber who had fought alongside him. He could tell from her combat skills that she had been put through grueling training—her attacks more lethal than defensive.

Blinking back bitter tears, he silently pondered, "When did she capture my heart?" By the time he belatedly realized the depths of his feelings, she had already taken root in his heart.