Page 201 of Broken Trust

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Axle wipes blood from his lip. “Go ahead. Get it out of your system,” he says quietly.

“Fuck you,” Cabe spits.

The next hit isn’t to his face; instead, Cabe drives a fist directly into Axle’s injured ribs.

A sharp grunt escapes him as his body folds instinctively around the pain.

“Oh my God!” I thrash against Royce. “Stop it.”

Axle sucks in a ragged breath.

Cabe grabs him by the front of his shirt and drives his knee straight into Axle’s side.

Same side. Same ribs.

This time, Axle drops to one knee, and real fear slices through me.

The fracture.

“Royce, let me go,” I demand.

Axle wheezes as his hand goes to his ribs.

My stomach drops.

I start screaming and thrashing.

Suddenly, the barn bursts into motion. Boots pound on the concrete. Voices shout. Bryce steps through the doorway first, with Micah and Waylon right behind him. Charli and Shelby follow close behind.

“What the hell is going on?” Bryce sees Cabe, Axle doubled over, and me fighting Royce, and wraps both arms around Cabe’s chest. “Enough!”

Cabe struggles, but Bryce manages to drag him backward.

Axle remains bent over. I stomp my boot heel onto Royce’s foot as hard as I can.

“Son of a—”

He lets go, and I take off running straight to Axle.

I grab his face.

A welt is already forming along his cheekbone.

“Are you okay? Can you breathe?” I ask as I bring my fingers to his neck and start counting his pulse.

His hand presses against his right side. “I’m okay, Doc.”

“No, you’re not.”

Then I spin toward Cabe.

The sight of him still trying to get free snaps something inside me.

I march across the barn.

Bryce still has him locked down, and I shove both fists into his chest as hard as I can. Neither man moves an inch, but I don’t care.

“What is wrong with you?”

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