Jayvaughn's world froze the instant he saw Axel collapse. The echo of the gunshot was still ringing in his ears when his heart seemed to shatter. His throat burned as he screamed, "Axel!" He sprinted forward like a man possessed, and before Axel's body could hit the cold ground, Jayvaughn caught him in his arms.
"Baby, baby, please no—no, no, no, please!" His voice broke with anguish, every word dragging from his chest as if his soul was tearing apart. He pulled Axel close, trembling, not caring about the blood that stained his hands and clothes.
Axel hadn't imagined he would end the day like this. These men weren't strong enough to take him down—at least, they shouldn't have been. But because of his carelessness, because he had turned his back at the wrong time, here he was with a bullet lodged in his chest. He couldn't even tell whether he would survive it. As he looked at Jayvaughn's tear-filled eyes, guilt tore through him harder than the pain of the wound.
