CHAPTER 121: SOMEONE TOOK HIM

~LAYLA~

"That’s not the issue right now," I said, my voice shaking despite my attempt to sound steady. "The issue is where the fuck is he now?"

Tye’s voice crackled through the speaker. "I’ve got people searching the area around that rest stop. If he’s there, we’ll find him."

"And if he’s not?" I asked.

"Then we assume the worst and prepare accordingly." Tye’s tone was matter-of-fact. "Watch your backs. Both of you."

The call ended, leaving us in heavy silence.

Axel set his phone down carefully. "Let’s get some rest. You take the bed, I’ll take the floor."

"Seriously? Axel, don’t be ridiculous. We’re adults. Just stay on your side."

He hesitated, clearly weighing his options, then nodded. "Alright."

He slipped under the covers fully clothed, not even bothering to remove his shirt. The mattress dipped under his weight, and I turned away, staring at the wall, my mind replaying Daniel’s frantic call over and over.

Sleep came in fits, broken by the rustle of sheets and the uncomfortable awareness of Axel’s body just inches from mine. The warmth radiating from him was both comforting and maddening.

Once, in a dream-like state, I felt his arm lightly touch my back. I told myself it was just by chance, but my heart raced as memories of that night we never had rushed back to me, uninvited.

—

Morning light filtered through the curtains, pulling me awake. I blinked groggily, disoriented for a moment before remembering where I was. The space beside me was empty, and the sheets had already cooled.

Axel was already up, moving quietly around the tiny kitchenette. The smell of coffee filled the cabin.

"Morning," he said, handing me a mug.

His eyes lingered a second too long, and I felt that pull again... the one I’d been fighting since our fake marriage started turning real in ways neither of us expected.

"Thanks." I accepted the coffee, wrapping both hands around the warm ceramic.

"We need to act normal today," he said, leaning against the counter. "The trust hike starts in an hour. Blindfolds, guiding each other through the woods, I don’t know if it’s Ellen’s or Vance’s idea of bonding, but well..."

I took a sip of my coffee, which tasted just as bitter as my thoughts. "Great. Pretend we’re the perfect couple while Daniel’s out there, possibly dead in a ditch somewhere."

"Layla..."

"I know. We have no choice. I get it."

He nodded, pulling out his phone. "Tye texted overnight. Still no updates on Daniel’s location. His team swept the rest stop area, there’s still nothing."

"So he just vanished into thin air?"

"Looks that way."

We dressed quickly, me in hiking gear that felt too casual for the storm raging inside me, Axel in dark jeans and a fitted shirt that hugged his frame in ways I was trying very hard not to notice.

At the trailhead, Ellen Vance welcomed our group with a big smile and so much excitement that it was hard not to feel a little energized too.

"Good morning, everyone! Today’s exercise is all about trust and vulnerability. You’ll pair off, one person blindfolded, the other guides them through the trail. Halfway through, you’ll switch. No peeking!"

She handed out blindfolds, that familiar sparkle in her eyes. "This is about communication, about relying on your partner completely. Have fun with it!"

Axel took our blindfold, and gently placed it over my eyes, his fingers soft as he tied it in place. "Ready?" he murmured, close enough that his breath warmed my ear.

I nodded, unable to form words as I battled the butterfly fluttering in my stomach. My heart was already thudding too fast.

He took my hand, holding it firmly and warmly. "I’ve got you. Just trust me."

As we began to move, everything around me felt a bit dizzying. The ground was uneven, with hidden roots and rocks that I couldn’t see, but I could definitely feel them. It seemed like each step I took could trip me up at any moment.

"Step up here," Axel’s low voice sounded reassuring. "There’s a root. Easy, I’ve got you."

His hand on my elbow guided me forward, his thumb occasionally rubbing small circles that I wasn’t sure were deliberate or unconscious.

"Left a bit. Good. Now, straight ahead for about ten steps."

I followed his instructions, hyper-aware of every touch, every point of contact between us. The blindfold had slipped slightly, not enough to see clearly but enough to catch blurred glimpses of his silhouette beside me.

I didn’t fix it. Somehow, that vague outline grounded me.

The atmosphere around us felt intense, almost electric. Every little touch felt magnified: his hand resting on my elbow, his thumb brushing against my skin, and the times our bodies accidentally brushed together when the path got narrow.

Part of me wanted to lean into it, to let myself fall into whatever this was becoming. But the reminder of our contract, our fake vows, the memory of his rejection... it all held me back.

"You’re doing great," he said softly. "Just a bit further."

"Switch!" Ellen’s voice called from somewhere ahead on the trail.

Now it was my turn. I removed my blindfold and tied it carefully over Axel’s eyes, my fingers lingering perhaps a moment too long on his temples.

"Ready?" I asked, echoing his earlier question.

"Always."

I took his hand and started leading him down the path. He trusted me completely, walking confidently even though he couldn’t see. It stirred up a lot of feelings in me: anger, desire, and fear, because this was all starting to feel very real.

"You’re good at this," he teased. "Very bossy. I like it."

I almost laughed, almost forgot the walls we’d built between us. "Just following instructions. Now watch out, there’s a dip here."

We stopped at a clearing where Ellen had set up a small rest area with water and snacks. I removed Axel’s blindfold, and his eyes immediately found mine—too intense, too open, as if he could see right through me.

He stepped closer, and suddenly the space between us felt impossibly small. His hand came up, brushing my cheek, his lips parting like he might say something that would change everything.

My breath hitched, caught between the urge to pull away and the overwhelming desire to pull him closer.

"Layla," he whispered, his thumb tracing my jawline.

"Axel, don’t..."

"Alright, everyone!" Ellen’s voice broke through the moment like shattering glass. "Let’s head back to the lodge for lunch!"

But Axel’s gaze didn’t waver, and neither did the unspoken question in it. The one I wasn’t ready to answer.

—

Back at the lodge, lunch was a blur of small talk and forced smiles. I pushed food around my plate, barely tasting anything.

Vance approached our table, beaming. "You two absolutely nailed it out there. Real connection. I could see it from a mile away."

"Thank you, Richard," Axel said smoothly, his arm sliding around my waist in that practiced gesture that was starting to feel less practiced and more natural. "It was a great exercise."

But even as he smiled, I felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He checked it discreetly, and I watched his face pale.

"Excuse me," he said, standing abruptly. "Bathroom."

I followed moments later, catching him in the hallway outside the restrooms.

"What is it?" I demanded. "What did Tye say?"

His expression was grim. "They found Daniel’s car. Abandoned a few minutes from the stop."

"And?"

"There was blood on the steering wheel."

The world tilted beneath my feet. "How much blood?"

"Enough to be concerning. Not enough to be fatal." He grabbed my shoulders, steadying me. "He could still be alive, Layla. But someone definitely took him."