Can’t Win Me Back by Ginger Sue

"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, swith scabs and sstill 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.

to burn us

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

you fucking maniac!' Gripped by anger, Jasper

breath and chuckled. "Now, I'm really thankful that Lyse has always been into you, even when Jameson tried to woo

sway, I have you to thank," said Jasper while

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

he silently pondered, "When did she capture my heart?" By the the belatedly realized the depths of his feelings, she