I eyed up the lock on his shed, also keeping a look out for anyone passing by. It was risky, this was the first time I had been on this side of the hedge in broad daylight.

On a whim I pulled on the handle and the door appeared unlocked so I pushed it open, quickly stepping inside and closing the door behind me.

"What the fuck?" Axels voice exclaimed from behind me. I closed my eyes, soaking in the regret. Then slowly I turned to face him.

He was sat on a brown leather sofa in front of a television with a remote in his hand.

I blinked at the sight, it was strange because it looked so normal.

He stood up and walked over to his window, peering out and turning his head to the left and right, checking all directions of his street. Then he took my hand and pulled me into the middle of the room.

Although his living quarters were minimal they seemed like a palace compared to mine. He had a double bed against the far back wall, it was dressed in a powder blue, buffalo check duvet and had a pine frame. He had three kitchen units to the left which contained a sink, microwave and a coffee machine as well as a small fridge freezer. Then there was a three seater sofa positioned in front of a vintage box tv.

"You were in the cafeteria." I pointed out weakly.

His eyebrows soared and anger illuminated his face.

"I haven't been in the cafeteria for half an hour. But clearly you wanted my place empty so what the fuck are you doing here Harper?"

He folded his arms across his strong chest and narrowed his eyes at me. I looked down, casting my eyes on his boots and straightened my posture out.

"Apologies Lieutenant Sir. I made a mistake." I said with confidence, exactly how he likes it.

"This is one hell of a mistake."

Shit.

"Permission to speak Lieutenant?"

He laughed.

The sound of his amusement spread around the wooden walls of his living space. They traveled through my body, wrapping around me like a hug and gave a diligent squeeze.

Then he remembered himself and stopped laughing, reining back in all of his professionalism.

I kept my eyes down and my posture as straight as a soldier. I'm going to get into so much trouble for this, there's only so many times I can avoid being sent away. I was gone this time, for sure.

"Why are you being weird?" He asked, I lifted my gaze up to look at him. His eyes looked the exact colour of the perfect snack with hues of caramel and cocoa, I wondered if he was just as sweet underneath the resistant front that he wears.

"Isn't that how you like to be addressed?" I questioned with a confused tone.

"No." He said sharply. "Yes." He counteracted. "Since when have you ever stuck to the rules?" He finally landed on.

"I promised you that I would because you didn't rat me out to your precious commander." I muttered blankly.

He looked around his living space slowly, with amusement twinkling in his expression.

"And how are you keeping that promise so far?" He asked, a hint of a hidden smile on his lips.

I cast my eyes down again, feeling a little more than guilty for breaking my promise to him. Since I vowed to be the model soldier I have taken his car out for a joy ride, stolen his diamond ring and broke into his private living space.

I felt his strong fingers clasp gently on my chin and he slowly pushed my face up to look at him.

Butterflies erupted within, and my lips parted slightly. That feeling was new.

"What are you doing here Harper?" He asked, his serious voice burying into my skull.

I closed my eyes slowly, took a deep breath and then reopened them. Tucking my hand down my T-shirt and grabbing hold of the ring. Then I held my arm out, seeing the diamonds twinkle on my palm.

Axel looked at my hand and stumbled back a few steps. Then he blinked and blinked some more, as if he was trying to absorb what his eyes were telling him.

"I didn't mean to take it, I tried it on and then just forgot to take it off. It was only this morning—"

"Silence!" He roared making my whole body jolt with fear.

Any trace of his rare niceness from a moment ago had melted away. The strong, sharp Lieutenant voice was back.

He turned to face away from me, pacing a few steps with his hands on his head. He was mad, really mad.

"Have you got a personal vendetta against me?" He asked, turning back to face me, his thick brow falling downwards. He looked furious, if not a little hurt.

"What? No." I defended.

"It's because I treat you differently, isn't it?" He ran his fingers though his short hair and paced the room again.

"You do?" I muttered quietly.

"You take advantage of that." He added and my brows furrowed. "I'm so stupid." He whispered under his breath, purely for the benefit of himself.

He stopped pacing and grabbed the ring aggressively out of my hand. He straightened himself out and took a deep, steadying breath.

"Straighten your posture Williams, eyes down."

He called out, letting thick gusts of air hit my face from the impact of his words.

I did as he asked.

He glanced down my body. "Tuck in your shirt." He demanded.

"Sir, yes sir." I replied, tucking my T-shirt in at my waist.

He viewed me like he was utterly repulsed by me, after all to him, I was just a disgusting criminal.

"You stole my car, who helped you?" His words fell out through gritted teeth.

"Nobody." I answered quickly. "I did it alone, Lieutenant Sir." I remembered my manners.

"Thompson didn't play a part in this?" He asked with severe hatred. I could tell by his voice that he already knew Nate was involved. I would just never admit it.

"No Lieutenant, it was just me I swear." I blurted out.

"I need you gone." He said coldly.

"Okay, I can leave." I turned towards the door actually thankful that he was letting me escape his wrath.

"No." He stopped me. "I need you gone." He repeated, this time with a more serious tone and I knew he meant he needed me to leave the bootcamp.

"You're going to tell the commander?" I asked quietly, meeting his eye contact. His eyes appeared full of sorrow and regret.

"Do you leave me much choice Harper? You suck at doing drills, you always look at me, you answer back." A couple of frown lines appeared in my forehead. I felt like rolling my eyes at his scolding but by some miracle I refrained, casting my eyes downwards. "When I punish you I feel guilty, I don't know why but I do." My head darted up immediately and my eyebrows raised.

"You left the bootcamp, convincing seven other girls to go with you. Yet I couldn't help but cover for you. You disrespect me on the field continuously, but I overlook it. You fucking jumped in my shower, do you know how off limits that is? Do you know what I would lose if the commander found out?" My mouth fell open and very slowly I shook my head.

"Fuck! I almost gave up everything I had been working so hard to suppress. You know the level of control, the years of training it's taken for my body to not be affected by that shit? Jesus! Then you come along in one moment I almost break it all. I nearly lost control." I blinked at him, not fully understanding what he was talking about but my hunch was that it had something to do with his vow.

"I cover for you again, stupidly and how do you repay me? By stealing my car and taking my ring. Jesus, if you were anyone else you would've been long gone by now and never thought of again."

"Axel, I'm sorry." I reached out for his arm but he pulled away.

"I'm giving you forty eight hours to say your goodbyes while I make the arrangements, speak to the judge. I'm sorry Harper, I have to remain the professional here and it would seem I can't do that around you. You can't be a diamond among the rocks."

"I understand." I said sadly. I turned for the door again, stopping with my fingers clasped around the handle. "She's lucky, your fiancé." I told him nodding towards the ring in his hand. His brows arched and he glanced at the ring.

"It's not —" he paused, not sure he wanted to commit to telling me whatever was on his mind. "It was my moms ring, she died when I was young."

"Oh, I'm sorry." I muttered sincerely before exiting his living space.