“Someone saw a blond flee the scene just before the place was fully engulfed.”
“Blonds make up thirty-seven percent of Vitality’s population,” he pointed out, motioning between them. “You’ll need more than that if you want to accuse me.”
“Stop it,” Aneski told Bowser. “Flix wouldn’t do something like that. Not to—” He caught himself and swallowed before finishing a bit more softly, “Not to Russ.”
Flix took a step back, and when all eyes turned to him, he focused only on Ani. “I’m going to go.”
“What? No!” He grabbed his sleeve and held strong. “Stay. Please. I don’t want to be alone.”
“You aren’t alone.” He motioned toward Bowser and down the hall. “There are a lot of people here to support you.”
“I need you, be’tessi.”
“You don’t.” Flix removed his hand but held it a moment longer than he should, memorizing the feel of Ani’s palm against his. With any luck, this wouldn’t be the last time he got to do this, but…There was no telling how the future would go. Whether or not Aneski would be able to forgive him once he knew the truth. “You’ll get through this, Ani. You’re stronger than you think.”
“No, I—”
Bowser pulled Aneski away from Flix, cutting him off in the process.
Flix took a step toward them on instinct, catching himself at the last second. His hands were balled into fists, and all he could picture was bashing the other guy’s skull against the wall or, better yet, electrocuting him, but he couldn’t do either of those things.
He couldn’t do anything at all.
It took all his willpower, but he made his body ease, dropping into a relaxed stance that most certainly wasn’tappropriate for a funeral. He smiled at Aneski. “I’ll see you around, Tiny Terror.”
“Flix, wait!”
Bowser must have stopped Ani from coming after him because Flix could hear the sounds of their struggles as he stepped out into the pouring rain and dropped down the steps, taking his time with it as though he didn’t have a care in the world.
As if he hadn’t just torn his heart out and given up on the one thing in his entire life he’d actually ever wanted for himself.
All because he was a man of his word.
For Ani’s sake, Russ better be as well.
* * *
Ice cold water slapped across his naked body and Flix sputtered awake, mind scrambling to tear through the dream-memory and piece together what was currently going on.
He’d been on his way to follow out one of Baikal Void’s orders. The Dominus—or leader of the Brumal Mafia—had sent him to do…some errand, he couldn’t recall. Nothing special. Nothing that should have resulted in him here, wet and restrained.
Flix tugged at his wrists and ankles, grinding his teeth when he realized he was held tightly to the wall at his back with metal cuffs. There was also one around his neck, restricting how much he could turn his head. Not that it mattered since he was also wearing a thick blindfold that didn’t even allow in a bit of light.
How long had he been out?
What time was it now?
The only thing he knew for sure was he wasn’t alone—someone had to have doused him in water—but there was no one bold enough to kidnap a Brumal member that came to mind.
“I have questions,” a modulated voice said then. Whoever was using the device wasn’t even trying to hide the fact that they were. It was of low enough quality that it cracked at the end.
So, his kidnapper didn’t have money.
That ruled out a good chunk of possible enemies.
Flix swallowed, his throat dry, no doubt from whatever drug they’d rigged his car to fill up with. He vaguely remembered turning the vehicle on and then all of the doors locking on him. Smoke had poured through the vents, the sweet smell unmistakable. He’d gone for his dashboard, where he typically kept a gas mask, but it’d been missing. A moment later, Flix had passed out.
And now he was here.
