“Yeah,” Kyle confirmed. “Why?”
“Just making sure I’m not crazy.”
“If you’re not, you will be by the time we get done with this forced family time,” Kyle hissed.
They entered the living room, finding Grant setting up a board game. Alex screwed up his face as he stared down at the board for Clue. “What is this?”
“Clue, duh,” Sierra answered.
“This is hardly appropriate after–” Kyle began.
Sierra poked a manicured finger at Kyle. “Sit down, Professor Plum, no one asked you.”
Alex swallowed hard, sinking in front of the spot for Mr. Green. “Looks fun.”
“Thank you, Alex,” Sierra said with a grin.
They started their game play, and Alex shifted in his seat as time passed. Accusations were made, clues were gathered, though he only half-heartedly played. His gaze fell on the clock over and over, watching the time.
He tried to sneak away to check his phone by offering to gather snacks, but Julia waved him down, ruining his escape plan.
He sank onto the cushion with a heavy sigh.
Finally, after the fourth round of play, he excused himself for the night. “Well, it’s been…a real blast. And took my mind off of everything for just a little while. I can’t thank you enough, Sierra, but I think I need some rest. I’m beat.”
“Aww, of course, Alex. We understand. Thanks for joining us,” Julia answered.
“I’ll head up with you. I just want to get a few vitals, assess if you need a sleeping aid,” Kyle offered.
“Great,” Alex said with a tight-lipped smile.
They left the living room behind, and Alex dug his phone from his pocket as they climbed the stairs.
“Did Ava text?” Kyle asked.
“I’m checking now. That was torture.”
“I told you,” Kyle answered.
Alex checked his phone, his heart hammering harder as he spotted a message from Ava.Hey, Ace, can you call me?
“Oh, no. She asked me to call her.” His fingers trembled as he typed back quickly that he was calling her now before he pressed the call icon.
He shut the door to his bedroom behind them both as the line trilled.
Ava picked up a second later, her voice taut with urgency. “Alex… get Doc to the Beach Comber, right now. Sebastian’s been shot. He’s losing a lot of blood.”
The words hit Alex like a physical blow. For a moment, he felt paralyzed, a wave of panic rising in his chest. He forced himself to breathe, to think. There was no time for second-guessing or doubts. If Sebastian died, they would lose their only insider to The Board’s secrets. He glanced at Kyle, who looked equally stunned, and realized they needed to act fast.
Alex’s heart hammered against his ribs at the news. For a split second, his mind went blank, overwhelmed by the sudden urgency. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to steady himself. Panic wouldn’t help them now. He needed to stay calm, focused. His eyes snapped open, locking with Kyle's. They had to get out of the house without raising suspicion, and they had to do it quickly. 'We need to find a way to slip out unnoticed,' he muttered, the weight of their predicament pressing down on him. The clock was ticking, and every second counted.
CHAPTER 20
AVA
Ava ended the call and refocused her flashlight beam on Sebastian’s wound before she glanced around in search of anything she could use to staunch the blood. With nothing in sight, she shimmied out of her hoodie and pressed it against his abdomen, eliciting a pained groan from the man.
She glanced at his face, assessing if he’d woken or remained unconscious. “Sebastian?”
