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I press my hand to his chest, looking him dead in the eyes. I don’t have time for pep talks, but he needs to hear this. “If anything happens to me in there…” I swallow, not wanting to speak the words out loud. “I need you to find Camila. I need you to make sure she is safe.”

He searches my eyes, sadness filling them. “And what about me? What happens to me if you die in there? I can’t lose you. You almost fucking died a few weeks ago, Xander. I can’t do that again.”

“My head wasn’t there back then… I’m here now. I know what I’m doing. Trust me.”

He slumps backwards against the seat.

A lump forms in my throat, and I grab the back of his neck, bringing our foreheads together. “I love you.” That’s the first time I’ve ever said that to him. But it feels like this time, he needs to know it.

And with that, I exit the car. I can’t waste any more time. As I cross the street, empty except for the glow of the streetlamps, I fix the silencer on the end of the gun.

I kick open the back door to the club to two unfamiliar guards dressed in all black. I don’t hesitate to put a bullet through both of their heads.

They're here.

White-hot rage clouds my vision as I frantically search every single room, only to find the entire fucking club is empty.

My stomach bottoms out. I feel like being sick as I call Jacques. He picks up swiftly.

“It’s fucking empty,” I say, throat tightening.

Where the fuck is Camila?

“I’m gonna attempt to call Robert to see what's happening with Ezra and Dan. Stay in there and don’t move.”

The chime of the phone call ending sounds in the empty main room of the club before black explodes in my vision.

Chapter 54

Xander

My head hurts, and I can’t open my fucking eyes.

It’s cold, and the air smells slightly damp.

“Oh, good. He’s awake.”

I recognise that voice—I’ve heard it somewhere before—but the only female voice I’ve ever paid attention to wholly is my Angel’s.

Camila. Camila and her bright green eyes, burdened with sadness she never deserved. I think I’m smiling? I don’t know. My head doesn’t feel like it’s part of my body, but when I open my eyes, I swear I’m going to make her the happiest person on the planet. I’ll buy her all the cats—

“What the fuck have you got to smile about?”

“Nova?” I mumble, my voice not quite audible.

Heavy. My head is starting to feel heavy now.

And Nova. She set us up.

“He was always fucking strange.”

There’s that voice again. But it’s not full of annoyance like Camila’s. This voice sounds angry and—

Wait… I can’t move my hands. They start buzzing to life with feeling, rubbing against rough rope.

I groan as a shooting pain explodes in my head.

I attempt to open my eyes, but a bright white light makes me shut them again quickly.