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I roll my eyes at his remark. He’s right. But we’ve looked everywhere for him, and there’s no trace. The last place he could be is in the club. And I know exactly the reason he’d be there.

“Max has gone missing. Need I say more?” I’m lying through my teeth.

If that fucker gets anywhere near my newest curiosity, I’ll personally rip out his eyeballs.

“And it has nothing to do with Camila from last night?”

My body stiffens.

“What did you say?”

“The dancer from last night.”

Camila.

A slow grin spreads over my face. This is certainly easier than my plan of searching through hundreds of employee files.

Jac has better knowledge of the club than I do; he chose to be closer to the club than our drug deals.

“Xander? Are you there?” His voice snaps me out of my thoughts.

“Yep, see you in ten,” I say, hanging up with the red button on the digital screen. A laugh bubbles in my chest. I’m not engaging in any further conversation with him about her. The longer I can keep this away from him, the better.

The queue to the club tonight is huge. I circle around the back of the row of buildings and leave my car in the alleyway next to the back exit. Jayden is already there, trying to fight off multiple drunks. He acknowledges me with a tight smile as he pushes away a guy twice the size of him.

The smell of alcohol is already potent when I enter. Neon lights circle around the glittering space. I check the time on my watch to see it’s already eleven fifteen, which means Camila will be coming on stage in about forty-five minutes. I tense when I see men already seated surrounding the stage, ready to see the show. I stand by the bar, scanning the room for any sign of Aidan.

There he is.

And right in the middle seat in front of the fucking stage, with one of our dancers draped over his lap.

You have to be kidding me.

My feet carry me before my brain can process the next steps. Shooting him in front of everyone is not the best scenario. But the way my blood is pumping through my veins at the sight of him ready to watch Camila like a pervert has me palming the pistol nestled in the waistband of my slacks.

“Aidan,” I call with phoney friendliness.

His eyes flicker wide when he spots me. The brown-haired dancer slips off his lap gracefully. Another man dressed in a similar suit to Aidan motions her over, and she kneels down in front of him as he grips her chin.

Aidan rises from his seat, straightening the lapels of his navy suit. “Xander! I wasn’t expecting to see you here tonight.” He sounds as nervous as he looks.

“Neither did I,” I comment, extending my arm towards the private staff door. “Shall we?”

He glances around at the men he’s sitting with, but no one pays any attention to him. He gives a light nod before following me through the door to the side of the stage. The music from the main floor muffles as the door shuts behind him. I check our surroundings, ensuring no staff are lurking. Spinning and simultaneously pulling my gun out, I knock the handle into his temple. Hard. Blood drizzles out of the side of his face as his body thumps to the ground. I drag him down to the basement and heave him into the chair in the middle.

He's heavy for a five-foot-something guy.

I make my way to the corner of the room, pulling a cord which lights up the basement from a single lightbulb. Dried blood stains the floor from the countless adversaries we’ve had here. Most deaths courtesy of Jac.

“You found him then?”

Speak of the devil.

Jac strolls into the basement, hands rubbing together as he assesses Aidan.

“Any word from Max?” I ask, pulling worn rope from a plastic container under the table laid out with torture instruments.

He shakes his head. “I have Ezra and Daniel stationed outside making sure no one shows up.”