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I reply with a subtle nod, taking a step towards them. Camila widens her eyes, silently communicating to stay where I am.

Aidan yanks her back into him again, and she winces in pain. I almost lunge at him, but he speaks before I get the chance to.

“Do not take another step forward. There’s a gun currently digging into your precious lover’s back, and I will pull the trigger. Drop your weapons.”

Jac and I glance at each other as he lowers his arms.

“Drop them,” Aidan barks.

My hand tightens around the trigger, debating whether I should just pull it now. But it’s too risky.

Camila’s heavy breaths fill the room as we both drop our guns to the floor.

“Get on your knees,” he continues.

Neither of us move.

Camila yelps in pain, and my knees drop to the floor.

“NOW.”

Her fear seeps right into my bones as Jacques slowly lowers himself to his knees. My eyes stay fixed on the hand Aidan’s hiding behind Camila’s back.

Where the fuck are Ezra and Daniel?

Ezra is never too far from my location. I fucking pray they're still alive.

“It’s brave of you to show up here after stealing our money and supplies,” Jac spits at him.

I’ve been so enamoured by Camila that I’ve neglected my side of the business. I’ve not been in the loop on what’s been happening. Ninety percent of my brain has been focused on Camila. The other ten was making sure that Max got back safe and sound. And now, I have no idea what to even say or how to get us out of this situation.

“Ah, that.” Aidan laughs manically. “You really think that I’d let you get away with a pathetic one hundred K? It really does show how little you both still know about this world—”

“What the fuck do you want?” Jacques bellows, cutting him off. I can see the muscles in his arm flexing. Unfortunately, Aidan has the upper hand here. If we make a single movement, he puts a bullet through Camila. But I can already see the cogs in Jac’s brain ticking on how he’s going to make sure his death is slow and painful.

Too bad he won’t have the opportunity for that. Aidan’s harmed my woman, and he won’t be getting away with it.

Aidan shuffles closer to the bar, dragging Camila with him.

“Xander, I—” Camila starts, but Aidan slaps his hand over her mouth, muffling the rest of her sentence.

“Shut the fuck up, bitch.”

Red explodes in my vision, and I snatch my pistol off the floor, swiftly aiming it at his leg and pressing the trigger. The bullet cuts through material and flesh, emerging on the other side and piercing into the bottom of the bar counter.

Aidan drops to the ground with a painful yell, simultaneously letting go of Camila.

She wastes no time in making a run for it.

Towards me.

Her hands clutch around my neck, and she wraps her legs around my waist; meanwhile, Aidan’s moans of pain ring through the room. There’s a shuffle as Jac stands up, grabs his gun, and marches towards Aidan.

“I’m sorry, Xander. I was just—” she starts, but I cut her off.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to explain yourself to me. I’m just fucking relieved you’re okay.”

I stroke a hand down her head and hold her tightly as her shaking body clings to me.