Chapter 46
Xander
Istep out into the cold night, letting the air wash over me.
Rage burns in my chest, building up by the minute to something I’m not sure I’ll be able to control.
Tiny spots of rain touch my skin. Looking up into the night sky, the glow of the moon pierces through the thick rain clouds, shining a spotlight onto me.
Mocking me and the person I’ve become. The only thing that’s missing is an audience to witness how someone as damaged as me is losing everything he’s ever loved.
For the second time.
The rain grows, droplets becoming thicker and quicker.
The crescendo of the crying sky reaches its peak as I stand next to the fountain with the rain soaking me. My clothes stick to me, my hair plasters to my forehead, my chest heaves. My fingernails dig into the skin of my palms as if they’re begging me to feel something other than rage at myself.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, but I ignore it. I don’t exist right now; I’m not here.
I need to put distance between myself and Camila, but my feet won’t move. They’re glued to this white gravel, everything in me pulling at me to go back.
But I can’t.
Not with that look on her face. Not with everything I've done.
Bringing air into my lungs, I turn towards the entrance of the mansion, not expecting to see Camila standing there behind the door, cuddling herself. Her eyes pierce right into me, and everything that I should’ve done—or not done—slams into me like a steam train.
We’re locked onto each other’s gazes for what feels like a lifetime. A lifetime of what we could’ve had.
She rapidly blinks away and turns, dragging herself up the grand staircase.
A growl of frustration leaves my throat. Facing back towards the gate, I slide the t-shirt off me, exposing my bare chest to the rain as I drag in anguished breaths.
Losing her feels like this. Like drowning with your head above the water. Knowing you can breathe but not being able to.
Throwing the wet material down on the ground, I pull out my phone.
One missed call from Jacques.
I shake my head. Not only am I losing Camila, but I’m also losing my best friend and brother in the process.
Scrolling through my contacts, I dial Nova.
She picks up after just one ring.
“I was wondering when I’d expect a call from you,” she purrs down the line.
I roll my eyes. How much cockier can she get?
“Do you know where he is?” Straight to the point.
“Luckily for you, we just traced his phone. He’s on the move, but you can try.”
“Just tell me where.”
“There’s a security door under London Bridge. Tell them your name; they’ll know who you are.”
Without responding, I hang up.
My feet move, heading straight for London Bridge in the cold, wet rain. No t-shirt, no weapons, and nothing else to lose.
Obsidian is soaked as he relaxes in my arms. I had Ezra let me take him before I sent him back to the mansion, making sure he watches over Camila. He was stubborn about it, but he knows it’s futile arguing with me.
“Xander Warren,” I state through the doorbell camera. The warm yellow lighting of London illuminates the metal door just enough to see it.
The door whirrs and clicks.
“She’s been expecting you.” Axel’s smug face comes into view as the door opens.
I clench my fists and grit my teeth, refraining from socking him in the face.
“What black magic did you use to turn Camila into a cat?” he laughs.
Oh, you motherfucker—
“Is money that low that you can't afford a t-shirt either?” he mocks.
“I’m seconds away from breaking your nose.”
He barks out a laugh and opens the door further, moving to the side so I can enter. He flicks on a dim light, revealing a narrow, stone corridor.
He’s wearing his officer uniform, and I wonder just how much influence this guy has with the police as he chaperones me down the hallway.
Placing his thumb on a scanner near the door, it slides open with a hiss against the stone. We continue through the corridors until we reach a door that opens up to an open-plan basement. Computers, armoury—the works. There’s not much to it, which tells me this must only be a base.
Is this what mine and Jac’s life could look like?
There are multiple guards and employees hustling about.
Nova turns her head towards us and grins at the sight of me. She’s dressed in an all-black jumpsuit with various holsters strapped to her, and her long hair is up in a ponytail. Grabbing a submachine gun off a rack, she strolls towards me, her curves swaying with the movement.
“You might be cold in that,” she comments and looks me up and down as she holds out the gun towards me.
Something is thrown at me from the side, and I catch it before it can fall to the ground.
Clothes.
“Who’s this little guy?” she coos, rubbing Obsidian’s chin. I subtly move him away from her, feeling a little protective over him.
“His name is Sid.”
She hums.
“Where did you disappear to over the last week?” she asks.
“What? Your dogs couldn’t sniff me out?” She looks expectantly at me. “Away.”
She nods, taking the hint that I have no interest in telling her about my life. I let Sid out onto the floor, and he immediately catches the attention of a woman at a computer in the corner.
I take the t-shirt but throw the trousers back towards the side at Axel.
Sliding the t-shirt over my head, it immediately sticks to my wet body. He throws me a couple of holsters that I strap to my waist. Taking the gun from Nova, I slide it into the holster. I walk over to the armoury in the corner of the room and find a sheath that I slide into the other holster.
I’m not here to fuck about. I want in and out. I want that fucker bleeding, begging for mercy he’ll never get.
Without speaking, I nod at Nova, who understands my request. She leads me to the computers on the other end. One of her guys loads up a 3D map with a red dot blinking continuously.
“He’s been there all night, hasn’t moved an inch, which means he’s either left his phone there, or he’s there with it. If we—”
I cut her off with a firm, “No.”
“No?”
I keep my eyes on that little red dot. “I’m going on my own.”
She recoils. “We have a trail, but we don’t know how many men he has. It could be dozens on one.”
I huff out a laugh. She doesn’t know my life is of little value right now.
“Let him, baby,” Axel cuts in. Nova narrows her eyes at him, and he smirks back.
I don’t really care for whatever they have going on there; I just need to find Luke and kill him.
“Xander, it’s—” she starts.
“Jacques will take over if anything happens to me, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
A look of confusion passes over her face.
“Can you send his location to my phone?” I ask, offering her my mobile.
“Yeah.” She nods and passes it to her tech guy, who swiftly installs the tracker onto it.
He unplugs it from his computer, and my screen goes blank for a second, then lights up with the blinking red dot on a map.
Perfect.
“Thanks,” I murmur, turning on my heel to leave.
“Let us at least send one of our men with you,” Nova says, and there’s a hint of concern in her voice, which is new for her.
“I’m good.”
The door automatically slides open as I step up to it.
“Look after Sid until I return.” A request and a demand. “I’m trusting you.”
Luke’s not far from the bridge.
I find shelter beneath a shop awning as I zoom in on the map.
If Nova’s tracker is accurate, that means Luke is currently relaxing inside his penthouse in the tall building in front of me. The weight of the SMG on my hip lies heavy as I focus my eyes on the top floor of the building, remembering everything Camila told me.
My phone buzzes in my hand, a call from Jac taking up the top part of the screen. I let the call ring out, then start walking towards the building. There’s a fucking code to get into it, so I send a message to Nova, asking her to hack into the system.
Within a minute, the door buzzes open, and I receive a text message from her.
Nova: We have eyes on you. Be careful.
For the millionth time today, I roll my eyes. I need to figure out a way to lose her guys.
I creep into the building, being careful to keep myself hidden from any cameras.
Another ding from my pocket.
Nova: Cameras are disabled.
Obviously.
I don’t waste time with the lift. I take long strides up the stairs towards the very top floor of the penthouse. My heart races from the anticipation of finally getting to kill the person who has done so much hurt to my Angel.
Once I do this, she will be free of him, and she’ll be free of me.
I’m surprised Luke doesn’t have guards dotted around. For someone who’s as dangerous as they claim to be, he really is stupid.
I approach the end of the hallway where the door of the penthouse sits.
Taking the knife out of the holster, I poke it into the lock and fiddle around until the door clicks open. Keeping one eye on the door so it stays still, I put the sheath back and take out the SMG. I click off the safety from the gun and swing the door open quietly.
It’s dark and still.
It’s four in the morning, so one can only assume he’s asleep. I creep through the penthouse, my gun pointed in front of me. I need to do this quietly if it’s going to work.
I finally find a closed door which I assume leads to the bedroom. Only when I open it, who I see is not who I expect.
“Xander?” Her high-pitched voice carries an element of surprise.
The same fucking surprise I’m feeling.
She notices the gun in my hands and holds her hands up, her face a mask of pure fear.
“Penelope?” I ask, confused. “What the fuck?”
“What are you doing here, Mr Warren?” she asks, her voice shaking.
“I could ask you the same thing. Where’s Luke?”
“Who?” she asks, her eyebrows pulling into the middle.
“Don’t act stupid. Where is he?”
“Mr Warren, I have no idea what you’re talking about. What are you doing in my house?”
I think for a moment. She looks genuinely surprised to see me, and I’m genuinely fucking confused as to how I ended up here, and how Luke’s phone pings here. Have they been tracking the wrong fucking phone the whole time?
“P-please don’t shoot. I promise I wasn’t trying to hurt your relationship with Camila.”
My jaw clenches at the mention of her name, and my arms relax the gun down. Suddenly, failure crawls through my chest.
I was meant to find Luke. Give him a slow death. Free Camila from him.
But instead, I find my ex-fucking-assistant dressed like she's just come back from a night on the town.
I bring the gun back up to her. “Tell me where the fuck he is.”
She’s lying.
“I don’t—”
“Cut the bullshit, Penelope.”
Her face morphs into annoyed anger.
Bingo.
Traitorous bitch.
“I’m not telling you,” she grits out.
I laugh through clenched teeth. “I’ll find him either way. You might as well save me some time.”
She shakes her head, slowly starting to back away.
Suddenly, the door slams open, and soldiers flood the bedroom. They’re not aiming their guns at me, so I know they’re here for Penelope.
“Nova was getting worried about you. We had instructions,” one of the guards clarifies.
“I don’t care,” I say, relaxing my posture. “Take her to Nova. I have someone else I’m more interested in.”
I hear Penelope’s squeaks of protest as I head back out of the door.
Dialling Nova, she answers on the first ring.
“I swear to you I didn’t know.”
I sigh angrily. “Just get me information on where he is.”
“You can try the old warehouse off the M40. That’s where his phone was last. There’s a car waiting for you outside. We brought you one just in case.”
“You have an answer for everything, don’t you?” I deadpan.
“I’m not head of the Italian mafia for nothing, Xander.”
I hang up and head for the car.
I feel like my body is just moving on autopilot.
I have one mission in mind.
Pulling up to an old warehouse off the motorway, it doesn’t look like I’ll have any luck here. There’s no sign of life.
My anger is growing impatient. I’m trying to focus on the task at hand, but I keep replaying every moment I’ve wronged Camila.
It's regret that will haunt me in the afterlife. Which doesn’t seem so far away now.
My phone buzzes as I pull up to the old warehouse. I turn off the car and pull it out. It’s Jacques again.
Sliding the SMG out of the passenger seat, I get out of the car and beeline towards the entrance.
“Where are you, motherfucker?” I call out into the seemingly empty warehouse when I enter. Damp fills my nose, and I can’t see a thing.
A bullet grazes my face from the right, causing a sting.
I laugh through my teeth and open fire in the same direction. A grunt follows.
Gunshots break out all around me, illuminating the decrepit warehouse. They all miss their shot. I dive behind a wheelbarrow of hay, my heart pumping as the gunshots continue. I point my arm with the gun above the wheelbarrow and shoot blindly, knowing I hit people due to their cries of pain.
Adrenaline pumps through my body as the bullets fly out of the gun, and a warm sensation spreads over me.
A freeing lightness.
I chuckle as I step out from behind my cover and drain the gun of bullets.