Overdosed on the floor of a dirty bathroom stall.
Snorting coke off the surface of a glass tabletop.
Buying something strong enough to poison her body beyond repair.
“Emilia.”
I jolt out of my dark thoughts when Carter says my name. Turning my head to look at him, our gazes snap together — a tangle of blue and green. My nerve endings crackle with sudden electricity.
“If people see you here, they’ll post about it on social media,” he reminds me with surprising gentleness. “The press will descend on this place so fast, it’ll be a nightmare getting out. And the last thing Chloe needs right now is a story about her in the tabloids.”
“But…” I trail off, the fight going out of me in a resigned whoosh. As much as I want to tear my way through every square inch of this club until I have Chloe safe in my arms, deep down I know Carter’s right. In trying to help, I might end up doing more harm than good.
Story of my freaking life.
Reading the resignation on my face, Riggs rubs the bridge of his nose as though staving off a severe headache. “According to the bouncers, this door leads to a storage room. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to let you wait there with Vega while we sweep the club.”
My brows lift in surprise. “Seriously?”
“Just don’t make me regret it by running off and doing something dumb.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
He grunts, unconvinced, but doesn’t take back the offer. A small thrill moves through me as Vega pulls open my door and helps me down into the alley. The four of us head for the entrance in silence, our steps muffled under the ever-rising swell of music.
I keep my eyes on my feet, trying to avoid the worst of the grime. I can’t help wincing a bit as the hem of my pretty dress drags through litter-strewn puddles — the contents of which I’ll happily allow to remain a mystery — and skims over a cache of moldering cigarette butts.
The steel door sticks in its frame, only yielding when Riggs gives it a powerful shove. It swings inward with a metallic groan. We step into a small deserted room — a storage space for tapped kegs, the floor littered with stacks of cardboard liquor boxes and empty bottles. The air is damp with mildew, the space dingy from disuse. A bare fluorescent lightbulb illuminates the space, flickering periodically like a strobe.
Now that we’re inside, the bass beat of electronica is crushing. The paint-chipped walls are actually vibrating, the floor beneath our feet seeming to shift with each spin of the DJ’s turntable.
“Thorne.” Riggs cuts a look at Carter. “You ready?”
Carter nods, jaw-clenched like a fist.
The Commander turns his severe gaze on me. “You will not move from this hallway.” It’s not a request. “Is that understood?”
“Understood.”
Riggs looks at Vega. “We’ll be no more than five minutes. Any longer than that, assume something’s gone wrong and get the queen back to the castle. Her safety is your number one priority.”
“Yes, sir.”
Carter and I lock eyes one last time before he follows Riggs down the hall, deeper into the club, where god only knows what awaits them. I’m surprised to see all traces of his earlier anger have evaporated. Instead, fear and hope war in equal measures on his face.
“Go get our girl,” I whisper, barely audible beneath the driving bass.
His lips twist — not quite a smile. And then, in a blink, he’s gone.
* * *
The girl Carterand Riggs drag through the door three minutes, sixteen seconds later might as well be a stranger. Her red hair is lank, hanging around her gaunt face in frizzy chunks. Her skin is sallow, lacking all its former ivory luster. There’s a red wine stain on her blouse and the straps are sliding off her rail-thin shoulders. She’s lost so much weight since last I saw her, she could pass for a skeleton.
“Let go of me!”
She shrieks at the top of her lungs as they drag her into the back hallway, clawing at Riggs’ hands like a feral cat. She hasn’t spotted me yet, standing in the shadows with Vega, but I know it’s only a matter of time.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing? This is fucking ridiculous! This is assault! I’m going to call the fucking cops on your asses!”