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“Who found him?” I turned to look at the group congregating by the door.
“I did. About five minutes before you arrived,” Bran answered. “I followed protocol and kept everyone out until you arrived. No one has touched the body or stepped inside the room.”
Xander walked the periphery of the room. “I want the feed for the property checked—every inch of it from this morning to now. I want the names of every last person who arrived and left, from staff to deliveries to business associates. Don’t leave a single person out. I want times in and out.”
“As of now, no one leaves this property. Lock it down.” I pulled out my secure phone and typed in a code, restricting all cell communication from anyone on the compound.
Rising from my crouch near Andraius’s body, my attention shifted to the object he held.
The blade.
Not just any blade but one I’d seen before in Nerine’s possession.
God, Nerine.
What the fuck happened here tonight?
“Xander. We need to get to Nerine.”
Maybe it was my tone, but Xander rushed from the room. I followed behind him, not knowing what to expect when we saw her.
Xander banged on the door with all his force.
“Nerine, wake up.”
No sound came. No cursing. No orders to fuck off. The blood in my head pounded.
“Nerine, open up, now! Or we’re breaking it down if you don’t,” I warned, and then not giving a shit, pushed Xander out of the way as I slammed the hinge with my shoulder, busting the lock open.
Nerine jumped to sitting in her bed, fear in her eyes. It was as if she knew what I was about to tell her.
Fucking Angel, what have you done?
Xander moved in her direction and then scooped her into his arms, whispering into her hair, “Thank God, you’re safe. I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to you.”
Hallway lights illuminated the room, and Nerine’s blue gaze connected with mine.
Something definitely wasn’t right. This wasn’t a woman woken from sleep. Fear lingered in her eyes and her whole demeanor seemed dazed.
“Andraius is dead, Angel. We’ve got to get you out of here, now.”
She stared at me as if not comprehending what I’d said. “Go where?”
“Nerine, did you hear me?” I asked, raising my voice to snap her out of her haze. “Someone killed Andraius.”
She flinched, blinking a few times as if clearing the fog from her mind, and then hunched her shoulders, curling her arms and body around Xander.
“A-are you sure he’s dead?” She sounded worried yet hopeful at the same time.
Her body shook as if chills overtook her.
Xander held her close and whispered into her hair as he adjusted his hold on her. “There is no doubt.”
She winced when his hand grazed her calf, and I moved in her direction without a second thought.
“What’s wrong with your leg?” I tried to inspect the area around her calf, but she swiped my hand away.
“I’m fine. It’s nothing.” She squirmed against Xander, telling him without words to set her down.
