Page 253 of Barinov

“Cade!” Lex grits out, his voice a bloody and ragged bark as he keeps his eyes locked entirely on me. “Keep her the fuck out of this ring!”

Cade catches Bella by the waist right at the ropes, holding her tight as she cries out. Both of their eyes wide with horror as they stare at the bloody mess inside the ring.

Lex stands tall, ignoring them. He steps right into my swinging arms, absorbing one last weak punch to his shoulder before slamming his hands to the back of my head. He grips me tight, forcing me to look him in the eyes.

“Do you see him?” Lex asks, his voice surprisingly steady, despite the amount of blood dripping from his lip.

Tears are streaming down my face now, mixing with the sweat and blood on my skin. My chest is heaving so hard it fucking burns. I slowly turn my head and look back up toward the dark, elevated seats.

The shadows are just shadows. The velvet ropes are empty.

He’s gone.

Luca is gone.

“No,” I choke out. “No… I don’t see him.”

“Are you sure?” Lex presses, his grip tightening on the back of my neck. “Be fucking sure.”

I glance back up at the empty chairs.

“He’s gone,” I whisper.

The fight drains out my limbs all at once. My knees buckle, but Lex catches my weight before I can hit the canvas. He pulls me into a crushing embrace, locking his arms around my shaking shoulders.

“Please,” I whisper into his shoulder. “Don’t tell Bells.” The tears take over. “I don’t… She can’t—”

“Shh,” Lex hushes, squeezing me tighter. “Your secret is safe with me, brother. Always.”

Chapter 65

BELLA

Mine and Zeke’s penthouse

39 days since we’ve been back.

“Absolutely not,” Zeke says, scooting his chair backward so fast the legs screech against the hardwood floor. He glares as Sabine strolls toward him with Celeste draped like a thick, living necklace around her shoulders. “I didn’t survive Luca just to be murdered by a damn snake.”

“She didn’t bite me,” I snort, sinking deeper into the couch. The rich leather and spice scent radiates from Lex’s chest as he pulls me flush against his side.

“Congratulations.”

“You’ll be fine,” I add, watching the city lights filter through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

“You don’t fucking know that.”

“Zeke, you literally just watched me do this.”

“Well,” he snaps, his shoulders bunching beneath his dark tee. “You could’ve tasted bad.”

I gasp, grabbing a plush throw pillow and chuck it straight at his chest. “Excuse you?”

“I’m just saying,” he mutters, catching the pillow effortlessly but keeping it pinned against his stomach like a shield. “Maybe she took one lick and decided your bitter ass wasn’t worth eating.”

“Children,” Sabine sighs. Her voice is a low, smoky purr that commands the room. She reaches up with her golden-ringed fingers, gently guiding Celeste’s heavy, banana-yellow body downward.

Celeste lazily flicks her fork of a tongue in Zeke’s direction as she slides smoothly from Sabine’s arm onto Zeke’s lap. Every single muscle in my brother’s body locks up into solid granite.