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“Bash, do you have something to help detain him?” I ask, and he produces a set of handcuffs. “You just had those on you?” I smirk.
“We did come to capture a fugitive, boss. Someone had to think ahead.”
I chuckle. “Good work.”
“Where’s Marina?” Addy asks, concerned. “She hasn’t exited. Maggie and the girls did, but Marina is still in there.”
I snap up. “Do you have this under control?” I ask Law.
“Yes. Go find her.”
I go back in through the same door I came out of and wind down the hall. I’m running with no clear idea as to where she could be. Her blood is coursing through me, so I stop and concentrate on our connection. That’s when I feel it. An onslaught of emotions.
Anxiety.
Revulsion.
Incredulity.
Terror.
Count Byron. I’m in trouble. Help!
She’s speaking directly into my mind. The fear in her voice threatens to break me. I knew he was behind this and I allowed him to get away with it. The moment I suspected it was him, I should’ve put measures in place to watch his every damn move. Now he has Marina.
Where are you, Marina?
Dark. Hallway. Stairs. Stage.
Her messages aren’t coming in clearly. It’s like she’s speaking in disjointed thoughts. I try to piece together all that she gave me. She’s in the hallway off the stage, the one she and Maggie went through.
I retrace my steps back to the ballroom, because trying to navigate this series of interconnected hallways would take too much time. It’s taking all my willpower not to panic, knowing that son of a bitch has my girl. When I find them, I’m going to rip his heart out. He’ll be the example I set to the masses in this hellhole. They’ll know after I’m done not to cross me. I’m the Crown and I won’t be betrayed.
Just as I’d suspected, when I make it to the hall, there’s a celebration occurring. “Julian,” Katina yells. “Where is everyone?” When she gets a good look at my face, she pales. “Marina.”
“He’s got her, Katina. We have to find her.”
She doesn’t ask who and for that I’m grateful. I can’t waste time talking. I locate the stairs leading down into the hallway that I saw her go into. Katina and I run down the hall and that’s when I see her, several yards ahead. She’s on the floor, back to me.
This close, her emotions pummel into me, nearly breaking me. They’re so intense I’m not sure how to handle it. My protective instincts war with the noise in my head.
Every word that Shante spoke battles for space. I’ll lay down my life for this woman. She owns my heart and soul. If I can get to her, I can save us both. We can live the life I’ve envisioned. Having her by my side as my queen is something I don’t deserve, but I want it. Shante’s voice inside of my head shrieks that one of us has to die.
My hands come to the sides of my head and squeeze, trying to stop the onslaught of screaming that’s reverberating around my brain.
“Julian?” Katina places her hand on my shoulder. “What’s happening?”
I clench my teeth so hard I’m afraid they’ll break.
“Too... loud.” I manage to get that much out, but it doesn’t abate. The pain is excruciating. “Marina!” Her name bursts from my chest and she turns toward me.
“Watch out!”
It’s all I manage before my worst nightmare plays out in front of me.
And the entire thing is my fault.
Chapter Thirty-One
