Page 73 of Deadly Wolf Bite

I could end this.

For a split second, I picture his blood running crimson over the cream carpet. Coating my face and hands. Seeping into my skin. I imagine carrying the weight of his lost life on my shoulders forever.

My hesitation costs me.

With a grunt, he shoves past me, stalking out.

I return to the suite just as Ramsey falls over, unconscious. The guys pouring the shots all laugh and high five, but no one moves to help him. I nod at Mia, who hurries over to drag him into a chair. Ramsey wakes up, barely, and Mia holds a water bottle to his lips, fussing at him to get his shit together.

Rocco and Alvaro are back on the couch, taking turns snorting lines. They each have a woman pressed against them, whispering things I’m pretty sure I don’t want to hear. Charlie’s passed out in a chair by the window. There’s a blanket tossed over him I can only assume came from Mia.

In the opposite corner, my father sits at the poker table, where Razor and a couple of lieutenants are already in a game.

“Deal me in,” my father snaps.

Everyone else folds immediately, and Razor begins collecting and shuffling cards for a new hand.

I scan the room for Lexi, but I don’t see her.

“Have you seen Lexi?” I ask the others.

“She went to the bathroom but that was a while ago,” Mia says without looking up from the drink she’s pouring.

Frowning, I stride to the door and stop in front of the two security guards. “Have you seen my fiancée?”

“Went to get some air,” one of them tells me.

Air? What the fuck?

My temper flares, but I shove it down, trying to keep my voice even so no one else notices she’s gone. Especially my father. “You let her go alone?” I demand.

The guards exchange a look then the first one shrugs. “No one told us not to.”

I bite back an angry reply and shove through the doors. The moment I’m out of their earshot, I call Crow.

He picks up immediately. “She took the elevator down.”

My heart pounds. “What floor?”

“Not sure.”

“Fuck.”

I end the call and race to the elevator, slamming the button down hard. Scenarios run through my mind, each one worse than the last. Whatever made Lexi leave the party without telling me can’t be good. I just hope I’m not too late to stop it.

23

LEXI

The elevators open to a dark office space lit only by soft security lights along the floor. A small foyer leads to rows and rows of cubicles with walkways between them. I start forward, cutting a path straight through to the far end. Something tells me Vincenzo’s office won’t be anywhere near his employees. He’ll have a corner or some other coveted space, probably with lots of windows and an impressive view.

In the silence, my breath sounds loud in my ears and my heart thuds so hard, my chest hurts. But I force myself onward. If Grey challenges Vincenzo, tonight might be my last chance to learn what’s in that file.

I clutch my phone. It’s not exactly going to help if I’m caught here, but the camera might come in handy with the files. Besides, it gives me the illusion that I’m not completely on my own.

At the end of the row, the cubicles disappear, and walls close in. On my right, a glass-walled conference room sits empty and dark. On impulse, I turn left and pad silently down the carpeted hallway. Glass doors lead to plush offices with the expected windows and, yes, gorgeous views of the city. Each office has a name etched into the glass. I don’t recognize any of the names at first, but then one of them jumps out at me, and I stop to stare at it.

Dominic Albero, VP of Operations.

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