Page 74 of Red Dreams

“You shot their invitation,” Cassie says. “Rude.”

Kaden kneels beside the mangled remains of the drone, his hands carefully sifting through the debris. He extracts a small, black device from the wreckage—a camera, its lens cracked and splintered.

“Did you have anything to do with this?” he asks her.

Cassie raises her hands. “I’m not stupid enough to put a drone in your face.”

Kaden studies her for a long moment. Finally, he nods, apparently satisfied with her answer.

He returns to sifting through the debris, his fingers closing around a small, rectangular object.

“What is it?” I ask, stepping closer.

Kaden doesn't answer. Instead, he stands, holding it up to the light. It's a photograph, edges singed and curling from the heat of the explosion. My breath catches in my throat as I realize what I'm seeing.

It's me—naked, bound, and beaten. My skin is mottled with bruises, and my hair is matted with blood. The picture is grainy, but the setting is unmistakable—the VIP suite at Siren's Call.

Bile chokes me as the memories flood back—the plush carpeting, the zip ties biting my wrists raw, the searing pain of each blow, the sickening smell of my own blood.

I force myself to look away, my stomach churning.

Kaden's jaw clenches as he studies the photograph. When he speaks, it’s with barely held in restraint. “Cassandra?”

Cassie’s eyes go wide with innocence. “I didn’t take any pictures. That was all them.”

Kaden moves his murderous stare to her, searching for any hint of deception. I stand frozen, my arms wrapped tightly around myself as if I can physically hold together the shattered pieces of my composure. All I can focus on is the photograph in Kaden's hand, the tangible proof of my darkest, most vulnerable moments.

Cassie's gaze flicks to me.

“I only did what I was taught,” she says, her voice soft, almost pitying.

The words hit me like a physical blow, and I flinch, my nails digging into the flesh of my arms.

“We need to go,” I say, my voice shaking. “Now. Before they send something worse than a drone.”

Kaden’s eyes meet mine. “No.”

“No?” I echo, disbelief coloring my tone. “Kaden, they found us. They know where we are. We're not safe here anymore.”

He shakes his head in a slow, deliberate motion. “Running won't solve anything. It'll only delay the inevitable.”

Cassie shifts her weight, her lips curving into a sly smile. “Listen to the man, Layla. He knows what he's doing.”

I shoot her a withering glare before turning back to Kaden.

“But the message in the sand, the drone, the photograph...” My voice wavers, the weight of each piece of evidence bearing down on me. “I can’t go back there, Kaden. Please, don’t let them take me again.”

Kaden’s expression turns hard, but it’s not directed at me. He fuels all that hatred toward the photograph still clutched in his hand.

“This photo reminds me how you wore pain like armor.” Kaden's voice carries deadly intent. “Now let me show you how to wear it like a crown.”

With his other hand, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a lighter. The flame dances to life, and he throws it on the wrecked drone. The grass and dried leaves underneath it catch fire instantly, igniting with awhoosh, flames licking angrily at the mangled components.

The intense heat sends shimmering waves rising from the ground. I take an involuntary step back, shielding my face with my arm.

Kaden stands motionless, the flames casting a hellish glow across his features, painting him in shades of red and orange. He looks every inch the demon I once believed him to be.

Cassie sidles up beside me, her shoulder brushing mine.

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