Page 150 of When Hearts Awaken

Camden pales, his lips twitching. “Y-You can’t do that.”

I smile and watch him tremble. “Watch. Me.”

I take out my wallet and toss a few hundreds on the table, more than enough to take care of the bill.

Suddenly, I hear Camden howling loudly, his body bowled over in pain. He’s covering his groin, his face flushed as he struggles to catch his breath.

I look at Liam, finding him glaring at Camden. He glances at me and shrugs. “I think the statement needed a kick to the balls for impact.”

Barking out a laugh, I stand up and watch Liam lean over Camden and slowly roll up his sleeves, displaying his tattoos. “Better listen to my brother, and don’t let me see you around.” He cracks his knuckles. “Or else, the kick to the balls is only an appetizer.”

I hide a smirk. Looks like Liam’s love forThe Godfatherhas paid off.

Just then, my phone buzzes again.

Taylor

I found something. Can you come to ABTC? I’m at the rooftop studio. Bring a laptop.

Chapter 62

My hands shake asI stare at the tiny little USB drive in my palm. I place the white swan figurine on the ground, the tiny compartment on its back opened.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but I need to tell you I have proof… A hiding place. I’m not making any sense.”

The agony on Alexis’s face, the way she was grabbing her head like she was desperate to remember one thing, but she couldn’t.

But it was important enough for her brain to hold on to it—apparently a memory from when she was twenty years old, when my assault and her accident happened, even though she clearly doesn’t remember that time period.

She still thinks she’s sixteen.

Her words bothered me as soon as she said them and I tossed them around in my mind, trying to unravel its meaning, to see the big picture with missing puzzle pieces, when it occurred to me.

Alexis, my best friend, knew about my hiding place at the rooftop studio. She made fun of it constantly, jokingly saying she was going to commandeer it and put her crap inside. I felt the truth in my gut. That had to be what she was referring to.

And so, I hauled ass to ABTC, hurried up to the studio, pried loose the floorboard, and examined every single memento I placed in there.

I felt around the hiding place, wondering if there was something else she could’ve hidden in there. I tapped on every single floorboard in the space, listening for the distinct hollow echo, to see if there were other hiding places here.

But there was nothing. Everything looked exactly the same.

Until I remembered there was one place I hadn’t checked, becauseInever put anything in there.

The small storage compartment at the back of the beautiful white swan figurine my mom had bought for me at the Met Opera all those years ago. My most beloved memento from the woman I still miss every day. The woman who instilled in me the love of dance.

As soon as I clicked the unassuming button at the base of the figurine and the compartment opened, a small USB, light as a feather, tumbled out.

I’ve never seen it before.

Her proof. I’m sure this is what she means.

What’s in there?

The door creaks open, and in steps Charles, his eyes roving the studio until he finds me. Afternoon sunlight streams in from the windows, highlighting the golds of his hair, the scruff on his face, the piercing blue of his gaze.

He strides over, his muscles rippling beneath his bespoke suit, a laptop in his hand.

“Minx, you okay? I came over as soon as I got your text. Why did you want me to bring a laptop?”

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