Page 16 of Made For Ruin

I nod, grateful for the distraction. As we stand, I catch Enzo watching us out of the corner of my eye. The weight of his gaze follows us as we weave through the crowd.

Reign leads me through a labyrinth of hallways, pointing out emergency exits and potential choke points. I file away the information, my tactical mind already mapping out scenarios.

“And here we are,” Reign announces, stopping in front of an unmarked door. He swipes a keycard and ushers me inside.

The security room is a stark contrast to the opulence of the club. Banks of monitors line the walls, each displaying a different area of The Summit. A team of security personnel man the stations, their eyes glued to the screens.

“Impressive,” I admit, taking it all in.

Reign grins, pride evident in his voice. “State of the art. We can see every inch of this place.”

I scan the monitors, noting the placement of cameras and guards. It’s a solid setup, but I can’t help looking for weak points. Old habits die hard.

“So, this is where you’re stashing me for the night?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. “Keeping the riff-raff out of sight?”

Reign chuckles, shaking his head. “You said it, not me. But I figured you’d be more comfortable here than schmoozing with Cooper Heights’ finest.”

I snort. He’s not wrong. “Thanks,” I mutter, meaning it.

“Don’t mention it,” Reign replies, his tone light but his eyes serious. “I need someone I trust watching my back tonight.”

I nod, understanding the weight of his words. In our line of work, trust is everything. And there’s no one I trust more than Reign.

Reign nods to one of his men in the corner, a silent command passing between them. The guy slips out, closing the door behind him with a soft click. Reign settles into the chair next to me, his eyes scanning the wall of monitors.

“You look like hell,” he says without looking at me.

I don’t bother to deny it. Truth is, I feel like hell too. I barely slept last night, tossing and turning in sheets that felt too hot,too confining. Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was Lainey.

Lainey, with her soft curves and sweet smile. Lainey, laughing at something I said in that damn diner. Lainey, her eyes dark with want as she looked up at me.

I spent half the night hard as steel, jerking myself raw to fantasies of her. The other half I spent hating myself for it. She’s Axel’s ex, for Christ’s sake. My son’s ex. Off-limits in every way that matters.

But my body doesn’t seem to care about limits or loyalty. It just wants her, with a hunger that scares me.

“You gonna tell me what’s eating you?” Reign asks, breaking into my thoughts.

I shake my head, not ready to voice the storm of guilt and desire raging inside me.

“It’s nothing,” I mutter. “Just didn’t sleep well.”

Reign eyes me skeptically but doesn’t push.

That’s one of the things I appreciate about him - he knows when to let sleeping dogs lie. He’s also got a way of reading people that borders on supernatural. He can spot a liar at fifty paces, sniff out a double-cross before it happens. It’s saved our asses more times than I can count.

“Looks like our boy is on the move.” Reign’s voice snaps me back to the present.

I snap to attention, eyes scanning the wall of monitors. Sure enough, there’s Enzo, slipping down a back hallway. He’s alone - no sign of his usual entourage.

“Where’s he headed?” I mutter, leaning forward.

Reign’s fingers fly over the keyboard, switching camera views. We follow Enzo’s progress through the labyrinth of corridors, watching as he glances over his shoulder every few steps.

“Looks like he’s meeting someone,” Reign says.

I nod, my eyes glued to the screen. Enzo rounds a corner, coming to a stop outside a nondescript door. He checks his watch, then looks up and down the hallway.

“Come on,” I growl under my breath. “Who are you waiting for?”

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