Page 104 of Sinning for Santa

No.

“You’re sick, Jaxcen. You need help. Come to me and I’ll help you.”

“No,” I whisper, feeling like a child again. A teenager with no options.

Dr Xavier sighs. “Jaxcen, I’m not only worried about you, but your sister too. I think Presley could use some treatment too. Don’t you think?”

My hand trembles as I squeeze the phone, tears welling in my eyes as panic sets in.

No. No. No.

Not again.

I can’t go back.

“Leave her alone,” I snap, but he chuckles.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that unless you come in. If you want to help your sister then you know what you have to do.”

Tears spill over as I shake my head. “Please don’t do this. Not now. It’s almost Christmas and I want to spend it with my family.”

“Christmas is three days away. If you behave and do everything you’re supposed to, I might be able to grant you leave on Christmas day.”

“Don’t do it, Jaxcen!” Presley yells in the background before she cries out like she’s in pain.

“Stop! Don’t hurt her!” I plead.

“She’ll be fine as long as you do the right thing, Jaxcen. Come to your sister’s apartment. You have an hour.”

“Wait. I can’t get there in an hour. I’m too far away.”

“You have two hours then, and not a second more.” The line goes dead and a sob leaps from my lips.

I have to go. I have to save my sister.

Chapter twenty

Devon

The minute Dom and Lenny come charging into the meeting room at the back of the Palace, I know they have news. Finn perks up beside me at seeing their stiff postures and serious expressions, his green eyes darting my way.

The fucker is an adrenalin junkie. He loves drama, and loves getting his hands dirty and one thing he hates about Christmas is how the killing business tends to die off for a week or so.

I guess even the scum of the earth celebrate the most ridiculous holy celebration that most people don’t even recognise other than gift giving and filling bellies while getting drunk.

The latter is the only perk if you ask me.

“What do you have?” I ask as they sit quickly, and Miles joins us, his hulking frame folding into a seat much too small for him.

“I’m sorry we didn’t find the connection until now.” Dom starts, our resident hacker looking a little nervous. “We’ve been so focused on finding Mr V that the pictures you sent from Melissa’s phone got pushed to the side.”

I frown, about to ask what that has to do with Mr V when Lenny butts in.

“Dom was stressing himself out, so I told him to take a break and work on something else for a bit while I continued searching CCTV footage for the car, and that’s when he did a deep diveinto the profile you sent him that was from Melissa’s phone.”

“It’s him,” Dom continues, tossing some grainy pictures on the table as I stare at the man I killed over a year ago.

“Fit Nick is dead. I fucking killed him myself.” I spit and Lenny nods.

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