Page 164 of Ignite

I knew it. Iknew. But this…this is confirmation. This is worse than any fear I’ve ever had. One I never saw coming.

But it’s one that is going to shatter my fucking life.

“Who entered her?” I demand, voice rising.

Drago stays composed. “Only way I’ll find that out is by hacking Enzo. And I’m not sure that’s the smartest move.”

“No. But I can speak to the fucking asshole myself. Call him.”

Behind me, my brother clears his throat. I spin around in the chair, now facing both of them—Declan and Finn—standing in the doorway.

“What’s happened?” Finn asks, already striding in.

“Hallie. She’s Contestant Ten. She’s in the fucking games, and I need Enzo to explain himself. Now.”

Finn and Declan trade a look. The tension is thick in the air.

“You’re one hundred percent sure?” Declan asks, scratching at his stubble.

“Yes. I can fucking read.” I shove the laptop in front of him.

“Is this really a coincidence, Dec?” Finn cuts in, anger tightening every word. “First Charlotte for you. Now Hallie for Conan? There’s only one man who selects the contestants. The man himself. Our God. Enzo. So yeah, I agree with Conan. Get that asshole on the line.”

Cracking my knuckles, a new fear rolls through me. One I’ve never felt before. One that settles in my bones.

Declan pulls out his phone and dials, putting it on speaker.

“We play this smart, Con,” he warns.

“Declan?” Enzo answers.

My hands clench into fists. I want to rip his fucking head clean off—and I know Finn would help.

“Enzo,” Declan says evenly. “We need to know who entered Contestant Ten into the games. It’s important.”

No more waiting around for weeks for Finn’s elimination list. No more quiet compliance.

“I’m sort of in the middle of something?—”

“I don’t fucking care, Enzo. Send the damn list,” I snap.

Finn smirks, eyes glinting with shared rage.

“Excuse me?”

“I know you’re not deaf. My girlfriend’s in the games, and I want to fucking know why. Now.”

Declan clears his throat, glaring at me hard enough to pierce skin. Then it hits me like a ton of bricks.

Sex clubs.

Hallie.

There is only one man who is the common denominator here, and he’s lying in Finn’s hospital bed, with his death in our hands.

“It’s a sensitive issue, Enzo. But we’re going to need those names in the next ten minutes. Or we might have to reconsider this entire arrangement.”

My jaw drops.

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