"The world already knows," Hazard King cut in. "Your face is on every screen. Everyone knows your crimes. You’re done for."

Maksim tried to spit at him but missed, just managing to drool blood onto the floor.

Hazard King turned away, feeling disgusted. Kade showed up next to him. "Boss, we’ve got a problem."

Hazard King glanced at him. "What’s up?"

Kade pointed toward the stage stairs, where a body lay, half on the steps, half on the ground. It was dressed in a black suit, with blood pooling underneath it.

Hazard King’s heart stopped. He sprinted to the body and dropped to his knees beside it. It was Alexander. He had a chest wound, his knee was wrecked, and he wasn’t moving.

"No," Hazard King whispered as he checked for a pulse on Alexander’s neck. There was a heartbeat, weak and faint, but still there. He was barely clinging to life.

"Alexander. Alexander, can you hear me?"

Alexander’s eyes opened a bit, trying to focus on Hazard King. He tried to speak, but blood bubbled from his lips.

It was a punctured lung, an injury Hazard King had seen before. Time was flying by. Minutes, maybe less.

"Hold on," Hazard King said. "Just hang in there. We’re getting you help."

He looked up at Kade. "Get a medic! NOW!"

Kade was already on it. "I’m on it!"

Hazard King turned back to Alexander, pressing his hand against the chest wound to try to slow the bleeding. It felt pointless; the bullet had gone straight through.

There was an entry and an exit wound, nothing to compress, just blood gushing from both sides.

Alexander’s hand weakly grabbed Hazard King’s wrist, as if he was trying to say something.

Hazard King leaned in closer. "What? What is it?"

Alexander’s lips moved, almost silently, but Hazard King understood him.

"Emma."

Just one word, his daughter’s name.

"She’ll be fine," Hazard King said. "I’ll make sure of it. I promise."

Alexander’s eyes were shut.

His hand went limp.

"No. No, no, no, Alexander!"

Hazard King checked his pulse again.

It was still there.

Still beating.

But it was weaker.

Fading.

Where’s that medic?

Kade showed up again. "The ambulance is three minutes away. But, Boss, he doesn’t have three minutes."

"Then we’ll take him ourselves," Hazard King replied.

He got up, ignoring the pain screaming from his own wound, blood still soaking his shirt.

He pushed through it.

Bending down, he wrapped his arms around Alexander and lifted him up.

Pain shot through his side.

He nearly dropped Alexander.

Kade grabbed Alexander’s legs. "I’ve got him. Let me—"

"Just help me carry him," Hazard King instructed.

Together, they lifted Alexander and headed for the exit.

Two of Hazard King’s men stepped in to help.

Now they were four, carrying Alexander between them.

They moved as fast as possible without jostling him too much.

Blood dripped onto the floor behind them, leaving a trail.

Red.

Leading from the stage to the door.

Azalea saw them and rushed over. "What happened?"

"Stray bullet. Chest and knee. He’s dying."

Azalea’s face went pale. "We need to—"

"We’re taking him now," Hazard King insisted. "Kade, you drive."

Kade paused for a moment. "Boss, what about your injury—"

"I’m fine," Hazard King snapped. "Nothing is going to happen to Alexander. He helped us out and put himself on the line. We can’t let him die. Got it?"

Kade nodded. "Yes, sir."

"But Boss, who’s gonna—"

Hazard King glanced back at the auction hall.

He saw the seventy-three men on their knees, along with Alpha and Maksim, both hurt and defenseless. His crew stood guard, ready with their weapons. And then there was Azalea, tough, skilled, and dangerous.

"Azalea will take care of it," Hazard King said confidently. "She knows what to do."

Azalea stood tall. "I’ll keep them here until the FBI shows up. No one gets away."

Hazard King nodded. "Good."

He looked at Kade. "Get him in the car. Now. Take two men with you. Drive to Mercy Hospital; it’s the closest. You’ll get there in three minutes if you run every red light."

"What about you?" Kade asked again.

Hazard King shot him a hard look. "I said I’m FINE. Just take him. GO. NOW!"

The force of his command left no room for discussion.

Kade nodded. "Yes, Boss."

They carried Alexander out through the broken entrance, past the bodies of Alpha’s guards, and into the parking lot.

A black SUV was waiting with the engine running. They put Alexander in the back seat, and Kade slid in next to him, pressing his jacket against Alexander’s wound.

Two guards hopped into the front, and the driver shifted the vehicle into gear.

With a screech of tires, they took off into the night.

In the distance, you could hear sirens, police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks racing to the auction hall.

They were on their way to deal with the mess.

They were coming for justice.

Hazard King stood in the parking lot, watching the SUV disappear into the night.

He pressed his hand against his wound, blood leaking through his fingers.

He knew he should follow them. Get medical help. He should—

No.

Not yet.

He turned back toward the auction hall.

Back toward Alpha.

Back toward Maksim.

Back toward finishing this.

This wasn’t done yet. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Not until he saw them in handcuffs.

Not until he saw them packed into police cars.

Not until he was totally sure that they wouldn’t hurt anyone ever again.

Hazard King walked back inside, blood dripping with every step.

But he kept walking.

But he kept moving.

He was still Hazard King.

And he wasn’t done yet; the battle was almost over.

*****

The penthouse suite was pretty chill.

The big windows looked out over the ocean, where the moonlight sparkled on the dark water, and you could hear the waves softly hitting the shore.

So nice. Relaxing. Just right.

Emma was sprawled out in the huge bed, surrounded by white sheets and comfy pillows, deep in sleep.

Zayn was at the desk on the other side of the room, working on his laptop. Even on vacation, he couldn’t escape work.

He typed quietly, checking emails and going through contracts.

Then—

There was some movement.

Emma gasped.

It was sudden and sharp.

Zayn glanced up.

Emma shot up in bed, her eyes wide and breath coming quick and hard, as if she’d been running or couldn’t breathe.

Zayn jumped to his feet. He rushed over to the bed and sat on the edge, placing his hand gently on her shoulder. "Emma. What’s up?"

She was shaking, gripping the sheets tightly.

"I—" Her voice shook. "I just had a nightmare."

"About what?"

Emma looked at him, tears starting to fill her eyes. "My dad."

Zayn felt his heart drop.

"What about him?" he asked carefully.

Emma took a shaky breath. "I saw him. He was on the ground, and there was blood everywhere. He was drowning in it. And he kept—" Her voice broke. "He kept saying my name. ’Emma, Emma.’ But I couldn’t get to him. I tried to run, but I couldn’t—"

She broke down, crying hard.

Zayn wrapped his arms around Emma, holding her close. "It was just a dream. Just a bad dream."

But his mind was racing.

Alexander.

The auction.

The attack was happening tonight.

Zayden told him to leave, take Emma somewhere safe and wait it out.

But what if things went south?

What if Alexander got hurt?

What if?

No.

Zayden had it all figured out.

Everything was planned; every detail was sorted.

Alexander was supposed to be safe.

Still, Emma was crying in his arms, shaken up by a nightmare where her dad was bleeding.

Dying.

Was it just a coincidence?

Or something more?

Zayn held her tighter. "Look at me, Emma. Just look at me."

She pulled back a bit, wiped her eyes, and looked up at him.

"It was just a nightmare," Zayn said softly. "You’re away from home for the first time. Away from your dad. Your mind is playing tricks on you; that’s all."

Emma shook her head. "No, it felt real. It felt—"

She pressed her hand to her chest, right over her heart.

"I can feel it," she said quietly. "Right here. Something’s off. Something happened to him."

Zayn felt a wave of dread hit him in the gut.

"Emma—"

"I need to go back," she said out of nowhere, her urgency clear. "I have to see him. I need to make sure he’s okay."