‘Haha…”


    A sinisterugh echoed in response to my question.


    I knew thatugh. It was Bruno.


    But why the hell was Jace with him? Could Hernan’s im about the mastermind actually mean


    Jace involved?


    I’d suspected it before, but now it hit me like a punch. Anger red, and I demanded coldly,


    “Where’s Jace? Put him on the phone.”


    *Tsk tsk, so fierce. Just like when you y snooker,” Bruno taunted.


    I didn’t have the time or patience for games. “Bruno, what do you want?”


    “I told you already, didn’t I? Just wanted to y snooker. By the way, your game today was


    impressive. Very nice,” he sneered.


    I should’ve appreciated thepliment, buting from him, it made my stomach churn.


    was


    “If you want to y, fine. Just put Jace on the phone,” I snapped, my voice sharp. I needed to tell


    Jace his cheap tricks weren’t gonna work anymore. Even if they had him, I wasn’t going back to


    him.


    “Why bother with the phone? Come see him yourself. I’m sure he’d love to see you,” Bruno said,


    dragging out the pause. Then, he added, “Right, Mr. Johnston?”


    “Rea, don’te here. Don’t worry about me. Call Hayden, get out of the country. Now,” Jace’s


    voice. came through, sounding distant and urgent.


    I froze. He wasn’t in on this with Bruno. Bruno had him captive.


    Before I could process it, Bruno spoke again, his tone shifting from mockery to something darker. “If


    you want to see Jace,e to the address I’m sending you. Don’t, and I’ll make sure he takes a


    little trip to heaven, where he can confess his sins to Jesus for all the ways he’s wronged you.”


    “Rea, don’t listen to him. Don’t–Jace’s voice was suddenly cut off by loud, sickening blows, followed


    by his pained grunts.


    So I’d been wrong. Jace wasn’t the mastermind Hernan had hinted at. Maybe there wasn’t any


    mastermind at all–just a story Herman had spun to mislead me.


    “Bruno, tell them to stop! I’ming over now!” I shouted into the phone.


    “Good. I’ll be waiting for you, beautiful,” Bruno said, then hung up. The sounds of fighting stopped.


    As the call ended, my strength drained away, and my hand dropped limply to my side.


    Têxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    A message notification buzzed on my phone. It was a location pin.


    I stared at it, dazed, but I didn’t go right away. Instead, dialed Hayden.


    Jace had told me not toe. If I went, I’d just be another hostage. But I wasn’t about to rush


    blindly into Bruno’s trap.


    The call rang endlessly, and my frustration grew. Then realized I didn’t need Hayden specifically–1


    could call Steve.


    Just as I was about to hang up, Hayden picked up.


    “What’s wrong?” he asked, already knowing it was bad)


    “Jace’s been kidnapped by Bruno. He wants me to go to him, and he sent me a location,” I


    exined, forcing my voice to stay calm


    “Send me the location. Do not go there. Stay put,” Hayden ordered.


    A lump formed in my throat. I couldn’t shake the sound of Jace being beaten, and I was scared that


    if Hayden confronted Bruno, it could make things worse Bruno might be hurting Jace already. You


    should-


    “Hayden, we’re all set. Everything’s handled here,” Yara’s voice interrupted, clear and confident like


    she was right beside him.


    The words I’d been about to say stuck in my throat, and I went silent.


    Hayden’s voice came back. “Don’t worry. I’ll get him out