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Ismile at my phone, checking back to the conversation from yesterday. Mabel has been messaging me since the fire. Mostly casual conversation and giving me updates on her and Keeley, but lately she’s been pressing more and more about why I’m no longer around. I’m surprised Annika didn’t tell them. Either she won’t even talk about me, or she doesn’t want to poison them against me. If it’s the latter, I’m hoping it’s a good sign. If it’s the former, well, she’ll have to face me tonight.

I walk into The Starlight Lounge holding the envelope I promised to bring tightly in my hand. I‘d been offered my job back but I turned it down immediately, the chief visibly shocked by my sudden change of heart. I’d explained what had happened to him, leaving out some of the finer details and after looking into Marks, all of my accusations were confirmed by hisfinancials and one very disturbing encrypted folder he’d kept on his work computer all to do with Annika.

“So, you’re quitting to join Annika Wolfe?” he said.

“No. sir. After everything, I don’t think she’ll have me on her staff. But I do feel there are places I could do more good than here.”

He sighed, rubbing his palm over tired eyes. “It’s a sad state of affairs when the department is no longer the place to better our community.”

“There are still good cops out there.”

“You’re right but we’re losing one today. Good luck, Campos. With everything.”

I may have left, but I’ve kept in touch with Gibson. He managed to pull a favour for me that is well above his paygrade, which is why I’m holding on to this envelope like it might jump out of my hand. The club is still very busy despite it being the middle of the week and I’m in time to catch Elle on stage, singing her heart out to a Taylor Swift song that has the audience singing loudly along with her. I smile up at the stage though I doubt she can see me past the lights, then look around to find who I’m looking for.

Lance, Brent, and Hayden are in the same spot they were the last time I’d seen them here, all watching their girl as she works the crowd. My heart thrums a little harder when I see the woman stood next to Hayden. Annika is as beautiful as ever, looking put together but casual in a shimmering blouse and black trousers that appear to be leather.Well, that’s distracting.

I walk on over as she laughs at something Hayden said, an unwelcome stab of jealousy hitting me in the chest. She doesn’t notice me until I’m right up beside her.

“Hi,” I say casually, like she hasn’t hated me for weeks.

Her easy joy from a moment ago is lost, her eyes turning frosty and her mouth twisting into disgust. “What are you doing here?”

Keeping my nerve, I jerk my head to Hayden behind her. “I did a favour for him and I’m here to pay up.”

“He’s over there,” Hayden says, pointing to a group on a table a few feet away. “You can go give him the good news yourself.”

“You invited him here tonight?” Annika’s accusation comes with an icy glare at Hayden.

“No.” He holds up his hand in defence. “I told him that the person he needed was here tonight and then after I knew he was coming, I invitedyouhere tonight. There’s a difference.”

“So much for friends,” she mumbles.

“Hey now, we are friends. That’s why when he first asked me to get you here, I told him to fuck right off.” I roll my eyes as he did exactly that. “But he had a bargaining chip I couldn’t turn down, not when it would make my lady love so happy.” Annika’s cold glare does not seem to scare him as it would most, he just smiles at her. “I promised I would try to get you here. I did not promise you’d stay to hear him out.” He turns to me, looking menacing. “You, pay up first.” He points to the table again. “Then, you can do whatever the fuck you want. But if she shoots you, I’m not stopping her.” He leans back against the bar, staring me with cold eyes until I move.

I chance a look at Annika before walking away but she refuses to meet my eye, so I head over to the table ahead. Romeo, the punk from Elle’s music group sits with a bunch of idiotic looking boys of a similar age. He sees me approach and smiles, slightly confused to see me.

“Hey, you’re Mabel’s…not-dad, right?”

I chuckle. “That’s right.”

“How are ya, man?” He stands and offers me his hand, which I shake.

“I’m good, kid. You?”

“Yeah, alright. Bit suspicious that E.C. offered me and my buddies another free entry to the club.”

“Yo, Roro, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, yeah? Especially when the gift is as fine as your music teacher,” one of the idiots says, laughing at himself like he’d just made a funny joke.

Romeo smacks his friend upside the head. “Watch yourself, Larry, or I’m telling you, Hayden will kick your scrawny arse out of here.”

The kid rubs the back of his head. “My name’s Lawrence, arsehole.”

“Not when you’re being a gross dick, then it’s Larry.” Romeo folds his arms, giving his friend an unimpressed look before turning back to me and I can’t hide my smile. I find myself liking this kid.

“I think I might be the reason you got the free entry tonight,” I say handing the white envelope to him. “I wanted to give you this.”

He takes it from me with a frown. “What is it?”