Page 49 of Perfect Rhythm

NYX

I felt Shade go still. Then I watched as he turned to face Mecca, his expression unreadable. “What the fuck did you just say?”

Mecca scanned the room, and for a split second, he looked like he was regretting what he’d said. But the damage was done. All eyes were on him.

He held his chin high. “I said, you don’t give a fuck about your boys now that you got that bitch on your arm.”

Shade nodded slowly, a lazy smirk tugging at his lips.

Before I could latch on to him tighter, he tore away from me and made a beeline for Mecca.

“Stop him,” I shouted at Trace.

But like always, their unspoken rule still applied. Trace followed behind Shade, making sure he stayed close enough for no one else to get to him.

Before Shade could get too close, Enzo’s guard slid in front of him, blocking the path.

Shade let out a dry laugh. “Oh, so we’re about to go through this shit again? You remember what happened the last time we had an exchange like this. Everybody almost got their fucking heads blown off.”

I glanced at Trace, my chest tightening. His hand rested low, fingers twitching near his gun like it was nothing to reach for it.

My eyes widened, fear bubbling up before I could swallow it.

“Shade, please...let’s just go,” I said softly.

“Nah. Not until he apologizes for calling you out your fucking name.”

“It’s fine... really .”

“No the fuck it’s not,” he snapped, eyes still locked on Mecca. “He knows I don’t play about shit like that.

Mecca forced a tight smile and raised his hands. “You know what? I’m not trying to start no more shit tonight. I’m going to be the bigger person and apologize.” He glanced at me, then back at Shade. “My bad for disrespecting your girl.”

“Oh, so that’s your girl?” Enzo said, grinning. “I thought all that couple talk was bullshit.” He looked me up and down like I was for sale. “Respect though. You pulled a bad one.”

Shade didn’t look his way.

Relief flooded me.

“So, what’s good, Nyx? You got a little sister? One just like you?”

Like a switch flipped, Shade launched forward, his fist landing with a sickening crack against Enzo’s jaw.

My heart stopped as Enzo’s guard reached for his gun. But Trace was faster, yanking it from his hand and smashing it into his face.

Within seconds, another fight broke out, and everything spiraled into chaos.

Gunshots exploded through the room, and I hit the floor, scrambling in the opposite direction of the sound.

Screams tore through the air as people scattered, shoving and stumbling just to get out alive.

All I could see were shadows and panic moving around me.

I burst into the bathroom, dove into the nearest stall, and locked the door behind me.

My whole body trembled. The gunshots echoed in my ears, overlapping with screams that I knew would haunt me forever.

I sat on the floor, my knees pressed against my chest. I didn’t know what else to do. I just wanted everything to stop.

When my phone rang, I answered without hesitation, desperation spilling from my lips before I even heard a voice. “Help me. I need?—”

“Nyx, it’s Skye. Are you okay?”

“No, there’s gunshots coming from everywhere.”

“I know. It’s all over social media. Someone went live. You need to get the fuck out of there.”

“I can’t. I’m not going back out there.”

“Where are you?”

“In the bathroom.”

“Where’s Shade?”

Another round of panic surged through me. “Oh my God, I don’t know. One minute he was right in front of me and the next?—”

“What about my cousin? Did you see her anywhere?”

“I...I don’t know.”

I pressed my hand against my ear, trying to muffle all the noise I heard in the distance.

Finally, the gunshots stopped.

“It’s okay, Nyx. I’m right here,” Skye whispered. “Just stay where you are until you feel like it’s safe to move.”

I didn’t know when I would feel safe enough to move. My body was frozen, paralyzed by fear.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the bathroom as the door slammed into the wall.

“Nyx? Jassi? You in here?”

Shade.

I scrambled to unlock the stall, my fingers trembling. The second it clicked open, I threw myself into his chest. “Thank God you’re okay.”

He held me tight, kissing my forehead over and over. “You good? Did you get hurt?”

“No. I’m fine.”

“Is Jassi in here with you?”

“What? No.”

My body returned to panic mode.

Trace walked into the bathroom, a look of relief covering his face when he saw me. “What about Jassi and Xandie? They in here?”

“Fuck! I was hoping they were with you,” Shade said before snatching my hand and pulling me toward the door.

Barely out of the bathroom, we bumped into Xandie. She was crying, her clothes soaked in blood.

“Oh my God, have you been shot?” I asked.

“No. It’s not my blood.”

Shade’s eyes widened. “Is it Jassi’s?—”

“No. But I can’t find her, and I’ve looked everywhere. There are bodies everywhere,” she squealed.

“Grab her hand,” Shade demanded.

I did as he asked, then followed behind him and Trace.

The club looked like a battlefield. Nothing but blood, shattered glass, and lifeless bodies.

I slammed my hand against my eyes, not wanting to see if one of those bodies belonged to?—

“Hey, I just got a message,” Trace said. “Someone said they saw Jassi run outside.”

Relief washed over me.

Getting out of the club was a nightmare. There was so much mess to stumble through.

Once we finally made it outside, the night air was thick with smoke, and sirens echoed in the distance. But traffic was jammed in every direction, making it damn near impossible to get in or out.

A scream came out of nowhere.

“Somebody call an ambulance!”

We all turned toward the sound, our eyes locking in on a girl at the far end of the parking lot. She was kneeling over someone who wasn’t moving.

I pulled out my phone, already dialing. But as soon as the call connected, I froze.

Right there, lying beside the motionless body, was something I recognized…a silver charm bracelet. The same bracelet that had sparkled on Jassi’s wrist just minutes earlier.

But now, its tiny music notes were broken and dripping with blood.