Page 86 of The Final Contract

Lucian and I snap to alert at once.

“What?” Lucian’s voice is low, lethal.

For a long second, nothing. Then Jax’s voice comes back, tight, grim. “Seraphina’s building just went dark.”

The words hit like a gunshot.

My blood runs ice-cold, then hotter than fire.

“Fuck.” My chair scrapes back hard, my hand already on my gun checking the clip, heart hammering like it’s trying to crack my ribs open. “I’m going to her.”

I’m a ball of fire tearing through the city, weaving through traffic, horn blaring, every red light nothing but an obstacle I don’t see. My grip on the wheel aches, my knuckles white, my mind a reel of a million worst-case scenarios I can’t shut off.

I call my men. No answer. I call her cell. Nothing. The silence on the other end guts me. I slam the heel of my hand against the steering wheel, the sound ringing sharp in the car.

Jaxon’s voice is in my ear, steady, precise. “Building’s still dark. No signals. No cameras.”

“Fuck!” I roar, shoving the accelerator to the floor.

My car flies into her building’s valet area, tires screaming as I slam it into park. I don’t wait for the keys to be taken—just bolt inside, hammering the call button for her private elevator over and over like that’ll make it faster.

The ride up feels endless, though it’s less than a minute. Every tick of the floor counter another nail through my chest.

The doors finally open. One of my men stands outside her door, calm as ever—until he sees my face. His spine straightens, hand twitching toward his weapon.

“She in there?” I nearly scream it, shoving past him before he can answer.

The door bangs against the wall as I storm inside.

And there she is.

Seraphina jumps, startled, shoulders jerking at the sound. But she’s whole. Untouched. Just standing at her stove, kettle in hand, steam curling up as she pours water for tea.

“Jesus, Killian.”

My lungs seize. Relief and fury collide so hard my knees nearly buckle.

“Building just came back up,” Jaxon’s voice cuts through my earpiece. “I’ll stay on this. You stay with your girl.”

I breathe hard, too hard, sliding down the wall until I hit the floor. My palms press against my eyes, pushing hard, like I can force the last five minutes out of my skull. The earpiece dangles loose until I rip it free and let it fall, clattering uselessly to the ground.

At the stove, her soft voice floats through the kitchen, casual, teasing. “Aw, were you worried about me, big man?”

She doesn’t see me breaking. Doesn’t hear the crack in my chest.

“Worried?” The word comes out shredded, my voice nothing but gravel.

That sound—broken, not me—snaps her attention around. She spins, blue eyes wide, kettle forgotten on the counter.

“Killian?”

“Your systems went down,” I rasp, forcing the words out through my throat. “I couldn’t see you. I didn’t know…” My voice gives out, jagged silence tearing through me.

I drag my eyes to hers, raw and unguarded.

“Worried? I was fucking gutted, Seraphina.”

I don’t mean for it to happen.