Page 33 of These Shattered Memories

S omething is wrong.

Alex is missing

I know this because, at nine last night, he called me, and the line connected for a moment—enough to hear him breathe—before it went dead.

Since then—nothing.

No calls, no messages.

Doubt creeps in for a minute. Has he played me? Have I fallen for his lies again, even after everything? He promised not to do anything that would mess up the fragile trust between us, but what if he did?

I shove the thought away as quickly as it comes. Alex hasn’t lied to me, not since this started. He wouldn’t just disappear. Something else is wrong. I can feel it.

The midday sun hangs high, cold and distant. I stand outside Alex’s apartment building, scanning his unit. His living room window is cracked open—not his bedroom, though. That’s probably my fault. His car is in its usual spot, frost coating the windshield. Everything looks ordinary.

An older woman exits the lobby, and I hold the door for her as she murmurs a quiet thank you. I slip inside and head up the stairs.

When I reach Alex’s front door, I freeze.

It’s slightly open, a sliver of light pouring out.

Alarm bells go off in my head. Slowly, I push it open.

It creaks on its hinges, revealing the stillness of his kitchen.

The scent of vanilla hangs heavy in the air, the source an almost-burnt-out candle on the coffee table.

“Alex?” My voice cuts through the silence, but it’s clear he’s not here. He hasn’t been here for hours.

I step further inside the apartment and spot his cell phone on the floor—completely smashed.

Not dropped but stomped. Tiny shards scatter across the floor, glinting in the afternoon light, a few crunching under my shoes.

A few inches away, a broken glass lies in jagged pieces, water pooling around it.

The kitchen table sits askew, his laptop open but the screen blank.

My stomach tightens looking over the living room. There was a struggle. He fought back, but the other person won because he’s not here. They took him.

A strange mix of anger and panic settles inside me, making it almost impossible to breathe. I fight through it, taking in a deep breath and blowing it out. Without a second thought, I pull out my phone and dial Xander.

He picks up immediately. “Ro?”

“Alex is missing,” I say, the words cutting like glass.

“Am I supposed to be surprised?”

I grit my teeth. “No. Someone took him, Xan.”

He’s quiet for a second. “How do you know?”

“His apartment door was open. His phone is smashed, there’s broken glass on the floor, and he’s not here. This wasn’t him leaving on his own.”

Another pause. “He could have set that up.”

I take in another breath, forcing myself to thwart the panic. Panic won’t do me any good right now. “He wouldn’t do this. Not like this. I know he wouldn’t.”

He falls quiet again and it’s driving me insane.

“Okay. Okay,” he finally says. “What do you need?”

“Get someone to pull the security footage from this building. If anyone resists, tell your guy to make them comply. I don’t care how.”

“And you?”

“I’ll call you when I know more,” I say, then hang up.

I look down at Alex’s shattered phone, picking it up carefully.

The fine shards dig into my palm, but I barely notice.

My mind races, picturing him tied up somewhere, bloody and bruised.

I’ve never been religious, but God help whoever took him because when I get to them, it won’t be God they beg for mercy, it’ll be me.

Halle doesn’t live far from Alex’s place, and I find myself heading there before I’ve even decided what to say.

Maybe he’s with her. Maybe he slept over and somehow dropped his phone.

But the broken glass keeps replaying in my mind, telling me I’m grasping at straws, trying to make myself feel better.

Her door swings open before I even knock. Wide-eyed and curly-haired, Halle blinks up at me.

“ Oh ,” she says, dragging out the word. “I know you.. and God, you’re hotter in person.”

“Thanks,” I reply tightly. “Is Alex here?”

Her brow furrows, crossing her arms against her chest. “Should he be?”

“He’s not at his apartment.”

She immediately loses the appraising look and steps aside, motioning me in. The space is cluttered, more plants than furniture, vines hanging from the ceiling, and the smell of incense hanging thick in the air.

“When did you last see him?” I ask.

“Last night. He was fine when he left. Are you sure he’s missing? Maybe he’s at the gym or something.”

I shake my head, pulling out his broken phone. “His door was open, and I found this.”

For a second, she looks confused, then her eyes widen as she recognises the phone. Her hands fly to her mouth. “No. No . This can’t be happening. Did he—” She stops herself, eyes flickering before a deep frown settles on her face. “Wait. You’re the one who got my case dismissed, right?”

“Yes.? It comes out more like a question.

Her already wide eyes widen further, her voice coming out urgent. “Did he tell you? Someone promised him they’d do the same if he helped find who’s pushing Haze. Maybe this has something to do with that?”

Fuck, of course. Why didn’t I think of that? “Who else knew about your case?” I ask Halle.

“Just my lawyer and Alex,” she says, then falters. “Oh—and maybe Kane? He’s Alex’s boss, but they are really close. Alex usually tells him everything. I’m sure he told him about this, too.”

Isaac Kane.

I sift through my mind. I’ve looked into him before—clean record, family man—but now alarm bells are ringing again.

“Do you have his number?”

She rushes over to the couch, picking up her phone and scrolling quickly. “Here,” she says, handing it over. “You think someone did something to Alex?”

I don’t know how to answer that, so I don’t. I watch her face fall as I hand her back the phone.

“Rowan?” My name comes out of her mouth shakily. “Please tell me the truth.”

“I don’t know,” I say. “But if something did happen, I’ll find him.”

She starts pacing through the living room. Her hands shake at her sides. “You don’t understand,” she says. “I can’t let anything happen to him. I always promised I’d have his back, and I’ve been such a bitch to him lately.”

I do understand, I think. I can’t lose him again. I think losing him again would kill me.

Hazel eyes stare back at me, rimmed red with unskilled tears. “Please. He’s all I’ve ever had.”

My chest squeezes looking at her. Somehow, all the emotions I feel inside me are displayed on her face. Anger, grief, and above all—fear. Just like Halle, I can’t lose Alex, not when I just got him back, not when we’re on the brink of something real.

“I will,” I tell her. “I promise.”

It’s a promise to myself too.

In my pocket, my phone rings.

Xander.

“Tell me you found something.”

“Ian got the footage. Whoever took Alex had help—one blocked the camera, but we got a glimpse of their faces. I’m sending the images now.”

Moments later, the pictures come through. Grainy, but clear enough. I show them to Halle.

Her face drains of its colour. “No. This can’t be right.” Her voice shakes. “That’s Kane. The one on the right.”

“Are you sure?” I ask.

She nods, moisture pooling in her eyes again. “I’m sure.”

I stare at the image, my jaw tightening. Isaac Kane took Alex.

I text Xander, my blood boiling:

Isaac Kane. The one on the right. He works with Alex. Send Ian to his house. Meet me at Summit.

***

At noon, I send Isaac Kane a video of his house. His two daughters giggle as they take turns riding a tricycle on the front the lawn. A pristine street stretches in front of them—quiet, clean, safe. A neighbourhood far removed from the chaos of central Senna.

You have a beautiful family.

His response is instant.

Who is this?

I don’t bother telling him. He’ll find out soon enough.

Let’s meet at Summit in 30 minutes.

Half an hour later, I’m perched on Hayden’s desk, my posture relaxed despite the coiled tension in my chest. Xander lounges on the couch, his fingers idly spinning a knife.

Hayden leans against the wall, arms crossed, probably wishing to be anywhere but here.

I know they both would, but they’d sooner die than let me do this alone.

We make an intimidating picture, but beneath my calm mask, fury simmers. Ian is still stationed outside Kane’s house, under strict orders to stay put. I have no desire to hurt his family, but if he forces my hand, I won’t hesitate to destroy his world, just as he seems determined to destroy mine.

The door swings open, and Detective Isaac Kane strides in, trailed by three of our guards. His face is flushed red, a vein bulging in his forehead. Anger radiates from him, but by the way his eyes shift, I can tell he’s scared. At least he’s smart enough to be.

I wave a hand, a tiny smile dancing on my lips, trying my best to look like the Rowan everyone knows—aloof and unaffected.

“Where’s my family?” he demands. “What the hell have you done to them?”

My smile spreads, slow and deliberate. “Not even an introduction?” I ask. “I was hoping to see you at the wedding.”

He lunges, but a guard grabs him, yanking him back like an owner might do a rabid dog. He shrugs him off, teeth bared. “If you’ve hurt them—”

“You’ll what?” I cut in, my voice calm, amused. “Kill me? Don’t worry, Isaac. Your family is safe for now. Ian’s making sure they’re well taken care of, and he’ll continue to do so if you help me out.”

“Just let them go,” he says, losing that edge in his voice. “Please.”

“Looks like we both have something the other wants. How about we make a trade?”

His expression hardens, but his eyes flicker. That’s his tell. “It wasn’t supposed to go down like this. I’d never hurt Alex.”

That’s a lie, but I’ll bite. “How was it supposed to go down, exactly?”

“We were going to contact you tonight,” he says. “We just wanted to talk.”

I arch an eyebrow. “We? About what?”

He shrugs, his bravado cracking slightly. “What else?”

“Haze,” I say flatly.

He doesn’t confirm it, but the flicker in his eyes is answer enough. I glance at Hayden. This drug is causing way more trouble than it’s worth, and we have nothing to do with it.

“You sent the emails,” I say. “You promised Alex you’d get Halle’s case dismissed.”

Kane’s jaw tightens, but he doesn’t respond.

I lean forward, letting my voice drop. “Listen, Kane, I don’t care about Haze. I don’t care about why you’re doing this. All I care about is Alex. Let him go, and your family stays safe.”

“I can’t do that,” he says quietly. “Not until we talk.”

“Hmm,” Xander interjects, his voice lazy. “Guess I’ll call Ian. We’ll see how loud your wife screams when she watches a bullet go through your oldest daughter’s skull. Elsie, was it?”

“Don’t you fucking—”

“Don’t what?” I interrupt, my voice sharp. “You’re out of options. Cameras caught you at Alex’s apartment last night. It’s only a matter of time before I find where you took him. The only reason you’re here is because Alex wouldn’t want me to kill your family—but believe me, he’ll get over it.”

It’s a bluff. It’d take hours to trace Kane’s route last night, but he doesn’t know that. He pales, his hands curling into fists.

“I can’t,” he says, his voice cracking.

“Fine with me,” Xander says. “I don’t really care about Alex or what he thinks, so murdering your family means absolutely nothing to me. I think I’ll call Ian.” He makes a show of pulling out his phone and putting it on loudspeaker as it rings.

Kane looks on nervously, and I know his mind is working, weighing his options. If he’s somewhat of a decent cop, then he must know Xander’s reputation proceeds him.

“Fine!” he says. “Fine! But before I tell you where Alex is, I need you to know something first.”

Xander hangs up, and I wait, my patience razor thin.

“Someone killed Professor Hawthorne for her research,” Kane begins, his voice strained.

“A lot of people wanted it—businessmen, The Scarlet Ravens, even members of The Judiciary. After her death, Haze started appearing on the market, and Anders—Chief Rachel Anders—was tasked with finding the source by someone in The Judiciary. They promised her a position in The Judiciary if she delivered.”

“And you? Where do you come into this?” I ask.

Kane sighs quietly, his shoulders sagging.

“A few months ago, I was working a case. I got … close to someone I was working with. Anders promised to make it go away if I helped her. We were running out of time, so I roped Alex into it. Figured we could use the extra hands. But Alex is good. He wouldn’t help me do this.

I didn’t want him to—” he cuts himself off.

“Halle’s case was my way to get him to help me. ”

A dry laugh spills out of me.

Oh .

He cheated on his wife.

“That must be the most idiotic thing I’ve ever heard,” Hayden deadpans from where he stands.

“You don’t understand—”

“No, I understand perfectly,” I cut in. “You’ve been fucking someone else whilst you have a wife at home. You call The Snake corrupt and yet you run around making dirty deals with The Judiciary. You’re just as bad as us.”

“It only happened a few times.” His eyes flicker. Another lie. It’s a full-blown affair. It’s probably still going on.

But that can’t be all there is.

“This isn’t just about the affair, is it?” Anders offered him something else. A promotion once she left the OCU? Money?

He averts his gaze. “It’s not like that.”

“You and I both know it is exactly like that. Now, where is Alex?” I press.

He takes in a deep breath and looks at me carefully. “Let’s make a deal,” he says.

Xander’s laugh is loud. “I don’t think you’re in a position to make a deal right now.”

Kane ignores him. “I tell you where Alex is and you let go of my family,” he says, then, “You also get rid of Rachel Anders for me.”

“You’d have someone killed because they know you cheated on your wife?” Hayden’s frown deepens.

All Kane does is shrug.

What a bastard.

“Where is he?” I grit out.

“Do we have a deal?” he asks.

“Answer the question, Isaac,” I stand straight, fury burning through me.

He takes a careful step back and runs a hand through his hair. “Kingsway Flats in Greenwood. Apartment twenty-three.”

“I’m coming with you,” Xander says, rising from the couch.

I nod and turn to Hayden. “Get him to Sying. Have Ian stay with his family until I say otherwise.”

Kane stares at me, his voice breaking. “What about Anders?”

I smile coldly. “That’s not your concern. But pray Alex is still alive—because if he’s not, you’ll wish I killed you here and now.”