Page 97 of Queen of Diamonds

Ace’s voice crackled overhead once more.

“…But she’s always such a liar when it comes to matters of the heart.”

We were on the back foot, and I wasn’t used to it, but I couldn’t get caught until I knew where she was. Gritting my teeth and knowing I would never leave this place without her, I took the steps to the floor above.

KNIGHT

I took the last few steps to the main floor, reaching a set of double doors.

She was here.

“Guys?” Kyan spoke in my earpiece. “I think...”

He trailed off as Ace spoke into the intercom above.

“You still have time to turn around and walk away.”

The same voice echoed from Kyan’s comm, too.

“He’s playing with us,” I growled.

“I have the same.” That was Zed.

Fuck.

This was dangerous. Guns or not, one of us was walking into a trap. Maybe all of us. And yet, there was no choice. We were fighters, always had been. We had to hope that once it sprung, we’d be able to find a way out.

With her with us.

Kyan had gathered his whole stash of weapons. There was a gas mask clipped to my belt, and tubes of knockout gas in my pocket.

None of them would do us any good in most circumstances—not against guns in staked out locations, or places where they might be at risk of hurting her.

It didn’t matter.

Taking a breath, I pushed the door open, slipping around it and into a huge, empty theatre lobby.

It was an old building with worn carpets, aged wooden beams, and dated chandeliers.

Each of the locations had been theatres all across Vegas. No one was more likely to be the right choice than the next. All easily staked out, meaning Ace would know if we didn’t come alone.

And we’d had only hours—not nearly enough to make a better plan.

If we wanted a chance at getting her back, we had to take the bait.

I couldn’t think about what would happen if we failed. About the fact that I’d been wrong all this time.

Ahead of me, in the silent lobby, there were two huge double doors. Beyond, I knew, was the theatre.

Beyond, I would find her.

“Last chance,” Ace taunted above. “Walk away and leave me to my prize.”

There were so many pieces of this puzzle we didn’t have, but I knew now we’d made a mistake. She wasn’t the enemy.

I would rather die than leave her behind.

ZED

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