Slipping between the glass wall, I dance my way over to the bar, finding Betty and Jade already there ordering drinks. The music is louder now, the lighting even dimmer than it was when I left.

Jade forces a smile, wincing. “Did they do that thing to you too?”

I grab a shot glass and shoot it back. Betty orders more when she notices I’m going to need it. “No. Because I won’t give him the satisfaction.”

“Well.” Jade turns, leaning her elbows on the bar. “Look, there’s plenty out here.”

“No.” I take another shot, wincing past the harsh sting. “It’s going to take more than a basic boy to piss off Wicked. I can’t be bothered.” My phone starts vibrating against my tits, and I reach in between, seeing Papa’s name flashing over the screen.

“Hello?” I block one ear and make my way through the crowd, ignoring the fact that no one has left the booth. Shoving through the swinging doors into the bathroom, I hear Papa’s voice come through.

“Ruby…” His voice sounds different. Strained. He never calls me by my birth name.

“What’s happened?”

He breathes out loudly. “You need to come home. Both of you.” My blood leaves my body and I pull the door open, taking the steps back to the bar and around to where the booth is, shoving through naked bodies. My fingers are tingling, mind spinning. Something isn’t right. I can feel it.

Just as I reach the booth, Wicked slides out, a scowl on his face. When he sees me, it’s gone.

“What’s wrong?”

“I—” He catches me with his arm when my knees weaken. “I think something bad has happened. We have to go home. Now.” Wicked’s eyes search mine before he takes my hand and our fingers intertwine as he moves us through the sea of bodies. I don’t see anything that he does after that. Not him telling everyone to meet us there, nothing. I don’t even fight when he’s shoving a helmet into my chest and starting his bike, because something is wrong. Whether it was Papa’s tone, or my instincts, I can feel it.

Wrapping my arms around Wicked’s body, I squeeze my eyes closed and inhale as the engine growls from beneath me, the wind running its rough fingers through my hair as he whips us forward. I clutch on to his torso, ignoring the memories of the last time I was on the back of a bike with him. What could have happened? Maybe it’s Val. He did disappear earlier on in the night, or Gio? Shit. I can’t think of any other possibilities.

When we pull down our street, police lights flash red and blue on the curbside, and news agencies have their cameras parked right outside the gate.

“What the fuck?”