Semua Bab A DEBT PAID IN FLESH AND SECRETS: Bab 151 - Bab 160

 The sound of the running water from the bathroom was the only thing breaking the awful quiet in the suite. I stood exactly where Andreas had left me, my limbs stiff and my skin tingling with a cold, sharp dread. Every second felt like a drop of hot oil falling on my skin. I looked toward the bathroom door, seeing his dark silhouette moving against the frosted glass. He was washing away the stains of the street battle, but I knew he couldn't wash away the words Tobi had told him. The noose was tightening around my neck, and I could feel the rope getting smoother and tighter with every passing breath.Slowly, the water stopped running. The sudden lack of sound made my heart give a hard, painful kick against my ribs.Andreas walked out a moment later. He had removed his torn, dirty shirt, and his chest was bare, showing the deep lines of his muscles and a few fresh red scratches from the scuffle. He was holding a small white towel, drying his face with slow,

 The bass from the main floor was vibrating right through the soles of my shoes, a steady, rhythmic thumping that didn't stop. It was a low, constant shake that made the small glass bottles on my makeup table rattle against each other. It was Friday night, the biggest event of the entire month, and the club was completely packed from the front entry doors to the VIP balconies upstairs. I could hear the roar of the crowd even from the deep back dressing rooms, a loud, mixing sound of laughter, shouting, and clinking glasses. Any other night, that sound would have given me a rush of excitement, making my blood pump fast before a show, but tonight it just made me feel entirely cold.I sat alone in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection under the harsh white lights. My skin looked far too pale, almost gray, and my eyes were wide and dark with a terror that I couldn't brush away no matter how much paint I put on my skin. I was already dressed in my performance

 The applause from the crowd was still ringing in my ears when Val blocked the exit to the dressing room stairs. He had two large guards standing right behind him, their expressions completely blank. He didn't say a word, just pointed his finger back toward the stage wings. My heart gave a sickening drop. The stage hands were already setting up the lights for a second routine, even though my set was supposed to be finished. The music started up again, a fast, loud electronic rhythm that made my ears buzz with panic."Get back out there, Raine," Val ordered, his voice flat and empty. "The show isn't over yet.""Val, please," I whispered, my chest heaving as I tried to clear the tears from my eyes. "I can't. My legs are shaking too much.""I don't care," he snapped, shoving my shoulder forward. "The captains want to see more. Move."I stumbled back out onto the wide floor under the burning white spotlights. The crowd cheered again, but the soun

 Dante finally let go of my arm, shoving me away like a piece of trash. My knees buckled instantly, and I collapsed flat onto the smooth floorboards of the stage. The skin on my wrist was bright red, burning from his tight grip, but I couldn't care about the physical pain. My mind was completely fracturing. I looked up at the balcony through a thick wall of tears, my chest heaving so fast I could barely get a single gasp of air into my lungs."Andreas!" I screamed, the sound tearing out of my throat, raw and completely broken. I dragged my body forward on my knees, my hands sliding against the floor as I reached up toward the upper level. "Please, you have to listen to me! I didn't have a choice! They have Asher! They have my little brother!"Andreas didn't move for a long, terrible moment. He stood at the high railing, his green eyes dark and completely fixed on me. Then, slowly, he turned around and walked down the side stairs, his steps slow and measure

 The rain was coming down in thick, steady sheets, hitting my bare face and chest with a dull, stinging pain. I lay flat on my back in the dark lane just outside the high iron gates, the mud pooling around my shoulders and soaking right through my thin performance clothes. My fingers were dug into the wet gravel, the small rocks cutting into my skin, but I couldn't even feel it. My heart was entirely shattered, torn into pieces so small that I couldn't find my breath. The sound of the gates slamming shut was still echoing in my head, a loud, final click that meant my life was completely over.I rolled onto my side, pulling my knees up toward my chest as a violent sob tore out of my throat. I couldn't stop shaking. The cold water was washing away the dark streaks of my stage paint, mixing with the hot tears that kept running down my nose. I had lost everything in the span of an hour. My real name was out in the open, the whole city knew who my father was, and the