Chapter 108 A Toast
Anna's POV
Zack squinted his eyes at me. “You look curious about Lucas’s fate.”
I swallowed and tried not to let my expression change. “You has been in a serious rivalry with Xavier. Of course everyone would be curious to know how it turns out, especially since Xavier and his brother aren’t in good terms.”
Zack watched me for another second before nodding.
He walked toward the table and picked up the bottle of wine. He poured some into his glass and then filled another glass for me. “Let’s have a toast to our newfound leverage.”
He handed the glass to me.
I forced a smile and raised it. “To leverage.”
Our glasses touched.
I waited until he drank from his glass before bringing mine to my lips. I took a small sip, keeping my eyes on him.
Zack leaned against the table. “If you were in my shoes, what would you do with the information about Lucas?”
I swallowed.
That was exactly the question I didn’t want to answer.
I couldn’t let him think I cared too much about Lucas. At the same time, I couldn’t give him an answer that would make him want to kill Lucas.
I thought for a moment before speaking. “I would be careful with that information.”
“Why?”
“Because it could be a trap. Xavier knows Lucas is important to you now. He could have allowed the information to reach you because he wants you to go after Lucas.”
Zack nodded slowly. “That’s a fine theory.”
I relaxed slightly.
“But?” He said.
My eyes narrowed.
“But Xavier is no fool,” he continued. “He knows Lucas isn’t enough bait to lure me out. If this were really a trap, Xavier would use something better.”
“Something better?”
“Something I actually want.”
He took another sip of wine. “Maybe himself. Or his wife.”
My fingers tightened around the glass. My heart jumped, but I kept my face calm. “You want Xavier’s wife?”
Zack smiled. “More than you can imagine.”
I forced myself to remain still. “Capturing Anna won’t win you your war.”
“Against Xavier? No.” He placed his glass on the table. “But she would help repair my fear factor amongst my ranks.”
I frowned. “Your capos?”
“Exactly.” He smiled. “They have started to believe Xavier is stronger than me. They believe he can move through my territory without being touched. They believe I am no longer invisible.”
He shook his head. “Anna would change that.”
I gave him a confused look. “Ooh.”
“If I capture Xavier’s wife, my own people will start bebelieving i can't be touched. They will understand that I can take something from Xavier that he cannot easily replace.”
I nodded slowly. “That makes sense.” But inside, every part of me was screaming.
He was talking about me. He wanted to use me to prove himself to his own people.
I lowered my eyes to the glass. “What do you intend to do with Lucas?”
Zack didn’t answer. He only stared at me for a moment before saying, “You should get some sleep.”
“I’m not feeling sleepy.”
A small smile appeared on his face. He rubbed his temples and then sat down. “You will feel very sleepy soon.”
I smiled back. “You don’t know me.”
He held my gaze.
There was something strange in his eyes now. Something I couldn’t understand.
Then he finally spoke. “I’m not going to kill Lucas.”
Relief rushed through me before I could stop it.
“At least not yet.”
The relief disappeared.
Zack leaned back. “I’ll use Lucas’s location to lure Xavier out. Once Xavier comes, I’ll kill both of them.”
My heart started beating faster.
“Then, I’ll move out and capture Anna.” He smiled. “Nice plan, right?”
My heart skipped a beat.
I stared at him, trying to understand what had just happened.
Lucas was in danger, Xavier was in danger. And somehow, I was part of the plan too.
I couldn’t let this happen, I needed to end it tonight, or so I thought.
I slowly looked around the room. The door was far behind me.
There were no weapons within easy reach.
The table was beside Zack, but he was sitting too close to it.
I needed something I could use quickly.
My eyes moved across the room.
Zack sighed. For a moment, I thought he was simply tired.
Then he blinked rapidly, his breathing changed.
He looked like he was fighting sleep.
I watched him carefully. “What’s wrong?”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small tube filled with clear fluid.
He twisted the cap open.
I frowned. “What is that?”
He didn't answer. He lifted the tube to his mouth and drank everything inside.
My eyes followed him.
He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“What did you just drink?”
“A cure to something.” He placed the empty tube on the table. “I drank something I shouldn’t have.”
I stared at him. “What did you drink?” My eyes landed on a rope beside him, something I could use to kill him.
He smiled. “The wine you drank earlier.”
My stomach dropped. I looked at my glass. “The wine?”
“It was spiked.”
My blood ran cold.
Zack leaned forward slightly. “I needed to take you down without any drama, Anna.”
My eyes widened, he knew who I was all along.
The room suddenly seemed to spin.
I quickly pushed myself away from the chair.
I needed to get out.
But my body didn’t respond the way I wanted.
My legs felt heavy, my fingers went numb.
I tried to stand and stumbled against the chair and caught myself.
Zack watched me with a smirk. “You really thought I didn’t know who you were?”
I tried to reach for something.
My eyes moved around the room again, to the rope beside the bed.
If I could reach it, maybe I could use it.
I forced my body forward, reaching for the rope.
My fingers barely moved, my knees weakened.
I grabbed the edge of the bed to keep myself from falling.
Zack didn’t move, he simply watched.
I tried to speak, but my tongue felt heavy.
My vision became darker around the edges.
I thought about Lucas.
Then Xavier.
I couldn’t let Zack use Lucas to reach Xavier.
I couldn’t let him capture me, I had to do something.
I pushed myself toward the rope again, but my strength was gone.
My body collapsed, I hit the floor hard.
Zack walked toward me.
I tried to crawl away, but my arms refused to cooperate.
He crouched beside me. “You should have been more careful, Anna.”
The last thing I saw was Zack’s face above me.
Then everything went black.