Chapter 28 New Lead
Anna’s POV
The knock on my door dragged me out of sleep.
I groaned softly. “I’m coming.”
I wrapped a robe around myself and went to open it.
Eve stood there, calm as ever, holding a breakfast tray. “Good morning,” she said.
I stepped aside to let her in. “Isn’t it too early for breakfast?”
She raised an eyebrow slightly. “You woke up late. You should check the time.”
I frowned and glanced at the clock. Late morning.
I exhaled. “Don’t blame me. Yesterday was a long day.”
Eve placed the tray on the table. “I have a feeling today will be longer.”
Something about the way she said it made me look at her twice. “Heard anything?” I asked casually.
“I’ve stayed in this house for a decade,” she replied. “I can tell when something is about to happen without hearing anything.”
I smirked lightly. “You’d make a good spy then. Paying attention to everything like that.”
Her eyebrows narrowed just slightly. Then she chuckled. But it was forced.
I noticed. Before I could dwell on it, the door opened without warning.
Lucas walked in. His eyes went straight to me. “Eve,” he said calmly, “excuse us.”
She bowed her head slightly and left the room. The door closed.
Lucas immediately pulled me into a hug. It caught me off guard.
I pulled back slightly. “What’s wrong?”
He looked at me carefully. “I have good news and bad news.”
“Start with the bad news," I blurted out.
He hesitated only a second. “Xavier insists he’s selling you. I tried convincing him but he didn’t listen."
I swallowed. I had expected that.
“Okay,” I said steadily. “What’s the good news?”
“Sam and Patrick are alive. Xavier let them go.”
Relief flickered through me.
“And,” he continued, “Xavier suspects Sam may have unknowingly worked for Zack to sabotage him.”
My mind immediately started working. “Oh boy,” I murmured. “That’s a lot.”
It also meant something else. I had just found a new lead.
“That means Xavier can use Sam to trace Zack,” I said.
Lucas nodded. “If he’s responsible. Yes.”
I nodded slowly, but inside, something sparked. A new direction. A new opening.
“One more thing,” Lucas added quietly. “We need to be careful moving forward. Xavier suspects something between us.”
I gave a short, dry laugh. “It won’t matter. I’ll be auctioned off in two days.”
Lucas shook his head firmly. “I won’t let that happen.”
My eyes searched his. “What are you planning?”
“It’s better you don’t know,” he said. “Not until the day of the auction.”
I inhaled slowly. “Alright. But be careful. I don’t want you in trouble because of me.”
His voice softened. “I’ll be fine if you are.”
He leaned closer, about to kiss me— Then the door opened suddenly.
We jumped apart instantly.
Xavier stood at the door, wearing a black shirt on black trousers. A fresh tattoo curved along the side of his neck, still slightly red.
His hands were behind his back as his gaze moved between us slowly.
“Lucas,” he said coolly. “Are you her new servant now? Bringing her food?”
Lucas straightened. “No. That wasn’t me. I just came in.”
“Hmm.” Xavier walked inside the room without invitation.
The air shifted immediately. “My men just gave me news,” he said calmly.
My stomach tightened.
“Sam and Patrick are dead.”
The words hit like a physical blow. I swallowed hard.
Lucas frowned. “That’s not possible.”
Xavier looked at him sharply. “Did you kill them after suggesting otherwise?”
Lucas’s voice stayed firm. “I didn’t touch them.”
Xavier studied him for a moment. “If you didn’t,” he said slowly, “then whoever sent Sam did.”
He began pacing slightly. “But the real question is how they found out I abducted them.”
Silence filled the room.
Lucas spoke carefully. “I have no idea.”
Xavier stopped walking. “Think, brother,” he said quietly.
Then he leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. “It means we have a spy in our midst.”
A chill slid down my spine.
Lucas reacted instantly. “I don’t think Anna is the spy.”
My heart skipped. That was too quick.
Xavier’s lips curved faintly. “No,” he said calmly. “Anna is not the spy.”
The emphasis was deliberate.
He turned back to Lucas. “Do a clean sweep. Bring the spy to me. I can't have a spy under my own roof selling me out to the enemy."
Lucas nodded. “Right away, boss.” He turned to leave.
“I’m not done with you,” Xavier said.
Lucas stopped.
“My men caught the hitmen who killed Sam and Patrick,” Xavier continued. “They had a sweet confession. One you'd be happy to hear."
My pulse pounded in my ears.
“Zack was behind it?” Lucas asked.
Xavier nodded slowly. “According to them, Zack did it to get back at me for killing Marco.”
He paused. “But in truth? He did it to cover his tracks.”
Xavier turned toward me. “Marco knew who you were the minute he saw you,” he said calmly.
My stomach dropped.
“They’ve been keeping tabs on Sam since they used him. So they know everyone around him.”
I forced my voice to stay steady. “I had no idea Sam was working for Zack.”
“Of course you didn’t,” Xavier said smoothly. Then his eyes darkened slightly.
“But Zack doesn’t know that. I'm sure he wouldn't want to take any chance. If he thinks Sam told you something, then that makes you a subject of interest."
Lucas stiffened slightly. “Which means Zack will come after her.”
“Yes,” Xavier said. "That's a good thing isn't it?"
And then he smiled. “That makes her the perfect bait to lure him out.”
For a moment, I didn’t process it.
Then it hit. “Bait?” I repeated. The word felt foreign.
Xavier stepped closer. “Yes, Anna,” he said softly. “You'll be the perfect bait."
My heart pounded violently against my ribs.