Chapter 676
Chapter 676:
The atmosphere was light, almost normal. For a moment, Skye allowed herself to relax. The warmth of the alcohol, the familiar weight of Liam next to her, the absurdity of Victoria’s company, it felt like a reprieve.
Then the air shifted.
It wasn’t a sound. It was a change in the current of the room.
The heavy steel door at the entrance opened. Three men walked in. They weren’t dressed for a night out. They wore dark, utilitarian jackets that bulged slightly at the waist. They didn’t look at the bar or the women; their eyes swept the room in a grid pattern.
Liam saw them instantly. His spine stiffened. He recognized the cut of their clothes, the earpieces, the way they moved in formation.
Thorne family enforcers. But not Alistair’s men. These were older, rougher.
Dominic’s crew.
Liam reached under the table and gripped Skye’s knee. His fingers were hard, urgent.
“Don’t turn around,” he murmured, his voice dropping the “Preston” act entirely, bypassing the rasp to speak directly into her ear in his natural, urgent tone. “We have company p>
Skye went still. She felt the tension radiating off him. “Who p>
“Dominic’s dogs,” Liam said. “Three of them at the door. One moving toward the bar p>
Victoria frowned, looking between them. “What are you two whispering about? Is the nerd asking for a raise p>
“Preston needs to use the restroom,” Skye said loudly, her face a mask of calm. “Go ahead, Preston p>
Liam stood up, slouching his shoulders again, but his eyes were sharp as flint. “Be right back,” he mumbled, re-engaging the gravelly voice for Victoria’s benefit.
He didn’t go to the restroom.
𝗨𝘯𝖼𝗲n𝘀𝗈𝗋𝘦d ѕ𝘵𝗈rіеs 𝗼n 𝗯𝗲.сom
He weaved through the crowd, moving with a fluid grace that belied his disguise, tracking the men. He slipped into the shadows near the service corridor, pressing his back against the wall. The music was loud, but he could hear the men talking to the bartender.
“We’re looking for the Sterling woman,” one of them growled. “Dominic said she’s here. Don’t play dumb p>
“I haven’t seen her,” the bartender said, wiping a glass nervously.
“Look harder,” the man said. “The boss wants her tonight. Alive if possible. But he’s not picky about the condition p>
Liam felt a cold rage settle in his gut. Dominic Thorne. The illegitimate brother who had been trying to claw his way to the throne for years.
He was making a move.
He pulled out his phone. He bypassed the regular messaging app and opened the encrypted channel he used for “Nero p>
To: Alistair
Message: Rats in the kitchen. Dominic’s team. Target: Skye. I’m engaging.
He slid the phone back into his pocket. He couldn’t wait for Alistair. He had to handle this.