Chapter 15
Xavier
The night was colder than usual, with the weight of the impending showdown looming over him. My breath clouded the window of my car as I waited, parked in a darkened alley just a short distance from the designated meeting point. The deadline the kidnapper had given was close, the tension thrumming through my veins. Zara's fate hung in the balance, and the stakes might be higher.
My phone buzzed against his thigh, pulling me from my thoughts. I glanced at the screen. A message from the kidnapper.
Are you alone?
My jaw clenched. Of course, i am not alone. I said in my head. My team was spread out, hidden strategically, waiting for my signal. But the plan depended on my answer, on the kidnapper thinking they had the upper hand. I typed out a curt response:
'Yes.'
