Page 105 of Layla

“Wicked Lover?” I ask, the words sour on my tongue.

Sean nods grimly. “John, he works for us.”

I stop dead in my tracks. “One of my guys?”

He shakes his head quickly. “No, he works for the band. A roadie. Cliff Bradley. He’s been with Intrigue for four years.”

Shit. That asshole has been this close to her for years? How in the hell did this happen?

But there are more important details to worry about right now. “He cornered her?”

Sean makes a grunting noise. “We had a really big crowd hanging out tonight. Layla went into the second dressing room to use that bathroom. It was…it was a few minutes before I realized she was gone.” He sounds horrified, which doesn’t soften me at all. He fucking let this happen and I could kill him for it. “We weren’t too worried—we had guys on both ends of the hall so we knew she was somewhere secured. Only hard passes could get into that area.”

“And he had one,” I mutter. Jesus, one of the roadies. I had never imagined the guy could be so close.

“He followed her into the bathroom, told her she was going with him.” I see him grimace from the corner of my eye. “He had a syringe. They’ll run tests but we think it’s ketamine.”

“Fuck,” I whisper, fear making my knees weak again. “What happened?”

“When I realized Layla was not in the main room, I asked Haylee if she’d seen her. By the time I raised the alarm with our team, Haylee had already gone off looking. She found them in a bathroom. I was a minute behind her.”

I close my eyes. “Cliff is secured?”

“Cops are questioning him now, they’re about to take him in.”

I nod. I wouldn’t mind questioning the asshole myself. But more than that, I need to get to Layla. Need to see with my own eyes that she’s okay. She had probably been so scared and the thought cuts through me like a knife.

I should have been here.

Sean stops in front of an unmarked door. “She’s in here. The band is with her.”

I don’t respond, just move to push the door open. But Sean stops me. “John, I’m so sorry. I’m the one who lost sight of her. I take full responsibility and I understand if you want my resignation.”

A minute ago, I was ready to fire him. And kick his ass. But all I can think about right now is Layla. “We’ll debrief later,” I tell him, then walk through the door.

I don’t see Layla at first. I’m standing in someone’s office, a messy desk on one side, a leather sofa on the far wall. Crowded around the sofa are the four other members of Intrigue. They’re blocking the couch so I can’t see—

“Will you all stop hovering?” Layla snaps loudly, and I feel like I can breathe for the first time since that text came through. Because she sounds like herself—loud and self-assured and a little bit pissed off. I have to close my eyes against the emotion.Layla.

“When did you get here?”

I snap open my eyes to see Dylan has turned and is now glaring at me. Everyone else turns as one, an identical expression on each face. They’re furious.

But I can’t care very much because when they turn, Layla is revealed. She’s curled up on the couch, a blanket around her shoulders, leaning into Louis. She looks pale and I’m pretty sure she’s trembling, but she’s whole and unharmed and I feel moisture come to my eyes.

She’s okay.

“Can you give us a minute?” Layla asks her bandmates in a watery voice.

“No.” Dylan says firmly. “I’m not leaving you alone with him.”

The others seem equally determined. Layla turns to Louis, sighing, and something unspoken passes between them because he’s standing, ushering the others away.

“Are you kidding me?” Dylan cries. “Do you know what he did?”

Louis looks exhausted. “I know that Layla is in charge right now and we’re going to do whatever she says.”

That has a little smile tugging at her lips. “It should always be that way, honestly.”