<b>Chapter </b><b>303 </b>
LUKE
From the moment Nick grabbed the toolbox<b>, </b>I knew something was wrong. He wouldn’t look at me, his movements sharp and deliberate. There was a darkness in his eyes I hadn’t seen before. I followed him<b>, </b>trying to figure out what he was nning. I couldn’t <b>let </b>him do something reckless.
But then I heard it—the m of the door, the click <b>of </b>the lock, Nick was inside with Xander. My stomach dropped. This wasn’t just a confrontation. This was something worse
I rushed to the door, pounding my fists against it. “Nick! Open the door! We need to talk!” My voice echoed in the hallway, but there was no response. Just silence.
“Nick!” I shouted again, louder this time. “He’s not worth it! Let me handle this!”
Still nothing. I pressed my ear to the door, straining to hear anything. Then it <b>came</b>–a sound that made my blood run cold. A cry, raw and guttural, like nothing I’d ever heard. It wasn’t human. It wasn’t animal<b>. </b>It was something in between.
I stepped back, my heart pounding. Was that Nick? Xander? <b>I </b>couldn’t tell. The sound was twisted, unrecognizable. It wed at–me, digging into my chest.
“Nick, please!” I begged, my voice shaking. “Olivia wouldn’t want this. Your mother wouldn’t want this. Don’t do something you can’t take back!”
Another cry tore through the door, sharper this time. I flinched, my hands trembling. “His men shot up Olivia’s house,” Nick’s voice came through, broken and raw. “My son was outside.”
The words hit me like a punch. Samuel. My mind raced. What if he’d been hurt? What if he was still in danger? I slumped against the wall, my legs giving out. “Oh, God,” <b>I </b>whispered, my voice barely audible.
Nick’s voice cut through the silence again, cold and final<b>. </b><b>“</b>Go away, Luke. This animal deserves everything he’s getting.”
I didn’t move. I couldn’t. The weight of his words pinned me to the floor. Something in Nick had shattered, and there was no pulling him back now.
The cries from the room grew louder, more desperate. I couldn’t tell who they wereing from anymore. Nick or Xander–it didn’t matter. The sound was unbearable, like nails scraping against my skull.
I pushed myself up, my legs shaky. “Nick, stop!” I shouted, mming my fist against the door. “This isn’t you! Don’t let him turn you into this!”
No answer. Just the muffled sounds of struggle, of pain. I pressed my forehead against the door, my breathing in short gasps. I couldn’t let this happen. I couldn’t let Nick destroy himself.
But what could I do? The door was locked. Nick wasn’t listening. He was too far gone, consumed by rage and grief. I thought about Samuel, about Olivia. This wasn’t just about Xander anymore. It was about Nick losing himself.
The cries stopped abruptly, reced by an eerie silence. I froze, my hand still pressed against the door. “Nick?” <b>I </b>called, my voice barely above a whisper.
No response.
I stepped back, my mind racing. I had to do something. I had to stop this before it was toote. But as I turned to leave, the door creaked open.
Nick stood there, his face pale, his hands stained. He didn’t look at me. He just walked past, his steps heavy<b>, </b>his
<b>Chapter </b><b>303 </b>
<b>eyes </b>empty<b>. </b>
I <b>nced </b>into the <b>room</b>. Xander <b>was </b>on <b>the </b><b>floor</b>, unmoving I didn’t need to check <b>to </b>know <b>he </b>was gone<b>. </b>
<b>Nick </b>had <b>crossed </b>a line.
26 <b>BONUS </b>