I was about to ask Harper if she wanted water when her expression clouded as she glanced behind me. I could sense someone was there, so I dropped the hairbrush and turned around.
It was Xander Creed. The embers highlighted parts of his face, and he didn’t look good. He’d been beaten. I scanned the beach, looking for the guys. Did that explain why they had taken so long? Were they somehow responsible?
“What happened to your face?” I gasped, not even bothering with hello.
Xander stepped forward, his eyes frantic as he raised his hands. “There’s no time for that,” he began, his tone suggesting he was upset. He looked more like a scared boy than a criminal.
I touched his arm, glancing over my shoulder and back again. “You shouldn’t be here. If Hudson sees you…” My voice turned to vapour.
Xander jumped in, gesticulating with his arms. “I don’t give a shit about his jealous bullshit.”
I opened my mouth to correct him, but he raised a finger to shush me. “I’ve come to warn you, Molly. There may be trouble here tonight,” Xander rasped, again darting a look around the space. As I stared beyond the bonfire, I could see a group of jocks from St Andrew’s. That must have been the possible trouble he was talking about.
Shit. Had they come to cause beef because they lost the game?
“Trouble? From St Andrew’s. Why, it was a fair game,” I exclaimed as Harper came to join me.
“Is Nick with you?” she asked Xander.
Ignoring her, he stated. “Look, I’m not sure, but my father may have sent a couple of his men here,” And my blood ran ice cold. His father’s men. Xander and Nick’s father, aka the drug baron, as Phoenix had called him at Nash’s party.
Harper and I exchanged a look. “What? Why?”
Xander started pulling at his hair. “They’re looking for Micah Mehari.”
“About what? The money he owes?”
“No. That’snothingin the scheme of things. Someone broke into my car.”
My brow furrowed as he started to pace in front of us. “And you think it was Micah?”
He dropped his arms and fisted his hands by his side. He then took a deep breath and explained. “I don’t know, but whoever did, they stole something—some packages. I need them back.”
I dashed a hand of frustration through my hair. “Packages full of drugs, I take it?”
“Yes. But not the usual stuff. This belongs to my father’s business partner. Three bricks are missing, that’s three kilos and I’m in the shit,” his voice cracked. He was so different from the calm man I had met previously. Xander was skittish and didn’t stay still.
What were bricks? I’d never heard of that type of drug.
I narrowed my eyes. Xander almost looked like he was on something himself. I noticed he wasn’t dressed for the beach in tailored trousers, and there was blood on the collar of his shirt. What the hell?
I clutched my chest, not comprehending what he was saying. “Your father’s business partner? What is he, a drug lord of sorts?”
“Yes. The real deal. These are dangerous people, Molly. I saw two of my father’s men talking to some of Nick’s friends at the game. They may have stirred things up. Either that or put them up to causing shit here.”
“Is that why your face is all busted up. Because the drugs were taken fromyourcar?”
“Yes.”
“And who did that to you? You’re dad’s partner?” I said, horrified.
What he replied was worse. “No. My father, for screwing up.”
So Xander’s old man had physically assaulted him. If a man could do that to his son, God knew what he could do to Hudson and his brothers.
“When did the drugs go missing?”
“During tonight’s game.”
