Fatal Attraction (Love Kills Duet #2)

32. Thirty Two

Thirty Two

Spike

I pulled up at the sanctum, cursing low under my breath when I found it empty before I looped around and parked directly in front of the building. Sighing and banging the back of my skull against the headrest, I left the engine running and then whipped out my phone. I’d called Felix at least a hundred times on the way and each time, it forwarded directly to his voicemail. I bared my teeth behind my lips when I tried again just for the hell of it and found there was no change.

Fuck!

Although I knew it was pointless, I got out the car and approached the building, wanting to eliminate all of the possibilities before I left for the cemetery. My brows furrowed in outstanding surprise at the sign taped against the inside of the door. Apparently, the sanctum had been permanently shut down per the owners’ request.

What the hell?

Since fucking when?

There was no way in hell I read that correctly, so I eyed over each printed word carefully to ensure I wasn’t hallucinating.

I blinked, fucking flabbergasted. This couldn’t have been right. This place was Felix’s life, and any time Phoenix and I ever needed to talk to him, if he wouldn’t answer the phone, Felix was always here. He wouldn’t just up and randomly decide to shut the place down, would he?

No, of course, he fucking wouldn’t. Not without at least giving Phoenix and I a heads up.

Then again, my inner voice reminded me. He did take shit hard that night when he screwed up the investigation. After everything that’s happened with Delilah Fields, Amber and Daniel Strickland, him fucking up our investigation, and then Charlotte…

Yeah, I guess I could say it was possible.

But why didn’t he warn us?

I’d almost walked away and got back in my car, but first, as a safety precaution, I wanted to double check that the front and back door was locked. I may not particularly care for the prick, but again, I knew how much the sanctum meant to Felix. He’d be devastated if anything happened to it. Making sure the building was fully secure was the least I could do after everything that’s happened.

I rounded the building and started with the back door first. There wasn’t a doorknob, but there was a little black box with a white button in the middle. Albeit I knew it was pointless, I pressed the button, hearing a faint buzzer resonating from the inside. After about thirty seconds of waiting and with no response, I made way for the front door.

My eyes rounded, lips parting when it opened with ease.

If the club was truly shut down, then why was the door unlocked ?

Phoenix had phoned me not even ten minutes ago and had told me everyone was at Felix’s apartment, gathering what evidence they could. I had to be smart about this, so before walking in, I dialed Captain Burgess. Thankfully, he answered after the third ring.

“Did you find him?” was his stressful greeting.

“Not yet,” I answered. “I’m at the club now, but there’s a sign taped to the door from Felix saying the place has been shut down. Something feels off to me, Cap. I tested the front door and it’s unlocked. If Felix closed the place down, then why would the door be unlocked?”

“That’s a good question,” he muttered.

“Permission to investigate?”

“Granted,” he said firmly. “Chief is on the way here, but I’ll call him back and have him meet you at the sanctum just in case you need backup. And Spike…

“Yes, Cap?”

“Remember your training and most importantly, please be careful.”

“I’ll be careful, Cap. I’m going in now.”

I hung up and then walked in, finding the place clean, but as I stalked through the door leading to the bar and lounge, I froze, cocking my head.

Was that…banging?

“Felix?” I called out, being extra quiet so I could listen. “Are you here?”

I could’ve sworn I heard it again but as I stepped through the lounge, it was deathly quiet. I waited around for a moment and as I turned to leave, the muffled sounds came again.

I froze, whipping back around and stalking around the bar and through the small opening which led behind the bar. There was nothing back here except for a giant walk-in cooler.

And then I heard it again…a frail, whimpering voice calling out for help.

Horror washed over me, and it was then when I’d noticed the broom, the handle stuck directly under the lever.

“FELIX!”

I charged, snapping the broom in half with a vicious kick, then chucked the broken pieces behind me, opening the cooler door and cursing at the top of my goddamn lungs when Felix’s body fell hard against the floor, shivering like he was having a seizure.

His breathing was erratic and there was frost clinging to his hair, eyelashes, and clothes. His lips were blue, and as he shivered harder, begging for me to help him, I kneeled down and grabbed him, hauling him close to offer him my body heart.

“Percious,” he weakly muttered over and over. “Percious…”

I had no idea what the fuck that meant. Without wasting any time, I grabbed my phone, pissed when I saw I had no service. Left with no other choice, I shoved my phone back in my pocket and then hauled Felix out and into the sun. I tried again once we were outside and I had one of Felix’s arms slung over my shoulders.

“Captain,” I screamed as Felix continued to violently shake against me. “I have him. He was locked inside the fucking beer cooler! He’s suffering from hypothermia and he’s not far from going into shock. I need an ambulance NOW!”

I didn’t give Cap time to respond before I hung up and carried Felix out to my car, immediately turning on the heat. Rounding over to his side, I knelt beside him and grabbed his hands, rubbing them fast and praying the ambulance would get here soon.

“Percious,” he whispered over and over again, his pupils blown. “Percious.”

“Felix,” I rasped. “You’re not making any sense.”

His eyes rolled back then, and I frantically shook him, needing him to stay awake. “No, no, no. Don’t do that. Stay with me. Help is on the way.”

“Percious,” he mumbled under his breath.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Felix. What is Percious? Is that a person?”

His eyes fluttered shut, and his body went limp. Panic lit my soul on fire when I checked for a pulse, finding nothing. Quickly, I got him out and then laid him flat on the gravel, administering CPR.

“Wake up,” I furiously demanded, pumping against his chest before I brought my mouth to his, offering him oxygen. “Come on, Felix.”

I did it again, and again, starting to lose hope.

“WAKE UP! GOD DAMNIT WAKE UP!”