Chapter 683

I stared at Jace’s face—so familiar, so tangled up in my past. How was I supposed to see him as a stranger? But he needed to drop the idea. Forcing a faint smile, I said, “I already do.” His hand trembled against mine before I pulled away, stood up, and walked out.

Later, I skimmed the file he’d sent me. It matched what Cole told me the day before, with extra details about Xander’s family. Clearly, Jace wanted me to know one thing: Xander wasn’t Hayden. When I finished reading, I laughed.

Around noon, I called Cole back. Maybe he was salty I’d ignored him last night because he didn’t pick up. Whatever. I didn’t bother calling again.

That evening, I headed to DracoLux. This time, I went straight to the lobby manager. “I’m here to see Cole. Tell him Ms. Kay is looking for him.” “Right this way, Ms. Kay!” The manager practically tripped over himself to help me—Cole had clearly prepped them for my arrival. Smart move on his part. He probably figured I was digging for dirt and wanted to stay ahead of me.

In the room they showed me to, I kept it simple when they asked what I wanted: just fruit and drinks, no mention of Xander. If Cole wanted to dangle him as bait, I’d let him squirm for a bit.

It didn’t take long for Cole to stroll in. “Knew you’d show up today.” “I’m here to settle the bill,” I replied, sliding a check across the table. The amount was exactly what we’d agreed on. Cole ignored it, his gaze pinned on me. “That’s it? Just settling the bill?”

“What else? Looking for someone to spend the night with?” I asked, matching his tone. “Too bad—Xander’s on leave. You won’t see him for a while,” Cole said, his smirk dripping with mischief.

“Who said it had to be him?” I replied. He rubbed his nose awkwardly. “You’re not… interested in Xander?” he asked. “He’s a knockoff with a recycled face,” I shot back. “I’m not dumb enough to mistake a toy for the real thing.” One sentence, and I’d cut Xander down to nothing. Message sent: I wasn’t biting on Cole’s bait.

Cole nodded. “Typical Johnston flair. Your taste really is top-notch.” “Take the check,” I said, pressing the call button for staff. “Send in two people to pour drinks.” Cole pocketed the check, still smiling. “Tonight’s on me. Take as many male models as you want.”

I didn’t hold back. I called in a few more guys and let them sit around, sipping drinks. They were getting paid anyway, so why not? Of course, I slipped Xander’s name into the conversation here and there, but none of them cracked. They’d clearly been warned to keep their mouths shut. I didn’t push it. Forcing answers wasn’t worth the energy. By 10 p.m., I’d had enough and left.

For the next few days, I stayed away from DracoLux. Meanwhile, Wayne cranked up his charm. Unlike Jace, he was smart—he didn’t bring up Xander at all. Since he avoided it, so did I. When he asked me to dinner, I agreed. I knew Cole had eyes on me and wasn’t about to give anything away too soon.

A week later, I returned to DracoLux. That’s when I spotted Xander, heading into a private room with a pack of male models. Minutes later, the sound of glass shattering and yelling came from their direction. Something was definitely off. I didn’t think twice—I got up and rushed toward the chaos.

Inside, Xander stood in the middle of the mess, broken glass scattered around him. He faced a group of big shots.