AN: here's chapter 28. Enjoy, people. Geoff is not an evil character- clearing that up now.

TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️ : injury detail and violence. Also this chapter might break your heart.

Lexi's POV:

That night, Geoff tossed me a loaf of bread, with a key hidden inside. He had spread the word through the ranks- telling them to clear out. There was no love lost between Isla and Liam and the men- but there would be a heck of a lot of blood spilled if I failed.

I unlocked my manacles and stood unsteadily to my feet; my muscles groaned in protest. I swallowed and looked at the second thing Geoff had given me. A knife.

"You only have one shot." He'd said, eyes filled with desperation and fear. "Make it count."

Liam had mysteriously disappeared, so Isla was all alone. The plan was that I would sneak to her chambers and stab Isla. Simple, right? Not so much. Geoff said that she was scarily alert. He'd offered to do it himself, but I'd immediately shot down the idea. I already had blood on my hands- a little more won't make a difference.

What made this plan so dangerous was if Isla came to know about it- or she caught me before I completed my task. Then it was game over. I'd be six feet under and no one would ever find my body.

I cracked open the door, my eyes squinting at the sliver of light piercing my vision. I opened it wider and stepped out, the pills and food Geoff gave me made my body thrum with slight energy.

My bare feet slapped against the stone floor, the knife in my hands was gripped tightly. Geoff's instructions echoed in my mind.

Up the stairs... to the left- no wait, right... three doors down to the left...

I stopped outside the seemingly harmless piece of wood. My heart thundered in my chest, blood roared like a hungry lion in my ears as I reached out with a trembling hand to open the door.

"Hello Alexandra." Isla's voice was soft and promised violence. She turned around and smiled. In her grip was a struggling Geoff, tears streaming down his face along with a look of utter helplessness. "I've been expecting you."

The door swung shut behind me.

I was trapped.

"Take a seat, sweetie." She gestured to the bed, then her eyes fell on the weapon clutched in my bloodied hands and she tsked disapprovingly. "You can drop the knife, Lexi, there's honestly no need for that now." When I didn't, she scowled and pulled Geoff's hair back, pressing her own blade against his neck hard enough to draw a trickle of blood.

Immediately, I placed it on the ground and backed away from it.

"Good, now, was that so hard?" Isla let go of my friend, who tottered a few steps before regaining his balance. "Geoff, you may leave now. I wish to have a word with my foster daughter."

When Geoff left, Isla turned to me and raised an eyebrow. "I must say, I applaud you for your initiative. Trying to kill me? That takes guts."

"Where's your lackey?" My voice was surprisingly steady, betraying none of the pure terror I felt.

Isla shrugged. "Don't know. He could be dead in a ditch for all I care." She giggled, a high-pitched psychotic sound that grated harshly against my eardrums. "Of course, I didn't do all this alone." She grinned. "Karen! You can come out now!"

High heels clicked against the ground. An overpowering stench of sickly sweet lavender engulfed the room as Ace's birthgiver entered.

"Hello, Alexandra." Her voice was as cold as ice and sharper than a double-edged sword. "It's been a while."

Ryan's POV: (pick up from end of last chapter)

"What do you mean?" I snapped brusquely.

Geoff glanced behind him. "Look, we don't have time. Do you want to save Lexi or not? Follow me."

"DeLescos and DeLaCruzes will go." Xavier instructed. "The rest of us will wait back here in case it's a trap."

Geoff nodded, turned and disappeared into the shadows. After a second's hesitation, we followed.

He lead us up a flight of stairs and gestured urgently down a corridor. "Third door on the left. Be quick- Lexi might not have long left."

Tony nodded curtly, eyes trained on the wooden door, a wild almost maniacal gleam in his eyes.

He quietly walked towards it and threw it open...

Only to find it completely empty.

"She's not here!" Jack shouted, disappointment and anger clouding his features. He turned sharply to Geoff, grabbing the younger boy and slamming him against the wall. He pressed his blade to Geoff's neck, drawing a steady stream of blood. "Where. Is. She?"

"I-I they were here a second a-ago!" Geoff stammered. I knew he was telling the truth. But where is Lexi?

A scream shattered my thoughts.

"Lexi." I whispered, immediately sprinting towards the sound, closely followed by the others.

Turning the corner, the sight made my heart stop.

My little sister was battered and bruised, her frail body curled on itself as she leaned against the wall for support. Her clothes were torn, exposing her bruised midriff and scarred limbs.
In front of her, two women were grinning manically, guns raised and fixated on Lexi.

"Karen!" Ace yelled, his expression distraught. "What are you doing?"

"What? No 'mother'?" Karen pouted then laughed, the sound echoing in the stone-walled corridor. "That's just as well. Have you come to save your precious little Lexi?" She glared at my sister, who shrank back slightly.

"Why do you hate me so much?" Lexi asked softly, her voice barely louder than a forced whisper.

"YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!" Karen screeched, eyes blazing with unadulterated anger. "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT MARIA!"

"Maria?" Ace frowned.

"SHE STOLE EVERYTHING FROM ME!" Karen heaved, her entire body shaking. "Now, you die." She raised her gun at Lexi and pulled the trigger.

"NO!" I screamed, moving a fraction of a second too late.

A gunshot tore through the air, followed by a sickening thud as the bullet found its mark.

End of chapter 28.

*hides* please don't kill me! Two more chapters to go. Not the best chapter honestly.

I hope you guys liked it!

Stay safe and thanks for reading :)