Page 91 of Callous Shot

The door suddenly swung open, and I had to brace myself on the frame to stop myself from falling forwards.

“What the hell do you want?” Kane Worthington snarled in my face. “I don’t fucking appreciate being disturbed this late at night. You’ve got five seconds to tell me why you’re here. Five seconds before I make you regret showing up here.”

“I need to speak to Daniel. Please. It’s important.” I detested the way my voice cracked.

Kane’s brows flew up, and then he smirked. “I fucking knew it was you he was with.”

Ignoring his comment, I spoke urgently. “Is he here?”

“Nope. Haven’t seen him for a couple of days, actually. He’s been at his family’s house. King said something about meeting up with him, so they might be at the uni. That all?”

“Uh—”

The door was slammed in my face.

“Fuck!” I slammed my fist into the door. I couldn’t go to the Hoyton house. It would be suicide. That left the university and potentially facing Daniel’s most dangerous friend…a friend who had made it clear that he wouldn’t hesitate to harm me.

But I had no other choice. Choking down the lump in my throat, I ran for my SUV and headed towards the high, forbidding walls of Cranham University.

Screeching to a halt, diagonally across two spaces, I jumped out of my car, running for the nearest building. Shit. How was I going to find Ryker’s room?

I backtracked to the small signpost at the edge of the car park. “North Wing accommodation” was the first thing that caught my eye, and a memory hit me. A social media post from Daniel, back when he’d first enrolled here. North Wing had been where his accommodation was, I was certain.

As I sprinted towards the dark and foreboding former cell block, I took in the thick, cold stone walls with rows of windows with bars across them. How could anyone stand actually living here? It was inhumane.

A large figure materialised out of the darkness, and I stumbled to a halt. They moved into the path of the security light, and I was suddenly confronted with the very unwelcome sight of the Cranham Kings’ goalie and Bratva heir, Anton Volkov, staring at me with an impassive expression.

“Volkov.”

His expression didn’t change. “Bellingham. Why are you skulking around our university in the middle of the night?”

“I need to speak to your captain.”

Interest flickered in his gaze, and that was not good. Getting tangled up with the Bratva was the very last thing I needed. “I will take you to him.”

“Uh…okay.” I had no other choice but to follow him as he strode inside the building. The air in here was almost as cold as it was outside, and I tugged my hoodie sleeves down over my hands before hurrying to catch up with Anton. The soles of his polished loafers echoed against wrought iron as we ascended a set of stairs to the first floor.

Taking a left, he strode down the walkway, intermittently lit by weak, flickering security lights. When we’d almost reached the second set of stairs, he came to a stop in front of one of the heavy wooden doors that led into the individual cells. He rapped on the door, and I glanced around at the Victorian decor, the flaking white paint and harsh overhead lighting. My chest ached. Daniel had spent the first year of his degree here.

“Volkov.” The door creaked open, and Ryker appeared in the frame. His gaze slid to mine, and his brows flicked up almost imperceptibly. “Bellingham. What an…unpleasant surprise.”

“Bellingham?” came another voice from inside the room, and Ryker stepped aside, Jayesh coming up next to him. Great. “What are you doing here?”

“I would also like to know this,” Anton said.

I swallowed. “Have you seen Daniel? It’s important. I-I really need to see him.”

Ryker’s hand shot out, gripping my hoodie and yanking me into him. “Bellingham,” he snarled. “What the fuck have you done to my best friend?”

“I really need to speak to him. Please.”

“Jay.”

“On it.” Jay nodded at Ryker, lifting his phone to his ear. “Dan. Oh…Mrs. Hoyton? Is Dan there?” His brows pulled together as he spun on his heel, stalking over to the far side of the tiny, bare room. I could no longer see him because Ryker was blocking the doorway, still grasping a handful of my hoodie. We stood, glaring at each other until our stalemate was broken by Jay pointedly clearing his throat.

“Ry. C’mere.”

Ryker let go of me. “Don’t even fucking think about going anywhere.” His gaze shot to Anton. “I can take it from here.”