CHAPTER 56: A THREAT

Lucien’s POV

The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime. She let go of my hand immediately. A smile tugged at my lips as I slid my hand into my pocket. My gaze followed her from the shadows of my hoodie.

Braelyn stepped out first, her limp barely noticeable now, but I could tell every step still hurt. There was an awkward silence between us. She probably had a lot in her mind which was no less than mine

She walked ahead, the soft click of her shoes echoing in the quiet hallway. I followed a step behind, hands buried in my pockets, trying to ignore the lingering sensation of her soft touch on my hand. I could feel her tension, the way her shoulders stiffened like she was dreading something.

I glanced around the empty hallway. There wasn’t anything particularly interesting aside from the petty figure before me trying to find her hotel room.

"775," she muttered, stopping in front of the door. Her hand reached for the key card when something caught my attention.

"Wait." I blurted as a knot formed in my stomach.

She froze, glancing back at me, confused but sensing something was off. I stepped closer, crouching a little to inspect the lock.

There were faint scratches near the card reader, tiny but fresh. The edges of the slot were scraped, and when I ran my thumb across, there was a roughness that shouldn’t be there. The indicator light flickered once, unevenly, instead of staying solid red.

"Give me the card," I said, my tone lower than I intended.

"Why?" she wanted to argue.

"Just give it to me, Braelyn." My tone was a bit harsher. I didn’t mean to raise my voice but I needed her to know the implications of things.

She didn’t argue, just handed it over. I brushed my fingers over the lock again. The faint smell of burnt plastic lingered near the edge of the doorframe. Someone had used a tool, something electric, to override the circuit. Whoever it was didn’t do it cleanly as if they deliberately wanted to leave signs.

"Someone’s tampered with it," I said under my breath half explaining my concerns. I just hoped it wasn’t what I thought

Her eyes widened. I slid the card in. The door beeped once, then unlocked with a dull, uneven click. I stepped in first.

The hair on my skin curled sensing something was amidst. My gaze swept the suite, and my suspicion was confirmed. The place was a mess. The couch overturned, drawers pulled out, clothes scattered everywhere. Someone had torn through everything like they were searching for something or deliberately wanting to leave traces.

Braelyn peeked from behind me. I could feel her go rigid. A subtle gasp escaped her lips.

"Stay close," I muttered, my hand instinctively reaching for the pocket knife I always carried.

Braelyn didn’t speak, but I could hear her breathing shift. She was cautious and scared. I didn’t blame her.

I moved slowly, eyes scanning every corner. The coffee table was shattered. A lamp lay on the floor, its bulb cracked. The curtains fluttered slightly from the half-open window, but there was no sound, no movement.

Genny had been to the hotel earlier, there wasn’t any call from her warning about this. It only meant one thing they came after she felt the culprit either left a few minutes before we arrived or was still here.

I checked the bathroom first, then the wardrobe, then under the bed. Every time I moved, I made sure not to step on the scattered glass or clothes. I couldn’t take chances to alarm them although I am certain they already knew of our presence

After a thorough search, there was nothing. Whoever did this had already slipped away. I might have to check the cameras but I was certain they wouldn’t leave obvious clues.

I hissed then pulled out my phone to send Joey a quick message before I turned back toward her. She stood near the door, hands gripping the strap of her bag, eyes darting around the room.

"What happened here?" she finally asked, her voice small.

I exhaled slowly, lowering my guard but not my suspicion. "Someone was looking for something," I said quietly. "And they weren’t exactly subtle about it."

Her expression shifted from confusion to unease. I pocketed the knife again, my gaze still moving across the chaos.

Whoever did this hadn’t just broken in. They had wanted to send a message.

And I had a bad feeling this wasn’t the last time we’d see it. "Is this related to the club incident?" She asked

I shook my head, my eyes narrowed, noticing something blinking from the bed headboard. "We can’t be sure," I answered, then walked towards the bed.

It was hard to notice and was hidden. I pulled out what looked like a small piece of wire. Braelyn rushed towards me. "What is that?"

My jaw clenched, "It is a hidden camera." I was certain this was done just to frighten her, but who knew what would have happened if she had been here when they arrived.

"Go through your things. We have to be certain they didn’t take anything." I instructed her. She looked visibly shaken. Who wouldn’t be in this situation?

"We should call the police. I will inform the hotel front desk." She quickly rushed into action after getting over her initial shock.

My phone beeped, and I quickly unlocked it to check the message notification.

Joey: The cameras are not working. It stopped working roughly an hour ago. I will also try checking nearby cameras

That was fast but it did shorten my list of suspects.

An hour ago. I grinned. We probably came across the culprits. They just left the room.

"The hotel will contact the police, but honestly, do you have a clue who was behind this?" Braelyn spoke softly from behind me. I shook my head.

"My assumptions might be wrong. Genny might even be the target, " I answered, although I think she doubts my answer.