"Like someone who was trained by the same people who trained us." Fenrir's words hang heavy in the air. "Or someone who learned from our mistakes."
"What about the feds? They still sniffing around?"
"Always. But they're focused on the cartels right now. Human trafficking isn't sexy enough for the big budget investigations. Local PD is useless—half of them are on someone's payroll, and the other half are too scared to ask questions."
"So, it's on us."
"It's always on us." Fenrir sounds tired. Old. "Same as it's always been. We protect this territory. We protect our people. And we clean up the messes that the law can't—or won't—handle."
The voices fade as they move away from wherever the vent connects.
I hear a door close somewhere above us, and then silence.
I lie still, processing what I've heard, my mind racing through everything.
Trafficking. In Raiders of Valhalla territory. An operation that survived Eddie's death and is now rebuilding under new leadership.
Someone with resources, patience, and knowledge of the club.
Someone who's been watching.
Learning. Waiting.
And that dark sedan I've seen parked outside the compound. Was that connected? Someone keeping tabs on the club's movements?
Dalla shifts against me, murmuring something in her sleep, and reality crashes back in.
She's here. The president's daughter.
Sleeping in my arms while her father discusses threats he doesn't even fully understand.
Threats that could be closer than any of them realize.
I look down at her sleeping face, peaceful and trusting, and something cold settles in my chest.
I don't know what's coming.
Don't know who's behind this or what they want, but I know one thing with absolute certainty:
People like this come for those close to power.
And no one is closer to Runes than his daughters and his wife.
CHAPTER SIX
Dalla
I wake up to an empty bed and sunlight streaming through the window well.
For a moment, I'm disoriented.
The light is brighter than usual, the angle different.
Then I glance at my phone and realize why—it's almost noon.
I've slept for over twelve hours.
Yesterday was... a lot.
