The first message contains an image. I open it to find a high-resolution photo of Aurora at her desk at Bloom’s Press, taken from an angle that could only come from the building directly across from her office.
The second shows her leaving the building, unaware of the camera tracking her movements.
The third message contains no image, just five words:
“Your distraction is a concern.”
I stare at the messages, my fingers tightening around the phone until I hear the faint creak of metal and glass. My pulse hammers in my temples as rage builds like a physical force inside me.
“What is it?” Penn asks, leaning forward.
Without a word, I turn the screen toward him. His usual irreverence vanishes as he studies the photos.
“Fuck,” he breathes. “He’s not being subtle.”
“He’s threatening her.” My voice sounds foreign to my own ears. “This crosses a line.”
Penn sets his glass down carefully. “Hunter, think this through. Jax doesn’t make empty threats. If you push back?—”
“If I do nothing, he’ll see it as weakness.” I glare at Penn. “Jax respects power and decisiveness. Backing down now will only confirm his suspicions.”
“Or buy you time to maneuver,” Penn counters.
I shake my head. “Time isn’t the issue. Perception is.” I stop at the window, looking out at the city below. Our city, our territory. “Jax is testing boundaries. Mine specifically.”
My phone buzzes again. Another message from Jax:
“Meeting. My office. One hour.”
Penn reads it over my shoulder and winces. “He’s escalating. Fast.”
“Good.” I slide the phone into my pocket. “Let him.”
“That’s suicide. He’s clearly making a move against you.”
I turn to face Penn, decision made. “Then I’ll have to make mine first.”
I press the secure call button on my watch. Seconds later, Grayson’s voice comes through.
“What’s the situation?” he asks without preamble.
“Jax is making his play. Implement contingency protocol Delta.”
There’s a moment of silence before Grayson responds. “Understood. Timeline?”
“Immediate. I need everything in place within the hour.”
“Consider it done.”
The line goes dead. Penn stares at me, expression unreadable.
“You’ve been planning for this,” he says. Not a question.
“I’ve planned for every possibility since the day I joined the Vipers.”
“And Aurora?”
I check my watch. Fifty-three minutes until I meet with Jax.
