She was the reason he had to fight.
The reason surrender was no longer an option.
She was the line in the sand.
Henry had warned him.Don’t let the darkness swallow you.
Gideon wasn’t just protecting his grandfather’s legacy. He was fighting for himself.
For her.
For the future he finally believe he deserved.
One built in trust, not shadows.
One worth burning everything else down for.
He stood at the window, the city reflecting back in fractured panes.
Let them come.
Let them try.
He knew who he was now.
And he knew exactly what—andwho—he’d burn for.
CHAPTER 37
Echoes of Loyalty
Even in his club office, Gideon felt it, the inescapable reminder that nothing in his world was truly his. Not with the Blackwell name stitched into every shadow.
Nathan Cole sat across from him, steadfast as ever. A presence anchoring the room against the tide Gideon felt rising beneath his skin.
The creak of leather cut through the silence as Nathan sat back, gaze deliberate.
Years of shared history hung between them. Words weren’t always required.
But tonight? They were.
“So,” Nathan said, voice low and dry, edged with his signature calm. “Did family dinner live up to expectations?”
“Exceeded them.” Gideon huffed a laugh, more exhale than sound, and roughly rubbed his neck. “Evelyn’s watching. Alex is circling. And Sebastian?” He shook his head. “God knows what he wants this time.”
He didn’t finish the thought.
“This time, it’s about her,” Nathan said, cutting clean through the silence.
Gideon’s eyes narrowed. Surprise flickered, then turned colder. “How the hell did you?—”
“Because I know you.” Nathan didn’t need volume to make it land. His voice stayed low and even, but the conviction behind it landed hard. His eyes didn’t waver from Gideon’s.
“You’ve changed. You’re a man who’s finally found someone worth losing everything for. And tonight made it crystal clear who’s got the family rattled.”
The truth of it landed hard. No buffer. Nodenial.
“Arden,” Gideon said quietly. Her name—heavy as a confession.
