I shrug. “That is our first.”
She laughs, and for a moment the room feels lighter.
Then she asks quietly, “You really think they will be back?”
The mood shifts.
“Yes.”
“And the drugs?”
“I did not realize you heard that part.”
“I hear more than people think,” she says. “Just because I do not talk about it does not mean I am blind.”
I nod. “There have been more overdoses. Stronger product. Kids playing with fire.”
She goes still for a moment, sponge paused in her hand. “I hate that. It could be anyone.”
“Could be,” I agree. “And that is why we keep it out.”
She exhales slowly. “That is the part people do not get about the club. You guys are not the ones dealing. You are cutting it off.”
“Clean streets keep families whole,” I say.
She turns, leaning back against the counter. “So what is the plan?”
“Keep eyes on Perdition. Shut it down early. Warn them once. And if they come back, we make sure they understand there is no second chance.”
She studies me. “Sounds like you expect things to get ugly.”
I do not sugarcoat. “I expect things to get real. Fast.”
She holds my stare. “You really think I should stay away.”
“Yes. I do.”
Her chin tips up. “You do not own the town. And I am not a kid you can ground.”
“I am not grounding you.” I rub the back of my neck. “I am trying to keep you out of something that gets messy fast.”
She crosses her arms. “Because you do not think I can handle it.”
“No,” I say quietly. “Because I know how it ends. I have seen it. Up close.”
Her expression softens for half a second, and then she pushes past it. “News flash, Blade. Sometimes it touches people whether you want it to or not.”
The silence that follows is sharp.
She turns the water off, drops the sponge, wipes her hands, and brushes past me, leaving soap bubbles and tension in her wake.
I watch her go and know I messed up, but I also know I would say the same thing again. There is no version of this where I let her walk into that fire.
I stare at the sink like it insulted me just for existing.
Rev appears in the doorway, leaning against the frame like he has been waiting for this. “You got a real talent for stepping in shit with that girl.”
“Not helpful.”
