"Love." The word is poison on his tongue. "You love her. You've known her for years, watched her grow up, and suddenly now you love her?"
"Not suddenly." I meet his eyes. "For a long time. I just finally acted on it."
"She's been through hell!" Phantom slams his hand on the desk. "She doesn't know what she wants! She's vulnerable, traumatized?—"
"She knowsexactlywhat she wants." My voice is steel. "And she wants me. Why else would we be together?"
"Because you took advantage?—"
"I didn't take advantage of anything. She chose this. Chose me."
Phantom moves around the desk, gets in my face. "You know what happened to her. What Bronco did. And you thought it was okay to?—"
"I was there." The words come out before I can stop them. "Did you forget that? That night, I helped Shiver console her, kept my word that I’d watch over her."
Phantom freezes. "What?"
He definitely forgot, and it’s too late to take it back now.
I keep my voice steady. "I heard the gunshot. Found Shiver standing over Bronco's body. Grace upstairs, traumatized. Shiver told me what happened. What Bronco did to her."
Phantom's staring at me like I'm a stranger. "You knew. All this time, you knew."
"Yes."
"And you kept it from me."
"Grace asked me to. It wasn't my secret to tell."
His voice breaks. "She told you before she told me."
I have nothing to say to that.
It's true, and it cuts him deeper than anything else.
Phantom sinks into his chair, and for the first time since I've known him, he looks old. Defeated.
"I trusted you," he says quietly. "With everything. With the club's security. With her safety. And you... you betrayed that trust."
"I protected her. For years, I've protected her."
"By lying to me?"
"By keeping a promise." I lean forward. "Grace didn't want you to know. Didn't want you carrying that guilt. So yes, I lied. I kept the secret. Because that's what she needed."
"And now?" Phantom looks up. "Now you're fucking her because that's what she needs?"
"No." My voice is calm. Final. "Now I'm with her because I love her. Because she loves me. Because we chose each other."
Phantom stands, and his expression goes cold. "You're done. As enforcer. As a member of this club. You're out."
I expected this. Prepared for it.
"I understand."
"And you stay away from Grace. Completely. No contact."
My jaw sets. "Can't do that."
