I watched the women dart through racks with military precision.Hangers clacked against metal.Fabric rustled.Jade vanished behind a curtain, grumbling about excessive spending.
The curtain slid open.Jade stepped out wearing dark jeans hugging her curves and a deep green sweater bringing out flecks in her eyes.Everyone fell silent.
Marci smiled warmly.“Now we see you.”
My heart kicked.“We’re buying all of it.”
She blushed.“You’re ridiculous.”
“True.”
We finished fast, paid for everything, then loaded up the minivan.After we pulled out of the lot, the mirror caught my eye.Dark SUV.No front plate.Tinted.
“Knuckles.”
“I see it.”
We didn’t lead him home.I wasn’t risking him slipping through the gates behind us.
Industrial park.Empty.Open concrete.I stepped out alone.
The man waiting wasn’t Roth.He introduced himself as Victor.He worked for Diaz, a name I’d heard quite a bit.He offered a trade.
I refused.
He showed me a family photo.According to Jade, she didn’t have anyone left.Either she’d lied, or these weren’t biological relatives and more the type you claimed as your kin.
I promised him blood.
He left.
When I got back in the van, I handed the picture to Jade.She clutched the frame like a lifeline.
“You didn’t hand me over.”
“No.And I never will.”
Back at the compound, Atilla listened.Spade connected dots.General watched.Lines were drawn.
Later, Jade sat with me at the table, fingers cold in mine as she stared at the picture frame.I still wasn’t sure who was in the photo, but I wasn’t sure now was the time to ask.“They touched this,” she whispered.
“They don’t own it.”
“They don’t own me.”
“No,” I agreed.“They don’t.”
She kissed me then.Steady.Certain.
“We do this together.”
“Yeah.”Outside, monsters planned.Inside, we prepared to fight them.
And I would burn the world before letting anyone take her.
Chapter Eight
Jade
